Beaumont News Winter 2021

V o lu me T h i rt y F ive , N umber 1

Winter 2021

Hooray, we’re on the way!

Active centenarian reveals his secrets

“Alan Tripp’s Ten Tips for Staying Young as you Grow Older” is not just a self-help list.

I’ve known Alan for over 50 years; he was a living example of his list. When he was younger and lived near our family on Long Lake in Naples, Maine, happy Alan could always be IN THE RECORDING STUDIO, Alan counted on for and Evelyn rehearsed for Senior Songbook in a lobster bake, a September 2019. songfest, or a tennis match. He was a kind of informal mayor

By Eta Glassman

Beaumont is proud to announce that our residents and staff have received the Covid-19 vaccine.

“We were fortunate to be able to receive the first dose of the Moderna vaccine for our Independent Living residents Photo by Charles Kurz through a collaborative partnership with Eric’s RX in Horsham. They made it easy, fast, and it was well-organized thanks to our dedicated group of professionals,” said Health Services Vice President, Heather Heiland. The second dose for IL residents

VACCINE continued on page 6

By Evelyn Isom

CENTENARIAN continued on page 9

Good news on building envelope construction cost estimate

By President and CEO Joseph Peduzzi

On January 22, 2021, our professional teams met with the Capital Development Committee (CDC) and management for a review of the results of our bidding process, the proposed construction timetable, and the landscaping approach. The CDC commented that it was an exciting meeting because of the extensive progress that was reported, and the favorable results from the bidding process. Amazingly, with the huge amount of work that needed to be done over the last 18 months, and in spite of Covid complications, we are on budget and with a target start date of mid-March.

Back in June 2020, our professional team provided us with an estimate for the building envelope construction cost of $24,340,000. We were very pleased to hear that the final budget amount is in line with this projection. This is quite an achievement because there were some significant additions to

the scope relating to villa decks, villa foundation waterproofing and drainage, and apartment garage waterproofing and drainage. Favorable results from the trade bidding process and some product substitutions enabled us to keep very close to our original budget estimate.

We are in the final stages of executing a not-to-exceed construction contract. Our probes of the apartment envelope found less water penetration damage than we feared, although our probes of the villa foundations found more. Our budget includes reasonable estimates for these, and also a significant contingency for unknowns we may encounter.

Warfel also reviewed with the CDC their latest revisions to the construction schedule. The targeted start of construction remains the second or third week of March. We will need to receive our construction permit from the Township and the arrival of long-lead-time items, which have been

CONSTRUCTION continued on page 3

Through ice, sleet and mounds of snow, Beaumont residents must be nourished

2. Do not use Styrofoam to heat food.

3. Separate protein items from vegetables and starches.

4. Vegetables and starches may be heated in your microwave or oven.

5. Although protein may be reheated in your microwave separately, it might be advisable to reheat meat, fish or fowl, on your range top or in the oven in a liquid such as water, broth, wine or gravy. This latter method will keep the protein from drying out.

6. While reheating food, wash out the Styrofoam containers for recycling.

7. Replate items.

8. Enjoy dessert as you unwind and contemplate another wonderful day here at Beaumont.

By Evelyn Isom, Dining Committee Chair, and

Zachary Margolis, Food & Beverage Director Fellow Residents:

Over the last 10 months our dining experience has changed. We have eaten in our homes, scooped food from white Styrofoam containers, and often waited impatiently for the arrival of our lunches and dinners. During these pandemic months, we admit, the dining service has not been perfect. Yet we feel lucky that we can deliver a high quality of food to every resident.

At this juncture, the food and beverage team want to express their thanks for the support most of you have shown for their efforts during this challenging time. We also want to pass along some tips for recreating a positive home-dining experience:

If you have suggestions or comments, please get in touch with me or other members of the Dining Committee or the Food and Beverage staff.

How to ENJOY a take-out meal: 1. When you remove items from the container, please ensure all items are present. If they are not, telephone the Mansion host stand. The food and beverage team will try to resolve your issue.

What is auxiliary heat and why is it costly?

By Frank Kampas for the Green Committee

Beaumont’s heating and cooling system is geothermal and is based on the fact that the temperature below ground is cooler than the air temperature in summer and warmer than the air temperature in winter. It transfers heat between manifolds below ground to heat and cool.

However, when the air temperature gets too low, the geothermal system cannot heat a unit to a comfortable temperature. That’s where auxiliary heat comes in. It uses electrical heating elements and is less efficient than the geothermal heating.

That’s why Beaumont’s electrical bill peaks in February and why it is especially important in winter to reduce heat loss by keeping doors, windows and garage doors closed, to lower the usage of auxiliary heat.

Text & photo by Deborah Bishop

WHO IS THAT MASKED MAN? I spend most of the day sitting by my window looking out to see what’s going on. Sometimes I have a nap, sometimes I watch TV, and sometimes I read a book. Anyway, I woke up from a nap and saw this. I especially like the facemask.

I think that the snowman was made by Sharon Kelly, so thank you, Sharon.

In Memoriam Ingrid Gonzalez December 28, 2020

Elizabeth Hentz January 13, 2021

Florence Lloyd January 28, 2021

Marcelle Pick January 30, 2021

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

Herbert Diamond, M.D. January 31, 2021 Members of the Beaumont Community extend deepest sympathy to their families and friends.

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Executive Editor Lynn Ayres Deputy Executive Editor and Production Manager John Hall Graphic Designer TJ Walsh Photo Editor Louise Hughes Contributing Editor Linda Madara Quality Control Jennifer Frankel Index Manager Nancy Harris Consulting Assistant Editors Mary Schnabel, Jean Homeier, Peggy Wolcott, Wistie Miller

CONSTRUCTION continued from page 1

Chronology of the building envelope project

ordered. Construction is divided up into seven zones for the apartments, 13 zones for the villas, and three zones for the health center and commons. The work in each zone is scheduled for about three months, rotating through the campus.

The CDC was very pleased with the work of Mara Baird, our landscape architect. We have some beautiful plantings on our campus. Mara has identified the landscaping at each villa and first floor apartment and assigned each a value based on a tiered structure (high, medium, and low). After the envelope work is completed in each zone, Warfel will landscape at each unit, or residents will be issued a credit based on their previously determined tier so they can hire their own landscaper. The landscaping will be done in spring and fall sessions, depending on which plants thrive best in each of those favorable seasons. We have also identified some trees that would be difficult to replace and should be preserved or protected during the work.

Management and the CDC are planning lots of meetings and communications with residents as we approach the start of construction in March.

The construction to replace our deteriorated building envelope throughout the campus will start in March 2021. This is the result of a huge amount of work over the last 18 months. Here is a summary of the major milestones in getting ready to start the project.

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September 2019 – Capital Development Commit- tee (CDC) appointed to provide oversight and guidance to the project on behalf of the residents.

The CDC consists of 13 residents and 4 members of management.

• Fall 2019 – The CDC interviewed and hired our architect, construction manager, engineering firm.

• Winter 2020 – The CDC interviewed and hired our Owner’s Representative and our landscape architect and considered various design alternatives.

• March 9, 2020 – The CDC approved the schematic design prepared by the architect.

Who’s disturbing my long winter’s nap?

• June 22, 2020 – The CDC received the preliminary cost estimate of $24.3 million.

Text and photo by Jim Zug, Sr.

A 450-pound bear decided to hibernate under Barry and Betsy Rorer's deck in the Poconos. They have a place at the same lake where we do, and they showed us the bear at Thanksgiving.

They are now in Florida, but we were up at our place for Martin Luther King weekend and stopped by to see the bear and take this photo. I always thought bears slept through the winter, but this one knew we were there and moved its head to look at us. At one point it yawned; at another it stuck its tongue out and licked its lip.

We have a number of bears in the Pocono area, probably more than 10. This one is known from the scar on his nose. Last winter he hibernated under the foundation of our neighbor's house.

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July 13, 2020 – Information Packets distributed to each resident regarding their share of the cost and payment options, along with design drawings and preliminary video.

• August 7, 2020 – Residents selected whether to pay their assessment up front or monthly.

• August 24, 2020 – The CDC Executive Committee approved the design development work of the architects.

• October 1, 2020 – Bank negotiations completed.

• October 15, 2020 – Up-front assessment payments and first monthly payments received.

• October 15 – The architect completed the construc tion documentation, so that bidding the trades could commence.

• Fall 2020 – Landscaping inventory and plan completed.

• January 22, 2021 – CDC reviews and approves final construction budget and landscaping plan.

• Mid-March 2021 – Construction is targeted to begin.

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CONSTRUCTION continued on page 4

CONSTRUCTION continued from page 3

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Her smile may be masked, but her eyes sparkle with delight

By Joan Bromley and Helen Vinick

Kathrina Atienza, known as Kat, is the lovely receptionist who greets visitors, delivery men, mailmen and all of us at the front desk at Beaumont—and always efficiently, with poise, kindness and calm. She's never flustered. So what's her story and what can we learn from this charming 24-year-old?

Kat grew up in Parsippany, New Jersey, with her parents, a brother, and a sister.

Her parents moved here from the Philippines to give their children better educational opportunities.

Both parents are in the medical field, her Mom as an ER nurse for 25 years. Kat was encouraged to go into nursing. She majored in nursing at LaSalle University, but by her junior year she switched to a double major of business and marketing and did a number of Kat Atienza

study abroad programs.

During those years Kat did a lot of questioning about

her goals for herself. Some very special mentors became friends that she continues to see. She wanted to measure up to her parents' expectations of her and was well aware of the sacrifices they had made. But Kat wasn't being true to herself.

Who was she? And what difference could she make on others’ lives?

After a short job with Enterprise, these thoughts nagged at her. She loves reading books about personal development. Her favorite, which she continues to read, is What To Say When You Talk to Yourself, by Shad Helmstetter.

She said, “I think the best way to make people's day is to be kind, show they are appreciated, and smile. Even though my smile may be hidden due to wearing a mask, I want people to feel a sense of appreciation and happiness when we interact and know that I still have a smile on my face.”

And now, for two years, Kat has worked at Beaumont.

She loves it and we love her. She said she feels a part of the Beaumont family, enjoys meeting new people and all of the challenges that come with her job. So, behind that mask is a smile that exudes happiness. Aren't we lucky to know her?

Here’s a New Year’s resolution that’s easy to keep

Text and photo by Lynn Ayres

the kitchen, as mine did a few years ago? A fall resulted in a broken ankle. The pain was excruciating, and crawling to a pull cord was out of the question—but my pendant quickly summoned help.

Cell phones: Some residents plan to use their cell phones to get help. That’s fine, except for two things:

1. Where is your cell phone? In your pocket? Or somewhere unreachable?

2. In a crisis, it is awkward to operate a cell phone. You are distressed, you fumble, you press the wrong keys….

Wear your emergency pendant! Put it on. Never, ever take it off.

We have all received emergency pendants that will locate the wearer anywhere on campus. I believe it is the best solution for summoning emergency assistance at Beaumont … but not everyone agrees.

OBJECTIONS

Some residents refuse to wear the pendant. I wear mine 24/7, even in the shower: the pendant is waterproof. It is also lightweight, convenient and easy to use.

Some residents feel the pendant is unattractive; others find it annoying. In my experience, it stays well hidden under my clothing, and is so light that I don’t even know it’s there.

Best of all, it gets results! Just press the button. I have done that and have been grateful for the quick response.

SOLUTION

Carry out this simple yet life-saving New Year’s resolution: wear your emergency pendant.

ALTERNATIVES

Emergency pull cords: Some residents prefer to rely on our bedroom and bathroom pull cords because they are familiar. That’s fine, but what happens if your crisis occurs in

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Photo by Richard Stephens

WHAT’S UP? A new pole supports an electrical conduit.

It is needed to power one of four antenna/repeaters that will allow our emergency-call pendants to locate signals coming from Wheeler Woods.

apart. If the area was too crowded, people were sent to rooms less crowded as they awaited their turn.

VACCINATIONS: Stand socially distanced behind screens until told to move forward.

Staff monitored residents throughout to make sure masks stayed in place, to provide assistance as needed and to ensure that no one stayed after the event.

My experience was typical. I signed in at 2:15, stood in line socially distanced from the person in front and got the vaccine.

I am delighted to say that Eric of Eric’s pharmacy jabbed me with the vaccine.

CHECKOUT: After waiting 15 minutes, vacciWhen I nated residents are free to go. Photos: Lynn Ayres thanked him for supplying Beaumont with the vaccine and told him how grateful we were, Eric said, “A thanks from you makes it worthwhile to keep trying and to work long hours every day to help others.”

Following the vaccine, I went to a safe area and remained for 15 minutes. Everyone received an “I got my Covid-Vaccine” sticker. We also received a fact sheet about the vaccine. The front page shouted in capital letters, “Please return to your apartment/villa immediately. Do not allow this valuable clinic to become a super spreader event!”

Good advice. At the checkout desk bottled water, pretzels and healthy candy bars were available. A comforting way to end a memorable day.

VACCINE continued from page 1 was administered on February 27.

A vaccine clinic for 1A people designated by the Commonwealth and partnered with Walgreens was held earlier in January for Health Care and Personal Care Residents, employees, healthcare companions and healthcare vendors.

Their second vaccine was given on February 11.

The planning and organization for the clinic was like a choreographed ballet. Everything flowed.

First, participants completed vaccine forms that were entered into a portal for the pharmacy and later were sent to the Commonwealth.

Next came the tricky part: How would we give the vaccine to residents and staff SIGN IN with Jennie Frankel, Heather

and keep them Heiland (standing) and Miriam Quinn.

safe? VP Heather Heiland, Resident Care Coordinator Sade Thompson and Wellness Director Miriam Quinn devised a plan. They talked to physicians, pharmacies and other facilities for ideas. They wanted everyone to be properly distanced during the clinic.

Management and the executive staff held meetings every other day to discuss safety procedures. The goal was to process 18 people every 15 minutes. Two hundred seven residents were registered for the day.

On the day of the event, residents checked in at the registration tables as their names were called according to their appointment times. Throughout the room, there were social distance markings on the floor to maintain safe spacing.

As the vaccinations were given, residents received a sticker with their name and the time they were able to leave after being observed by the medical team to ensure there was no reaction from the vaccine. People were seated 6 feet

Local lady has nearby children but globe-trotting grandkids

By Joan Roberts

Newly arrived this past December, after weeks in rehabilitation for a broken hip, Edythe (call her “Cookie”) Blesnak is now happily settled in her Austin apartment. Her prior homes have been in Wyncote and center city Philadelphia, followed by some years nearby at The Hermitage with her husband, Howard, who died six years ago.

Cookie grew up in Atlantic City, and attended the local high school. She moved on to Penn State University, where she obtained bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Education. For 27 years she worked as a math teacher and a reading specialist in the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit.

It was at Penn State that she met her husband, em-

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barking on a marriage of 60 years. Their union has brought them three sons—and three daughters-in-law—plus 12 grandchildren and six “greats.” Their sons’ family homes are in Villanova, Lancaster, and Egg Harbor, New Jersey, but the “grands” are sprinkled as far away as California, Alaska and China.

Cookie’s interests include many Beaumont activities. Reading, watching shows, Canasta, and Mahjongg occupy much of her time. She has always been a good cook, but is now content to leave that activity to the Beaumont chefs.

Edythe “Cookie” Blesnak

Perhaps when we have all been vaccinated and the pandemic is under control, there will be more opportunities to meet and socialize with her Beaumont neighbors.

Seven miles via Lancaster Avenue links work to retirement

Police Athletic League team.

After high school, Deena studied at Temple, majoring in health and physical education. Myron was drafted into the Army. Along with military duties, he played basketball while stationed in Japan. Myron met and began courting Deena after his discharge. From her to him, this: “If you want us to get serious, get a college education.” He did, via Temple University and the GI Bill. These years saw Deena earning her undergraduate degree followed by an MA in health education.

Deena and Myron both taught physical education at Overbrook for many years. Myron was also assistant basketball coach and varsity tennis coach. Deena coached cheerleaders and color guards. Together, they taught Overbrook High's first co-ed class in sex education. One memorable student was Wilt “the Stilt” Chamberlain.

They married in 1957. “We were one of the few married couples teaching at Overbrook,” recalls Deena. Their marriage led to three daughters, all gifted athletes: Stephanie, Mindy, and Lynn. Deena retired from teaching at Overbrook in 1993. Myron continued coaching at Overbrook, and took on the added role of referee observer/evaluator in the eastern U.S. for the N.B.A. He retired in 1998.

The Rosenbaums are active members of Har Zion Temple (formerly in Wynnefield, now in Penn Valley). One of their pleasures is having former students remind them of an after-school program called the Fun & Fitness Club that they ran together for many years.

By Virginia Rivers

Posted on Beaumont’s Resident Bulletin Board last month was an invitation to join a poker-playing group led

by Myron Rosenbaum. It is first such one organized here in years. “A mental challenge that’s also fun,” says new resident Myron.

Well-traveled Myron and Deena Rosenbaum have visited Alaska, Russia, Israel and China, while poker tournaments have taken Myron to Paris and London. They display few visible mementos, however.

Instead, 13 shiny trophies line a high shelf, signaling Myron’s second career as a basketball player and coach, while a few Myron and Deena Rosenbaum

antique dolls gaze from their rocking chairs to represent Deena’s years of collecting them.

Their move here traces back to Overbrook High School in West Philadelphia, where Myron and Marv Weisbord were classmates and played basketball on the same

Messenger RNA and the coronavirus

By Frank Kampas

The Pfizer and Moderna Covid vaccines use messenger RNA (mRNA) to develop immunity to Covid-19. What is mRNA and how can it be used in a vaccine? mRNA is a portable blueprint for the manufacture of proteins, which are one of the main components (ignoring water) of the human body.

Proteins are polymers (long chains) of amino acids, of which there are 21 different kinds. The order of the amino acids in the body’s proteins is encoded in the DNA in the nucleus of the cells of the body.

This information is copied onto mRNA molecules and then carried to the ribosomes in cells. This is where protein is manufactured from amino acids, according to the mRNA structure.

What does this have to do with the coronavirus?

These viruses use their spikes to infiltrate the body’s cells.

Once inside the cell, the coronavirus RNA takes over the cell’s protein manufacturing processes to produce more viruses.

Older style vaccines contain a weakened or inactive part of a virus. Injection of the vaccine into the body causes the body’s immune system to produce antibodies to the virus. The antibodies bind to the virus, preventing it from reproducing.

Dr. Jill Roberts, USF College of Public Health

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The mRNA in the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines contains instructions for the body’s cells to make the spike protein of the virus. This mRNA molecule is encased in fat to protect it from the body’s immune system. Once inside the cell, the mRNA molecule causes the cell to produce the spike protein, triggering the body’s immune system to make antibodies to the spike protein. These antibodies bind to the spikes, deactivating any Covid-19 viruses that enter the body.

In summary, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines teach our bodies to make antibodies to the virus without having to inject weakened viruses into our body.

Making The Senior Songbook With Alan Tripp

By Marvin Weisbord

The Inside Story

I met Alan Tripp in 2015 shortly after Dorothy and I moved to Beaumont. We liked living near our old home in an apartment big enough for a grand piano. Evelyn Isom got Alan and me together. He turned out to be a tall 98-year-old with a quick smile, wrinkled for sure, but with a firm grip, still-youthful walk and an enviable head of hair. We bonded around a love for old cabaret and show tunes.

Aside from boundless creativity, Alan was a hopeless romantic. He wrote verses non-stop and enjoyed charming an audience. He began singing with my band.

At dinner we amused ourselves recalling classics from our youth. “A fine romance,” Alan would sing, and I’d add “with no kisses.” How about “Fish gotta swim,” I warbled. Before I caught my breath, Alan added, “And birds gotta fly.”

On his 99th birthday, Alan invited a few of us to his apartment and read aloud Best Old Friends, a poem celebrating life at Beaumont. I’d played the piano for years, feasting on masterworks by Irving Berlin, Rodgers & Hart, the Gershwins and Cole Porter. Alan’s verse spoke to me in the same way. So at age 86 I determined to write my first song. I would set Alan’s poem to music for his 100th birthday. (When you play jazz, you create new melodies on the fly. How hard could it be to write one? Harder than playing one, I soon learned!)

Chuck Anderson, my jazz teacher, offered some song-writing tips. Then I borrowed a few chords from a tune I liked, and created—after hours of trial and error—a melody to fit Alan’s lyrics. A week later I found another verse in my mailbox. For a year my new best old friend and I celebrated in song the ups and downs of love and life in elder-land. It was hard work and great fun. At Alan’s prompting, I composed ballads (Looking In the Mirror, Goodbye Forever), easy swing (I Just Can’t Remember Your Name, Never Too Late For Love), a tango (Because I Care For You), a rhumba (Come On, Tell Me), even an homage to rock and roll (Wonder Woman).

Alan had written verses since childhood. He’d never made a record. He now realized that we had—as a TV cop might say— the motive, means, and opportunity. Wynlyn Jazz Ensemble, my band, had by then done 60 gigs at Beaumont.

Alan sold his idea to the band and recruited Chuck as musical director. We rehearsed for a couple of weeks, then spent five Saturdays in a professional studio. Linda Madara memorialized us with dramatic photos. Alan hired Articus, Beaumont’s marketing consultants, to publicize the result.

To our amazement, the Senior Song Book CD went viral in the fall of 2019. Within weeks CBS, NBC, ABC, PBS, and Brazilian TV sent video crews to Beaumont. In news stories and radio broadcasts we were billed as “The oldest living song-writing team in the U.S.” We appeared on Canadian Television and in People magazine. We had 10,000 hits on You Tube.

Kelly Clarkson offered to fly us to California for 15 minutes on her

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FAME AND ACCLAIM: As the Senior Songbook went viral, interviews multiplied, including CBS Evening News with Norah O'Donnell and the Kelly Clarkson Show.

CENTENARIAN continued from page 1 of our town, gathering in the post office for gossip, welcoming summer visitors with a smile, and planning outdoor campfires and barbeques.

Alan always had something to do. At Beaumont, he chaired the Marketing Committee for six years and helped get us the bocce court and the superior sound system in the Beaumont Room.

When he returned to his early love of lyric writing and wrote songs for the Senior Song Book, Alan showed us that he was “never too old to do something” he loved or to give up on what he was aiming for.

“Don’t complain,” must have been Alan’s motto. Whenever I asked him how he was doing, he would reply, “Getting younger every day.”

And until his last days, it seemed he was … perhaps by following his list on the right.

INSIDE STORY continued from page 8 TV show. (We settled for FaceTime from Alan’s apartment.) I did not know who Kelly was until my grandkids began treating me like a teen idol. Alan, meanwhile, was fulfilling a lifelong dream. “You don’t retire from something,” he told an interviewer. “You retire to something.”

In March 2020 the global virus ended our 15 minutes.

Exhausted by then, I’d had three minutes too many. Alan, ever ebullient, was just warming up. He sought movie deals. He contacted music publishers. He solicited aging artists like Carole King and Barry Manilow to sing our tunes. None made offers. We composed six new songs including Getting Older Blues and Write Me a Waltz. For two years Alan had been planning his 105th birthday. He was intent on having another CD by then.

When this pesky virus ends, we’ll perform his final verses in an Alan Tripp Memorial Concert. Alan died in his sleep at 103 during the early hours of December 24, 2020. When I phoned him a few days earlier, he was still imagining Senior Song Book lyrics.

Alan intended to live forever. The way I see it, he nearly did.

Alan Tripp’s 10 Tips for Staying Young as You Grow Older 1. Be happy. No matter what’s happening, keep your sunny side up. It may not make things better, but you won’t feel the pain as much.

2. What is happiness, anyway? A famous psychiatrist defined it as, “Something to do, someone to love and something to look forward to.” Try for all three, but don’t settle for less than two.

3. Speaking of something to do, you’re never too old to do something you love… but don’t just play at it. Push yourself to do it the very best you can— you’ll feel young and strong when you do. That’s what happened with the Senior Song Book. We started by writing a little poem called Best Old Friends and wound up in a top recording studio and on the CBS Evening News.

4. Speaking of our CD reminds me—the perfect song on that album is titled, It’s Never Too Late for Love.

5. On the other hand, someone asked me if, at age 102, I still chase women. The answer is “Yes, I still chase women, but I just don’t catch many of them anymore.”

6. Speaking of living long, you have to learn how to deal with doctors. Find out which medicines work best for you. Study your body. Ask the doctor plenty of questions so he’ll wonder how much you know. Oh, yes, and remember diet and exercise. If you do that, you may not need the doctor so often.

7. Avoid conflict…it ages you. Stand up for your rights, but be clever. The best advice on I ever heard about fighting is this: “Always back the other guy into a corner … where there’s a door.”

8. Don’t complain. Being a complainer makes you old. So what to do? Don’t complain, explain— propose, suggest, even demand. Go for something to replace what you might otherwise be complaining about.

9. On the other hand, never give up what you’re aiming for. That’s why I’m here today. I started writing songs when I was 15 years old … and look at me now at 102! Never give up!

WYNLYN JAZZ ENSEMBLE—plus Alan and Evelyn—practicing in the Music Room.

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10. Hang on to your money… for your retirement… and after your retirement. Don’t worry about the kids and grandkids until you’ve taken good care of yourself. Money may not keep you young, but it will keep you looking good as you grow older.

The K-9 connection thrives when Covid isolation halts normal interaction

Alan Tripp A mighty tree fell in the Wheeler Woods, Thursday morning, December 24, 2020.

The tree was tall and The oldest tree of the woods.

By Helen Vinick

Beaumont is a social community: dinner invitations, bridge, Jazz concerts, wine tasting, sing-a-longs, etc. Social gatherings reflect Beaumont’s caring thoughtfulness toward one another. But then the pandemic arrived, and like a tsunami, destroyed the social infrastructure at Beaumont.

Restrictions on social gatherings were initiated last March. Luckily, spring weather slowly emerged and residents took to walking the Beaumont campus. With some of the residents came their dogs.

Dogs became a new social connection. Often, because of masks, residents were hard to identify, but their dogs made the owners recognizable. The new social norm became a greeting, followed by a socially distanced exchange of “small talk news” and dutifully petting the dogs while walking the Beaumont loop.

For those without a dog, it seemed like the perfect time to pursue ownership. For one such resident, the decision to get a dog and choose its breed happened one day, the breeder was found the next, and one week later a fluffy, black Havapoo puppy named Zoey arrived at Beaumont. Like a toddler, this puppy greets everyone, happy for the residents’ warm and enthusiastic greetings. She lifts spirits and is a catalyst for social interaction—a light in the darkness of the pandemic upside-down world.

But then the world rights itself when, after the loss of her dog, another resident finds a fluffy, white and chocolate-brown new puppy to love. That new puppy, named Poppy, is the half–sister of the Havapoo puppy because they have the same father, a toy poodle.

Serendipity amidst the events of 2020: a resident has a new puppy, half-sisters have “social” play dates (owners, too) and Beaumont welcomes another canine to the community.

All dogs continue to be instrumental in promoting social connections that lift spirits and provide a welcomed and needed respite until normalcy and social gatherings return to a non-Covid-19 world.

Alan was a leader at every age wherever he lived— Kansas boyhood, Northwestern University, Philadelphia, New York City, and Hermitage—and then Beaumont.

He gave to us all at Beaumont, Guidance, energy, inspiration, Support, laughs, and Hope, As we count the years that go by.

He was our wordsmith, naming the Bistro, Chair of the Marketing Committee, with his expertise, Helped to update the sound system In the Beaumont Room, and the Bocce Court, And so much more was his legacy.

At age 100 he gamely and wisely moved.

As he wanted to be closer to all of Beaumont activities and dining.

The shorter walk extended his days.

Music was Alan’s hobby and avocation.

He amazed us all When at the age of 102 he wrote The words for THE SENIOR SONG BOOK. Then he and Marvin Weisbord Wrote the music for the words, And they were on every national network a year ago.

Age was never a deterrent for Alan.

Dinner with Alan always involved his Breaking into song.

He remembered every word And every verse of so many pieces.

We all have been lucky that This special man, Alan Tripp, Lived among us.

HALFSISTERS reconnect at Beaumont.

The Havapoo (half Havanese, half toy poodle) siblings seem to like it here.

As a fallen tree enriches The soil in the woods, May his spirit and essence continue To enrich our Beaumont community.

— Bette Keck Peterson

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Valentine’s Day celebrations restrained this year

In cold, bleak February, Valentine’s Day provides a splash of color—and the color is red. There could be no party this year, but Resident Services saved the day by offering photos in front of a colorful backdrop.

Social distancing was still the theme of the day, and masks were worn. However, the photographers signaled “Mask off ” and “Mask on” so that residents could unmask for their photos.

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After five decades, a fourth generation Californian moves East

By Deborah Bishop and Greg McAdam

Arts-loving lady, history-buff gentleman have joined the ranks of Beaumont

Josselyn (Ames) McAdam was born in 1946 in Los Angeles, California. Josselyn is a fourth generation Californian, and her father was a two-time Academy Award winning Art Director.

She attended high school at Marlborough and then attended UC Berkeley. Josselyn taught fourth grade after graduation and soon married Jim McAdam. She retired from teaching when she had children.

While in Los Angeles, Josselyn was a member of the UCLA Medical board, Las Madrinas and Children’s Chain. While on the UCLA Medical Board of Advisors, she spearheaded the Kid’s Benefit Christmas card fundraiser using art created by pediatric cancer patients.

This program is still going today.

Josselyn also loved spending time at the Beach Club and Los Angeles Josselyn McAdam

Country Club where the family had memberships. She was an avid paddle tennis player on the beach, playing in numerous tournaments.

Josselyn’s son Greg lives in Walnut Creek, California, with his wife Allison and sons Jake and Daniel. Her daughter, Mary McBride, lives in Chatham, New Jersey, with her husband, John, and sons Joe, Will and Jimmy.

Jim and Josselyn lived in Los Angeles until 1995 until they moved to Rosemont, Pennsylvania. Josselyn has always loved the arts and was a long time docent at the Philadelphia Art Museum. She is a member of Merion Golf Club, Merion Cricket Club and Acorn Club.

Josselyn moved to Beaumont last October and is excited to be a member of the Beaumont community.

Since June 4, Sheila and Gerald O’Connor have resided in a Baldwin apartment. I had the pleasure of interviewing them as new residents during the late summer.

They have lived in the Villanova area for many years; they have four children and 15 grandchildren.

Both Sheila and Gerald are very active.

Sheila enjoys the arts. She likes to paint, play the piano and sing. She has performed in local Broadway shows such as Guys and Dolls, Carousel and operatic musicals. She has also sung in Naples, Florida, with The Philharmonic Chorale.

Sheila attended Notre Dame Academy in Radnor and Gwynedd Mercy University in Gerald and Sheila O’Connor Gwynedd Valley. Gerald attended Saint Joseph’s College in Philadelphia. He also served as an Air Force pilot. Gerald worked with a company that manufactured corrugated boxes and also worked in real estate.

Gerald enjoys reading and is a history and biography buff. Like a number of other Beaumont residents, both he and Sheila play bridge.

When the pandemic is under control and things go back to normal, there will be more opportunities to meet and socialize with these new neighbors. They are a lovely couple and we are pleased to have them here at Beaumont.

By J.J. McNutt

Life in Wheeler Woods goes on despite winter cold, wind and snow

Photos by Jane Ruffin IMMATURE REDICE forms a thick coating around twigs, TAILED HAWK looks and icicles hang from branches. for prey.

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TRAIL through the snow was created when Jim Zug was cross-country skiing.

Jane Ruffin used it to seek wildlife.

ACROBATIC white-breasted nuthatch can go down the trunk head first.

A favorite holiday tradition generates winter whimsy and fun

By Lynn Ayres

indeed, suitable for only the most important celebrations.”

Despite the pandemic, the tradition has continued at Beaumont. The impressive gingerbread house and garden in the main-entrance lobby was a combined effort by Executive Chef John Bauer, Sous Chef Barry Hill, Sous Chef Mike Santangelo and Supervisor Rocco Arcaro.

Beaumont residents attempted less adventurous projects. The Gingerbread Village in the Beaumont Room was created by a donation of Photo by Lynn Ayres single-house

kits from an GINGERBREAD HOUSE & GARDEN was

Episcopal Acaddisplayed in the main entrance lobby. The fully

emy family, decorated house had a stout chimney with a clock

supporting the on each of its four sides. The front garden included

two bend-and-shape candy-cane trees, a frozen pond Parents’ Associ ation Fund. for ice skaters, and a dreidel for Jewish visitors.

Along with trees, wreaths and lights, a favorite holiday decoration is the gingerbread house— whimsical to imagine, fun to create, and colorful to display. Two years ago, Irene Borgogno researched its connection to Christmas for the Beaumont News. Here is part of her article.

“Gingerbread has a long history in Europe, dating to the 11th century when crusaders returning from the Middle East may have brought home the custom of sweet, spicy bread for special occasions.

“Forming gingerbread into decorative shapes goes back to the 13th century, and the first documented instance of figure-shaped gingerbread is from the court of Elizabeth I of England.

“Gingerbread shaping became a form of popular art, particularly in Germany and Poland.

Decorated gingerbreads were frequently given as presents. In the German-speaking communities of North America, ginger snap cookies gained favor as Christmas tree decorations.

“The tradition of making decorated gingerbread houses started in Germany, probably in the early 1800s. Many food historians believe it resulted directly from publication of the Grimm brothers’ fairy tale, Hansel and Gretel.

The witch might have been evil, but she lived in a very appealing house.

“Gingerbread was a special treat that would naturally be shared on holidays. Shaping the gingerbread into figures made it more festive. The time and labor needed to create a fully decorated gingerbread house made it very special

The side garden boasted a bonfire to warm the skaters and reindeer-head lawn decoration.

ROYAL ICING, the glue that holds everything together, sometimes doesn’t. Naomi Rubin’s house kept collapsing; Paige Welby tried to help; then Linda Madara and finally Sylvia Yedinsky joined the struggle. Four pairs of supporting hands did the trick.

Photos by Linda Madara

GINGERBREAD HOUSES (left to right): Lynn Ives; Sylvia Yedinsky; Naomi Rubin; Ann Bloom and Allison Bauer; Linda Madara and Bling!

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Let it snow! Really?

Text by Lynn Ayres Photos by Richard Stephens

According to TS Eliot’s poem “The Waste Land,” April is the cruelest month.

I don’t know about that, but I’m pretty sure that February is the snowiest. It’s as if winter hoards snow, then dumps it all in one month. Whenever we have a serious blizzard, it’s generally in February.

Sometimes one month is not enough, and March gets a few “dump-lings” as well.

Let’s just hope it doesn’t extend into April, or it really will be the cruelest month.

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