The awesome panel—Mayor Kate Gallego, Mayor of City of Phoenix, Dr. Maria Harper Marinick, Chancellor of Maricopa Community College District and Dr. Judy Jolley Mohraz, Trustee of the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust – are leaving their mark on Phoenix.
Monday, September 2nd, 11AM-2PM; Reservations Required. Tickets are $12 each, available at the Plaza Bistro!
Question:
Why do people gather to sing together?
Why do they find such joy in this activity?
Why do Beatitudes Choir members get so excited when they hear there’s another
singing opportunity for them?
Answer:
It’s all about HARMONY!
Recently, Beatitudes Campus offered a Tuesday afternoon Hymn-Sing which featured the chance for all to enjoy singing some of their favorite hymns, to hear the Beatitudes Choir perform one of their successful hymn-tune arrangements from the recent season, and to top it all off by enjoying a time of social mixing and root beer floats! While all of these factors made for a lovely Tuesday afternoon, (especially those cool delicious root beer floats on a very hot August day), what the Beatitudes Choir members found MOST appealing was the opportunity to sing together. Not just “singing,” but singing in HARMONY. The incomparable Webster suggests in his dictionary that the word Harmony is a “tuneful sound”, a “pleasing or congruent arrangement of parts”, but even more “correspondence, accord, internal calm; Tranquility.”
Yes, as singers fill their lungs with air, and release that air through vibrating vocal cords in tuneful sonorities, they achieve a pleasing sound to their ears. Even more, they release happy beta-endorphins in their brains, and peace and tranquility begin to settle inside them.
Furthermore, after they’ve sung together for a period of time, they begin to appreciate the spirit of the personalities singing around them, and they begin to feel a “harmony” of spiritual being with their fellow singers.
Thus, it is with great joy, that the singers of the Beatitudes Choir invite those of you who love music and who can sing in tune, to come and join them in Choir this Fall. To achieve their uniquely harmonious tones, the Choir gathers together to rehearse 3 Tuesdays a month, then shares the beauty of their harmony with their fellow residents by singing at the 3:00PM Sunday Service in the Life Center on the last Sunday of every month. The first rehearsal of the upcoming Fall season will be held Tuesday, Sept. 10th from 3:30 to 4:30PM in the 2nd Floor Lobby of Central Park West. In this welcoming and friendly space, equipped with comfortable chairs and a baby grand piano, Director, Ellen Brown, leads the choir through vocal warm-ups designed to strengthen and increase their vocal range and breath-control. Then selections are carefully rehearsed for the next Vespers, at which they will sing.
Repertoire is carefully chosen to bring out the best that the singers have to offer, showcasing a wide variety of styles and composers: some fast, some slow, some very serious in nature, some with a touch of light-heartedness to them. In the time span of one hour, singers would agree that, although they may arrive at rehearsal in all sorts of conditions, invariably they leave feeling that at least for a sweet hour of time, their lives have been eased into harmony, in a most delightful way, through the sharing of The Gift of Music.
You’re invited: Do come and share this special Gift! Feel the Harmony! You’ll be glad you did! Call the Spiritual Life Department with any questions at x18465.
Socialization is just as important as eating right and exercise. As the public becomes more aware of this, we will see a great increase in quality of life for everyone, young and old.
Former Barn Cat seeks new (indoor-only) home!
Beautiful GHOST has lost her five siblings to mountain lions / coyotes and her owners (in Southern AZ) are looking for an indoor-only home for her (she does not understand city living). They cannot keep her as one of their dogs has a high prey instinct. We cannot keep her as family members have allergies. (We are house-sitting for them until late Oct.)
* 3-4 years old
* Excellent health
* Spayed
* Very friendly, loves tummy rubs, sleeps on our bed
* Took immediately to the litter box and the scratching post and we have not had any problems (it’s been a month)
* Good with friendly dogs (ours!) and friendly cats
* Despises the vacuum cleaner 😊
* We would love it if someone at The Beatitudes adoped her so we could visit her! (My parents live there.)
For info, call Kathleen at 623-670-3595 or email at [email protected]
**Kathleen Waldron (daughter of Fred and Helen Sills in Central Park West)
“Women have a unique power of being able to look at the world’s problems and discover solutions that transform lives and make the world a better place.”
You can witness the power of those words first-hand at the Third Annual Power of Women: Wine, Women and Conversation event, which will be held on Wednesday, September 18, from 5-7 pm in the Life Center. We are shining a light on three women who are shaping the Phoenix community: The Honorable Kate Gallego, Mayor of the City of Phoenix; Dr. Maria Harper Marinick, chancellor of the Maricopa Community Colleges; and Dr. Judy Jolley Mohraz, trustee of the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust. They will be discussing their life journeys – the highs and lows and everything in between. We will hear the expansive amount of work they do for our community and how the connections and support they receive from our community has been transformational in their lives. Our own President and CEO Michelle Just and Letitia Frye, our Power of the Purse auctiontainer, author and speaker, will moderate the panel discussion.
Mayor Kate Gallego has spent her career working to find solutions to complex problems. Prior to being elected as Mayor this past March, she served for five years as the City Councilwoman for District 8. She is the second elected female mayor in Phoenix history and the youngest big-city mayor in the United States. She’s passionate about building a Phoenix that works for everyone, including her two-year-old son, Michael. Prior to being elected mayor, she worked on Strategic Planning and Economic Development for Salt River Project. Mayor Gallego graduated from Harvard University and earned an MBA from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Maria Harper Marinick is a national leader in higher education and strong advocate for access, equity, and student success. She has served in leadership positions for 17 years at Maricopa County Community College District, one of the largest community college systems in the U.S. serving 200,000 students across 10 colleges. She was appointed chancellor in 2016. She is the first female and the first Latina to be appointed to lead a higher educational institution in Arizona. She is originally from the Dominican Republic and came to Arizona in 1982 as a Fulbright Scholar to complete graduate work at Arizona State University, where she earned a master’s and doctoral degrees in education.
Dr. Judy Jolley Mohraz has spent her life committed to the community and education. She served as the founding president and CEO of the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, the largest private foundation in Arizona and currently serves as a trustee. She positioned the trust to be a significant partner in civic leadership, constructive change and investment in solution-focused social strategies. Prior, she was president of Goucher College in Baltimore for six years and served on the faculty and administration for 20 years at Southern Methodist University. Her academic focus was American history and she authored a book about Black education in the northern U.S. in the early 20th century. She serves on numerous boards and was a presidential appointee to the Board of Visitors of the U.S. Naval Academy. She earned her doctorate from University of Illinois and her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Baylor University
Michelle Just, as we all know, is the amazing leader of Beatitudes Campus and has made enormous contributions nationally in the aging services field. Letitia Frye has been involved in Beatitudes Campus for the past five years as auctioneer at Power of the Purse. She has made a big impact on the Arizona nonprofit community and has helped raise more than $400 million for these organizations.
For those of you who attended Power of Women last year, you know how positive and uplifting this evening is. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll cheer on your new friends. I hope you will come this year!
We invite you to join us at Power of Women and be part of the Women, Wine and Conversation. Tickets are $45 (wine and appetizers included) and can be purchased by calling me (Barbara Wood at x16136) or coming to the Foundation offices. Please call me if you have any questions. I hope to see you there!
Each of us has had at least one individual in our lives who has helped to shape us into the person we are today. Perhaps for you it was a particular teacher, colleague, friend or relation? I consider myself fortunate to have had a variety of such people who have guided me along my way, and recently I have been thinking about one such person, who probably has no idea of his influence upon me.
At eighteen, I left home for my undergraduate studies in Theology at the University of Chester and while there I became a regular worshiper at the cathedral in that same city. The cathedral had six resident priests who, in rotation, would preach and officiate during worship, all of whom I got to know well. One of those six was Fr. Trevor Dennis. Trevor is one of the finest Hebrew Bible scholars I have encountered, with a wonderful gift for poetry and expression which I encountered over the years in his sermons, his published works, and in conversations over cups of tea. He is a member of the select band of preachers whose sermons I can remember for longer than a few days after I have heard them! But importantly for me, at a time when I needed it, and without knowing he was doing so, Trevor challenged me to live deeper into my faith, and helped me to grow in my understanding of how God was at work in my life. I still have books of his poetry and translation on my study shelves, and turn to them regularly. Look at how he begins the introduction to one of those books;
“God is familiar, well known and very close, yet so many these days do not feel the warmth of his embrace… how then to convey that mystery and the familiarity? That is the question and task facing anyone who would dare speak of God”.
With hindsight, it is clear that Trevor became one of those people who I can say has shaped me, and despite not having seen or spoken with Trevor for many years, he continues to challenge me and guide my ministry as I read his words and remember our conversations years later.
God moves in mysterious ways. Trevor would agree with that, and he would probably agree that God moving through him was one of the most mysterious ways of all.
May we all be open to God working through those around us. May we all be open to God working us. May our eyes and ears be open to those who surprise us and challenge us, and, in turn, may we all grow in faith, understanding and love.
Of all the health care paperwork that comes our way, nothing is more controversial (and misunderstood) than the Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) form, also known as the “orange sheet”. This sheet is labeled as a “Prehospital Medical Care Directive,” which means you are giving your instructions for care that happens before you are in the hospital.
Join us in the Life Center on Friday, August 16th and Saturday, August 17th to enjoy two FREE films each day together with ample popcorn. Both morning films will begin at 9:30AM. Afternoon film showings begin at 1:00PM.
Soon, you will also see announcements of a trial Scam Prevention Workshop. Korry Nelson and I are working together to create a LLL class for you with the goal of arming you with better tools to protect yourself against these criminals.
It is with a heavy heart that I share with you that we lost one of our own last week, Melissa Buljubasic.
The Rev. Brad Munroe, the Executive Presbyter of the local denominational body of which I am a part (part of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A), has rewritten the Serenity Prayer for the 21st Century.
God, grant me the
serenity to accept that others
may misunderstand, misinterpret, and misjudge
my motives when hearing the narratives I speak,
the courage to listen with grace, humility, and compassion
for other’s motives when hearing the narratives they speak,
and the wisdom to know when to speak and when to listen,
always seeking charity, clarity, and conviction from all.
In a recent article, Brad writes about the Fundamental Attribution Error (FAR) which is a term psychologists use to describe the phenomena of attributing ill motives to others while assuming pure motives for oneself. For example, if someone cuts us off while driving, our first thought might be “What a jerk!” Conversely, consider the last time you were suddenly honked at for drifting into a different lane. You may have had an immediate alibi (e.g. the sun was in my eyes, my kids were distracting me) that explained your behavior based on a situation. You didn’t immediately come to the conclusion that you were an inconsiderate or incompetent driver. Because of the Fundamental Attribution Error, we tend to believe that others do bad things because they are bad people. We’re inclined to ignore situational factors that might have played a role.
A particularly common example is the self-serving bias, which is the tendency to attribute our successes to ourselves, and our failures to others and the situation. You might have noticed yourself making self-serving attributions at times. How often do we judge others harshly while letting ourselves off the hook at the same time by rationalizing our own unethical behavior? The Fundamental Attribution Error is so pervasive that I guarantee you will see it in action over the next week if you keep your eyes open. If we were to add up how many times the FAR is made in the meetings we attend, the gatherings we go to, the conversations with family and friends, we would likely find reasons why our life together needs an injection of “the courage to listen with grace, humility, and compassion.”
Some helpful remedies and things to consider are: watch out when you make generalizations and don’t be too quick to draw conclusions about the character and capabilities of others, assume the good will of the other person, and envision yourself in the shoes of the other person and imagine their challenges. Unquestionably, there are genuine jerks and incompetent people we run across in life. Given our inherent tendency to ascribe negative traits quickly, we will be better off by considering alternate explanations before we jump to conclusions. Those folks that are truly deserving of negative labels will have ample opportunity to validate our suspicions!
More than 50 percent of cooking fires are caused by grease, cooking oils or fats, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). A grease fire happens when your cooking oil becomes too hot. Heating oils first start to boil, then they’ll start smoking, and then they’ll catch on fire.
PUTTING OUT A GREASE FIRE
1) Evaluate the severity of the fire. If the fire is still small and contained to one pot, it is safe to extinguish it by yourself. If it’s beginning to spread to other parts of the kitchen, get everyone assembled outside and dial for emergency services. Do not place yourself in the way of harm.
Call emergency services if you’re too afraid to go near the fire or don’t know what to do. Do not risk life and limb to save a kitchen!
2) Turn off the heat on the stove immediately. This is your first priority, given that a grease fire needs heat to stay alive. Leave the pot where it is, and don’t attempt to move it, as you may accidentally splash oil on yourself or your kitchen.
If you have time, put on an oven mitt first to protect your skin.
3) Cover the flames with a metal lid. Fire needs oxygen to continue, so covering it with a metal lid will essentially smother the flame. Place a metal pan lid or a cookie sheet on top of the fire. Do not use glass lids; they can shatter when exposed to fire.
Also avoid using ceramic lids, bowls and plates for this purpose. These can explode and become dangerous shrapnel.
4) Dump baking soda on small fires. Baking soda will put out small grease fires, but won’t work as effectively on larger ones. It will take a large amount of baking soda to get the job done, so grab the whole box and dump it generously on the flames until they’re extinguished.
Table salt will also work. If you can get your hands on that faster, use salt.
Do not use baking powder, flour or anything other than baking soda or salt for this!
5) Use a chemical fire extinguisher as a last resort. If you have a Class B or K dry chemical fire extinguisher on hand, this can put out a grease fire. Since the chemicals will contaminate your kitchen and be tough to clean up, only do this as a last resort. However, if it’s the last line of defense before the fire gets out of control, don’t hesitate!
AVOIDING BAD PROCEDURES
1) Never throw water on the grease fire. This is the number one mistake many people make with a grease fire. Water and oil don’t mix, and throwing water on a grease fire can even cause the fire to spread.
2) Don’t swat at a fire with a towel, apron, or any other fabric. This will fan the flames and spread the fire. The fabric itself could also catch on fire. Don’t place a wet towel over a grease fire to snuff out the oxygen, either.
3) Do not throw any other baking product on the fire. Flour and baking powder may look similar to baking soda, but they won’t have the same effect. Only baking soda and salt are safe and effective on a grease fire.
4) Do not move the pot or take it outside. This is another common mistake people make and it may seem logical at the time. However, moving a pot of burning oil can cause it to spill, potentially burning you and any other flammable objects it comes into contact with.
PREVENTING GREASE FIRES
1) Never leave the stove unattended when cooking with oil (and in general). Unfortunately, most grease fires happen when someone steps away just for a moment. Grease fires can happen in less than 30 seconds, though. Don’t turn your back on hot grease.
2) Heat oil in a heavy pot with a metal lid. Cooking with a lid both contains the grease and cuts it off from its would-be oxygen supply. A grease fire can still erupt with the lid on the pot if the oil is hot enough, but it’s far less likely to happen.
3) Keep baking soda, salt and cookie sheets nearby. Get into the habit of making sure these items are within easy reach when you’re cooking with grease. If a fire erupts, you’ll have at least three different ways to immediately snuff it out.
4) Clip a thermometer to the side to monitor oil temperature. Find out the smoking point of the particular oil you’re using, then use a clip-on thermometer to monitor temperature as you cook. If it gets too close to the smoking point, turn off the heat.
5) Watch for smoke and be aware of acrid smells. If you see wisps of smoke or smell something acrid while you’re cooking with oil, immediately turn down the heat or remove the pot from the burner. The oil won’t immediately catch fire once it starts smoking, but smoke is a danger sign that it’s getting close to that point.
There’s an all-new supplement to the Roadrunner which includes all dining specials for the week. If you did not receive one, please see the dining venues for an additional copy.
This week, beginning Wednesday, check out the fresh new Buckwald’s menu featuring a 52-week rotating menu. Look forward to the incredibe variety in the new insert called The Crave.
On this note, the additional space vacated by the specials will allow us to restructure the Roadrunner. Look for these fresh updates in this edition and future revisions taking place over time.
This past week I read about an international research project conducted by Science Magazine. Hundreds of “lost” wallets containing large and small amounts of money were placed in locations around the world where they could easily be found, with the aim of the experiment being to see what would happen next. Would one nation be more honest than another? Would a particular age demographic be more honest than another? Would anybody turn in any of the wallets at all? Well the results have been surprising to read. Fascinatingly, the study revealed that the more money there was contained in a lost wallet- the more likely it was to be handed in to the fictitious owner, whose contact details were also left inside. For those of you wondering, Switzerland had the highest overall wallet return rates. China had the lowest, and the U.S. ranked around the middle of the 40 countries, at 21st place.
The project reminded me of those various parables that Jesus told about things being lost. Jesus’ teaching using allegorical stories is recorded in all four gospel texts, including stories about lost sheep, lost coins and lost children, with his intent and focus being to help us to understand the joy of God in the lost being found, and the rejoicing in heaven over those who find true fulfillment and joy in their lives by living fully into a relationship of faith and love with God.
According to the Science Magazine study, and contrary to what many might suppose, it would appear that civic honesty is still alive and well. It’s easy to be despondent about a perceived decline in what one might refer to as neighborliness and honesty, but the research certainly suggests that, when it comes to our society, all is not lost. And as we read in Jesus’ parables about the enduring and boundless love of God, it becomes clear that neither are we. May all who walk the pilgrimage of faith, and who search for meaning and purpose find voice for our hearts desire in the words of Martin Luther King’s favorite hymn; “Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me on, help me stand. I’m tired, I’m weak, I’m alone. Through the storm, through the night lead me on to the light, take my hand precious Lord, lead me home.” May all those who feel lost find a home amidst God’s love.
Need a great greeting card for 10 cents, a couple of wine glasses, maybe a change of linens or a designer dress for $8? How about a small end table or holiday decorations? You can find what you are looking for at the Backstreet Boutique. Located at the east end of the campus, the Boutique is open for business on Thursdays. The Boutique offers a great place to find very reasonably priced items and to donate what you no longer need. Think that the Boutique may a bit too far to walk? We have free transportation on Thursdays by just calling us at ext. 18463.
The Boutique was established by the Beatitudes Auxiliary soon after the campus opened, to assist residents in disposing of belongings as well as offering easy to obtain goods. As the major income producer for the Auxiliary, your shopping dollars go right back to the campus! Proceeds from the Boutique have been directed to very worthy programs – this year we helped fund 3 new vans for resident travel, employee appreciation fund and the Resident Assistance Fund.
Open to residents, staff, family, friends and campus visitors, the Boutique has become a great venue to visit with fellow shoppers. We do have “our regulars” who wouldn’t miss a week, but invite those first-timers to join us. As one shopper said last week, “I hate to miss a week since there are always new items for sale!”
We also carry small furniture items! We welcome small furniture pieces that can be lifted and transported by one person, such as small tables and chairs, TVs, storage units and small desks.
Donations are always welcomed. You can call or leave a message at x18463 for pickup requests. Messages are picked up Tuesdays and Thursdays. If we can’t use the item, we re-donate it to another charity. We don’t accept boxes of books, bed pillows and mattresses.
The Boutique is run totally by a dedicated team of volunteers. Consider joining our volunteer team. We are always looking for residents, family and friends with skills in staging, sorting, pricing, moving boxes and furniture. You also may want to drive our shuttle. You can work a couple hours or more and be a part of a great group of dedicated workers.
When you read this article, we will be nearing the end of our summer season, featuring 75% off on all merchandise! The Boutique will be closing July 19th for renovation and reopening Thursday, September 5th.
Unfortunately while we are closed, we cannot receive and donations. This fall we have great shopping experiences planned – September will mark Native American week with many western and native American items for sale. Of course the holidays feature decorations and gifts.
So welcome to the Boutique—we look forward to seeing you!
Mark your calendars for a special series of presentations and discussions coming to you Tuesday afternoons, starting July 16th, at 11:00AM in the Agelink Great Room.
Beatitudes at Home and Beatitudes Home Health are different programs, but they both have the same goal in mind: To keep our residents as independent as possible for as long as possible.
