Commun ty Matters Clay Center Presbyterian Manor
Clay Center Presbyterian Manor honored for achievements
Clay Center Presbyterian Manor received a certificate of recognition from Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America for reaching goals in fiscal year 2014, July 1, 2013, through June 30, 2014. The recognition came through PMMA’s new Emerald Awards Program, designed to encourage its 18 locations to achieve high levels of resident and employee satisfaction, meet financial goals, build philanthropic support and meet marketing goals.There are 11 areas measured for the Emerald Awards. To receive an emerald, a campus has to meet its goals in all 11 areas. Certificates of recognition were given out to campuses that reached their goals in one or more category. Clay Center was recognized for achieving a 5-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, meeting marketing and safety goals, and building philanthropic support for the organization’s mission to provide quality
EMERALD AWARD continued on page 3
Still stitching at 102
February 2015
Alma Decker has been a friendly face at Clay Center Presbyterian Manor since 2005, when she and her husband, Ernest, moved in together. He passed away in 2010, and Alma has kept busy since then with a beautiful pastime – making intricately embroidered tea towels.
“Mother started embroidering towels as a teenager,” said Alma’s daughter, Marsha. “Her mother taught her at home, and while she tried to teach us children, we couldn’t do it quite as well as she could. She didn’t start doing it constantly until after daddy became ill. At 102 years old, she still Alma Decker, 102 , still embroiders intricate tea towels. practices her craft, even after breaking her hand a year or so ago. My brother, Gary, got her a magnifying light, which makes the detail work easier to see.”
Alma has two children, daughter Marsha and son Gary, as well as six grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.
“She mostly made towels to give as gifts, to kids and grandkids,” Marsha said. Alma has six grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. “There were two instances recently though where she ended up selling something. She submitted her work to the Art is Ageless program, and one community member saw it displayed and asked if she could buy it. It reminded her of ones her grandmother used to make. Mother was surprised, but obliged.” It wasn’t the first time Alma had been paid for her handiwork however.
Bruce Shogren, PMMA CEO, left, and Doug Yoder, PMMA chief operating officer, right, present Mike Derousseau, executive director with the Emerald Award recognition.
“There was one time when a lady started a quilt to represent each state in the union. For the Kansas area, she wanted a sunflower, etc. She got discouraged and hired someone else to do it. That someone else then hired mother. We teased her that she had to be careful not to take too many coffee breaks while she was quilting, since she was on the clock,” Marsha said. “I never got to see the whole quilt, but judging from mother’s contribution alone, it must have STILL STITCHING continued on page 4