Beaumont News - October 2021

V o lu me T h i rt y F ive , N umber 3

October 2021

President cites beautiful progress on building, campus construction

By Joseph Peduzzi, President and CEO

Excitement is in the air among Beaumont’s residents, family members and staff as we near completion of our first section of our comprehensive Campus Enhancement Project. When I asked Bette Peterson, a Beaumont Retirement Community Inc. Board member, what she thought of the finishes, she stated, “it is even more beautiful than I thought, and I can’t wait until my Villa is completed."

A construction committee comprised of residents and management vetted and selected the architect and general contractor and approved the initial design considerations. Keeping the goal of a unified architectural theme in mind, they emphasized cost containment, and the selection of high-quality construction materials to minimize future maintenance expense. The finishes selected are a combination of cultured stone, vertical board and batten and horizontal cement fiber board.

The design will visually unite the mansion with the other buildings on our wooded campus. And the high quality, low maintenance materials will ensure construction value for decades to come.

As with any construction project, you learn a lot with the completion of the first section. The design team and engineers worked diligently on timely solutions to address the situations uncovered. Even though these findings have extended the period of construction by six months, we are still well within our $23 million dollar budget with a healthy contingency remaining.

I am also very pleased to announce two very enthusiastic new residents of our community, Marion Laffey Fox and Beverly Wilson, who have kindly stepped up to the challenge of being Editor and Assistant Editor, respectively, of the Beaumont News. These two ladies have known each other for years prior to living at Beaumont as they have both served as Park House Guides for the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The Beaumont News has been in existence since 1987 and its readership consists of residents, Future Residents

Marlynne Clothier and Rita Rome show off their bouquets—the lovely handiwork of the Cutting Corners team.

Story, more photos on Page 4.

PRESIDENT’S

CORNER

Photo by Sharon Kelly

Club members, family members and other constituents of our Main Line communities.

Marion is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and has written for many magazines and newspapers over the years concentrating on culture, interior design, architecture, collecting, personalities, gardens, great chefs, fine wines, and exquisite vineyards. A few publications to which she has contributed include Vogue, Town & Country, House Beautiful, Southern Accents, Architectural Digest, Neiman Marcus Entrée, Coastal Living and Southern Living. In addition, she is currently the Contributing Editor to Flower Magazine. She is author of a coffee table book, “Philadelphia! World Class.”

In addition to her career as a writer, Marion is a Trustee of the Lankenau Medical Center Foundation, a Founding Member of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing Board of Overseers, Former Board Member of the Agnes Irwin School and a member of the Appleford Committee and Merion Cricket Club Flower Committee.

In her spare time, Marion enjoys traveling the world and spending time with her husband Reeder R. Fox, former partner of Duane Morris and a graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School.

Beverly graduated from the University of Houston

PRESIDENT'S CORNER continued on page 2

A tribute to our past editor

By Frank Kampas

Marilyn (Lynn) Ayres grew up in South Philadelphia and attended South Philadelphia High School, where she met her life-long friend (and my future wife) Irene Borgogno. In high school she was a member of the Torch National Honor Society, the girls’ tennis and bowling teams, the Future Teachers of America Club and was the personals editor of the Keepsake, the high school yearbook, graduating in January 1964.

After graduating from high school, Lynn attended Temple University, where she majored in English and was on the staff of the Templar, Temple’s yearbook, serving as Women’s Sports Editor, Academics Editor and Assistant Layout Editor, graduating in May, 1968.

After graduating from college, Lynn entered the Philadelphia School System, where she taught English Lynn Ayres

and then Computer Programming, mostly at Overbrook High School. Later in her career, she became the person in charge of setting up the student rosters for the Philadelphia school system.

Over the years, Lynn visited much of the U.S. and parts of Canada and Mexico with various friends, including Irene.

In the summer of 1969, Lynn and Irene toured Europe, using the book, “Europe On 5 Dollars a Day,” as their guide. They started in England and traveled through Europe, ending their trip in Greece.

Lynn took early retirement from the Philadelphia school system and moved to Fox Hill Farms, an “over 55” retirement community near the Delaware state line. At Fox Hill Farms, she edited the community newsletter and the newsletter of a remote-controlled model airplane group. Perhaps Lynn’s greatest joy was traveling around the world with her dearest friend Irene.

After Irene retired, these two South Philly natives added Ireland, Northern Scotland, Iceland, Greenland, Korea, China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Alaska to their passport stamps from England, Europe and Greece. In Ireland, Lynn was thrilled to find church records of some of her ancestors. Their trip down under was a lovely 3-week tour of English Gardens in Australia and New Zealand.

After living at Fox Hill Farms, Lynn moved to

Beaumont in March of 2015. (Irene and I moved to Beaumont about a year later.) While living at Beaumont, Lynn and Irene frequented Maine in the summer and booked into a hotel right on the water’s edge, so they could eat freshly caught lobster.

Lynn was a private person, even a little bit shy.

She was always much attuned to the conversations of those around her, remaining quiet as she thought about what was being said.

Once she began to speak, it was clear that she had an active mind filled with a great deal of information about many topics. It was, therefore, of great benefit to the Beaumont community that she was active in the Writer’s Circle and was willing to take on the positions of Assistant Editor (2016) to long-time Editor Mary Graff, and then Editor (2019) of the Beaumont News. In addition to her experience on her high school and college yearbooks and the Fox Hill Farms newsletters, she was adept with Photoshop and crafted many lovely pictures for the Beaumont News.

Lynn was also a devoted cat lover. At Beaumont, she had two cats, Freddie and Pickles, whom she began caring for after their previous owners passed away. Lynn died unexpectedly in June and is sorely missed.

PRESIDENT'S CORNER continued from page 1 with a Bachelor of Music degree and attended graduate school at the Conservatory of Music at the University of Missouri at Kansas City. Beverly realized early in her career that she needed to do something a little more flourishing and developed an interest in computers and software development while working for an actuarial firm in Atlanta. In the early 80’s, Beverly moved to Philadelphia and the Main Line to work for an actuarial consulting firm designing and developing their software.

Another interesting thing about Beverly is that she has lived in all the communities of the Main Line except for Gladwyne. Why? One might ask. The reason being is that she had a passion for remodeling houses and for antiques and design. After she retired, her interest in antiques led her to become a partner in The Antique Store in Wayne.

Please join me in welcoming these two fascinating ladies to our community and thanking them in advance for their commitment to the Beaumont News.

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

In Memoriam Ann Wood May 22, 2021

Mary B. Tilghman July 10, 2021

Robert McAdoo August 26, 2021

Marilyn Ayres June 4, 2021

Caroline Kemmerer July 13, 2021

Robert Denious September 4, 2021

Ted Robb June 25, 2021

Isaac H. Clothier IV August 16, 2021

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

Editor Assistant Editor Production Manager Designer Photo Editor Contributing Editor New Resident Editor Quality Control Index Manager Consulting Assistant Editors

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Marion Laffey Fox Beverly Wilson Christine Johnson-Hall TJ Walsh Louise Hughes Linda Madara Betty Matarese Jennifer Frankel Nancy Harris Mary Schnabel, Jean Homeier, Peggy Wolcott, Wistie Miller

Piano prodigy brings Beethoven to Beaumont

By Betty Matarese

program are quite different, being quiet, night-inspired works. William’s singing, lyrical playing is perfect for these pieces.

The following scherzo lives up to it’s name—playful, joking. This is not typical genre for Chopin, but of course it is done to perfection.

The Beethoven Appassionata speaks for itself and is a difficult, often-played work from Beethoven’s middle period, full of passion and fury.

One of the unusual facts about William is that he comes of non-musical parents. In his younger days he was more interested in fish tanks and Legos than the piano.

This soon changed, but he still has many interests besides music. On the other hand, he does want to be a concert pianist, difficulties not-withstanding. In the back of his mind always is auditioning for Curtis, the alma mater of one of his teachers, Natalie Zhu. That lies ahead. In the meantime, he continues to delight audiences everywhere.

The Beaumont audience is indeed fortunate to have heard William Ge so early in his career. In the future, hearing him may be very expensive and with limited seating.

It was an auspicious occasion when, on July 6, a Beaumont audience assembled to hear William Ge, a 14-year-old pianist. William has already made his debut in Carnegie Hall at the age of 6 and subsequently won many prizes both here and abroad. He is the proud recipient of the Greenfield Award, which entitles him to solo with the Philadelphia Orchestra. It is seldom that a pianist of any age appears at Beaumont. In talking with his mother, I learned that he had begun piano studies at 4 ½ years old. He also exhibited perfect pitch at an early age.

Although Chopin was his first favorite composer, William has now focused on Beethoven, as evidenced by his programming of the Appassionata Sonata. He has also christened the family’s Cavalier Spaniel Beethoven as an added token of his devotion.

His selection of Chopin works was varied with two etudes – living up to their names – etudes or studies.

Each etude was written to feature a specific piano technique, well-woven into a musical entity.

The two nocturnes making up the middle of the

Left: WILLIAM GE delighted the Music Room crowd when he performed a selection of classical pieces in July.

Above: WILLIAM with his parents, Xianlong Ge and Ying Li (center right), and resident Dr. Carlos Gonzalez.

Photos by Betty Matarese

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Amid Covid restrictions, flowers, produce and friendships bloom A letter of thanks from the Cutting Corners team

Dear Friends,

Early last spring as we uncovered our beds in the Nalle Garden, getting our knees muddy and our fingernails dirty mixing in the mushroom soil spread by Mark Hritz's crew, we got hope in the midst of Covid. We wanted to share the hope a garden gives with the Beaumont Community.

With the help of Louise Carter, who gave us a name and Joan Bromley, who made our so happy sign, Cutting Corners was born.

We started the first Monday in May offering daisies and wild flowers, lettuce, spinach, radishes and herbs from the Nalle Garden. Friends added roses and herbs from their gardens. We are ending with dahlias and zinnias, tomatoes, herbs, and carrots from the Nalle Garden. All those cherry tomatoes and flowers are from your friends' gardens.

We thank each of you who stop in every week to choose flowers to brighten your home and find a little something to add zest to your meal from Dining Services.

We saw old friends and most of all we loved meeting new ones. We chat and share stories and even favorite recipes.

We laugh. We invariably say, "See you next Monday."

We gained a community of friends just by coming together each week to share the bounty of our gardens.

Thank you. We could not have done it without you.

We will see you next May.

Helen Vinick prepares a bouquet. Cutting Corners was a labor of love cultivated with help from Mark Hritz's grounds crew and residents.

— Helen Vinick and Sharon Kelly

At right: Cassie Ross revels in her bounty.

Far right: Carole Morgan and Sally Morris pick from a beautiful assortment thanks to the Nalle Garden and its gardeners.

Photos by Helen Vinick and Sharon Kelly

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Reasons to be thankful

Our snow is shoveled. The grounds are well maintained [pre-reconstruction!] Over 200 women and men work here to make our lives pleasant. Thank you Paul Conboy, Nick Sheen, Kent Hall, Ivan Ramos, Mark Hritz, Mark Nagle, Brad Siegel, Mary Huff, Audrey Walsh, Paige Welby, Zack Margolis and so many more. I could do an imitation of Academy Awards thanks. Seventy-five employees have been here for more than ten years, nine for more than thirty.

The culture is introduced to a prospective employee by Joe Peduzzi and Mary Caulder’s Employee Handbook.

Excerpts:

We strive to maintain the highest quality service to our residents while remaining economically sound. We believe residents should be treated with respect, courtesy and dignity.

We value skill, creativity, dedication and cooperation. We believe teamwork is a crucial element in achieving excellence.

We encourage communication between management and staff. There is a grievance procedure.

We value the growth and development of the staff.

Financial assistance is offered for continuing education.

We value productive employees and encourage long term employment. We strive to provide a safe, clean and attractive facility.

Everything that we do must be legal and ethical.

Management attempts to live up to these values and encourages all who work here to do the same. Judging by the retention rate and resident satisfaction rate, everybody has done a good job.

By Mote Howard

I am an incompetent techie. As I don’t have a grandchild with me, I needed help writing this on my laptop.

Jeremy Varnis with kindness and patience taught me how to do it.

Two years ago my daughter was trying to charge her electric car here. At ten o’clock at night, Ed Johnson was on duty. He came down to my garage and improvised a system using the ceiling electric system to get the job done.

A few months ago my car battery went dead. I called the front desk at nine o’clock in the morning. At nine fifteen Kurt Mueller gave me a jump and restored my mobility.

The same Kurt has moved my hundred pound plus lemon tree indoors and out as the seasons change, helping me avoid a hernia.

Most of us have had medical appointments that included taking a drug that forbade driving. Fritz Lubin, Jack Cooper, and Orlando Barrett transport us with great dispatch.

Our aging bodies need help. Diana DiMeglio, Karen McFee and Amy Singh with good humor and expertise attempt the difficult…keep us restored physically as much as possible.

Lauren Scott and Lee-Anna Lopez are always helpful at the dining reception desk. The waitresses and waiters do a great job. Veronica Cleveland, Cresie Legion Cleveland and teammates do a superb job. Those who man the front desk Charlie Koch, Marty Quinn, Katie Fasoldt, Rick Kelly and John Armenio and others are always helpful.

Our rooms are cleaned and beds made by a dedicated group. Can you imagine pushing those cleaning carts in all kinds of weather? Thank you, Marie Sannoh, Abeba Hailu, Isatu Kabia, and Angelo McFadden.

Meet the Friedmans

By Harriette Goldenberg

Both Larry and Barbara Friedman were born and lived their young years in Philadelphia. Larry is a graduate of Central High School in Philadelphia. He played basketball there and was named to the All-Public Basketball team.

He then attended Muhlenberg College where he has been inducted into their Athletic Hall of Fame. He then served two years in the U.S. Army, and after discharge, enrolled in Temple Law School. He practiced law in Philadelphia until he retired in 2002. He also taught in the Philadelphia Public School System and at the Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science.

Barbara is a very talented artist who attended Tyler School of Art. She has been married to Larry for 57 years.

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Health center will be covered in another article.

WE ARE BLESSED!

Before that, she was named Miss Pennsylvania and was a finalist in the Miss America Pageant.

She has been involved in many charities including starting and being president of the Evy Lessin Fund for the cure of ovarian cancer.

Also, she is a graduate of the Barnes Foundation.

The Friedmans raised their Barbara and Larry Friedman son and daughter in Wynnewood.

They are now very proud grandparents of a teenage grandson. They have spent most of their adult life in Lower Merion and Boynton Beach, Florida. Leisure time over the years has been playing tennis, golf, bridge and traveling. They now have found their happy place at Beaumont.

Retired pilot, world traveler lands at Beaumont

By Peter Abel

Philadelphia. Then he entered private practice in civil litigation until he retired. He also worked pro bono representing clients referred to him by the Bar Association.

Since his retirement, he has run a Veterans Group at Surrey Services. He also recently started a Veterans Group at Beaumont.

Dave married Joan Taylor shortly before going overseas to Vietnam. They had three daughters: One lives in Wayne, one in Paris and one in New York and Dublin.

There are five grandchildren

Dave owned his own plane for 25 years in which he and Joan traveled extensively throughout the U.S. on vacations and short pleasure trips. They also enjoyed many vacations throughout Europe (Dave notes with glee that, as a retired reservist, he and his family could fly gratis on military flights.)

Joan was very active in the Baldwin School Alumnae Association and the Mother’s Association.

She was a member of three garden clubs and exhibited frequently at shows. She volunteered at Surrey Services and, by the way, was also a licensed pilot. She died recently.

Dave is a member of the Committee of 70, Merion Cricket Club and the Military Order of Foreign Wars. He already knows many Beaumont residents and is looking forward to meeting many more.

David Prewitt, a licensed airplane pilot for 50 years, recently moved to Beaumont. He was born, raised, and spent most of his life in the Philadelphia area. He had a long connection with the military, attending high school at Culver Military Academy and serving in the ROTC for four years at Dartmouth College where he was also on the varsity rugby team. Shortly after Dartmouth he entered the U.S. Army as a first lieutenant.

He was trained to fly helicopters and sent to Vietnam where he flew missions on or near the front lines in support of the combat infantry. After leaving active duty, he continued his military connection by joining the Active Reserves from which he retired with the rank of colonel.

David Prewitt performs at the

He received a law degree 1950s Band Stand.

from Duke and, after a brief stint at the Department of Justice, joined a law firm in

Standing dead trees, called “snags”, are an important feature of a healthy woods because they provide nesting sites, shelter, and lookout perches for birds and animals.

We will seek the right balance between leaving wood on the forest floor and removing it. Efforts will be made to locate dead trees away from the paths towards the interior of the woods.

When the trees have been removed, we will have 12 acres on which to develop a beautiful forest with a carefully selected diversity of native canopy and understory trees, a layer of shrubs, and masses of herbaceous plants and spring ephemerals. There will be year-round color and a significantly greater population of insects, butterflies, amphibians, and animals due to the increase in shelter, habitat, and food. Wheeler Woods will soon be green again!

WHEELER WOODS continued from page 7 open. There will be large patches of sunlight and we will have wonderful views through the woods.

Most of the fallen ash trees will be removed, but some fallen and rotting trees will remain. These trees play an important role in the health of the forest. They provide shelter and food for the plants, animals, and insects that live within the rotting wood and feed on it. These decomposers include earthworms, fungi, and bacteria. As the wood decays, the nutrients in the log are broken down and recycled. Living things, such as insects, mosses, lichens, and ferns make use of these nutrients.

Other forest animals visit the rotting log to feed on these plants and creatures. These animals and plants are the recyclers, putting nutrients back into the soil for other forest plants to use as they grow.

Some dead trees will serve as part of our stormwater runoff plan, helping to redirect and slow the flow of heavy rain. This will help to prevent erosion as the water travels down the hill towards the pond. Several ash trees will be cut to a height of 12’-16’ and left in place.

Please contact a member of the Wheeler Woods Stewardship Committee by e-mail with your questions and suggestions. (Ann Baruch, chair, Nancy Harris, Pam McMullin, Nell Mecray, Dave Prewitt, Jane Ruffin, Julie Spahr)

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Wheeler Woods restoration — meeting the challenges!

By Ann Baruch

Have you taken a walk in Wheeler Woods in the last six weeks? If so, you have probably noticed a significant change in the color of much of the herbaceous material. What was very green until recently is now very brown. This is a rare horticultural situation in which the phrase “brown is beautiful” is applicable. It is evidence that one of the two major challenges in the restoration of Wheeler Woods is being addressed and is working!

als and local resources, the BRCI approved a proposal

by WEEDS Inc. to perform a multiphase herbicidal application to areas of Wheeler Woods that are affected by the invasives. They treated in July, August, and September, with more work planned in 2022.

Removal of 83 ash trees

Emerald ash borer (EAB) is a native beetle of Asia that was introduced to North America in the 1990s Removal of invasive plants by way of wooden packing materials. To date the USDA

Invasive has detected EAB plants (also called in 35 states and the “exotic” or “non-naDistrict of Columbia. tive”), such as Tens of millions of trees bamboo, English have died as a result of ivy, garlic mustard, infection by the disease. goutweed, honeySymptoms of Emerald suckle (bush, Japaash borer don't become nese and tartarian), apparent until two or Japanese knotweed, more years after borers Japanese stiltgrass, enter a tree so there is multiflora rose, lesser no way to evaluate the celadine, pachysandra, health of the tree and and periwinkle), have the danger of its falling. been slowly over-tak Last spring seving our woods for eral dead and dangerous decades. Some of ash trees were removed them were planted from the woods. In by previous owners, September John B. while others grew Ward & Co. began Photo by Linda Madera from seeds distributwork to remove most of George Gay and Doc Snyder at work in Wheeler Woods. ed by birds, wind, the remaining 83 trees. water, and humans. Five-leaf akebia, grapevine and oriJim Ward is known and highly regarded by many of our ental bittersweet climb our trees, blocking sunlight, and members, and we are pleased that his company will do eventually strangling their hosts. this work for us. The ash tree removal project will take

Non-native plants act as physical barriers for approximately two months. native species and outcompete them for crucial resourcAlthough Norway and Japanese maples are not native es such as nutrients, water, and light. They prevent the trees, they have been part of our landscapes for centuestablishment of young trees, which contributes to the ries. They give us an important sense of place and their loss of biodiversity. They have a negative impact on the glorious fall foliage is the highlight of the beauty of our abundance and distribution of native plant communities woods for many residents. These trees produce thousands and subsequently on the availability of habitat, food and of seedlings every year so we will reduce the number of shelter for animals and insects. The most prevalent invagroves and thin the masses of trees within them. This sive species in Wheeler Woods is Japanese pachysandra, will allow filtered sunlight to reach the forest floor to a hardy evergreen perennial that covers several acres of promote growth of shrubs and herbaceous materials our woods with dense mats of groundcover and eradiwhile preserving the fall magnificence. cates all other herbaceous material.

Current science indicates that the only way to What will be left? eliminate many of our invasive species is by using herbi Many native trees and shrubs will remain after cides. In July, after consultation with several professionthe trees are gone. However, the woods will look very

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WHEELER WOODS continued on page 6

The Wood Ducks of Beaumont

By Jane Ruffin

The Wood Duck is considered to be North American’s most handsome duck.

Wood Ducks nest in holes in the trees. Once the female has chosen a nest the male departs. It is believed his bright colors might attract predators. When the eggs hatch the ducklings all jump out of the hole and follow their mother to the water.

Two families of Wood Ducks were first seen on June 1.

Over the next few days some of them disappeared.

This is normal as there are many predators such as owls, hawks, foxes and snapping turtles.

They have to eat, too.

The numbers stabilized at five ducklings each. I named the two females Alpha and Beta.

Alpha was quite aggressive and chased Beta and her brood if they came too near. Their plumage was slightly different, too. The downy ducklings were enchanting to watch and very independent. I would often see one of them swimming in and out of the undergrowth with mother a long way off. They ate the duckweed. Although some people find the duck weed unattractive, it is essential for the ducks!

Every now and again one of them would zip through the greenery and catch and eat a damselfly or

smoother insect.

After a few weeks there were only three left with each female. Then one day I didn’t see them at all. Two days later I saw Beta with her three and one smaller duckling that I named Alpha 2. Although I have no proof I am assuming a predator took two of Alpha’s ducklings and Alpha flew off having had it with motherhood! Beta has reared three ducklings.

Above: Alpha and ducklings.

Left: Alpha's last duckling, Alpha 2.

Below: Alpha and Beta.

At the beginning of August I noticed changes in the plumage indicating that Beta had two males and a female.

Alpha 2 is a male.

Alpha 2 has thrived and is beginning to grow his flight feathers. Beta’s three are fully feathered and Wistar Morris saw them flying across the pond on August 14.

Soon they will be gone and we can hope that they will return to nest next year.

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