April 2023 REACH

PPH celebrates our volunteers on National Volunteer Month

PPH thrives on the hard work of not only employees, but volunteers as well. Volunteers are vital to our daily lives, especially during National Volunteer Month.

National Volunteer Month is dedicated to recognizing all of the hard work and dedication of volunteers throughout communities, while also encouraging volunteerism throughout the month of April. It became an official celebration in 1991, when President George H. W. Bush launched the "1000 Points of Light" campaign to support volunteerism. In the United States, volunteerism is encouraged at a young age, and is the cornerstone of summer vacations and after school programs. Large non-profit organizations in cities across the country would not function if it weren't for the hard work of volunteers.

Volunteers come in all shapes and sizes, such as volunteer firefighters and volunteers at animal shelters or for the Red Cross. Serving PPH faithfully since 1899, volunteers are everywhere, from working in our gift shop and Tabor Market, to delivering mail and packages to residents. Volunteers assemble each REACH with the birthday lists and activity calendars, with additional volunteers delivering the copies to each apartment. Volunteers play a vital role in maintaining a harmonious atmosphere on campus through their positive demeanor and are a wonderful part of the PPH family.

The PPH Volunteer Program wouldn't be possible if it weren't for the hard work of Carol Cherrington, our Volunteer Coordinator.

Carol Cherrington has been the PPH Volunteer Coordinator for over 26 years and has been a Lawndale resident for six years. In a way, she has dual citizenship on our campus! Throughout her tenure here, Carol has met with a lot of caring people who want to give their time to their community. "When I first came here, I had people working for me who were in their 70's, and those people are still working for me in their 90's", she said. Carol also calls them an inspiration for everybody.

>>>continued on page 7, National Volunteer Month

PPH Volunteers working the cash register in our Gift Shop

Family Focus

April is Autism Awareness Month. Here is my story.

by PPH Communications Specialist Daniel Ortiz

Every April, we celebrate Autism Awareness Month to increase the understanding and acceptance of autism.

Also known as Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), it involves a broad range of challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and nonverbal communication. According to the CDC, autism affects one in 44 children. As it turned out, one of the children was me. Since April is the month designated to increase the awareness of autism, I thought it was the right time to share my autism journey.

My journey began in 1998, when I was diagnosed with autism at the age of two. I had a severe case of the flu and a febrile seizure. I was blue, and my parents thought I was near death; fortunately, however, I started crying, and that's when my mother and father decided to have me undergo medical testing. The doctors ruled out everything, such as deafness and ADHD, thus leaving autism, specifically Asperger's syndrome, as the main diagnosis. My parents told me that I did not start speaking until I was five years old. Even when I was able to speak, I struggled with socialization, as I was shy and could not make friends easily. I also struggled with sensory issues, especially loud noises, which would send me into a fit. Believe me, those fits were not a pretty sight! Even though I made a lot of friends in school, it did not come easy for me. During the sixth grade, I was bullied for my autism, which put a huge strain on my mental health. One such instance was bullying from someone who used to be one of my best friends. That hurt the most, as I loved him like a brother, and to see him turn his back on me was painful. That taught me, however, that I must be strong, and to not only develop thick skin, but to also accept who I am as a person. I had to accept that I have autism.

I do not look at autism as a disability, in fact, I think of it as an ability I used to become the man I am today. I find it helpful that I am practicing karate, achieving my fourth-degree black belt, which has helped me with discipline. I was able to enjoy a successful academic career, where I graduated from Philadelphia Academy Charter School (PACS) with a strong grade point average (GPA) of 3.75, as well as Philadelphia Academy Charter High School (PACHS), where I was not only an honors student with a GPA of 3.88, but also a member of the National Honors Society. This success would carry into my collegiate career, where I graduated from Holy Family University with Summa Cum Laude honors with a GPA of 3.9. I received my Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications (Social and Emerging Media) with a minor in history. I am also a proud member of the Freemasons.

I am not perfect, by any means, as I admit that I still struggle with anxiety, and some socialization hesitations, especially when meeting new people. I am honored to share the story of my autism diagnosis, and hope that my story can inspire everyone else to share their stories.

Daniel becoming an official fourth-degree black belt

Daniel (top left) with his bowling team

Daniel (middle) as a Freemason

Unheralded Heroes

by PPH resident Velma N'Jai

Shirley Ann Jackson:  Shirley Ann Jackson, noted physicist and former head of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), was one of the first two black women to receive a doctorate in physics in the U.S. and the first to receive a doctorate from the Massachussets Institute of Technology (MIT).

Marie van Brittan Brown: In 1966, along with the assistance of her husband, Marie invented a security system which consisted of four peepholes, a sliding camera, television monitors, and two-way microphones. Her invention was the first closedcircuit television security system, and paved the way for modern home security systems used today.

Marian Croak: Engineer Marian Croak has worked on advancing Voice - over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technologies, converting voice data into digital signals, that can be easily transmitted over the internet rather than using traditional phone lines. Her work has furthered the capabilities of audio and video conferencing, making it a practical reality in today's world.

The Latest Library News

by Robert A. Andres

Hello everyone! You are reading the first exciting edition of the yet to be named monthly library article! We would like some ideas for a name. If you have any name ideas, please contact Robert at ext. 8057 or Carol at ext. 8027.

We would love to see more residents using the library while taking advantage of all of what is available, including:

1. Books galore – all topics with large and small print

2. DVD's, CD's, and a lot of puzzles

3. Magazines with multiple topics

4. Computers and a large print magnifier reader

This little haven is a wonderful place, so come in 24 hours a day, sit, read, relax, or build a puzzle today.

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

PPH Monthy Prayer Breakfast is back

We are excited to announce the return of the monthly PPH Prayer Breakfast for Independent Living residents. Mark your calendars for the upcoming spring days: April 15, May 13, and June 10, 2023

Breakfast will begin at 9:00 a.m. in the Social Hall. The cost of the breakfast will be $7.50. Tickets will be available in the Business Office beginning April 1 for residents; community members may purchase tickets on the day of the breakfast. Join us for fellowship, food, prayer, and a message from God's Word.

What a way to start your day!

If you have any questions, please contact Chaplain Linda Lewis at ext. 8006.

Good Morning Sun

by Ronald Barras, PPH Benefits Coordinator

The sky routinely does that blue to fiery gold, then on to orange, through the prism into indigo and violet ultimately resting in star speckled black every night. It's taken for granted like many things in life but in the craziness of the settling down for the night, it's good to stop and watch the earth slowly spin back away from the sun, hurtling in slow motion toward the dawn. There's something about the regularity of it. The dependability.

Something to hold onto. The promise of yet another tomorrow. People and things may fade but the sun still rises every morning.

Women of the Environmental Movement

by PPH resident Dr. Elaine C. Grose

Rachel Carson was born in Springdale, PA, in 1907. She became a pioneer in the fields of environmental and marine research. VP Al Gore, Presidents John F. Kennedy and Jimmy Carter were all influenced by her groundbreaking expose' of the chemical industry and the dangers of pesticides. It was through her book "Silent Spring" that she became known to the general public as an advocate against pesticides, especially DDT. Because of her writings and research, we now have environmental laws protecting our water, air, and food.

Jane Goodall is best known for her research and love of chimpanzees. Living amongst the chimpanzees for many years, she established a unique relationship with several generations of these human-like animals.The Goodall Institute continues her original research goals. "Roots and Shoots" encourages youth around the world to follow their passion and Jane continues to address environmental concerns and the future of the planet.

Ronald Barras

Rachel Carson

Wangari Maathai

Jane Goodall

The Black National Anthem: Unveiled 123 Years Ago

by PPH resident Lawrence H. Geller

The Stanton School in Jacksonville, Florida was the site of the first ever performance of "Lift Every Voice and Sing" on February 12, 1900.

James Weldon Johnson wrote the words and his brother, J. Rosamond Johnson, the music, as a part of a celebration of Abraham Lincoln's birthday. Both brothers shortly moved on to New York "and the song passed out of our minds." But the school children of Jacksonville kept singing it. They went off to other schools and sang it. When they then became teachers they taught it to other children. Within 20 years, it was sung all over the South and other parts of the country.

It was endorsed by Booker T. Washington in 1905 and became the official song of the NAACP in 1919. Since then, it has become a cultural touchstone, sung in schools, stadiums and churches across the country.

Employee of the Month:  Domonic Gonzalez

Domonic started with our Security Department at PPH in February 2020. He has a great deal of patience when working with residents and staff. We are happy to have him as part of the PPH family!

Congratulations Domonic!

Thank you for doing "Whatever it takes."

Volunteer of the Month:  Marie Tucci

Congratulations to Marie Tucci, “Volunteer of the Month” for April 2023.

Marie is a resident of Gateway Manor and has been a PPH Volunteer since 2021. She is a very busy lady who can be seen transporting residents to and from the Pathways Beauty Shop and also working in the PPH Library. Marie also delivers inhouse bills for our Finance Department. Wherever Marie volunteers you can be sure she will do an excellent job.

Thanks Marie, you are a blessing to our Volunteer program.

James Weldon Johnson, American writer and civil rights activist

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, April 17 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, April 11 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 April calendar.

★ Veterans’ Meeting: The April Veterans’ meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 4, 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.

★ The Mysteries of History: Herb Kaufman, a Historian that possesses a Bachelor's and Master's Degree from Temple University, will be on our campus on Tuesday, April 4, at 2:00 p.m. in the Social Hall. Come to this event to experience the mysteries of history! Contact Kathy Nucero at ext. 8505 for any questions.

★ Phillies Opener: Please join us on Thursday, April 6 at 3:05 p.m. in the Social Hall for the Philadelphia Phillies season opener!

★ Dining Services: April 12 and 26, 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.

April 5 and 19, 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.

>>>Women of the Environmental Movement, continued from page 4

Wangari Maathai was a Kenyan social, environmental and a political activist and the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. In 1977, Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement, an environmental organization focused on the planting of trees, the environmental movement, and women's rights. In 1984, she was awarded the Right Livelihood Award for changing the Kenyan ecological debate into action for reforestation of the clear cut lands. As an academic and the author of several books, Maathai was not only an activist but also an intellectual who has made significant contributions to ecology, land development, and African cultures.

Greta Thunberg, born in 2003, is one of the world‘s youngest environmentalists. She first heard about climate change at age 11. She became disturbed and angered by the lack of action of world leaders. To demonstate her commitment to her cause she became vegan and gave up flying to lower her family‘s carbon footprint, and impact on the environment. In 2018, Thunberg started the school strikes for climate change action, and gave climate change speeches which led to her becoming an international icon for climate change activism. Prior to attending school in 2018, she demonstrated outside the Swedish General Elections Office demanding the elected officials reduce carbon emissions as they promised by signing the Paris Accord Agreement. To this day Thunberg is a shining light in the fight to get world governments to honor their environmental commitments. She has spoken at the United Nations, the World Economic Forum, at several European parlimentary sessions and recorded a TedTalk, entitled The Disarming Case to Act now on Climate Change.

Dr. Elaine Grose has a doctorate in Environmental Toxicology, worked at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and was a professor of Environmental Studies at Neumann University, Aston, PA. As such, she was immersed in researching and evaluating environmental issues.

>>>National Volunteer Month, continued from page 1

Volunteering at PPH has no age limit, as any resident who wants to spend their time brightening up our campus is welcome to volunteer. There are many volunteer opportunities, including cashiers and baggers in our gift shop and Tabor Market. If you are worried about not having the right skills, there is training for any volunteer position at PPH. Volunteering has also led to new friendships being formed, learning new talents, and the chance to get out of your apartment and socialize.

"Our community is really lucky to have them", says Carol.

Volunteers are rewarded for their hard work and dedication in several ways. At the end of the year, a volunteer is recognized as the Volunteer of the Year, and awarded a certificate and gift. This occurs in the Social Hall. They are also recognized as Volunteer of the Month in every issue of REACH as well as being recognized on PPH channels 2 and 4. If a volunteer works three hours in a day, they receive a voucher for Carol Cherrington lunch.

There will be a Volunteer Show featuring PPH staff members on Wednesday, April 13, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. in the Social Hall, where they will perform a skit for the volunteers. The theme of the show will be "PPH Celebrates 'A Blast from the Past'". This will be the first time the show will be performed in front of a live audience in three years.

To observe National Volunteer Month, make sure you thank a volunteer for their hard work. Do you want to make the community better? Consider volunteering today. As you may have already experienced, volunteers bring love and a giving spirit to our community.

To our hard working volunteers, thank you for everything you do!

Greta Thunberg

Reflections

What is the most important thing we can do today?

As we turn the calendar to April, we are not only hopeful for spring-like weather and beautiful blossoms appearing, we also celebrate two significant religious holidays this month, Passover and Easter.

Perhaps like me, you sometimes find yourself “in the middle”, in an unknown territory. Moses, as he was leading God’s people out of slavery into the next place they were headed, also experienced this in-between feeling. They experienced freedom as they left Egypt, but they also were not yet at the place that was promised, not yet living in the land they had hoped for. So they find themselves in the middle, still waiting, still wondering.

What is the in-between you’re facing today? For me, I find myself feeling that in-between space as I face back pain procedures, when to sell our family home that holds many memories, and the loss of my dear mother-in-law.

In this middle ground, God gives his people a message. Moses encourages his people, he reminds them who they are, what they have come through, and what God asks of them. He says, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might“ Deuteronomy 6:5.

They received a much-needed message and it’s for us today also. We can find ourselves questioning what’s ahead for us. We’ve come through challenges and have seen Gods faithfulness, yet still feel the struggle of not being where we want to be.

What’s the most important thing we can do today? We can love God! We can love him with everything we have. You may feel like you don’t have much, you may feel the weight of being in the middle, in the unknown. But God asks us to just continue to love Him with whatever we have, and as we draw near to Him, He will renew our strength. He will work in our hearts and our minds, bringing healing and hope to our souls.

Be reminded today of who you are and where you’ve come from. You have experienced enough of life to be able to look back and see how far you’ve come. And be hopeful that as you continue to trust and love God, He promises to walk each next step with you.

Let’s choose to thank God for His faithfulness, and continue the path of loving Him along the way.

I wish you much joy and peace as you celebrate God’s goodness and grace during this holiday season.

Anne Eichner Pastoral Care Assistant

THE PPH MISSION

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.