Commun ty Matters Salina Presbyterian Manor
February 2016
Art is Ageless® call for entries underway Salina Presbyterian Manor has issued a call for entries for the Art is Ageless® juried exhibit to be held March 8, 9 and 10, 2016. Entries of artistic works will be accepted from any area artist who is 65 years of age or older to exhibit and/or compete for an opportunity to be featured in the 2017 Art is Ageless calendar. The Art is Ageless® Program encourages Salina Presbyterian Manor residents and other area seniors to express their creativity through its annual competition, as well as art classes, musical and dramatic events, educational opportunities and current events discussions throughout the year. Having a creative outlet benefits the mind, body and spirit. “The exhibit and competition always draw a wide array of impressive artwork from talented seniors,” said Kim Fair, marketing director. “We’re expecting this to be another great year for creativity and variety of works on exhibit.” ART continued on page 5
John and Helen Smutz
John and Jan Miller
Wedding anniversary milestones Congratulations to two couples at Salina Presbyterian Manor who are celebrating 70 years of marriage this year! John and Jan Miller’s anniversary is Feb. 10, and John and Helen Smutz will celebrate on May 12. We asked both couples about how their relationships began and their secret to making them last. Here’s what they told us. John and Helen Smutz John first saw Helen when he was in the Marines, assigned to a guard detachment at the Naval Ammunition Depot in Virginia. Helen worked there, too. “I saw her at the gate and that was it,” he said. “Take a look at her and you’ll understand.” Helen was seeing someone else, but John was persistent. She turned down his first three requests for a date. He gave his rival a hard time, searching the other man’s car every time he came through the gate. Finally, Helen’s exasperated boyfriend told her “just give him a date.” MILESTONES, continued on page 4
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Community Matters
is published monthly for residents and friends of Salina Presbyterian Manor by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Learn more at PresbyterianManors.org. Bradley Radatz, executive director Kim Fair, marketing director To submit or suggest articles for this publication, contact Kim Fair, kfair@pmma.org. Telephone: 785-825-1366 Fax: 785-825-6554 Address: 2601 E. Crawford, Salina, KS 67401-3898 Our mission: We provide quality senior services guided by Christian values. SalinaPresbyterianManor.org
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Community Matters February 2016
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National Bird Day The ladies breakfast was held on National Bird Day, Jan. 5, and the theme was—birds! Their beauty, grace and songs captivate us. We have had daily displays with thousands of birds flying in formation, moving the same direction at the same moment, With father in the lead, a couple of landing in trees or on rooftops, Canada geese take their goslings for a and taking off again. We think our turn around the pond. Photo by Gerald location—countryside east of us and Karnes. a large pond on our campus—makes our campus a popular spot for our feathered friends. And we can’t forget our permanent campers, a Canada geese community at our pond and in the field.
New bus The new El Dorado wheelchair accessible bus was delivered Dec. 7, just in time for Christmas light tours. A Sip & See reception for donors was held in the Ivory Keys Café and Coffee Bar prior to the unveiling. Resident Irene Gladem said, “It will be so much fun to see Christmas lights in a bus full of people instead of in a wheelchair accessible van with a driver.” Following the reception, bus rides were available to all who wished to ride. Our drivers previously attended a training session.
Snowman puzzle
Our puzzle group completed a 2,000-piece puzzle over a threeweek period. The puzzle was 32¼ by 39 inches, and the pieces were small—but not tiny. The number of puzzlers is growing.
Upcoming events Library stop
Be sure to take advantage of the wonderful library stop service Salina Public Library provides.You can return, check out, renew, pay fines, open an account and nearly everything else you can do at the library building. Lori Berezovsky will even select books, books on CD, and DVDs and movies especially to fit your taste. Visit with her to find out more when she comes at 10 a.m. on the first Wednesday of each month in our main lobby.
Valentine banquet
The annual Valentine banquet will be held on Feb. 15 with cocktails and seating at 5:30 p.m. Dinner begins at 6 p.m. Michael Pagan, a family member of Dr. Perry Hunsley, will provide beautiful piano music. Seating is limited, but you may reserve space for up to two guests. Contact the office for guest reservations.
Leap year party
Any good reason to party, and we’ll step up to the occasion! This is a leap year, so make sure to join us in the Ivory Keys Café at 3 p.m. on Leap Day, Feb. 29, for a hoppin’ good time! Salina Presbyterian Manor
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MILESTONES, continued from page 1
Finally, she agreed. “He was tall, he was handsome, and he looked good in his uniform,” Helen said. A few months later, they were engaged. John and Helen married on May 12, 1946, in his hometown of Pawnee City, Neb., then moved to nearby Hastings, where John was stationed. John had served in World War II and was recalled in 1950 to go to Korea. Later, he became an architect with a Salina firm, where he created the original design for Salina Presbyterian Manor. John also worked on improvements to several local schools and the main post office. “I always wanted to live in a place I designed, but I didn’t think it would be this,” he quipped. The Smutzes raised four children and now have nine grandchildren and seven great-grands. Their secret to a long marriage? Helen says, “It’s just a give and take.” John says with a laugh: “Tear up your credit cards.” But when we ask John what he loves best about Helen, he says without hesitation, “Everything.” Sometimes it’s just that simple. John and Jan Miller John and Jan grew up together in Lyons, Kan. John briefly left town but returned just as they started high school, and the two of them began dating a while later. They both graduated in 1944, and John had already enlisted in the Army Air Corps to join World War II. But first, he asked Jan to marry him on graduation night. Their engagement lasted as long as John’s service. He was discharged at the end of 1945, and they married in Lyons on Feb. 10, 1946. “Since we were in Kansas and it was February, I thought we’d have a blizzard,” Jan said. “But it was a pretty nice day.” The Millers have a son and a daughter, five grandchildren and many great-grands. Both said they’ve been blessed with a harmonious marriage, with the usual disagreements from time to time. “I look forward to each day with hope. I think we were probably meant for each other,” John said. The Millers say they were also fortunate to like each other’s families, and to share a strong faith in God. Their advice to newlyweds today? Don’t treat marriage like a trial period, John said. “It’s a big step, a serious step, and you’ve got to plan for it to be long term.” But when you’re as well matched as the Millers, as Jan says, “It’s been pretty easy to be married 70 years.”
Mary’s Musings Lent is the Christian season of preparation before Easter. In Western Christianity, Ash Wednesday marks the first day, or the start of the season of Lent, which begins 40 days prior to Easter (Sundays are not included in the count). Lent is a time when many Christians prepare for Easter by observing a period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline. The purpose is to set aside time for reflection on Jesus Christ. This year, Ash Wednesday falls on Feb. 10. Have you decided yet what you will give up for Lent? In the past, a Lenten discipline meant giving something up, often something that we shouldn’t have been doing anyway. Those Lenten disciplines are still valid, especially if you tie the giving to something spiritual. For example, you give up sugar and contribute the money you would have spent on sweets to ELCA World Hunger. But what if instead of giving something up, you added something to enrich your spiritual lives? For those of you who are baffled, below are some suggestions to help you launch into Lent. Increase your reading.You might wonder, “But what should I read?” Why not start with the Bible? Read a Gospel from beginning to end. MUSINGS, continued on page 5
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Community Matters February 2016
ART, continued from page 1
Local competition winners will join winners from 17 other Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America communities to be judged at the systemwide level. Entry forms can be picked up at Salina Presbyterian Manor, 2601 E. Crawford, Salina, or by contacting Fair at 785-825-1366 or kfair@pmma.org. Or go online to ArtIsAgeless.org to view rules, download an entry form or enter online. Artists may choose to enter the exhibit only. For the competition, works are to have been completed in the past five years (since January 2011). There are nine categories, and amateur or professional designations. Deadline to be entered for judging is March 1, 2016. Works should be delivered to Salina Presbyterian Manor by 4 p.m. March 3 or 4.
makes you excited). The newest fad is coloring for adults, and there Dip into some of the other New are many books to choose from. Testament books. Read a Psalm The ones I really like are Mandalas, a day. One author I would which is Sanskrit for “sacred circles.” recommend is Madeleine L’Engle. Come to my office and I will be Books are timeless. happy to give you a page to color. Boost your prayer life. If you’re not The image of God as a potter recurs praying on a regular basis, now’s a in the Bible. Buy some clay and play good time to start. Begin your day with prayer, or end it with prayer, or with it. If you are the clay, how is both. If you’re not sure what to say, God shaping you? Make that shape. start with “thank you.” Or, pray the Learn to bake bread. Bread is an Lord’s Prayer. If you want a bit more amazingly forgiving food and will discipline, try praying for people endure countless experiments. Or who annoy you. Pray for countries simply try a new recipe. that seem opposed to ours. Pray for peace. Ask God to be with all Start a spiritual journal. Each day, leaders. Ask God to be with those write down five things you’re who need help. Pray for the sick. grateful for. Or write down people It’s not too early to begin to pray for you need to remember to pray for. the election process in our country. Or write a short meditation on a Experiment with a creative practice. Bible verse or a song. Make a list of where you see God at work in the Buy a big box of crayons (or paints world. Write out your prayers. or pastels or any medium that MUSINGS, continued from page 4
Step up your charitable efforts. Hopefully, you’re already making some attempt to be part of God’s vision for social justice, either by contributing time, money or materials.You might consider a few of the following suggestions: Clean out your closets. Give away anything you haven’t worn in the past year. Clean out your kitchen cupboards. When you go to the grocery store, buy some extra food for the Salina Food Pantry. Give some extra time during Lent. Volunteer at a soup kitchen or a food pantry. Go to a nursing home and sing some old gospel songs. Think about the people you know who have lives that are falling apart; go buy cards and put them in the mail. Based on an article Launch into Lent by Kristin Berkey-Abbott for the 2013 winter edition of Seeds for the Parish. Salina Presbyterian Manor
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Employee of the Month Congratulations to Kristi Mueller, our Employee of the Month for January. Kristi has worked at Salina Presbyterian Manor for four months and is a great addition to our caring staff. Kristi is married and has two children: Alexander, 11, and Alyson, 3. Kristi enjoys hunting, fishing and playing with her children. One thing we didn’t know about Kristi is that she does love to hunt in her spare time. Kristi also graduated from nursing school, but loved being a CNA and working “hands on” with people. She didn’t take her board exams and still loves being a CNA.
Health care happenings Our theme for February will be Chocolate Lovers Month. • We will try recipes with a theme of “Death by Chocolate” for the new Presbyterian Manor Health Care cookbook to sell next year at Soup Supper. • Discussion and learning topics will be the Tooth Fairy, Abraham Lincoln and Tennessee Ernie Ford. • A Valentine party is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Feb. 12. • The arts and crafts project will be a new necklace.
Time to celebrate volunteerism! How have you answered the call to be a volunteer? How have volunteers helped you in a time of need? Why do you think volunteers are so important? How have you benefited from being a volunteer? If you’ve got a story to share about volunteering, contact Marketing Director Kim Fair and your story could be featured in an upcoming edition of Community Matters.
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Community Matters February 2016