Aberdeen Heights The Glen Community Matters – January 2023

Aberdeen Heights

JANUARY 2023

Editor’s Note: In a nod to our Presbyterian heritage, we regularly feature a column from a PMMA® chaplain in our newsletter. This month’s column comes from Robert “Bob” Giffin, chaplain at Topeka Presbyterian Manor®.

Strike…

It takes a village to keep the Christmas trains running When you have a former industrial arts teacher and an army of volunteers ready to set up shop in your community, there’s no telling what can be accomplished.

The woodworking club at Aberdeen Heights is in its fourth year of building at least 50 three-car trains - most of which are donated as Christmas gifts to children in the community.

“We have a very adequate shop for our residents,” said Alice Mohr, the retired industrial arts teacher who spearheads the annual project. “We have the time, talent, and resources to do this for others.”

The trains are constructed from 2x4s, which are ripped and then planed to smooth them

Toy trains – continued on page 3

Strike one! Ok, that’s just one.

Two more chances. Strike two! Golly geezers. Ok, no panic here. One more chance.

Strike…

Bob Giffin

As we start 2023, another new year with more new beginnings and more new starts, there will be more opportunities for success. And yes, more opportunities to strike out. In fact, it seems we are better at striking out than succeeding! If that sounds like you, well, you’re in good company!

• Babe Ruth is most famous for hitting 714 home runs. But he struck out 1,330 times.

• Abraham Lincoln, whose face is famously enshrined on Mount Rushmore, struck out in all of his eight election bids before finally winning one and becoming the 16th President of the United States.

• Thomas Edison struck out 10,000 times to invent the light bulb. But he didn’t consider all those strike outs to be failures. “I have not

Chaplain – continued on page 2 Get the latest on visitation and COVID-19 at our campus at AberdeenSeniorLiving.com/covid-19.

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Aberdeen Heights Thanksgiving Pie Contest With the new year starting, Thanksgiving may seem like a long time ago. But we have to mention the warmly contested competition for the Aberdeen Heights community’s favorite Thanksgiving pie.

Not only did the winner receive the recognition, but their recipe was given to the kitchen and that pie was served for Thanksgiving dessert.

We had four contestants in all.

Two contestants made chocolate chip pecan pie and the other two made the exact same Wisconsin Harvest Pie. The contest ended up in a tie, with one of each type of pie taking the top spot: Judy S., with her Wisconsin Harvest Pie, and Ann C., with her chocolate chip pecan pie.

But the real winners were all of us, who got to enjoy Judy and Ann tied as the winners of the 2022 Thanksgiving Pie these delicious Thanksgiving pies!

Contest

Chaplain – continued from page 1 failed 10,000 times,” Edison said, “I’ve successfully found 10,000 ways that will not work.”

Babe Ruth, Abraham Lincoln, and Thomas Edison share common ground: they never gave up. They kept taking swings at their goals.

I played a lot of whiffle ball in the back yard with my five kids. I could throw a wicked curve and a swift fastball! But, as my friend Glen used to say: “Here’s the deal.” The deal is that it was never strike three on them!

No matter how many times they swung and missed at what could have

been strike three, it never was “strike three”: they were never called out for swinging and missing. I wanted them to keep trying because sooner or later I knew they’d get a hit.

Millions of Americans have already made resolutions for this New Year.

Resolutions to eat healthier, exercise more, lose weight, quit smoking, save money…all good and noble goals and yet, 88% fail in keeping their resolution. The strike out rate on resolutions is pretty high, but that does not have to

include you! If you fall, get up. If you miss, swing again. Don’t give up on you in 2023!

Writing to a people and a church that was struggling to be successful, the Apostle Paul said: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9, NIV).

Resources: discoverhappyhabits.com/new-yearsresolution-statistics throughtco.com/The Failed Inventions of Thomas Alva Edison Timesmojo.com/did-babe-ruth-strike-outmore-than-anyone history.answers.com u

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Community Matters 314-909-6010 ◆ Fax: 913-599-3810 505 Couch Ave. Kirkwood, MO 63122-5536 AberdeenSeniorLiving.com

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COMMUNITY MATTERS | January 2023

is published monthly for residents and friends of Aberdeen Heights

by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America, Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization.

To submit or suggest articles: jwhackbarth@pmma.org Christie Wolff, executive director Tony Altobella, health care administrator

OUR MISSION: To provide quality senior services guided by Christian values.

Toy trains – continued from page 1 out, before being cut into smaller pieces.

“There are over 1,800 pieces, with about 700 of them being wheels,” Alice said. “Each train has 14 wheels.

We buy the wheels, and put a little smoke stack on them, which is actually a candle holder. The rest we take care of ourselves.”

Once the pieces are cut to order, the next step is the assembly - which requires a little machine effort to complete. This part of the project usually brings in upwards of 25 volunteers.

Toys for Tots and some to a social services place in the city.”

The project is a great way to bring residents together during the holidays in the spirit of generosity and giving.

“It feels good to do it, to see all the people here learn new things when they make them,” Alice said. “And

they like to take part in the painting if they can’t do other things. Also, they use our facilities, and it does feel good to give them away, too.” u

“When we get them constructed, we use a glue and power nailer because we could never put them together with little nails,” Alice said. “We need the power and consistency. Then we put them in the arts and crafts room where it isn’t dusty. Then we paint that brings in another 10 or so people. We paint the cab and the caboose, and the engine boiler. The rest we leave alone, the wood is good itself - it’s attractive.”

Once completed, about 10 trains are sold to recoup the cost of the train building program. The rest are donated to children in the community - primarily to a nearby elementary school.

“We gave 20 to the school for the pre-school class,” Alice said. “We gave each student one of them. We got to go into the classroom this year. It was really great to see their excitement. We had a few train wrecks there. We also gave eight to

Aberdeen Heights | A PMMA COMMUNITY

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Donation adds a splash of color to Aberdeen Heights A beautiful donation of flowers really spruced up many areas in The Glen at Aberdeen Heights.

The donation came from Trader Joe’s.

Lovely volunteers from our Independent Living neighborhood arranged these flowers so that we can put them all around the living areas.

Thanks to Trader Joe’s for the kind donation. They really beautified our space, and made everyone feel warm and loved. u

505 Couch Ave. Kirkwood, MO 63122

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COMMUNITY MATTERS | January 2023