Beaumont News May 2017

V o lu me T h i rt y O ne , N umber 5

Bounteous Beaumont spring brings out birds, birders and bird feeders

By Deborah Bishop

Let me make this quite clear; I am a city person.

I have now lived in the suburbs for about 35 years, but basically I am a city person and that’s it.

Somewhere not too long ago, for a reason I cannot explain, I decided that it would be a good idea for me to watch birds from my window. I live on the first floor and I look across at the Fitness Center, which is not my idea of heaven. I thought there must be something better to look at.

I go up to Maine to visit my sister-in-law. She has bird feeders. The birds are always there and they are always kind of fun and I sit and watch them during breakfast. So, I thought, “This is wonderful.” I go out to go to Home Depot and buy a stand for a bird feeder, buy the bird feeder and buy the seeds, set the thing up and sit and wait.

May 2017

Nothing happened, nothing. The birds flew over, maybe left a little dropping and went on. This, to put it mildly, was annoying. First, being a Quaker, I’d spent money, and second, I do not enjoy being snubbed.

So, I thought to myself, I’ll ask around, there are plenty of people here who know about birds and maybe they will help me. The Madaras were wonderful. They came over and did all sorts of things.

Page Gowen came over and did all sorts of things.

Nothing worked, absolutely nothing. Then Page told me to go to this BIRD FEEDERS continued on page 4

Composite photo by Lynn Ayres

GOLDFINCH (probably Deborah’s “little yellow bird”) was among first to visit her thistle/nyjer feeder.

Moving-day mystery: How did they know?

By Linda Madara

Photo by Louise Hughes

JEAN HOMEIER displays her oil painting in five-week class that began April 14. Open to students regardless of experience level, class was taught by Bonnie Mettler, an artist associated with the Main Line and Wayne art centers. She gave demonstrations and worked with individuals as they painted in media including oils, acrylics, watercolors and pastels. There may be another class after Labor Day.

The move went fairly easily … if you discount the sheets of freezing rain all day and lack of space on the van for our Beaumont-designated belongings. Our house still had many items set aside for Bryn Mawr when we pulled out of the drive.

MOVING-DAY MYSTERY continued on page 4

Dear Editor,

Beaumont sent a copy of December’s Beaumont News to each of the Binzen Kids, otherwise known (by our Dad, Peter Binzen) as “The Committee.” I have spent this morning looking through the notes and cards I received after Dad’s death. And I was struck, once again, by the humor and beauty of the Beaumont Community. I loved seeing our newspaper-boy wagon tribute to Dad in the pages of the Beaumont News. I loved that there was a pun (referring to Dad’s hat as the crowning glory) and an apology to Dad for that pun.

Dad was so happy at Beaumont and we always loved visiting him there—the good folks—good fun and humor and joy. What a wonderful community.

— Kate Binzen

Corrections THE ABC’S of the Beaumont Gift Shop, an alphabetized list in the previous issue of items available in the shop, was mistakenly attributed to Bobbie McElroy, manager of the shop. The list was put together by residents Jane Lillie, Mary Schnabel and Diane Page, all volunteers at the shop.

Photo by Lynn Ayres

BEAUMONT’S FIRST RESIDENT HEALTH AND WELLNESS FAIR in April was coordinated by Wellness Center Director Miriam Quinn in collaboration with Health Services, Fitness, Resident Services and Dining Services. In addition to a variety of vendors providing information, residents were treated to massages, nutritious snacks and a raffle.

THE DATE of the former Rose-Marie Pringle’s marriage to Shaeun Hines was given incorrectly in a congratulatory note in the previous issue. They were married on February 17. Rose-Marie, Beaumont’s Director of Dining and Dietary Services, has taken her new husband’s name. Her email address is now RHines@BeaumontRetirement.com.

Have an idea for a story in The BN?

Please email (or otherwise write) the editor, Mary Graff, Graffs18@gmail.com or leave at Front Desk to be put in Villa #16 mailbox. A very brief note will do. Or drop in at our monthly story conference, 10 a.m. on the first Thursday of every month in the Bistro. Just nothing off the Internet, please. We prefer original work by residents, staff or members of Future Residents Club.

BEAUMONT NEWS The Beaumont News is published by the residents and staff of the Beaumont Retirement Community, 601 N. Ithan Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 Editor Associate Editor and Production Manager Co-Editor Graphic Designer Photo Editor Roving Reporter Events Manager Proofreader

In Memoriam Ron Fraser April 26, 2017

Mary Graff John Hall Marilyn (Lynn) Ayres TJ Walsh Louise Hughes Wistie Miller Caitlin Gardner Jennie Frankel

Jean Erdman May 28, 2017 John Gregg June 1, 2017

Members of the Beaumont Community extend deepest sympathy to their families and friends.

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Looking back, good financial news; for the future, new leadership

By Mary Graff

Once again, at the Annual Meeting on May 8, a packed Beaumont Room audience heard those familiar but never boring words from Finance Chairman Dolf Paier:

“Beaumont has been, and continues to be, in very sound financial condition…one of the top financially sound Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs) in the country.”

Or, as outgoing chairman Dr. Don Trachtenberg put it less formally:

“It’s been a good year, we’re in good shape, and in good shape to continue to be in good shape.”

Details of the financial report, too voluminous for this space, are available from the Front Office.

At a meeting of the Beaumont Retirement Community Inc. (BRCI) board following the main meeting, Birch Clothier was elected board chairman, Ted Robb vice chairman, and Isaac (Quartie) Clothier, secretary.

Beaumont President Joe Peduzzi later issued a statement honoring Birch’s predecessor:

“Dr. Trachtenberg has served on the BRCI board for the past six years. During this period, he devoted his time, wisdom and soul to Beaumont. He made tough decisions, especially during our construction project…

“On behalf of the entire BRCI board, membership and staff, I would like to thank Dr. Trachtenberg for his dedication and commitment.”

In his statement, Joe also offered “a special thank-you” to outgoing vice chairman Dr. Gerri Paier.

“She has been a solid supporter of the board with her good cheer and genuine interest in others, and has been a superb ambassador for the membership.”

New BRCI board members who will serve with continuing members Birch, Ted, Quartie and Michael Churchman are Jean Homeier, Roderic Ross and Sanna Steigerwalt.

Committee members and their chairmen will be listed in a future issue.

Ballam, Biddle, Page awards announced at Annual meeting

By Mary Wells, Human Resources Director

Through the generosity of past and present Beaumont residents’ families and friends, three award programs have been established over the years to honor high-performing employees and help them advance their skills.

This year’s award winners, announced at the Annual Meeting, are Caitlin Gardner, Director of

Resident Services, winner of the Ballam award; CNAs Ellen Slaughter and Monique Lee, winners of the Biddle award, and the Maintenance Department’s Tim Bouchard, winner of the Page award.

In 1999, Samuel Ballam established a fund to recognize annually the work performed by a Beaumont AWARDS continued on page 6

Thanks to Beaumont Fund, employees now get help repaying student loans

By Mary Wells, Human Resources Director

Beaumont rolled out a new employee benefit in January, a Student Loan Paydown Program (SLPP).

Employees receive payments from Beaumont directly to their student-loan providers: $100 a month for full-time employees and $50 a month for part-time employees.

This benefit was made possible by generous contributions to the Beaumont Fund by residents and others.

Beaumont management chose the vendor Gradifi, the current leader in employer-based student loan repayment, to administer the SLPP. Together we

can help our employees pay down their student debt up to 25 percent faster.

One of our Dining Services staff, Ebony Mosely, had this to say about her new student-loan benefit:

“Higher education is a great investment people can make to secure their futures. However, it is no secret it can be very costly. It is truly rewarding for Beaumont to implement a way to improve employee financial wellness through the SLPP.”

We know of no other retirement community that offers this benefit to its employees.

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BIRD FEEDERS continued from page 1 place called Braxton’s and buy things. So, I went to Braxton’s and was lassoed by this lady. I bought different kinds of birdseed. I bought bird feeders. I bought and bought. Came back and had it all set up.

What happened? Nothing, absolutely and utterly nothing. Meanwhile, Page is besieged by birds. Dede Shafer down the way has so many birds you can’t get through to her place! The birds simply do not look at or bother with me.

I had become quite depressed by all this. Nobody likes being snubbed and especially by a bird. I was sitting in my window one day feeling quite sorry for myself and I hear this bang, bang, bang. I look up and my god, it’s a bird. I do not believe it. I’m so excited. I jump up and of course, scare the thing. The thing rushes off and I couldn’t take a photo to prove that finally, after much money, much time, much effort, I had finally gotten a bird.

Slowly but surely, these birds are beginning to come. Meanwhile, I have been told by my friends that I should purchase a bush. I need a bush for the bird to sit

in, as birds like to sit in a bush and look around to make sure that everything’s all right, that there aren’t any cats on the loose. I am now contemplating a bush. I’m doing my best here. I am trying. I want the birds to understand this.

To continue this saga, the birds have shown up— not many but a few. I looked at them—one was sort of brown. A friend had given me her bird book. I looked up little brown birds in the bird book. To my horror, I discovered that there are lots of brown birds in the bird book and frankly, they all look pretty much the same to me.

So I thought maybe another kind of bird will come along. Well a little bird came along that had some yellow on it. I rushed to the bird book. I stood there looking at the bird, looking at the bird book—frankly, one yellow bird looks pretty much like another yellow bird.

But the birds are coming and that’s what counts.

Maybe a friend of mine will explain to me how to tell one bird from another.

MOVING-DAY MYSTERY continued from page 1

We had chosen to take only “the precious or necessary possessions.” The rest, as needed, could be transported to our new space before the house went on the market.

It was December.

Christmas came and went.

In January, trips back and forth from Penn Valley to Beaumont— just under three miles—began almost daily.

Sorting, packing, disposing….

“Do you really need that?”

“What do Photo by Linda Madara you mean you A TRIO of goldfinches, male and female, flock

want ANOTHto the Madara feeder.

ER flashlight?”

“Have you seen the orange extension cord?”

“I am taking my cookbooks! You have your books on Maine!”

The process went on and on. All the while, our bird feeders outside the house were ignored … empty and ignored.

Not until early April did we finally discuss bird feeders. Our Beaumont neighbors on the Great Lawn had been feeding an assortment of feathered friends: cardinals, song birds, a red-winged blackbird, sparrows galore, a few doves, an occasional famished chipmunk with spouse, and pesky squirrels.

We loaded our two finch feeders diagonally into the car along with the large plastic container of nyjer seed, finches’ favorite delicacy; tied the protruding base out of the front window with an old towel—no one could say we did not warn them; and headed for Beaumont.

It took four minutes to set up the feeders, filling the cylinders with seed. Inside we went. Almost instantly a yellow flash crossed the window. Then another, less bright yellowy-green, joined the first. There they were— our first pair of goldfinches!

Within 24 hours both feeders resembled Penn Station at rush hour! In and out, little finches swoop from dawn to dusk. The females stand their ground when it comes to dining, and there are regular kerfuffles among the visitors as to who sits where.

How did they know when the feeders went up?

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ATTENTION BIRDERS

and on the Beaumont roads. He did not find anything unusual but he did see or hear a lot of birds of 27 species.

Perhaps there are Beaumont birders who could find even more.

My daughter Betsy and her husband, Nick Bolgiano, were here for Easter. Nick is a very experienced birder.

I know there are many Beaumont birders, and I asked Nick to do a bird count. He walked through the woods American Crow—2 American Goldfinch—9 American Robin—17 Blue Jay—4 Brow-headed Cowbird—5 Canada Goose—2 Carolina Chickadee—8 Carolina Wren—4 Chipping Sparrow—3

By Margie Manlove

Common Grackle—8 Downy Woodpecker—2 Eastern Phoebe—2 House Finch—3 House Sparrow—13 House Wren—1 Mourning Dove—9 Northern Cardinal—17 Northern Flicker—4

Red-bellied Woodpecker—3 Red-tailed Hawk—1 Red-winged Blackbird—8 Ring-billed Gull—1 Song Sparrow—14 Tree Swallow—2 Tufted Titmouse—10 Turkey Vulture—2 White-breasted Nuthatch—3

Something to think about while walking outdoors

By Peggy Wolcott

Now that spring is finally upon us and we are enjoying the outside, let us take a stroll. As you wander around Beaumont, do you think about how the trees and shrubs interconnect with the animals and birds?

The flowering dogwood, Cornus florida, a favorite understory tree found on our campus, is a good example of connection between plants and wildlife. Its Photo from Ijams Nature Center, Knoxville, TN seeds are SQUIRREL enjoys dogwood fruit in autumn.

eaten by many species of birds including wrens, finches, chickadees, sparrows and many small animals including chipmunks and squirrels. The foliage and twigs are browsed by rabbits and deer. The bright red fruit, poisonous to humans, is high in calcium and fat, providing good winter nourishment for the winter feeders found here.

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In the woods you will see the river birch, Betula nigra, an exceptionally enduring tree native to the eastern United States. Its seeds are food for the tree sparrow, house finch, goldfinch, rough grouse, wild turkey and more. The white-tailed deer browse it and rabbits eat the saplings. Hummingbirds and red squirrels drink at the sap wells created by sapsuckers.

Also in the woods is the sugar maple, Acer saccharum, which is home to nesting birds including vireos and robins and puts forth seeds that are eaten by many songbirds. The tulip poplar, Liriodendron tulipifera, produces seeds that are eaten by squirrels, songbirds, grouse and bob white, while the titmice and chickadees hunt for insects along the branches. It is also a larval food source for the Eastern swallowtail butterfly.

The tree’s flowers, blooming in May and June, attract ruby-throated hummingbirds and many insects. Since this tree offers so many diverse niches for the many different animals and birds, it is a society unto itself.

Another native tree, the American holly, Ilex opaca, attracts mostly birds as the recipients of its berries.

Some animals that eat the berries, which are available in the winter months, are the squirrels and chipmunks.

Another valuable tree is the sweetgum, Liquidambar styraciflua. It grows to 100 feet and can live 400 years. It serves as shelter and food source for a wide range of wildlife. The sweetgum fruit, called gumballs by WALKING continued on page 6

WALKING continued from page 5 children, drops in large quantities in the fall. Each gumball holds up to 50 seeds, a bounty of food for winter feeders. This native tree was included in early plans for the Memorial Grove at the World Trade Center Memorial in New York, though later eliminated.

There are also many shrubs that attract birds. The hollies provide nesting havens and berries for food.

The inkberry holly, Ilex glabra, native to the United States,

Photo by Cameron Rognan

produces berries in the late summer and early fall which provide food for many songbirds, even bluebirds when their usual diet of insects becomes scarce.

Something to think about while strolling our campus.

SAPSUCKER creates rows of dripping sap wells that attract other sap-loving creatures.

Photo by Laura Meyers

RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD picks seed from sweetgum fruit.

BALLAM AWARD: Caitlin Gardner (left) receives her award from Barbara Stephens.

AWARDS continued from page 3 manager. Barbara Stephens, daughter of Sam Ballam, presented this year’s award to Caitlin, who has risen through staff ranks and was promoted to her management position last year. She will be focusing on leadership skills at the National Leading Age conference in New Orleans. Barbara Stephens and her husband, Richard Stephens, PhD, are current Beaumont residents. Dr. Stephens’s mother, the late Helen Stephens, also resided at Beaumont.

In 2002, Frances Biddle established a fund in memory of her husband, Edmund, to recognize annually the work performed by the dedicated direct-care nursing staff each day. Ellen started in Housekeeping and then moved to Health Services. Monique came to Beaumont with previous CNA experience. They will be attending the Leading Age conference titled Transforming Organizations for World-Class Attitudes, Service and Results.

In 2005, Mary Page established a fund in memory of her husband, L. Rodman Page, to assist Maintenance employees to further develop their skills.

He himself loved to build things, and was reputed to be able to fix anything. Tim, who has a mechanical and carpentry background, recently relocated to our area from Michigan. He is currently researching programs to attend.

Photo by Paige Welby

BIDDLE AWARD: Monique Lee (left) and Ellen Slaughter (right) receive their awards from Frances Biddle.

Photo by Louise Hughes

PAGE AWARD: Mary Page presents Tim Bouchard with his award.

Photo by Louise Hughes

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Longtime Bryn Mawr professor loves poetry and bridge

By Jean Homeier for a master’s degree in English and then was encouraged to remain for her doctorate, which she received in 1968, having cared for her young family all the way.

Sandra began teaching freshman English and remained at Bryn Mawr for 39 busy years, during which she not only taught countless students but also served as department chairman from 1980 to 1986 and as Acting Dean of the College in the 1979-80 school year.

Sandra’s “extracurricular interests” are both scholarly and familial. Modern poetry in general and W.B. Yeats in particular have been long-time passions.

She is an ardent bridge player and a sometime bridge teacher, and took early retirement from Bryn Mawr in 1998 in order to perform “Granny Duty,” as she calls it.

Her two sons live in Florida and her two daughters settled in Chestnut Hill. There are four grandchildren.

Bryn Mawr College Professor Emeritus Sandra Berwind, Ph.D, a new Austin resident, grew up in Hartford, Connecticut, and graduated from Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts. Marriage that same year was followed by Coast Guard duty for her husband during the Korean War, as well as the birth of their first child, a son.

Next, business took them to coal country in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, where their first daughter was born, and then to Bluefield, West Virginia. In 1958, to Sandra’s great joy, the BerSandra Berwind

winds moved to the Philadelphia area, where her career began. She enrolled at Bryn Mawr

New resident Leo Dolan: jeweler, golfer, father of 9

By Rod Ross Eleanor’s death, he married his second wife, Isabelle.

Diesinger & Dolan is now operated by Leo’s son Charley. His son-in-law Jack Taylor assists with Leo’s pearl business.

For recreation, Leo joined St. Davids Golf Club in 1956. A keen golfer, he was a six handicapper at his best. And, as a member since 1956, he is the most senior member still playing.

As a secondary business, Leo became involved with Japanese experts in cultivation of natural pearls. Leo made 55 flights over the years to Japan and Hong Kong, each 10 to 12 days, where he met people who took him in. They even welcomed Leo inside their homes and on their golf courses, as well.

At golf in Japan, it is customary for girls to be caddies. Leo laughed: “The girls could not speak English but they loved to shout ‘OB, OB,’ signifying ‘Out of Bounds.’”

Given the difficulties of doing business— language, customs, negotiations, with some oyster beds taking seven years to yield their pearls—Leo Dolan may concede that “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.”

Leo Dolan recently moved into Baldwin apartment 220.

Like many residents, he grew up on the Main Line. He graduated from Roman Catholic High School at Broad and Vine Streets in Philadelphia, the oldest Catholic high school in America.

He joined the U.S. Navy in World War II, spending most of his service in the Panama Canal Zone. Upon Leo Dolan discharge, he attended the Wharton evening program and became a commercial jeweler in Diesinger & Dolan Company, which was founded in 1886 and is now located in Bryn Mawr.

Leo and his first wife, Eleanor, raised nine children and built up the jewelry business. After

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Beaumont on TV: Who would have thought?

By Audrey Walsh, Director of Marketing

What takes the assistance of 12 residents, 1 dog, 8 crew members, 2 advertising executives, 1 marketing director, 4 staff members and 4 departments? Answer: One 30-second commercial!

April 5: I wake up to a beautiful sun. Thank goodness, as this is the day for shooting the new commercial. I arrive at the office at 7:15 a.m. This is a surprise because anyone who knows me understands that I am most definitely not a morning person.

When I arrive with three large pots of flowers for the shoot, the crew members with Eric and Deb begin to appear to begin our day. (Eric Van Der Vlught is the principal of Articus, our advertising agency, and Deb Pusak is the senior account rep.) The first stop will be the apartment of Jim and Debbie Zug, our resident actors, to scout out the balcony and the direction of the sun.

There is A LOT of sun. A call was made to Jake Bean in the Grounds Department to ask if a crew member could ride around with him to gather large branches to provide shadowing for the balcony scene.

Now we move over to the Churchmans’ balcony. Down in the courtyard is a great deal of activity to be captured.

The Churchmans are taking a stroll.

Linda Madara is playing with her Labrador retriever, All photos by Deb Pusak Bling. Audrey and

Deb are playing THE SHOOT begins in Jim and Debbie Zug’s apartment.

Bocce.

Mind you, this means that the Zugs, the Churchmans, Mrs. Madara and Bling were up at the crack of dawn to be ready for this project.

Back at the Zugs’, we begin to film Mr. Zug coming in from his balcony. For 40 minutes, he walks in and out of his balcony. When done, Mr. Zug was heard saying, “Wow, I can’t believe it took 40 minutes for a 4-second part of the commercial.” The morning progresses nicely from there, with Mrs. Zug also taking part.

It is now time for lunch; however, all the equipment has to be moved to the Fitness Center and Bistro for our afternoon filming. That takes some doing and

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muscle power. The crew has maybe 30 minutes to sit down, relax and have a sandwich. After all, the equipment may have been moved but it still needs to be set up.

EVEN RELAXED SHOTS in the Fitness Center require rehearsal.

We arrive at the Fitness Center at 1:30 and begin to set up. The actors arrive and are placed at the different machines. The director says, “I’m going to say ‘ready, set, action.’ Actors you are to move on ‘action’.” It takes a few tries for everyone to get the hang of it.

On to the Bistro we go. Whew, we are almost finished! All actors are set and ready. Filming takes place and all looks great. The actors are thanked and off they start to go. All of a sudden the words “oh no” are heard.

I look at Eric and Deb and say, “What happened?”

They shake their heads and say, “We have to do a retake.”

BEAUMONT RESIDENT-ACTORS focus on the director’s instructions for the Bistro segment.

OH NO! When he looked at the film, the director noticed a sand bag that is used for holding down the equipment peeking out in the scene. That just can’t be.

A crew member runs down the hall to get the actor who had already left. The actors good naturedly set themselves up again. At 5 p.m. it was a WRAP!

Who would have thought?