Whether you have a one-time expense or need monthly assistance, the Resident Assistance Fund can provide support in the form of a scholarship to qualified residents so they can continue to live and thrive at Beatitudes Campus.
Rev. David W. Ragan, Sr. VP of Resident Services, was glad to see so many in attendance and found that there were three residents attending for the first time.
One of the events we look forward to every year at Beatitudes Campus is Power of the Purse. This signature fundraising event, now in its ninth year, transforms the campus into a festive atmosphere for an afternoon of fun, fashion, friends—and of course purses! We enjoy great food prepared and served by our own Dining Services team, drink champagne, visit with old and new friends, and of course, shop for lots of gently loved designer purses! This year, Power of the Purse will be held on Sunday, November 3, from 2-5PM, and we invite you to join us! For our residents, we have special pricing for tickets—$45 (normally $95).
For those of you who are new to the campus, Power of the Purse (POP) is a party (on a grand scale), where gently loved designer purses of every stripe and color are auctioned. Why do we do this fundraising event every year? We do it for you, our residents. You inspire us every day and you give us purpose. All proceeds from this event support our residents and campus programming. Funds that are raised benefit the Resident Assistance Fund, our scholarship program that helps our residents who have outlived their personal assets. Funds also support programs that engage us and exercise our minds as well as our bodies.
Last year, Power of the Purse raised more than $226,000 to directly benefit our campus. This year we hope to raise even more—a testament to the power of the purse —and to the power of you, our residents! We have raised more than $1 million in the past eight years, thanks to you!
On the day of the event, the areas around Town Plaza and the Rose Garden are transformed for a day into celebratory areas—complete with a giant tent and red carpet! The Bistro becomes a room full of purses, where we have a silent auction of beautiful purses. We also offer “Purses with Prizes,” where every purse has a gift card or coupon worth at least $25. But, it’s not all about purses—we will have a “wine and fine spirits pull” where you can secure a bottle of wine or fine spirits that are favorites of the Beatitudes Campus Board of Directors and the campus leadership team. If purses are not your thing, we will also auction off sports packages, spa treatments, arts packages, firefighter ride-alongs and other fun items.
Once you have placed your bid on your favorite purse, you can wander toward the Rose Garden where you can enjoy a casino area, Scotch and Tequila tasting and more food and fun.
Near the end of the event, the big white tent in the Promenade Mall becomes alive for the live auction and fashion show of purses, where our awesome auctioneer, Letitia Frye, will demonstrate how much passion she has for Beatitudes Campus. Many of you will remember Letitia from years past—she puts on a show you won’t want to miss!
Power of the Purse is also about Power of Community. It’s so heartwarming to see about 400 community and corporate leaders, campus friends, residents and family visit with each other, enjoy the beautiful and bountiful food prepared by our own campus chefs, buy purses and experience the power of Beatitudes Campus. The generosity and fun that we experience on this day cannot be matched!
Of course, an event of this magnitude would not be possible without the support of our sponsors. We are so thankful for the enduing support of our sponsors—they have such a passion for the residents and campus. This year, The Weitz Company and Blue Cross Blue Shield are the Title Sponsors for the event, Morrison Living is our Red Carpet sponsor. The Beatitudes Campus Auxiliary, as well as board members, partners and staff have also stepped up to the plate to become sponsors.
Of course, an event of this size requires lots of planning and helping hands to make Power of the Purse successful! The Fund Development team manages the event, and nearly 30 staff volunteers from most of the departments across campus help on the day of the event. We are so grateful to our Power of the Purse Steering Committee made up of community leaders and campus friends. This dedicated group has been securing donations—designer purses and other auction items—to make this day a great success. But mostly, it is you, our residents, who give us inspiration and encouragement to put on Power of the Purse every year. You are the power!
I invite you to join the party and buy your ticket from the Foundation Office (in Agelink). You can join your friends and neighbors and celebrate the Power of the Purse! Please call Barbara Wood (x16136) if you have any questions.
“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!
The tent has come down and the red carpet is rolled up, but we are basking in the afterglow of Power of the Purse 2018. It was a phenomenal success in every way possible! As the signature fund-raising and friends-raising event forth campus, Power of the Purse transformed the campus into a fun and festive atmosphere on Sunday afternoon. A community of nearly 400 passionate and highly engaged guests created connections with residents and staff and supported the campus with the power of their donations. Everywhere I looked, people were having fun. There was abundant laughter. Residents, staff and volunteers made our guests feel at home and extended such gracious hospitality. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Even though we are still counting the donations, we raised more than $222,000. This year is our eighth year of producing this event, and we have raised nearly one million dollars for the campus over these eight years. Why do we do it every year? We do it for you, our residents! All the proceeds we raise from Power of the Purse support initiatives and programs for the campus, such as our commitment to assist residents who may be in need of financial help because they have outlived their own personal assets. Proceeds also help advance our resident programs, to help ensure that you have the greatest opportunity for living life at the highest potential.
Power of the Purse is a premier example of the campus at its best! It was a joy to see so many of our residents attending and participating on Sunday! Special thanks goes to our resident storytellers—Eileen Bell, Dosia Carlson, Barbara Glenn and Margaret Stewart. Did you enjoy our residents and staff modeling our purses? It may be that Joannie Bailey, Rita Calbom, Michelle Just, Chef Cosmin and Ray Gonzales are all headed for new careers!
I’d like to thank my talented and dedicated staff, Ray Gonzales and Linda Travis, who dreamed, designed and orchestrated a spectacular day for us. Cheers to every department on campus who also played an integral role in making the day a success. Team Beatitudes never ceases to amaze me by going the extra mile for Power of the Purse.
I am extremely grateful to our event guests and to the 31 sponsors who provided such generous support to the campus. I am honored that our Title Sponsors, Blue Cross Blue Shield Arizona and The Weitz Company, and our Red Carpet and Partner Sponsors, Angell Marketing, Morrison Community Living, Orcutt|Winslow and JP Griffin Group, have faithfully supported the campus in a multitude of ways.
Hats off to the Power of the Purse Steering Committee, co-chaired by Monique Bontrager and Jennifer McKee. This dedicated group worked all year to secure donations of designer purses and other auction items to make this day a great success. A special thanks goes to Nancy Stouffer, our purse guru, who has championed the campus for years.
This week is Thanksgiving week, where we reflect on the blessings we have been given. I have so many blessings, but it is you – the residents of Beatitudes Campus – that provide me with inspiration every day to make a difference. Thank you for your support in so many ways, but most of all, thank you for lighting our passion to continue to do the work we love and the work that matters. On behalf of the Beatitudes Campus leadership and staff, we give you our thanks for being part of Beatitudes Campus and for helping us live out our mission and values. Indeed, we are all blessed.*
One of the events we look forward to every year at Beatitudes Campus is Power of the Purse. This signature fundraising event, now in its eighth year, transforms the campus into a festive atmosphere for an afternoon of fun, fashion, friends – and of course purses! We enjoy great food prepared and served by our own Dining Services, drink champagne, visit with old and new friends, and of course, shop for lots of gently loved designer purses! This year, Power of the Purse will be held on Sunday, November 4, from 2-5 PM, and we invite you to join us! For our residents, we have special pricing for tickets—$45 (normally $95).
For those of you who are new to the campus, Power of the Purse (POP) is a party (on a grand scale), where gently loved designer purses of every stripe and color are auctioned. Why do we do this fundraising event every year? We do it for you, our residents. You inspire us every day and you give us purpose. All proceeds from this event support our residents and campus programming. Funds that are raised benefit the Resident Assistance Fund, our scholarship program that helps our residents who have outlived their personal assets. Funds also support programs that engage us and exercise our minds as well as our bodies.
Last year, Power of the Purse raised more than $200,000 to directly benefit our campus. This year we expect to raise even more – a testament to the power of the purse – and to the power of you, our residents! We have raised more than $1 million in the past seven years, thanks to you!
On the day of the event, the areas around Town Plaza and the Rose Garden are transformed for a day into celebratory areas – complete with a giant tent and red carpet! The Bistro becomes a room full of purses, where we have a silent auction of beautiful purses. We also offer “Purses with Prizes”, where every purse has a gift card or coupon worth at least $25. But, it’s not all about purses – we will have a “wine and fine spirits pull” where you can secure a bottle of wine or fine spirits that are favorites of the Beatitudes Campus Board of Directors and the campus leadership team. If purses are not your thing, we will also auction off sports packages, spa treatments, arts packages, firefighter ride-alongs and other fun items.
Once you have placed your bid on your favorite purse, you can wander toward the Rose Garden where you can enjoy a casino area, Scotch and Tequila tasting and more food and fun.
Near the end of the event, the big white tent in the Promenade Mall becomes alive auction and fashion show of purses, where our awesome auctioneer, Letitia Frye, will demonstrate how much passion she has for Beatitudes Campus. Many of you will remember Letitia from years past – she puts on a show you won’t want to miss!
Power of the Purse is also about Power of Community. It’s so heartwarming to see about 400 community and corporate leaders, campus friends, residents and family visit with each other, enjoy the beautiful and bountiful food prepared by our own campus chefs, buy purses and experience the power of Beatitudes Campus. The generosity and fun that we experience on this day cannot be matched!
Of course, an event of this magnitude would not be possible without the support of our sponsors. This year, The Weitz Company and Blue Cross Blue Shield are the Title Sponsors for the event, Morrison Community Living and Angell Marketing are Red Carpet sponsors, and Orcutt|Winslow and JP Griffin Group are our Partner Sponsors. The Beatitudes Campus Auxiliary, as well as board members, vendors and staff have also stepped up to the plate to become sponsors. We are so thankful for the enduring support of our sponsors—they have such a passion for the residents and campus. With two weeks to go before the event, we have raised $139,927 in sponsorships!
An event of this size requires lots of planning and helping hands to make Power of the Purse successful! The Fund Development team manages the event, and nearly 30 staff volunteers from most of the departments across campus help on the day of the event. About 20 Washington High School Honor Society students help us set up and act as greeters during the event. We are so grateful to our Power of the Purse Steering Committee made up of community leaders and campus friends. This dedicated group has been securing donations – designer purses and other auction items – to make this day a great success. But mostly, it is you, our residents, who give us inspiration and encouragement to put on Power of the Purse every year. You are the power!
I invite you to join the party and buy your ticket from the Foundation Office (in Agelink). You can join your friends and neighbors and celebrate the Power of the Purse! Please call Barbara Wood (ext. 16136) if you have any questions.*
One of the events we look forward to every year at Beatitudes Campus is Power of the Purse. This signature fundraising event, now in its seventh year, transforms the campus into a festive atmosphere for the afternoon. We can enjoy great food and drink champagne, visit with old and new friends, and of course, shop for lots of gently loved designer purses! This year, Power of the Purse will be held on Sunday, November 5th, from 2—5:00PM, and we invite you to join us! For our residents, we have special pricing for tickets—$45 (normally $95).
For those of you who are new to the campus, Power of the Purse (POP) is a party (on a grand scale), where gently loved designer purses of every stripe and color are auctioned. Why do we do this every year? We do it for you, our residents. The proceeds we earn from Power of the Purse support campus programs that connect us through our mind, body and spirit. Proceeds support our wellness programs, programs that exercise our minds as well as our bodies and programs that help us to expand our campus into the community. Funds that are raised also benefit the Resident Assistance Fund, our scholarship program that helps our residents who have outlived their assets. Last year, Power of the Purse raised more than $110,000 to directly benefit our campus. This year we expect to raise even more -a testament to the power of the purse!
On the day of the event, the areas around Town Plaza and the Rose Garden are transformed for a day into celebratory areas—complete with a giant tent and red carpet! The Bistro becomes a room full of purses, where we have a silent auction of beautiful purses. We also will have a “Purses with Prizes” table where every purse has a gift card or coupon worth $25. But, it’s not all about purses—we will have a “wine and fine spirits pull” where you can secure a bottle of wine or fine spirits worth at least $25.
Once you have placed your bid on your favorite purse, you can wander toward the Rose Garden where you can enjoy a casino area, Scotch and tequila tasting and more goodies. This year, “Papa” John DeFrancesco will entertain us with some jazz.
Near the end of the event, the big white tent in the Promenade becomes alive for the live auction and fashion show of purses, where our awesome auctioneer, Letitia Frye, will demonstrate how much passion she has for Beatitudes Campus. Many of you will remember Letitia from years past -she puts on a show you won’t want to miss!
It’s so heartwarming to see about 400 community and corporate leaders, campus friends, residents and family visit with each other, enjoy the beautiful and bountiful food prepared by our own campus chefs, buy purses and experience the power of Beatitudes Campus. The generosity and fun that we experience on this day cannot be matched!
Of course, an event of this magnitude would not be possible without the support of our sponsors. This year, The Weitz Company and Blue Cross Blue Shield are the Title Sponsors for the event, Morrison Community Living is the Red Carpet sponsor and JP Griffin Group and Angell Marketing are our Partner Sponsors. The Beatitudes Campus Auxiliary, as well as board members, vendors and staff have also stepped up to the plate to become sponsors. We are so thankful for the enduing support of our sponsors -they have such a passion for the residents and campus. With less than a month to go before the event, we have raised $118,700 so far in sponsorships.
Of course, an event of this size requires lots of planning and helping hands to make Power of the Purse successful! The Fund Development team manages the event, and most of the departments around the campus are involved. We are grateful to our Power of the Purse Steering Committee made up of community leaders and campus friends. This dedicated group of women has been securing donations -designer purses and other auction items – to make this day a great success. But mostly, it is you, our residents, who give us inspiration and encouragement to put on Power of the Purse every year. You are the most marvelous and loving ambassadors for the campus!
I invite you to join the party and buy your ticket from the Foundation Office (in Agelink). You can join your friends and neighbors and celebrate the Power of the Purse! Please call Barbara Wood (x16136) if you have any questions.
Below is a summary of information and news discussed at the May Town Hall meeting.
Power of the Purse 2016 was a phenomenal success in every way possible!
As the signature fund-raising and friends-raising event for the campus, Power of the Purse transformed the campus into a festive atmosphere on Sunday afternoon. It was a party on a grand scale, where gently loved designer purses of every stripe and color were auctioned off. Nearly 400 guests enjoyed great food and wine, wonderful friends, and, of course, lots of purses!
For those of you who are new to the campus, Power of the Purse is the signature fundraising event for the campus. This year is our sixth year of producing this event, and we have raised a half-million dollars for the campus over these s
ix years. Why do we do it every year? We do it for you, our residents! All the proceeds we earn from Power of the Purse are directed to support initiatives and programs for the campus, such as our commitment to assist residents who may be in need of financial help because they have outlived their own personal assets. Proceeds also help advance our programs, to help ensure that you have the greatest opportunity for living life at the highest potential.
Power of the Purse is a premier example of the campus at its best! It was a joy to see so many of our residents attending and participating on Sunday! A good number of you from all parts of the campus were around watching the tent go up on Saturday, as well. Who knew that Central Park Mall could be transformed into an elegant red-carpet venue?
More than one of you told me how happy it made you to see all the people milling about – it made me happy, too. Bringing “younger” people to the campus absolutely helps us change the stereotypes about aging and retirement communities. Over and over, in one conversation or another, I heard comments like, “I had no idea this community was so vibrant.” One of the Washington High School students told me that “These people are so cool!” We, of course, know all about the “coolness factor” of our residents, but how wonderful to have the larger community understand as well!
On behalf of the Fund Development team, our boards, and all the staff here at the campus, I would like to thank each one of you – our residents – for your support of this event. So many of you made contributions, purchased tickets, donated purses and helped to spread the word. With an event of this scale, I know it was also an interruption to daily life here. I am grateful for how cheerfully you accommodated all the festivities. You are such great ambassadors for the campus.
I’d like to thank our talented and dedicated staff – who dreamed, designed and orchestrated a spectacular day for us. Every department on campus stepped in to pull it all off. Cheers to our Dining Services team who never cease to amaze us with creative food and service. Our facilities teams were everywhere doing everything you can imagine to get the campus ready. Our accounting, admin, housekeeping, human resources, marketing, security and spiritual life teams all had important roles to play. Staff members from every department across the campus volunteered their time on Sunday afternoon for the cause. Everyone went the extra mile.
I am extremely grateful to our event guests and to the 25 sponsors who provided such generous support to the campus. A special thank you goes to our Title Sponsor, The Weitz Company, who has supported Power of the Purse since the beginning and in a multitude of ways. I also want to thank our Presenting and Partner Sponsors – BlueCross BlueShield of Arizona, Morrison Community Living, David Davies, Merrill Lynch, Beatitudes Campus Auxiliary and JP Griffin Group – for their generous support.
Hats off to the Power of the Purse Steering Committee, co-chaired by Monique Bontrager and Jennifer McKee. They met throughout the past year to help plan for this great event. This dedicated group of women has been securing donations – designer purses and other auction items – to make this day a great success. They spent countless hours prepping and preparing the purses for auction. A special thanks goes to Nancy Stouffer, our purse guru, who has been a champion of Beatitudes Campus for years.
My thanks to each and every one of you for being part of Beatitudes Campus and for helping us to live out our mission and values. Indeed, we are all blessed.
Below, find an extended video tour of the event:
https://www.facebook.com/BeatitudesPowerofthePurse/videos/1780857785510462/
David Ragan, Senior VP of Independent Living, called the Town Hall to order at 2:15PM. He noted that Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, has just been celebrated and in keeping with that, a short film was shown that illustrated compassion and caring. With themes of selflessness and forgiveness, we were given a chance to start all over and have a good year. Although attendance was excellent with close to 200 residents, there were no new residents at the meeting. David reminded those in attendance to invite their new neighbors to a Town Hall and be sure to attend the Welcome Coffee especially for new residents which will be held on Wednesday, October 26th at 2:15PM in the Life Center.
David introduced Michelle Just, President and CEO of Beatitudes Campus. Michelle said that she had spoken with the auctioneer for Power of the Purse. She is very impressed with the stories of giving and that is what this community is about. Michelle thanked residents for the way in which they continue to give back. She was very happy to report that the campus has received a grant of $50,000 from the Virginia G. Piper Atlas Program. The Atlas Program is interested in not for profit organizations that are innovative and have a strong community brand. Beatitudes is one of eight organizations participating in the program. The first four months will involve an assessment of our programs and the remaining 20 months will be focused on addressing the areas identified through the assessment.
Employee shout outs were given to Suzanne Lewis of dining services, who is responsible for suggesting special utensils that make dining easier for residents with tremors and other problems; Ella Adams of housekeeping who, in addition to a ready smile and a song, is praised for her excellent work on a resident’s floors; and Martin Medina of maintenance who put his needs aside to help make a room ready for a resident group meeting. Please continue to call attention to employees who go above and beyond by filling out Radical Hospitality forms at the Welcome Center or on line at www.bcampus.org.
Barbara Carpenter, representing the Employee Appreciation Fund Committee, asked residents to be generous in donating to the Fund which allows residents to reward our faithful employees with some extra money at Christmas time. Money will be collected until the end of October and it is hoped that we can reach our goal of $120,000 to show our employees a wonderful holiday this year. Barbara noted that the employees make a big difference in our lives each and every day.
Michelle asked that residents fill out the Resident Satisfaction Survey either on the form or on line. She assured residents that she looks at every survey and reads all the comments. If there are areas that need improvement, the administration will work on ways to make those improvements.
Jim Plaster, Residents Council President, presented his report. During the Council meeting, David Ragan announced the purchase of 200 chairs for $28,000 to replace older chairs in various locations across the campus. He also said that residents’ “B” cards will increase to $200 per month beginning October 1st. Rod Bailey, Senior VP of Marketing and Sales spoke about the Friends and Family Referral Program and the first impressions updating of the resident buildings. George Taylor, Plaza View Representative, announced the first annual Treasure and Trinket event, and Barbara Carpenter reported for the Employee Appreciation Committee. Donations are growing and there is every hope that the goal of $120,000 will be reached. The Environmental Committee report highlighted their program of toilet testing. Leaks in CPW were discovered in 9 toilets and 6 leaks were found in CPS. CPN, Plaza South and Plaza North are yet to be tested. The Facilities Committee received requests for ceiling fans to be installed in the exercise room; for the bulletin boards installed in the elevators to be removed and placed in the lobby; to limit air pollution in the use of leaf blowers and lawn mowers; and a request was made to repave the east drive, but that will not be done until the new building construction has been completed. The Wellness Committee reported good attendance at both the women’s and men’s seminars on bladder control. In addition, a seminar was held in September on “ Getting Our Affairs in Order”, and a session is scheduled in November on the subject of ”Am I Depressed or Just Tired?”
David announced that the “guru” of Medicare, Ellen Dean, would be discussing changes in Medicare and how they affect residents on Wednesday, October 19th at 2:30PM in the Motion Studio. Open enrollment begins November 1st. Dean and associates has recently added to their staff a retired Glendale policeman who will be working with the Medicare drug program and also fraud.
The Reverend Peggy Roberts was privileged to announce that Gene Lefebvre is the 2016 Recipient of the Anne Barstow and Tom Driver Award for Excellence in Nonviolent Direct Action in Retirement. The award was presented in Tucson for Gene’s work on “No More Deaths”. His wife, Sue, is writing a book on this work.
Nancy Splain, Interfaith Outreach Ambassador, announced that residents have been invited to a Sikh luncheon and tour on Wednesday, November 2nd. Call transportation at x12905 to reserve a seat on the bus!
Jessica Meyer, Director of Success Matters, reported that CarFit is offering a free event on Saturday, October 29th. To make an appointment for this service, call Jessica at x16110. CarFit has trained technicians to help “fit” senior drivers to their vehicles. Services include checking mirrors and blind spots, wheel and seat adjustments as well as guiding residents through a driver screening to assess vision and range of motion and answer questions for residents.
Ruth Crowley, Health and Wellness Committee Chairman, said that on November 7th at 3PM in the Life Center, the A.T. Still University Audiology Department is sponsoring a workshop on Communication Strategies for Hearing Loss. These strategies will be shared for those with hearing loss and their loved ones. Ruth also advised residents to mail in early ballots or vote early on Tuesday, November 8th in order to attend Dr. Catherine Lindstrom’s session on “Am I Depressed or Just Tired” at 3:00PM in the Life Center that day.
Jon Schilling, Director of Life Enrichment, thanked all the residents who participated in Active Aging Week, and he noted that the Street Fair was enjoyed by all and well attended. Jon introduced Mike Smallwood, our new Fitness Specialist, who has been leading the Functional Fitness class in the Motion Studio and will take on a larger role in the exercise classes on campus including working with residents in Health Care and in Assisted Living. Mike drew the name of Bob Malinski as the B-Fit winner of a $50 gift card this month.
Monica De La Rosa, Life Enrichment Specialist, reminded residents that a synopsis of each month’s events both on and off campus is available in each of the resident building lobbies. If more copies are needed, give Monica a call at x18473 and she will provide them. October events include the Oktoberfest Theme Dinner to be held on Thursday, October 27th in the Life Center. Entertainment will be by the Oom-pah-pah Band and tickets will be available at the various dining venues. Also, don’t miss the 2nd Annual Variety Show taking place on Friday, October 29th from 10AM to 12 PM in the Life Center. On Sunday, October 30th, the Arizona Broadway Theatre is presenting Funny Girl and tickets are available at the Welcome Center for $80. Last, but not least, there will be a trip to Lake Pleasant for lunch and a cruise on Friday, November 4th. Tickets are $22 at the Welcome Center.
Monica introduced Don Tamuty, Beatitudes resident, who encouraged residents to attend a presentation in the Life Center on Tuesday, October 25th at 10AM by a survivor of the USS Indianapolis which went down on July 30, 1945 with 1200 men aboard. Eight hundred and eighty seven of these men were drowned or eaten by sharks with only 317 saved. Those saved spent five and one half days in the water. There are 21 survivors alive today and a list of those survivors, compiled by the Smithsonian, will be available at the presentation. Come and learn how one courageous young Mexican American faced impossible odds…twice!
Joe Kane, Director of Dining Services, provided an extensive and interesting list of “Did you Knows” concerning the restaurants at Beatitudes Campus. Some of these are: Did You Know we cook with no added salt, with zero trans fats, with no growth hormones in milk or meats, use compostable containers, record and read every comment every month, are inspected by 5 different agencies, cannot cook a hamburger under 155 degrees internal temperature by county code, our soft serve ice cream (when available) is gluten and lactose free, gluten free bread, rolls and pasta are available, you can get a split plate and half portions are available on some items, Monday night Sports Night has a themed buffet for only $6.00 with drink specials and a drawing if you have some team sports item with you, Sunday Brunch is the second Sunday of every month, many menu items can be modified to fit your needs, Buckwald’s has full meal options that cost less than the Bistro, the Bistro Lunch/Dinner menu has over 50 items to choose from and the Breakfast menu has over 40 items to choose from, and residents may eat in the Eleanor Menagh Dining Room in Plaza View where a full meal is $7 and table service is provided. The Bistro is offering large pizzas for $8.50 and chicken wings for $2.50 for delivery on Sunday. They must be preordered by 6:00PM on Saturday.
Joe also discussed the Dining Incentive increase to $200 per resident on October 1st and 15th depending upon your new month beginning. The incentive was never intended to supply groceries. Its purpose is to create relationships and socialization around meal times which goes to build the strongest families and communities. Cerreta’s candies and the convenience store items to the right of the ice cream freezer can no longer be charged to your “B” card incentive. You can, however, reasonably purchase an ice cream container, candy bars, etc. The cashiers are adjusting as well and things should be smoothing out. If there is a need to make further changes, they will be made.
Joe announced that Buckwald’s will be closed on Thursday, October 13th due to a large number of visitors on campus. Should you meet any of these visitors, do not hesitate to tell them how much you enjoy life here on the Beatitudes Campus!
David urged residents to get their flu shots. Flu shots will be available in the Honor Health Clinic on Friday, October 14th from 8:00AM to 1:00PM. Residents should bring their insurance cards. Shots will be $25 if your insurance is not accepted. He also noted several Wellness Center announcements:
Affiliated Dermatology will be on campus every 3rd Friday from 9 to 11AM, walk-ins are welcome and to schedule an appointment, call 480-556-0446 x333 and be sure to tell them that you live at Beatitudes Campus; Belton will be on Campus in October; Premier Hearing has changed their hours to every 2nd Tuesday of the month from 1 – 4PM, and to schedule an appointment call 602-279-0003; Zounds Hearing will continue their current schedule of every 1st and 3rd Wednesday from 9AM to 1PM, and to schedule an appointment call 602-765-7800; Revolution Health will now offer Massage Therapy in the Wellness Center every Tuesday from 8:30AM to 12:30PM at a cost of $60 per hour or $30 for 30 minutes, by appointment only, by calling 602-265-1774; Essential Oral Healthcare will give a presentation on Wednesday, October 19th at 9:00AM in the Life Center.
David noted that “The Night of the Living Will” is being presented on Saturday, October 29th from 9AM to 2PM by the State Bar of Arizona. Lawyers dressed as storybook characters will fill out advanced care directives, fill out living wills and answer questions. The Area Agency on Aging will provide Medicare enrollment assistance. The services are free. An RSVP is required to meet with a lawyer. RSVP at 480-426-2641 or [email protected] .
David also called attention to the Facebook Group, Beatitudes Social Media, and advised that the best information on campus can be found there. Join today and if you want to learn how to get on Facebook, call the front desk and we will find you a buddy to help. The Hootenanny is tonight and every Wednesday night at 6PM (except October 12th). Resident can enjoy the music and bring a friend. Gregory’s Market is on Campus during Town Hall and their service to the residents is appreciated very much.
Feral cats are becoming a problem on campus and David asked residents to follow Beatitudes Policy and refrain from feeding them. They are being fed and moved farther and farther away from Campus. Also, insects gather around bird feeders and only hummingbird feeders are allowed on Campus.
While residents were being reminded of Wednesday Sundaes with Dave, Michelle Just announced that a new yogurt machine will be purchased. Residents cheered!
David advised residents that there will be no Town Hall in November and the next Town Hall will be on Wednesday, December 7th at 2PM in the Life Center.
On Sunday, October 11, almost 400 people from the community came to Beatitudes Campus for our fifth annual Power of the Purse, our signature fundraising event.
Our guests had a marvelous time meeting our residents, visiting with each other, participating in the auctions of purses and sports memorabilia, and playing with “funny money” at our casino corner. The campus was festive, with plenty of food, wine and purses! This was a day where we demonstrated the radical hospitality for which the campus is known.
For those of you that don’t know, Power of the Purse is a cocktail party (on a grand scale) where gently used designer purses of every stripe and color are auctioned off and the proceeds used to benefit residents and special causes near and dear to our hearts. Although the final count of money raised isn’t completed yet, this year, we raised over $105,000 in sponsorships and donations alone.
Whenever an event of this magnitude takes place, there are so many people to thank. We especially want to thank all of our sponsors for their incredible support of this event. Year after year, these companies and individuals step up to the plate and we are forever grateful for their love and support of the campus and our residents. Our Steering Committee spent many hours planning this event—they are an awesome group of women and we are indebted to their unwavering support of the campus. Months of preparation go into planning Power of the Purse, and we are blessed with a marvelous staff who pulled out all the stops to help create this day of community.
We are so inspired by our residents, who were so present on Sunday and the days leading up to it. Your goodwill and warm welcome to all our guests was so evident. You all are marvelous ambassadors for the campus and for what we do.
So many wonderful people contributed to the amazing success of Power of the Purse. We thank you for your generous and continued support. You are truly the foundation for so many great and daring endeavors! When we come together like we did on Sunday for such an incredible cause, we have shown the world that anything is possible! We joined hands and made history. We are the Beatitudes Community.
