Commun ty Matters Parsons Presbyterian Manor
CNAs make a difference Rev. Jennifer Dawson, Pastor First Presbyterian Church Parsons
Betty Olmsted, overcomer
August 2018
There are many ways to make a difference in the world. We are all called to make the world a better place. Some people make a difference through a smile. Some of us make a difference in our work. The CNAs of Presbyterian Manor make a difference every time they come to work.
I see caring CNAs each time I visit Presbyterian Manor. I hear them laughing with residents. I see the concern they have for each of the people they touch. It is a hard job. I was a CNA several years ago. I still remember many of the people I served each day. There was Beatrice, who would argue with me every time I came into her room. By the time I was ready to leave that position, Beatrice and I were good friends. I learned that if I took a few minutes to fill up her water, she would let me do whatever it was I had to do. I remember the long nights of helping people, one after another. I remember how hard it was to lose a beloved resident. And,
CNAs continued on page 4
Betty Olmsted shares her positive attitude every day of her life.
In 1926, Betty Olmsted entered this world into a lessthan-ideal situation, but anyone who knows her story can certainly say she’s made the most of what she was given, and even what she wasn’t given. Born to parents who married but never lived together, Betty’s upbringing was
OVERCOMER continued on page 3
Sloan’s Spot
Mother’s influence shaped life
Sloan Dwyer, marketing director
®
®
Community Matters is published monthly for residents and friends of Parsons Presbyterian Manor by Presbyterian Manors of
501(c)(3) organization. Learn more at PresbyterianManors.org. Maegen Pegues, executive director Sloan Dwyer, marketing director To submit or suggest articles for this publication, contact sdwyer@pmma.org. Telephone: 620-421-1450 Fax: 620-421-1897 Address: 3501 Dirr Ave., Parsons, KS 67357-2220 Our mission: We provide quality senior services guided by Christian values. ParsonsPresbyterianManor.org
2 COMMUNITY MATTERS AUGUST 2018
When I was a little girl, as far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be in education. One of the big reasons why was because my mom is a teacher. She has always been a huge inspiration for my life in general, but when it comes to education, that is a whole different story. God blessed me when he made her my momma. My mom, Stephanie Dwyer, has influenced many children’s Stephanie Dwyer with her principal, Mr. Kastler lives through her career as an educator and continues In April 2017, she was selected for the to make a huge impact on the youth at USD 506 Excellence in Education Meadow View Elementary. Elementary Award. She was nominated by her colleagues and was Growing up with a teacher as a very deserving of this award as an mother has strongly impacted who I educator. She has been in education for am today in many ways. She definitely this district for 23 years. didn’t mess around about homework or my grades. My mom was tough on One nominee wrote, “When I think of my brother and I, but she never failed the teaching profession, I think of to let us know how proud she was of commitment and dedication. I think of us, too. Having her to push us along all the hours that are involved in throughout school was one of the best making an impact in a child’s life. things I can remember. Stephanie spends hours upon hours to make that reality come true. There is I was just telling her the other day how not a day that goes by you do not see nice it was to have her at the same her helping a child reach his or her school as me K-8th and her knowledge potential. Stephanie is a natural. to get me through rough parts of Watching her take action with children school never hurt. I graduated in the does the heart wonders.” top 10 percent of my high school at Labette County High School and was Stephanie Dwyer’s degrees: able to get college done in three years Bachelor of Science in Elementary with a bachelor’s degree. I wouldn’t Education change her strict ways about grades, Master of Science in Education studying or time management for anything. My mom is a huge reason Master of Science in Library Media why I am where I am today. and Technology
OVERCOMER continued from page 1
tumultuous under the abusive reign of her stepfather. She was told she’d never amount to anything, that she was ‘worthless.’ But Betty proved them wrong: again, and again, and again.
“I worked my fool head off. I ended up being valedictorian at Elk County school in 8th grade, but I wasn’t allowed to go on to high school,” said Betty. “My stepfather wouldn’t even drive me to give my valedictorian speech, but a neighbor lady took me.”
Betty Olmstead left home at 16, determined to have a good life.
It’s this determination that drove Betty on and gave her the courage to make the difficult choice to leave home at 16.
“My mom and stepfather fought constantly. They were miserable, and I wasn’t going to let them make me miserable. I moved to Parsons at 18 and started working at KOP Ordnance Plant,” said Betty. Betty’s career path later took her to beauty school, and she had a salon out of her home for 13 years.
“My husband, Dick, was a truck driver, and we’d just adopted our daughter. I realized that if something happened to him out on the road, I’d have nothing. I didn’t want to have to go on welfare, so I decided to go to beauty school.”
But even getting into beauty school proved difficult for Betty. Once again, she faced an obstacle to climb. “I applied for beauty school at Pittsburg State University, and the lady told me it was pointless since I didn’t have my GED. I applied
anyway. I got the call, and they let me in! And at the age of 35, I took my state boards and got the highest score ever!”
Betty and her husband later got into the auction business, which she retired from at age 71 in 1997, after he passed in 1995. One would think that after overcoming all of the obstacles life threw at her, and finding success not only in school, but in her career, Betty would have been satisfied. But there was one more hurdle she wanted to clear.
“I decided to get my GED at age 65. One of my favorite sayings is, ‘Don’t sit on the pity pot. The choice is
yours, whether you let life make you or break you.’”
Betty has certainly chosen to make the most of her life and is a shining example to others who want to continue pursuing their education— whether it’s an easy road or not.
“I’m grateful to now be here at Presbyterian Manor. I hope the young people here appreciate their own health, and how it allows them to care for us. We sure appreciate them being so dedicated to keeping us comfortable.” And we’re grateful Betty is here, too.
PARSONS PRESBYTERIAN MANOR 3
®
®
Presbyterian Manor 3501 Dirr Ave. Parsons, KS 67357-2220
Sign up to receive our newsletter by email. Visit ParsonsPresbyterianManor.org
and enter your email address in the subscription box. It’s that easy. Like Parsons Presbyterian Manor
CNAs continued from page 1 I remember how much fun it was to share holidays with residents and their families.
1 John 3: 18 says “Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.” This verse speaks to how CNAs love. Each day, they have the opportunity to show love in action. Through their care, the lives of so many are made better. And, when we show love to one
4 COMMUNITY MATTERS AUGUST 2018
another, we are fulfilling the call on our lives to make the world a better place. The work of caring for others is exhausting and sometimes it seems that it makes very little impact.
There is a story about a church father who was walking along the seaside with a student. The beach was full of starfish stranded when the tide had gone out. He would bend down and toss every starfish he could into the sea. His student asked him why he was doing that. There were so many, there was no way he could make a
difference. The church father responded that he may not change the world for all the starfish, but he could save each one he tossed back into the ocean.
Caring for others can seem like tossing starfish into the ocean. The needs are never completely met. The work is never finished, but each time a CNA helps a resident, the world is made better. Thank you to all the CNAs who make life better for the residents and families of Parsons Presbyterian Manor.