March 2023 REACH

Honoring Women’s History Month with Residents

The origins of Women’s History Month began in 1911, during the first International Women’s Day. Celebrated on March 8, International Women’s Day is an annual celebration that recognizes the accomplishments of women, while also highlighting the continued obstacles that face women. Sixty seven years later, in 1978, “Women’s History Week” was celebrated in Sonoma County, California. The celebration was championed by Gerda Lerner, a historian, who was one of the founders of the academic field of Women’s History.

Women’s History Week was designated to be the week of March 8, culminating in 1979, where a 15 day conference about Women’s History was held at Sarah Lawrence College from July 13 through July 29. The event was chaired by Gerda Lerner. The conference would lead to similar celebrations like the one in Sonoma, California, and an effort to secure a “National Women’s History Week.”

President Jimmy Carter would issue the first Presidential Proclamation declaring the week of March 8, 1980 as National Women’s History Week. Seven years later, Congress officially declared March as Women’s History Month, with a special Presidential Proclamation being issued every year. Today, 36 years later, we continue to celebrate the legacy of women throughout the United States.

PPH has many inspirational women living on cam -

pus. One of our personal care residents, Alma Crocker, recently celebrated a huge accomplishment in her life, as she was recently made a Diamond soror in the Alpha Sorority, Inc. after 75 years of being a member.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (AKA) is an international service organization that was founded in 1908 at Howard University. It is recognized as the first intercollegiate historically African American sorority. Today, the sorority has over 300,000 members in 1,024 chapters in the United States and several other countries.

There are special membership designations in Alpha Kappa Alpha, including Silver, Golden and

>>>continued on page 7, Women’s History Month

PPH will be hosting several Women’s History Month programs throughout the month of March

“It’s a PPH Thing!”

With the Philadelphia Eagles playing in the Super Bowl, residents and staff wore their best Eagles gear all over campus!

Family Focus

Jennifer Honeyford celebrates 25 years at PPH

PPH celebrates Vice President of Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation, Jennifer Honeyford’s 25 years of service.

Jennifer’s favorite part about working at PPH is being a part of the “family” of supportive staff and residents. Jennifer also enjoys developing long-lasting friendships with the residents, especially when learning about their lives, as well as working to make their lives better.

Jennifer started her career at PPH in 1998 as a Recreation Therapy & Life Enrichment Coordinator, and transitioned into the role of Director of Recreation Therapy at Pathways. Jennifer worked as a Senior Director of Resident Life and Performance Improvement, where she oversaw both Life Enrichment in Personal Care and Independent Living, as well as Recreation Therapy in Pathways and Chapters. Jennifer loved working with the Quality Assurance and Improvement program because “it gave me an opportunity to bring more education about dementia here at PPH.” That role gave Jennifer the opportunity to teach classes to certify PPH staff members in becoming dememtia practitioners. In September 2020, Jennifer would receive another promotion, becoming the Vice President of Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation.

Jennifer enjoys the challenge of her new role, and the opportunity to provide quality care for our residents on a daily basis. What Jennifer also appreciates is that everyone is comfortable approaching her and talking to her.

“The biggest part of my role is being able to take care of the people who take care of the people”, says Jennifer. “My role is to take care of our staff and make sure that they have the tools that they need in order to provide the best quality of care for our residents.”

Jennifer’s biggest hope is that every new PPH employee feels welcomed and has a sense of family, just as she did when she started here in 1998.

Thank you for all you do, Jennifer!

Jennifer Honeyford

Half a World & Beach

by Ronald Barras PPH Benefits Coordinator

Half a World

Half a heart; half a world. What’s a boy without a girl?

Ronald Barras

Half a heart, you know it’s true. There’s only so much half a heart can do.

Beach

I don’t need piles of money. Don’t need any silver or gold. My promised land of milk and honey

Is in the hand I hold.

New resident at PPH

John Gillespie

John grew up in Olney. John’s last name sounds familiar, because his sister, Maryann, is a Gateway resident at PPH. John attended LaSalle College and earned his Public Health Doctorate from UCLA. He has worked and lived in over 62 countries, including Latin America, Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands. John is also bilingual, speaking both English and Spanish. John’s occupation was developing health services around the globe, and even worked in Colorado for several years, where he managed health care services and delivery to seasonal workers at fruit orchards and farms. He advised foreign governments, including Pakistan, Egypt, Peru, Nepal, and Lesotho in improving health care delivery to vulnerable populations, notably for women and children. He owned a home in Thailand for 25 years, and intended to retire there, but has since returned to the U.S. and PPH. John, we are pleased to have you in our family. Welcome home, and welcome to PPH!

$20 Stock’s Poundcake & Raffle

Auxiliary Fundraiser

ORDER AND PAY BY MONDAY, MARCH 27th

PICK UP FRIDAY, APRIL 14th

1pm–3pm in SOCIAL HALL

There are several ways to order and pay for your cake:

PPH Auxiliary Members

215-697-8403 • cameo1200@gmail.com

Lawndale #5110 ORDER FORMS

IN DOOR – Patricia Coyne

STOCKS Vanilla Poundcake with Vanilla or Chocolate Icing

Your $20 includes a $5 Raffle

Basket Ticket and Poundcake

Happy 107th Birthday to PPH Golden Girl, Catherine!

On February 6, 2023, PPH Staff and Pathways residents gathered to celebrate PPH’s Golden Girl, Catherine Wagner’s 107th birthday! Catherine loves the Flea Market and was an active member of the Juniata Adult Center, where she volunteered serving food. She also bowled twice a week at Erie Lanes for just about her entire adult life. Catherine loved attending Miss America Pageants with her twin sister, and even participated in the Senior Olympics well into her 80’s. Catherine was even congratulated by Philadelphia Mayor, Ed Rendell, who marveled at the fact that she was able to run track and swim laps at the age of 85, with Catherine jokingly suggesting for him to buy a new suit because every time she saw him, he was wearing the same one.

Happy 107th birthday, Catherine! You truly are the Golden Girl of PPH!

Wood is Good for Marlene

by PPH resident Lawrence H. Geller

A small crowd gathered around the exhibit case (1st floor Alpha) to get a view of an unusual display of wood crafts recently. One item stood out amongst all the fine pieces---a violin with a bow.

A violin with a bow in wood? Are you kidding me? “How does she do that?” asked one onlooker.

The “she” is Marlene Matarazzo and years of p-r-a-c-t-i-c-e is the “how”. “It all started,” she said, “when I was four or five years old on the porch of my grandmother’s farmhouse in upstate New York.

Marlene was very observant watching her uncle take a piece of wood, usually from a nearby tree branch, and whittle the wood with a knife.

“I was fascinated,” she continued, “and begged them to let me try. But they were very reluctant, saying “‘It’s not a child’s game, plus you could hurt yourself with the knife’”.

But after a few months and seeing that she was really interested, “My grandmother and uncles gave me a knife and a piece of wood. They taught me how to hold the knife and wood and, most important, how to keep my fingers and hands out of harm’s way.”

One day, as she continued to practice, she pictured the wood in her hands becoming a horse— “I love horses”. By the time she was six she carved her first animal, “Grandma’s farm dog named Jack Boy.”

She is the first to admit, “It wasn’t very realistic. It was more like a caricature.” But like all artists to be, she didn’t give up.

>>>continued on page 7, Wood is Good

Catherine’s birthday cake

Catherine’s favorite hobby is dancing, and loves to dance when the Mummers visited our campus

Women’s History Month

by PPH resident Bernadette Cronin Geller

The month of March is designated as Women’s History Month to honor women’s contribution to American Society.

Observed throughout the United States, it was first proclaimed Women’s History Week by President Jimmy Carter in 1980. Then in 1987, Congress designated the month as Women’s History followed by presidential proclamations every year.

All of this was born out of a feminist push for equal access to jobs and education, which was one of the demands of the Strike for Equality march by more than 100,000 women (and some men) in New York on August 26, 1970.

At the time there was an International Women’s Day which commemorated a February meeting of Socialists and Suffragettes in February 1909. This day is observed every March 8.

Here at PPH, we will celebrate our women throughout the month with various events (see channel 4), as all women should take pride in their lifetime achievements.

Employee of the Month:  Luke Cihak

Luke started at PPH in November 2019 in our Dining Services Department. He was nominated by a resident for employee of the month for his kindness and efficient work performance. Luke works well with his co-workers and is great with the residents he serves.

Congratulations Luke!

Thank you for doing “Whatever it takes.”

Volunteer of the Month:  Mary Sandoz

Congratulations go out to Mary Sandoz, who is the “Volunteer of the Month” for March 2023.

Mary has been a PPH Volunteer since 2022. In the short time that she has been here she has done an excellent job. Mary enjoys being a “tutor” for the kindergarten students of Rhawnhurst School, where we have an intergenerational volunteer program. She also enjoys being a Librarian in our PPH Library. Wherever Mary volunteers you can be sure she will do it in a pleasant and cheerful manner.

Thanks Mary for all that you do and the nice way you do it!

Facebook: Facebook.com/PhiladelphiaProtestantHome Instagram: @philadelphiaprotestanthome

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/philadelphia-protestant-home Twitter: @pphfamily

For any REACH ideas, please contact Communications Specialist

Daniel Ortiz at 215-697-8003 or dortiz@pphfamily.org

Pictured (from left to right): Unknown striker, 14 year-old striker, Fola La Follette, and Rose Livingston

NEWS BRIEFS

★ COVID-19 protocols for visitors: Due to the recent surge of COVID19 cases around campus, our mask mandate will be temporarily reinstated for ALL residents and visitors throughout our PPH campus. The mask mandate is a minor inconvenience, but we must mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and we must act now. We appreciate your cooperation. Please advise your guests to refrain from visiting if they feel sick or have been exposed to COVID-19.

★ Food Collection: The PPH Food Drive — a 2021 Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Project — will continue indefinitely as long as PPH’s neighbors are in need of food. Food will be collected the last week of the month, and then will be delivered the first day of the following month. There will be two collection sites: the vending machine area, located near the Wellness Center and in front of the Security office. For more information, call Tom Sexton at ext. 8368.

★ Trips:  Fees for trips are now added to each resident’s monthly bill (NO CASH). If you’d like to cancel, you must call the Business Office (8010) to have the trip fee removed.

★ Independent Living Residents Association:  The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 20 at 2 p.m in the Social Hall.

*(If subject to COVID-19 restrictions, this will broadcast on channel 7)

★ PPH Auxiliary: The Auxiliary’s next meeting will be held in the Social Hall and broadcast on PPH TV channel 7 on Tuesday, March 14 at 11:30 a.m.

Membership in the PPH Auxiliary is open to PPH residents, staff, and community supporters (only $5 per year). Dating back to its origins as the PPH Ladies Aid Society in 1889, the Auxiliary continues its initiatives to support the heart of PPH’s fundraising mission, Benevolent Care, as well as supporting staff/ resident gratitude activities.

★ TED Talks: See the March calendar.

★ Veterans’ Meeting: The March Veterans’ meeting will be held on Monday, March 6, at 10 a.m. in the Learning Center. If you have not provided your photos for the Veterans video, please bring them with you to the meeting. Please contact Bill Conaway at ext. 8194 with any questions.

★ Calling all Veterans: It is important to PPH that we identify all veterans living in our community. We want to make sure you are receiving the meeting notices, ceremonial invitations, and other veteran specific information. If you are new to the community and/or you have not completed the May 2021 veteran survey, please contact Bill Conaway at ext. 8194.

★ Volunteers Needed: Volunteer cashiers are needed for Tabor Market, Cafe, and the Gift Shop. We will train you on the register. If you are interested, please contact Carol Cherrington at ext. 8027 for more information.

★ Museum Trip: There is a brandnew exhibit at the Museum of the American Revolution called Black Founders: The Forten Family of Philadelphia. The trip will be on Saturday, April 8, time to be determined. The cost is $25 for the ticket and transportation, and you can sign up by going to the Business Office. The deadline to purchase your ticket is March 13. Contact Kathy Nucero at ext. 8505 for any questions.

★ Dining Services: March 1, 15 and 29, The Continental, featuring fresh pastries, bagels, yogurts, juices, fruit, and coffee, will be available for purchase and will take place in the Fountain Room from 9:30 a.m.10:30 a.m.

March 8 and 22, the Farmers Market will take place in the Fountain Room from 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

★ Dining Credit: If you go away on vacation, you may receive credit on your dining plan. Please contact Gwen at ext. 8041 prior to your vacation to see if you quality for this.

★ Gift Cards: Dining Services sells gift cards for the retail areas! Please contact Lisa at ext. 6640 or Gwen at ext. 8041 for more information.

>>>Wood is Good, continued from page 4

“I kept carving some of the farm animals a couple of times each,” she continued, “until I was able to express the details of their faces and bodies in the wood.”

The gift of being so skilled has always been a “very relaxing and meditating endeavor for me,” she added, eventually speaking to a desire to share it with others. Such an opportunity presented itself at her church when she was older.

In speaking with the priest one day, “He said he wished he knew someone who could repair and repaint various statutes and stations of the Cross. “I realized that this was an opportunity to expand the use of my God-given gift to help others, and I was pleased to accept.”

The results of her work soon became well-known, resulting in phone calls from various houses of worship to come see them, “and the areas they would like my help in repairing.”

Marlene has never charged for any work she has done for others. “I am very happy to help anyone I can.” That’s just who she is folks. If you have a treasured statute or figurine that needs repair, “I would be glad to meet with you so I can evaluate the piece you have. Statue repair takes time. Each layer needs to dry for two or three days before the second layer is added and shaped.”

>>>Women’s History Month, continued from page 1

Diamond. Silver membership is for members of over 25 years, while Golden membership is for members of over 50 years, and Diamond membership is for members of over 75 years.

On Tuesday, February 14, six members of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. visited PPH to give recognition to Alma for becoming a Diamond soror, where they personally congratulated her and praised her for being a member for over 75 years.

Each of the members presented Alma with gifts, including roses, a ribbon, a medallion, and even a certificate, making her an official Diamond soror of Alpha Kappa Alpha.

Alma thanked each member for their gifts, and credits her longevity to her family genes, as her father and sister lived until they were 100 years old.

“You’ve got to enjoy it as you go”, says Alma.

Marlene’s wood collection, from the September 2022 edition of REACH

(Top) Members of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. with Alma in the Fellowship Room to celebrate her becoming a Diamond soror

(Left) Alma receiving her crown for becoming a Diamond soror with Alpha Kappa Alpha

Reflections

Dear friends,

Recently I attended a public meeting. Gathered were people who love and care for their local community. They all give their energy, time and their money. During the meeting when a disagreement intensified, one person shouted to another, “You are so hostile with everything I do.” Not everyone saw it that way. Some of us felt that the disagreement was a necessary process, as this community sought to move from diversity to inclusivity. There is a difference between diversity and inclusivity. Diversity is good for the optics, but we can maintain diversity, while managing to exclude those who disagree with us in our process of decision-making. While there may be times of clear hostility, in many cases we misinterpret disagreement as hostility.

The words hospitality and hostility both stem from the same term. Proto-Indo-European tracings of the Latin term hostis can be translated as a “stranger”, “guest”, or “enemy.” To some degree, identifying others as a friend or a foe has a subjective element. We have heard that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Sometimes friends and enemies are of our own making. If we see through the lens of hostility, we will find many enemies. If we see through the lens of hospitality, we will see companions with whom we break bread. Contemplative and meditative practices teach us to train our eyes to have a long, loving look at the real. They teach us to stay engaged and to stay connected until we can find beauty and value in others even when we find so many things with which we disagree. As Marcel Proust famously puts it, “The real voyage of discovery consists, not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”

New perspectives sometimes require asking different questions. Asking questions such as “What is it like to be you in this space?” or “What is at stake for you in this disagreement?” may also help shed light on the bigger picture behind disagreements. When we are willing to slow down and ask questions that matter and that open our eyes and hearts to others, we make room for one another, and space for all.

Guided by Christian values, the mission of The Philadelphia Protestant Home is to provide a caring senior living community that affords its residents the opportunity to achieve their highest possible quality of life.

Pastor Peter Ahn