Levy Senior Center Foundation 2017 Annual Report

Annual Report 2017

Growing with Our Community Dear Members and Friends, Looking back at 2017, I’m very proud of all that the Levy Senior Center Foundation accomplished on behalf of the Levy Senior Center. Thanks to the ongoing support of our donors, we continued to work with the City of Evanston to provide area seniors with the quality services, programs, and facility enhancements they have come to depend on.

One highlight of 2017 was the all-new Levy Lecture Series, a free program designed to educate and engage seniors and area residents. The following page highlights some of the lectures. We are proud to continue with a new lineup this year (see back page). We hope you will join us—if you haven’t already—for one of these compelling events.

Later in the year, the Foundation, with funding from the Dennis Newton Scholarship Fund, was able to secure tickets and underwrite an outing to the popular musical Hamilton.

Nineteen lucky Levy Center members attended a show in December. This event was so popular that the Foundation secured a second batch of tickets for an outing in 2018.

Programs like these are representative of the Foundation’s commitment to remaining current with the growing and changing needs of the older adult community we serve.

In addition to innovative programming, the Levy Senior Center Foundation strives to make sure the Center remains vital and strong through engaging classes, social networking group opportunities, and an inviting, well-maintained facility.

With your generous support, we can continue to help our community stay healthy and engaged. We hope we can count on you in 2018.

With gratitude,

Judy Newton Chairperson Levy Senior Center Foundation Board 2017 Judy Newton, Chairperson Stuart Greenblatt, Vice-Chair Robert Lockwood, Treasurer Dorrance Halverson, Secretary Gunnar Forrest Joan Hickman Jill Korshak Wendi Kromash Joseph Levy, Jr. Bill Logan Geraldine Sizemore Scott Walton

New “Jamming Jean” Concert Series

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s a follow-up to the successful Lecture Series, the Levy Senior Center Foundation is honored to announce an exciting new music series, “Jamming Jean.” The fund for the series was established in loving memory of a longtime active member and board member of the Center, Jean Levy London, who passed away in 2016. Jean loved music and bringing together people of all ages to celebrate life. This quarterly

music series will feature local talent and each concert will be based on a different theme. These concerts are free and open to all. The first will take place Friday, September 21 in the Maple Room from 5–7pm, and will feature the gospel sounds of “Heirs of Joy,” headed

by Vernon Clark. It will be followed by a December 7 concert. The LSCF is grateful to the family and friends of Jean who helped make this fun, intergenerational event series a reality.

Levy Lectures Energize Audiences

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ast year, the Levy Senior Center Foundation sponsored a new program, the Levy Lecture Series.

It proved to be a stunning success with eight “sold out” lectures from experts on a variety of entertaining and informative subjects. Topics ran the gambit from art and architecture to health and history. Here are a few photo highlights.

Clockwise from top right: Northwestern Professor Ava Thompson Greenwell taught us how to recognize fair and balanced journalism in today’s media; Annette Baldwin talked about the collaboration between architect Julia Morgan and William Randolph Hearst on Heart Castle; attendees of author Leslie Goddard’s “Remembering Marshall Field’s” lecture lingered afterwards to share their own stories of the department store; Dr. Jeffrey Albaugh discussed sexual health as we age.

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LSCF Scores Tickets to Hamilton

It pays to age!

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he Foundation has launched two new programs this year to celebrate the health and longevity of its members.

Heaven Can Wait is designed to honor our most experienced community members. The LSCF will underwrite the Levy Senior Center membership fee for program participants who are 90 years or older. To qualify, registrants just need to show their ID at the Levy Center office.

Do you know anyone turning 100?

Centenarians can be recognized with a birthday cake in their honor to be shared with others at the Levy Senior Center. 100th Birthday Cake forms are available at the Levy Senior Center front desk. Please provide us with five days advance notice in order to help make this remarkable day special for the birthday recipient.

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elebrations started early for 19 lucky Levy Center members who won the chance to attend a Hamilton outing December 19. In addition to the show, guests enjoyed a boxed dinner, and were transported in style on the Levy Senior Center bus to the CIBC Theatre in downtown Chicago. The discounted tickets, food and scholarships were provided by the Dennis Newton Scholarship Fund.

Tickets for the Broadway smash hit musical Hamilton have been in high demand for months. The awardwinning, dazzling show, with music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda was inspired by the 2004 Ron Chernow biography, Alexander Hamilton.

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to this drawing, another event was organized, and a second trip to Hamilton took place April 11, 2018. This time, the group enjoyed a matinee show, and a lunch was provided.

The lotteries for the shows garnered a huge response, and resulted in a host of new members for the Center.

The LSCF is continually looking for ways to create exciting new programming for the Center. Many thanks to donors whose generous donations to the Dennis Newton Scholarship Fund made this possible.

Top: Levy members who won tickets to attend Hamilton in December, Barbara Kerrens with Earlene Murphy, and Elizabeth Kuch and staff member, Richard Perry. Bottom: the group boards the bus for Hamilton, April 11.

Our Website Got An Update Did you know that the LSCF has its own website separate from the City of Evanston’s Levy Senior Center page? It’s filled with useful information about the LSCF and activities at the Center.

Visitors can subscribe to our newsletter to receive advance notice of upcoming events and LSCF news. The website also contains detailed information about 2018 fundraising goals.

Donations to the Levy Senior Center Foundation can be made securely through the website: levyseniorcenterfoundation.org

Levy Center Helps Seniors Live Longer

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The Best Day of My Life group members: Ed Schoeffler, Hal Meade, Victoria Laura, Fred Meyers and Linda Hendelman. Visit our website to learn more about the memories captured by this writing group.

ccording to the Stanford Center for Longevity, growing evidence consistently illustrates the relationship between social engagement and higher levels of physical, mental, and cognitive functioning, as well as its association with longer life spans. Conversely, research shows that individuals who face social isolation may suffer health risks comparable to those

of longtime smokers.

Fortunately, the Levy Senior Center offers a haven where people can connect with friends and meet new people. And thanks to the LSCF, the Center is able to support a wide range groups, classes, teams and events that are fun for participants and good for their health, too!

Become a member of the Center today! Learn more about membership benefits at cityofevanston.org.

LSCF Will Miss Leslie Wilson In May, Leslie Wilson, the Center’s popular program coordinator, will retire.

We sat with her to ask about her time here at the Levy Senior Center.

Q: How many years have you worked for the Center?

A: I’ve been with the Levy Center for 27 years. When I first started, the Center was at Church and Maple, and was an old student union building. And, while the new Center was being built, we spent more than two years in an old Chinese restaurant space on Chicago Avenue.

Q: What are some of your favorite memories?

A: When we moved to our current location in 2002, there was a huge sense of accomplishment, of having it built from the ground up. But, my fondest memories are of various people I have met through the years—the different kinds of people and what they have done for the Center. I’ve loved just chitchatting and getting to know people.

Q: Any particular day trips memorable?

A: O ne of my favorite outings was an overnight trip to Starved Rock with an especially fun group of people.

Over the years, I have also been fortunate to accompany members to

see so many good shows that I might not have seen otherwise. The Lion King is one that really stands out.

Q: What will you miss most?

A: Plain and simple: the people Q: How have you seen the Levy Center make an impact on the people it serves?

A: Perhaps the biggest thing, in addition to our programming, is just the fact that we are here to be a social experience for older adults; a place where they can come, have lunch during week and hang out. The Center gives people a chance to meet new and different people that they might not meet otherwise.

Q: What accomplishments are you most proud of?

A: I am very proud of a lot of the programs that I started and the award I received from the NAACP in 2012 for service in the community.

Q: What was one of your biggest challenges?

A: A big challenge for me was the fact that I did not come from a senior or social service background. I had worked with the Girl Scouts for 17 years before coming to Levy.

Q: What do you plan to do in your retirement?

A: F or the first three months, I plan to sit by the pool. After that, I have plans to travel to Korea for a vacation. I’m also planning to work with a local pet rescue agency, Young at Heart, and may also volunteer at my local community senior center.

The Foundation is grateful, and thanks Leslie for her integrity, dedication, and tireless work ethic during her many years at the Center.

Join us to celebrate Leslie at the Levy Center on May 3 from 1:00 to 3:00pm. We’ll miss her, and wish her the very best!

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Making a Difference Thanks to your past generosity, the Foundation has been able to continue providing the Center with the resources to sustain its programs and improve the facility for older adults in our community. If you and your family enjoy and benefit from your experiences at the Center, please consider including us in your annual giving or estate planning.

A new estate planning packet is available for interested individuals.

The Levy Senior Center Foundation is a 501 (c)(3). We are a small organization, so please know—regardless of amount—that your gift will make an impact!

Above: Levy Senior Center members play a competitive game of pickleball. Joyce Reilly and a friend enjoy playing regularly at the Center

Pickleball Craze Hits Levy

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he latest craze in racquet sports has hit the Levy Center. If you’ve heard about pickleball and wondered whether sane people are running around knocking pickles over a net, read on to satisfy your curiosity. Pickleball can best be summarized as a game that combines elements of badminton, tennis and ping-pong. It is one of the fastest growing sports in America thanks to its multigenerational appeal and the friendly, social nature of the game.

Here are a few fun facts from the American Pickleball Association (USAPA) about this sport played by almost 3 million people in the U.S. as well as in leagues worldwide: • It was invented in 1965 by three dads whose children were bored with their normal summertime activities.

• It’s played on a badminton-sized court with the net set to a height of 34 inches at the center.

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• Pickleball equipment includes a perforated plastic ball (similar to a Wiffle™ ball) and paddles that are roughly twice the size of pingpong paddles.

• It can be played indoors or outdoors and is easy to learn, but can develop into a fast-paced, competitive game for experienced players • The game name is thought to be derived from one of the game creators’ cocker spaniels, “Pickles,” who loved to chase stray balls and hide them in the bushes.

The LSCF helped support the purchase of new pickleball supplies.

Courts are available in the Maple Room to Levy Center members on Mondays and Wednesdays 2:30pm– 4:30pm, and open to all residents over 18 on Fridays 5pm–9pm and Sundays 11am–3pm (subject to rental schedule). Paddles and balls may be borrowed. For more information, call (847) 448-8250.

Talk to Us Concerned members like you make a positive difference. It’s due to your feedback that the LSCF made significant improvements to the Center in 2017, including building and equipment renovations, and providing funding for programs like the Levy Lecture Series and the Fran Randall Concerts.

Share your ideas with us! Send your comments to the LSCF Board by emailing us at levyfoundationsite@ gmail.com. The Board meets monthly in the Center’s library and meetings are open to the public.

Above: LSCF Board member Gerri Sizemore

We Support the Center Programs, equipment and building improvements funded by the LSCF include: Portable Sound System, 3 Flat-screen Televisions, 40 Folding Chairs, and One Table Website Upgrades and Maintenance

Levy Lecture Series, Hamilton Trip, Holiday Breakfast, Fran Randall Concerts, Volunteer Appreciation, Chamber of Commerce Breakfast, Dawes School’s ‘Build-A-Kid’ Program Gardening Supplies, Courtyard Maintenance, Building improvements Pickleball Equipment, Basketball Tournament Fees for Center’s Senior Olympic Teams, Foam Rollers, Yoga and Pilates Equipment Marketing, Event Promotion, Annual Report, Fundraising Appeal

Travel, Trip Subsidies and Scholarships Art Supplies for Painting and Art Fusion Classes

Expenses 2017 Programs, Events, Trip Subsidies & Scholarships

$45,855

Equipment & Improvements

$20,476

Website Development, Maintenance & LSCF Software

$16,709

Accounting, Bank Fees, Insurance, Misc.

$11,940

Marketing, Event Promotion, Fundraising & Annual Report

$23,344

Total Expenditures

$118,324

Thanks to Our 2017 Donors!

Charlotte Abarbanell Judy Aiello and Maurice Fantus Diana Alsberg Helen Angel Anonymous (3) Carol Arnold Virginia Ayers Patricia Baker Frank Baldwin Olga Baron Berton Becker Vilma Bell Joan Berke Ann Biersach Frima Blumenthal Donna Boss Anne Branning Norma and Lee Braude Bridget Brechling Carmen Brown Sandra and Charlie Brown Maureen and Michael Browne Muriel Brunger Barbara Bunn Judith Butler John J. Cahill, Inc. Sue Cantor Bonnie and Chip Carpenter Eileen Corcoran Joyce and Gene Crane Louise Cromer Leonie and Clinton Cunningham Dan and Kay Israelite Family Fund Nancy and Dennis Delman Reva and Mort Denlow Linda Dienberg Art Diers Teryl and James Dintaman Joan and James Ducayet Eva Eisenstein Carol and Howard Ellegant Evanston Glass & Mirror Martha and Leonard Evens Jessica Feldman Susan and Martin Fine First Bank & Trust John E. Fish Law Offices Peggy Fox and John Marlatt Gerald Freedman Linda Gardner Elizabeth Geaslin Lisa Gendel Tom Giller Sandra and Eston Gross Niebes Guerrero Lydia and Dorrance Halverson Ivanhoe Harriott Ruth and Patrick Harrison Bruce Hirsch Mary and Mark Hoffman Carol and Durward Hofler Loretta Ingram Jean London Trust Kitty Johnson Susan and Gary Johnson Amanda Jones Cynthia L. Jones Rhoda and Michael Kamin Susan Kamp Lynn and Al Keefer Maribeth Kelly Patricia and Walter Kelly Barbara King Ronald Kipnis Barbara Kreml Wendi Kromash Lori and Sandy Kuperman Zena Kuperman Fred Kusnetz Judi Lapinsohn Miriam and Jon Lazar

Barry Levin Rima and Bob Lockwood William Logan Carol and Randy Long Joan and Samuel Lovering Richard Lucas Kathleen Malone Andrea Myers Malow Mark Vend Co. Carol McConnell Tom McGovern Patrick McLoughlin Howard Mead Barbara Miklos Rex Moore Jessica and Alex Muralles Sydelle Nelson Judy Newton Northwestern University Kyosik Oh Trina and Don Orbach Anne Paone Jean Parikh Tom Patterson Vicky and Michael Perlman Jane and John Peterson Dennis Randall Vincent Ransom Patricia and Robert Reece Beth Reiman Elaine Richters and Stuart Greenblatt Elsie Riley Catherine and Bart Rocca Kathy and Nick Rodman Mary Lu and Kenneth Roffe Helga and Robert Rothweiler Patty and Alan Rubin Neal Rubin Rodrigue St. Victor Toshi Sakata Ronald Sampson Ivy Samuels Judy and David Schiffman Joan Schommer Jean G. Schuessler Judith and Bruce Segal John Sheridan Harriet D. Simon Geraldine Sizemore Spanish Class Suzanne and Frank Spica Renate and Charles Staley Gail Steinberg Donna Streibich Margo Stern Ann Stevens Edith Suchar Joyce and Richard Talsky LaDonna and Robert Taylor Elizabeth Tisdahl Junko and Raymond Tobin Christina Tucci Bonnie and David Turner Linda Valenti Paul Verkoulen Jane and Victor Walchirk Sue and Scott Walton Karen and Richard Weiland Murray Westler Mary Wilkerson Alvilda Williams Willis Towers Watson Leslie Wilson Robert Wise Judy Witt Melissa Wynne Marianne and Ted Zelewsky Helene Zimmerman and Steven Plotkin Lydia Zoleta

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300 Dodge Avenue Evanston, IL 60202-3283

Mission The Levy Senior Center Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, operates to improve the quality of life for Evanston seniors by soliciting monies to supplement the Levy Senior Center’s operating budget.

In partnership with the City of Evanston, we seek to improve the Center, its programs and resources.

Many thanks to all who generously donated to the Foundation in 2017. We continue to look for ways to sustain the health of the Levy Senior Center for generations to come. A donation envelope is enclosed.

Your ongoing support is greatly appreciated.

Register Now for the Ongoing Lecture Series tales of piracy, adventures, and wars battled. Patty and Tom Erd, local spice merchants, will share historical facts, anecdotes, and entertaining tales about sourcing spices around the world.

Tuesday, June 12 at 1:00 pm A Matter of Life and Death: Embracing Mortality with Charles E. Gessert, MD, MPH Dr. Gessert discusses ways in which individuals and families can exercise a degree of autonomy in guiding their experiences as the end of life approaches.

Just Added!

Don’t miss the 2018 lectures! They’re free, but registration is required. Reserve your place via our website, levyseniorcenterfoundation.org, by calling (847) 448-8250 or stopping by the front office.

Tuesday, May 8 at 1:00 pm The Lure and Lore of Spices from Around the World with Patty and Tom Erd, owners of The Spice House The history of the spice trade reveals fascinating

Tuesday, June 26 at 1:00 pm Improving Relationships and Intimacy with Jeffrey Albaugh, PhD, APRN, CUCNS Dr. Albaugh will return to discuss our need for intimacy, companionship and love which remains strong no matter how old we are. Don’t miss this interesting topic and excellent speaker!

Above left: Patty and Tom Erd, owners of The Spice House