Unheralded Heroes

by PPH resident Velma N'Jai

Bessie Blount Griffin: Bessie Blount Griffin was an inventor, nurse, physical therapist and forensic scientist. She used her education and knowledge to help injured soldiers and invented an electric feeding device. She also taught amputee veterans to write with their teeth and feet. She became a forensic scientist to help police officers solve cases and fight crime in New Jersey and Virginia.

Janet Emerson Bashen: Janet Emerson Bashen is an African American entrepreneur, business consultant and software inventer who became the first African American in the United States to obtain a web-based software patent named LinkLine, known as Nalikah today. She is the founder and CEO of the Bashen Corporation, a human resources firm with a focus for Equal Employment Opportunity compliance and technology service.

Alice Parker: Isn’t it nice that you can walk in your home and turn on the heat when you’re cold? You can thank Alice H. Parker. Alice took it upon herself to design a natural gas-fueled “new and improved heating furnace”. She chose gas since it was safer and an easily accessible alternative and did not require a fireplace. Her design earned a patent in December 1919, and helped give birth to the thermostat and air furnaces in most homes today.

PPH celebrates Campus Wide Smile Day

Residents and staff were all smiles as we celebrated Campus Wide Smile Day, where everyone wore yellow clothing and showed their smiles to celebrate the lifting of our mask mandate.

Employee of the Month: Anne Eichner

Anne has been with PPH since February 2017 in our Pastoral Care Department. She has a great deal of patience and truly understands the needs of our residents as well as the staff. We are happy to have her as part of PPH family! Congratulations Anne! Thank you for doing “Whatever it takes.”

Volunteer of the Month: Marlene Matarazzo

Congratulations go out to Marlene Matarazzo, who is the “Volunteer of the Month” for July 2023.

Marlene has been a PPH Volunteer since 2019. She has a talent for “proof reading” and shares that talent with our development department and any other department that is in need of her services. Marlene is a very creative person and specializes in repairing statues or figurines. She has done a wonderful repair job on one of our statues in our Chapel and has done her magic with some treasures of our employees and residents alike. In the past, Marlene has also been a chairperson for our Nominating Committee. Thank you for everything you do, Marlene!