Beatitudes Community

TOWN HALL Recap for December 5, 2018

Rev. David Ragan, Sr. VP of Resident Services, called the meeting to order at 2:15PM, wishing all a very Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, and a Joyous Holiday Season. David also asked residents to be sensitive to those who may have lost a loved one recently or have other reasons to be sad over the holidays. A kind word or deed can make a big difference. He shared the spirit of the holidays by showing some pictures of staff, both now and in previous years. Staff Christmas photo cards from years past of Michelle Just, Joe Kane, Mike Smallwood, Peggy Roberts, Jon Schilling, Barbara Wood and many others brought gales of laughter from residents. How we do change over the years!! David called attention to the Welcome Coffee held the fourth Wednesday of each month, but taking a break in December, with the next Coffee on Wednesday, January 23rd.

Michelle Just, President and CEO, also wished residents happy holidays and provided updates on several items. She thanked residents for their participation in the Holleran Survey and said the findings will be used by Senior Staff, the Board of Directors and others in planning for the future. Michelle also thanked residents for their generosity in raising over $165,000 for the Employee Appreciation Fund. The staff party with be on Friday, December 7th, and employees are very grateful for the money they receive from the Fund. It will definitely make a difference for Christmas. As for the redevelopment, residents have no doubt noticed that the homes along 17th Drive and Myrtle Avenue have been demolished. Abatement will be started tomorrow in regard to the old patio homes. They will not be demolished until sometime in January and residents will be duly notified of the date so that they may party on their balconies. A new name has been given to the Courtyard buildings. It is to be called the Promenade Residences. In response to letters received and rumors, Michelle assured residents that the Mall would not be closing down for this phase of the redevelopment. That will not occur until the Promenade Residences are built 2 ½ years down the road. She has also received word that residents are very happy with the Holiday decorations and she assured us that the Poinsettia tree in the Life Center will remain lovely without watering as the flowers are silk! Michelle asked a favor of residents—that some residents (in their Beatitudes T-shirts) would attend the Alhambra Village Planning meeting on December 18th at the Washington Adult Center. More information will be available in the Roadrunner.

As Barbara Carpenter came forward to report on the Residents Council, David noted that there had been a Barbara Luncheon. Barbara said that 18 Barbaras attended and had a lovely time.

Barbara reported on the November Residents Council Meeting, noting that David Ragan welcomed the Representatives, Committee Chairs, Staff and Residents. He had updates on the demolishing of the new patio home and garden apartment sites, the Community Channel and a new loop system for the Life Center. Bylaws and Elections Chairman, Herb Komnick, reported that the elections went smoothly, each building has elected representatives, and over 60% of independent living residents voted. Dining Services Chair, Pat Dellisanti, shared the mostly positive comments that the committee had received on our dining venues. Bette Henriques, Employee Appreciation Chair, announced that the 2018 fund had broken the previous record and she, too, thanked all who participated so generously. Enviroment Chairmen, Gerald Roseberry, said that servers in Buckwald’s and Elaine’s will be offering water on request as part of our conservation effort. It was approved for the Recycling Sub-Committee to move to the Facilities Committee. Facilities Committee Chairman, Roger Benson, and his committee are working with our Director of Plant Operations on the serviceability and appearance of the campus facilities. Committees reporting in December include Communications, Community Relations, Health and Wellness, Life Enrichment, Spiritual Life and Welcome. Representative, Nils Larson, of Plaza View welcomed new representative, Dick Tucker and reported on happenings there. Kathleen Hall of Plaza South and Hollister Newlin of Central Park South each reported about good things in their buildings and all independent living areas will be celebrating the season with holiday events starting next week. Donna Ellis reported for the newly formed Diversity and Inclusion Action Council, which will be working to promote these values, a part of the Beatitudes Promise. The Residents Council will be appreciating all our 2018 volunteers, electing new officers and seating our new representatives next week so join us for an exciting glimpse into 2019 on Wednesday, December 12th at 2:00PM. Cake and coffee will be served. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN 2018!

Jessica Meyer, Director of Success Matters, announced a Courtney Cookie Send-off to be held on Thursday, December 20th from 10 to 11AM. Courtney Ramos has completed her internship at the Beatitudes and we thank her for her work on Campus and wish her well in her upcoming career as an occupational therapist. Courtney, who has now completed her Master’s Degree, thanked the residents for being so welcoming and expressed her feeling that this is a wonderful community.

Didi Cruz and Monica De La Rosa, Life Enrichment Specialists, combined forces to remind residents of several upcoming opportunities such as the Holiday Light Tour Off Campus on Monday, December 17th and Wednesday, December 19th at 6PM. Call x12905 to reserve your seat. There will be a trip to Organ Stop Pizza on Tuesday, December 18th at 3PM. Organ Stop Pizza accepts CASH ONLY and to join this trip, call 12905 by Friday, December 14th. If you plan on decorating your balcony, and don’t mind having folks stop by around 6PM on weekdays, call Didi at 18473 by Thursday, December 13th. Those who participate will be entered in a raffle to win a $25 gift card. Free gift wrapping is available on Saturday, December 15th from 9AM to 5PM. Volunteers will be available to help wrap your gifts. All supplies are provided and please schedule a time by calling Monica at x18526. If you would like to be a Town Crier, and be available from 8 to 8:20AM to announce the events/classes going on for the day and the following day, and answer questions regarding the events/classes, contact Korry Nelson, Communications and Media Design Specialist at x18493 or talk with a Communications Committee member. You can volunteer for one day a week, or two days a week or whatever you might be able to do.

Michael Smallwood, Fitness Specialist, provided riddles and jokes along with good news about keeping fit. It seems that as Americans continue to live longer, we also are aging better and thriving more in later life. Seniors are more satisfied with their standard of living, worry less about finances, have a significantly higher sense of well-being and have reduced amounts of stress in their lives than their younger counterparts. Hawaii ranks as the #1 state for older Americans well-being, followed by ARIZONA, New Hampshire, North Dakota and Colorado. The least happy states were Indiana, Ohio, Oklahoma, Kentucky and West Virginia. So stay here at the Beatitudes and join a workout and wellness class! The B-Fit winner for December is Norma Dieffenbach.

Tena Alonzo, Comfort Matters Director of Education and Research, introduced John Czaplewski, a Doctoral student, whose dissertation project involves the cognitive examination of people at least 90 years old. John said that participating in the project will require 20 to 30 minutes of activities such as puzzles, identifying pictures, remembering a short list of words, drawing pictures and connecting the dots. If residents participate, they will be a part of something that will benefit the care of others, create something new, represent individuals 90 years-old and over and impact the field of Neuropsychology. There is no other research like this in the country. If you are interested in participating in this important study, contact Tena at x16182.

David said that the DirecTV installation is complete and Cox is terminated throughout the campus. If Cox is trying to bill you for the white boxes that were in your apartment, tell them to cease doing so as they are part of the bulk account between Beatitudes Campus and Cox and this does not involve you. Always put in a work order should you have any issues involving your television or internet from now on.

The Arizona Republic is for sale in the Bistro for $2.00 a copy, including Sunday. Remember the Hootenanny takes place each and every Wednesday night in the Life Center. Bring your friends and enjoy the music. Wednesday Sundaes with Dave will take place on December 19th from 2 to 4PM in the Bistro. Enjoy a free yogurt sundae and share your thoughts with David. A big Thank You to Gregory’s Fresh Market for the bags of fruits and vegetables given to residents as they came to Town Hall on Wednesday.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL. The next Town Hall will be at 2:00PM in the Life Center on January 2nd, 2019.

Employee Appreciation Fund

Here is another letter that shows just how wonderful our employees are.

“Working the desk in Plaza South, I was told that someone’s cat may have accidentally gotten out of an apartment, but might just be under the sofa. No one nearby was able to get down on the floor to check for the cat. One of our maintenance men happened by (I didn’t get his name) and I asked if he would check under the sofa in the apartment for us. His response [was] ‘of course!’ The cat was there and all was well. Our wonderful maintenance man then went on about his job.”

Please show your appreciation to our employees for all the little and big things they do for us every day by contributing to the Employee Appreciation Fund if you haven’ t done that yet this year. You can make a check payable to Beatitudes Campus Foundation and put ” Em p loyee Appreciation Fund” on the note line; you can put an envelope with cash in it addressed to the Employee Appreciation Fund in the boxes in the Plaza Bistro and Buckwald’s, or you can have it added to your monthly statement by filling out a form that you can get from the billing department in Agelink. There is one additional way, if you have an IRA, you can have a portion of your RMD sent to the Beatitudes Campus Foundation and earmarked for the “Employee Appreciation Fund.” If you have any questions, please call Bette Henriques, Committee Chairman, at x18809.

Community Town Hall Recap – May 2017

Below is a summary of information and news discussed at the May Town Hall meeting.

Town Hall Informant – April 2017

David Ragan opened the meeting by welcoming everyone and thanking Gregory’s Market for providing fresh produce for residents to purchase. He invited all to attend the Welcome Coffee for new residents on Wednesday, April 26th at 2:00 PM in the Life Center. The Welcome Coffee gives residents an opportunity to meet their new neighbors and listen to the reasons why they chose the Beatitudes as their home. David also showed some interesting and amusing sayings and signs such as; “a clear conscience is the sign of a fuzzy memory”, and “I went to the Air and Space Museum, but there was nothing there”.

In introducing Michelle Just, President and CEO of Beatitudes, David noted that tomorrow is Michelle’s birthday and residents wished her a “happy birthday” in song. Michelle showed pictures of the participation of the Beatitudes in the Pride Parade on Sunday morning, April 2nd. The bus was decorated for the occasion and the Master of Ceremonies called attention to the Beatitudes volunteers who enjoyed being in the parade.

Michelle announced the Shout Outs for March—Angelo Flores, Jason Corder and Niccole Daine.

Angelo joined the IT team in August of 2016 and has made great improvements to the accessibility of the department and their response time. He is being promoted to Network Administrator for the campus. Jason joined the Dining team in July of 2015 and recently took personal time to help a resident locate a lost item of great sentimental value. He goes above the call of duty in his work. Niccole joined the Nursing team back in August of 2010 as an LPN. She helped a family deal with the loss of their loved one by making everything look its best so the family could have some peace in that moment. Remember to fill out a Radical Hospitality form online or pick one up at the Welcome Center whenever you see a staff member who deserves some special recognition.

Michelle also discussed a new Holleran Satisfaction Survey which will be coming in May. The survey will be shorter than in the past and will focus on measuring engagement rather than satisfaction. Results from the survey will be used in determining whether the right programs are being provided, in preparing budgets and in strategic planning. The surveys will be distributed to Independent Living Residents the week of May 1st and completed surveys will need to be turned in at the Welcome Center by May 20th. Results of the survey will be shared at a future Town Hall Meeting.

A happy announcement by Michelle was the addition of a new bus that can transport up to four wheelchairs at one time. The bus is ours due to a grant from the Maricopa Association of Governments and the City of Phoenix. Michelle thanked the Auxiliary for also providing funds toward the purchase of this bus. It is parked outside the building and residents are encouraged to check it out as they leave the meeting.

Herb Komnick, Residents Council President, provided a report of the Residents Council Meeting on March 8th. David Ragan began the meeting with a report that a good time was had by all at the LeadingAge Senior Fitness Challenge competition. He encouraged residents to attend the Design Studio meetings to help plan our residents’ future. Dining Services Committee Chairman, Pat Dellisanti, reported that Joe Kane, Director of Dining Services, had completed his building meetings and survey distribution. The Sunday Brunch is returning on the second Sunday of each month. Staff members are being trained on CPR, chest compressions, the Heimlich maneuver, and defibrillators. Employee Appreciation Committee Interim Chairman, Barbara Carpenter, reported that a letter will be sent in August and an evening dinner event will be held in August to encourage residents to contribute to the Employee Appreciation Fund. Monthly billing for contributions can be arranged through Cammy Clevenger. Facilities Committee Chairman, Roger Benson, reported that Maintenance has posted instructions of what NOT to put into drains on campus bulletin boards. Lost items should be reported to Security at x16172. Residents are asked to completely fill a recycle barrel before starting to fill another. If the barrel(s) is/are full, please call 18492 promptly. Under New Business, Gayle Richmond was confirmed as the new Life Enrichment Committee Chair; the Resident Telephone Directory is now available on the Resident Website (www.bcampus.org); and Kathy Amend has volunteered to post bulletin board items on the Patio Homes bulletin board. Leave items to be posted there in her mail box at the Welcome Center. Area Representatives’ Reports included the Central Park North Representative, Walt Smith, advising that the water leak survey has been completed, and a Spring Fling dinner in the Rose Garden is planned for March 28th. Plaza South Representative, Don Tamuty reported that Plaza South has completed the dining preference survey and is planning a dinner meeting. Central Park South Representative, Sybil Eppinger, reported that CPS, CPN and the Patio Homes are working together on the Spring Fling plans and also working with Marketing on the Open House being held on March 23rd in the Rose Garden. In response to a concern about a master calendar, it was reported that a software program for scheduling campus activities in coordination with outside groups’ activities being held on site has been purchased and is being installed.

Josephine Levy, Resource Navigator of Success Matters, advised residents about three upcoming programs. On April 12th, at 2:00PM in the Agelink Great Room, Josephine will discuss Health Care Power of Attorney (POA) and Living Will. The program promises to incorporate humor and not be boring! On April 26th, at 1:00PM in the Agelink Great Room, there will be a program on VA benefits and a VA representative will be on hand to answer questions. The last one-hour program will be held on May 9th, at 1:00PM in the Agelink Great Hall, with a representative from the Arizona Attorney General’s office discussing Scams and Such and talking about what is happening right here in Arizona to our senior citizens.

Jessica Meyer, Director of Success Matters, introduced Mitch Sopko and Rich Fauci to residents. Mitch and Rich are Masters level occupational therapy students doing their Level II Fieldwork at Beatitudes for the next three months. They are anxious to engage with residents and get to know us better. When you see them on campus, give them a big Beatitudes welcome! Premier Hearing will be hosting a free lunch and addressing the topic of hearing aid technology and maintenance on Thursday, May 4th from 11AM to 1PM in the Agelink Great Room. If interested, you must RSVP by calling 602-279-0003. Jon Schilling, Director of Life Enrichment, and Jessica will be offering their seventh SAFER Stepping at Beatitudes, a six week comprehensive falls prevention workshop offered periodically through the year. The workshop will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2:30PM, starting in mid-May. Contact Jessica at x16110 to be put on the registration list.

Jon Schilling introduced Wendy White who began volunteering at  Beatitudes when her parents moved here. She spreads joy wherever she goes and now visits three floors in the Health Care Center with her wonderful therapy dog, Max. She will be presenting a workshop entitled, Happiness is a Choice, on Thursday, April 20th at 2:00 in the Motion Studio.

Michael Smallwood, Fitness Specialist, discussed a new fitness program entitled, BrainSavers (because gray matters) which will be offered on Tuesdays and Fridays at 11AM. The course will begin in May and is structured to have up to 25 students. Beatitudes is making a one-year commitment to this “trial course” that encompasses Brain and Body Total Fitness. The mission statement declares that BrainSavers will help maintain healthy minds, reducing the impact of age-related memory impairment and the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. The six key components of healthy brain aging include physical exercise, nutrition, cognitive exercise, sleep, socialization and stress management. Dr. Paul Bendheim, M.D. will be introducting the course in a one-hour presentation on Monday, April 17th at 3 PM More information can be found at http://BRAINSAVERS.com. The March B-Fit Winner is Jean Hiser.

Monica De La Rosa, Life Enrichment Specialist, detailed some of the activities on the agenda for this month. They included a Lloyd Foundation Musical Performance in the Life Center on Tuesday, April 13th at 2PM; a movie and discussion presented by resident, Mary Harkness, on Friday, April 14th at 2PM in the Recreation Center; the Paradise Valley Jazz Ensemble on Saturday, April 15th, at 3PM in the Life Center; a trip to the Spring Butterfly Exhibit at the Desert Botanical Garden on Tuesday, April 18th at 9AM (tickets are $20 and available at the Welcome Center); our annual off-campus BBQ at Lynx Lake in Prescott, AZ, Tuesday, April 25th, 9:15AM departure (purchase your boarding pass at the Welcome Center for $7); Buzy Bees Spring sale on Friday, April 14th outside Elaine’s; and line dancing at 10AM on Thursdays in the Recreation Center. Synopsis sheets have been distributed to each building. Call Monica at x18526 if you need more copies.

Dosia Carlson discussed the plans for Earth Week, April 17th to April 22nd. Elders for a Sustainable Future have prepared a Triple Header. On Thursday, April 20th, at 6PM in the Life Center, Nature will be celebrated in Words and Music with vocalists, instrumentalists, visuals and reading. On Friday, April 21st, at 9:30 AM, during coffee hour in Elaine’s Fine Dining, we will discuss how we can share our environmental concerns with the younger people in our lives. Bring photos of friends and family members and we will discuss how, together, we can promote sustainability of this planet. On Friday, April 21st, at 2:30 PM in the Life Center, we will present Mother Earth is Crying: Residents and Employees in Conversation. After viewing a few startling videos and discussing our response at tables, we will exchange ideas with people who work here. Don’t miss these important events in support of Mother Earth.

Ken Fomby, Transportation Coordinator, advised residents about just how the transportation system operates. Residents call #16135 to schedule medical appointments, bank trips, RX pickups and other related trips. Residents should call #12905 for any activities/off campus events to reserve a seat on the bus. The information is then recorded on yellow pads for the medical trips and white pads for the off-campus activities. Information is transferred to an annual calendar with the date, time and address. From there, the information is computerized and trips are assigned to specific drivers. Residents are contacted the day before the trip is to take place to confirm the appointments. Residents are given a business card with phone information, and either they, or the office where their appointment takes place, can call to let transportation know that they are ready to be picked up. Ken displayed a graph showing that there are about 500 medical calls per month and as many as 700 calls last December.

David gave residents the results of dining comment cards for March. Over 76% of the comments were positive, which raises the morale of the whole dining staff! David emphasized that residents should send back a meal if they are dissatisfied. That is the best way the dining staff can be made aware of problems with the food.

David introduced Dave Johnson of Hospice of the Valley. Hospice of the Valley had its roots right here at the Beatitudes 40 years ago. Dosia Carlson, Greta Wiseman and Gerald Roseberry were instrumental in its formation. Dave noted that Hospice of the Valley is a non-profit organization, and he is appreciative of our using their services. He said there are over 50 different hospices operating in the Valley. There are flyers at the back of the room for anyone interested in Hospice of the Valley and the organization’s speaker’s program.

David called our attention to a Special Town Hall which was on April 13th. The Fire Department and Beatitudes Campus discussed emergency evacuation procedures. The fire department trains for this kind of activity and some of the firefighters have family here as well.

The Hootenanny is every Wednesday at 6:00 and is free! Bring your friends and enjoy the wonderful music.

Thanks again to Gregory’s Market. They are here for every Town Hall at the beginning of the month and are much appreciated.

Don’t forget Sundaes with Dave on each third Wednesday of the month from 2 to 4PM in the Bistro.

The next Town Hall will be held on May 3rd at 2:00 PM in the Life Center. Plan to be there!

(A quick note from David – please thank Norma Dieffenbach for the continued excellent minutes for the Informant—she does not miss a thing!)

 

Town Hall Informant – March 2017

David Ragan opened the Town Hall Meeting at 2:15PM. noting that today was special with our own athletes, The Beatitudes Bombers, competing in a Senior Challenge Day that included twelve other senior living communities.

Residents and guests were treated to two very heartwarming videos. One video followed a deaf man, Muharrem, as he walked around town and everyone he met talked with him in sign language. He was pleased and surprised at this unusual happening and very touched to learn that the intent was to give him one day with no barriers. The Samsung ad proclaimed that a world without barriers is their dream as well. The second video began with boys playing basketball. When one boy was retrieving the ball, he noted a boy in a wheelchair looking longingly at the game. The boys left a basketball for the disabled boy to find. When he returned it to the game, he found that all the other boys were playing without using their legs, in wagons and other wheeled contraptions. He happily joined the game. In keeping with the spirit of these videos, David expressed his confidence in the inclusiveness of the Beatitudes Community; the desire of both residents and staff to continue to tear down the barriers and make this a better place to live.

There were close to 100 people in attendance at the meeting with two new residents joining us for the first time. The Welcome Coffee will be held on Wednesday, March 22nd, and all residents were urged to come and meet their newest neighbors.

Tara BethelL, Senior Vice-President of Human Resources and Risk Management, was happy to announce the Employee Shout Outs which went to Desiree Van Egmond, Warmeedh Al-Taie, and Suzanne Lewis. Desiree is part of the Beatitudes at Home team and she has been recognized as At Home Caregiver of the Year for 2016. She has a knack for getting to know her clients with the ability to support the office team at the same time. Warmeedh has been with Security since May of 2016. He keeps a constant look out for any risks to residents and was quick to bandage a bleeding cut that he noticed when the resident was not aware of having been cut. Suzanne started at the Beatitudes in March of 2011 as a server and she has since worked her way up to Dining Room Supervisor. She has created a consistent level of high service by training her staff and jumping in to help where needed.

Tara also noted that over $135,000 was raised last year for the Employee Appreciation Fund and they are always looking for new residents to join this committee. If you are interested, contact Tara or David on staff or resident, Barbara Carpenter.

Ray Gonzales, our evening greeter at the Welcome Center, has been working on solving the problem of congestion on the phone that requires residents to have long wait times on hold before they are able to talk to an operator. The solution is to add a little “prompt” feature. With this in place, when you call the front desk you will hear an automated greeting, followed by three prompts: For Security, press 1; To place a work order, press 2; remain on the line for all other calls. This small change will have a large impact on how fast you can be helped. This update will go into effect beginning Monday, March 13th.

Herb Komnick reported on a very busy February Residents Council Meeting. The administrative report by David Ragan highlighted the importance of the Residents Council because we now have a second yogurt machine and a bulletin board for the Patio Homes, both issues having originated with Residents Council. He also advised that two residents have won $1000 each through the referral program and all our kitchens passed the latest inspection with no problems noted. Jim Elliott gave an update on the involvement of Beatitudes residents in the coming 19 North Cleanup Day event being held on Saturday, February 11th. Marc Adelman, Communications Committee Chairman, reported on the new bulletin boards to be installed soon in the Central Park buildings. He advised that Keith Hobbs, IT Director, is meeting with Cox Cable people to find a way to make the Community Channel available throughout the campus, and he noted that WiFi has been installed in the Health Care Center and Plaza View buildings for medical records purposes. Spiritual Life Committee Chairman, Marilyn Johnson, announced a Passover Seder meal will be served on Monday, April 17th. She also said that an on-going Scholar-in-Residence program is being discussed as part of the Lifelong Learner’s program. A report from Joannie Bailey advised that it will be some time before a new bus will be available since it is a custom-made item. Also, the clean-up of the Woodshop has been completed, thanks to Igor Glenn, and the Art Show resulted in a fabulous display of talent. Welcome Committee Chairman, Char Telleen, reminded residents that all volunteers can help the Auxiliary by recording volunteer hours and turning them in at the Foundation office. Environment Committee Chairman, Gerald Roseberry, reported that 73 leaks have been discovered so far and two residence buildings remain to be surveyed for leaking toilets. From the Senior Area Representative Reports, we learned that Bob Berry has been confirmed as the Junior Representative for CP West and Joannie Bailey has been appointed as Interim Chair for the Life Enrichment Committee. In addition, Lois Pfau produced a Plaza North newsletter which was appreciated by everyone and Joe Kane spoke at several building meetings and distributed dining venue preference forms to residents. Residents were reminded that smoking is permitted only outside in designated smoking areas and inside apartments if residents have paid the required smoking fee. The next Residents Council Meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 8th.

Ruth Crowley, Chairman of the Health and Wellness Committee, announced that 90 residents attended the February 21st seminar led by Cheryl Knupp, Senior Vice-President of Health Services. There were many questions, and Cheryl will hold additional seminars in the summer focused on each of the levels of care. A seminar presented by Hospice of the Valley is planned for March 21st at 3:00PM. in the Life Center. Learn how hospice supports patients, when hospice is appropriate and how the cost of care is covered. If possible, bring your adult children to this learning experience.

Speaking of hospice, David noted that our own Dosia Carlson and Gerald Roseberry were co-founders of the first hospice, Hospice of the Valley, and Greta Wiseman was the first nurse.

Beatitudes “Bombers” representing the campus at the recent LeadingAge Senior Fitness Challenge

Mike Smallwood, Fitness Specialist, having just returned from the Senior Challenge competition, was already thinking of the medals we would bring home next year. Rod Bailey was Master of Ceremonies and apparently David Ragan completed the obstacle course. At any rate, a good time was had by all, including our mascot. Pictures will be forthcoming. Gregory’s was thanked for providing fruit for the occasion. The February B-Fit Winner was Joyce Stenquist who received a $50 gift certificate.

David noted that life enrichment is taken very seriously by our staff. Didi Cruz, Monica De La Rosa and Jon Schilling are all expecting additions to their families.

One of our happy winners from the recent Resident Dog Show!

Monica De La Rosa, Life Enrichment Specialist, called our attention to some of the exciting events on the agenda for March. The Dog Show will be Thursday, March 9th, at 10AM. in the Dog Park. At this time, two more judges are needed. On Friday, March 17th, at 5PM will be the St. Patrick’s Day Dinner in the Life Center. Tickets are available at the Bistro. All crafters should plan on going to Pinspiration, a DIY creative studio space, to make an on-the-spot project. Relax with no hassle, no mess, no excuses and linger with friends over a glass of wine. The date is Tuesday, March 21st, leaving at 11:15AM and back in time for the Hospice seminar. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased at the Welcome Center. The tickets for the Spring Training Baseball Game on Monday, March 27th have been sold out. The CAREcorps will hold their second Open House on Wednesday, March 29th from 1 to 3PM in the Life Center. Come and learn about the different groups and activities on Campus.

David announced that for the 4th year in a row, AARP is offering free tax preparation to our residents. Tax preparers will be here Mondays, March 6th and 20th from 9AM to 2PM. in the Library. Call x0 or go to the Welcome Center to schedule your appointment. For your appointment, you will need last year’s income tax returns, your W2 and 1099 forms, photo ID and any other information you think pertinent.

David reminded us that the Hootenanny is tonight (Wednesdays) at 6:00PM in the Life Center. A thank you was extended to Gregory’s Market for bringing their excellent produce to us at our Town Hall Meetings. Again, please do not feed stray animals. If conditions get too bad, it will be necessary to trap the animals. If you have your own animals, don’t forget to pick up after them. It is your doo-ty. Wednesday Sundaes with Dave will be held on March 15th from 2 to 4PM in the Bistro. Enjoy a free yogurt sundae, share your thoughts with Dave or just come for a treat. With two yogurt machines, yogurt sundaes are practically guaranteed.

The next Town Hall Meeting will be held on April 5th at 2:15PM in the Everett Luther Life Center.

(A quick note from David – please thank Norma Dieffenbach for the continued excellent minutes for the Informant—she does not miss a thing!)

Town Hall Informant – February 2017

We’re sorry – this content is for community members who are logged in.

Please LOG IN, or REGISTER.

The Informant – January 2017

DAVID RAGAN, Senior VP of Resident Services, called the first meeting of the New Year to order at 2:15PM. He noted that the campus continues to be one where residents reach out and care for each other. For the New Year, David had some new definitions which served to start the year off with a laugh. For example, the word balderdash is defined as a rapidly receding hairline, coffee is the person upon whom you cough, and abdicated is when you have lost all hope of a flat stomach.