Newton Community Matters - August 2022

Newton Presbyterian Manor

AUGUST 2022

Annual ice cream social brings together residents, first responders For the 12th year, Newton Presbyterian Manor celebrated Flag Day by inviting local first responders to the community for an old-fashioned ice cream social.

Besides the chance to beat the heat with some cool summer treats, the event provides a unique opportunity for residents and first responders to develop relationships outside of an emergency setting.

“We want everyone to get to know each other on a different level,” said Melinda Ebersole, Life Enrichment director at Newton Presbyterian Flag Day was celebrated with first Manor. “When we have to make a responders call to the first responders, it’s usually because we have a resident in need of their care. Those responding to the call are usually so focused on protecting and keeping our residents comfortable that they don’t get a chance to interact with the residents unless it’s to ask them about pain level or medical questions–there usually isn’t much laughter.”

During the event, residents also provide first responders with hand-stuffed toy animals that can be given to children they encounter who have been affected by an emergency.

“All of the first responders let the residents know how helpful the stuffed animals are when they are needing to calm a child in the middle of a crisis,

Flag Day – continued on page 2

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 Dinah Dutta, chaplain at Lawrence Presbyterian Manor®.

Pause, Breathe, HOPE

By Chaplain Dinah Dutta

I can’t help but share this beautiful song with you as my thoughts are wrapped around 4th of July as I write Dinah Dutta my love note to all of you: The patriotic song, “America the Beautiful.”

In spite of all the chaos, hatred, fear, and much more, I want to sing this song with all my heart.

Each word reminds me how privileged and blessed I am to live in this great country.

Please join me in singing: O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain!

America! America!

God shed His grace on thee, And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet Whose stern impassioned stress A thoroughfare for freedom beat Across the wilderness.

Pause, Breathe, HOPE – continued on page 4

Get the latest on visitation and COVID-19 at our campus at NewtonPresbyterianManor.org/covid-19.

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Flag Day– continued from page 1 and the residents take pride in the fact that they are able to brighten a child’s day and hopefully help them feel safe,” said Melinda.

However, during the event it’s often the residents that find themselves acting like kids.

“All of their faces light up when they see the fire trucks,” said Melinda.

And the first responders are more than happy to help the residents indulge their inner child.

“The first responders are great, they have always been willing to let residents or staff look at or even sit in the fire trucks,” said Melinda.

Resident Bob Keckler shared that it was his first year to attend the event and he was surprised at how many fire fighters and EMS teams showed up. He said, “it was well worth being out in the summer air to see the interaction between the residents, staff and first responders.”

At the end of the day, the ice cream social is an event that leaves everyone in attendance feeling appreciative of the work of others, along with the overwhelming generosity of the community.

“I feel the relationship between a resident and someone like a first responder can never be fully understood until you walk in their shoes. The small things that we can do to make both parties understand how important both are to each other, the more comfortable they will be when they are in each other’s company and care. I am honored to be able to be a part of such a beautiful moment!” said Kristen Schrenk, Newton Presbyterian Manor’s representative with Cura Hospitality. u Like us on Facebook to stay updated on news and events.

316-283-5400 u Fax: 316-284-5900 1200 E. Seventh Newton, KS 67114-2820 NewtonPresbyterianManor.org

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COMMUNITY MATTERS | August 2022

Community Matters

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is published monthly for residents and friends of Newton Presbyterian Manor

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

Emily Trask, executive director Melinda Ebersole, life enrichment director and volunteer coordinator, mebersole@pmma.org

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

Get ready for National “Tell a Joke” Day You may not know this, but August 16 is “Tell a Joke Day.” No-one can quite figure out where or how the day started (or why it’s not a national holiday yet) but the idea behind it is quite simple – tell a joke and share a laugh. It’s good for you!

Laughter is considered one of the greatest medicines – it can improve your heart health, release endorphins and reduce your stress, even work your abs.

So, we wanted to take the opportunity to share a few jokes – as presented by an anonymous resident at one of our communities who enjoys walking around, making people laugh. Some of his jokes are good, some bad, some corny: Q: What do you call a pallbearer in Oklahoma?

A: Karaoke (“carry-Okie”)

The history of the joke While the origin (and creator) of National “Tell a Joke” Day are a mystery, many “experts” have tried to find the origin of the “joke.”

But as it turns out, that’s a difficult task as well.

Some suggest that the joke was created by the Greek hero Palamedes, who outsmarted Odysseus during the Trojan War but there’s no evidence to support that claim.

But there’s another claim for the Greeks.

In 350 BC, the original Friar’s Club met regularly in the Temple of Heracles in Athens to tell jokes but “none have been passed down.”

In the 1600s, Shakespeare included lots of humor in his plays, some funny oneliners, and many jokes that were actually insults such as “Thine face is not worth sunburning” from Henry V (Act 5, Scene 2).

A classic joke that endured the test of time was first published in 1847 in the monthly New York magazine Knickerbocker: “Why did the chicken cross the road?

To get to the other side.”

In modern times, stand-up comedians brought humor to clubs and on the radio, TV and the internet. In 2002, an English professor held a contest for the world’s funniest joke. The winner was from comedian Spike Milligan: “Two hunters are out in the woods when one of them collapses. He doesn’t seem to be breathing and his eyes are glazed. The other guy whips out his phone and calls the emergency services. He gasps, ‘My friend is dead! What can I do?’ The operator says, ‘Calm down. I can help. First, let’s make sure he’s dead.’ There is a silence, then a shot is heard. Back on the phone, the guy says, ‘OK, now what?’”

The above dates and information are from Stop Me If You’ve Heard This – A History and Philosophy of Jokes by Jim Holt. u

Q: What resort’s grand opening received very little coverage?

A: The nudist colony’s Q: Who wore the first Arrow shirt?

A: General Custer Q: What do you call a cat that ate a lemon?

A: A sourpuss Q: Why couldn’t they play cards on Noah’s Ark? A: Because an elephant stood on the deck Newton Presbyterian Manor | A PMMA COMMUNITY

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1200 E. Seventh Newton, KS 67114-2820

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Pause, Breath, HOPE

Bravo of the Month Goes to Alvin Savage

– continued from page 1 America! America!

God mend thine ev'ry flaw, Confirm thy soul in self-control, Thy liberty in law.

O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife, Who more than self their country loved, And mercy more than life.

America! America!

May God thy gold refine Till all success be nobleness, And ev'ry gain divine.

O beautiful for patriot dream That sees beyond the years Thine alabaster cities gleam Undimmed by human tears.

America! America!

God shed his grace on thee,

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And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea.

I invite you dear ones to take time to pause, pray, breathe, and continue to live in Hope because hope, love, and JOY are contagious. Let us plant the seeds of HOPE all around us.

Galatians 6:8: For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life (NKJV).

Enjoy the Summer! u

COMMUNITY MATTERS | August 2022

Bravo of the Month goes to Alvin Savage, director of maintenance at Newton Presbyterian Manor.

Hannah Redger writes, “Thank you for coming in to test doors and working to Alvin Savage get our alarms fixed. You do sooo much to hold our building together and always go above and beyond!”

Alvin also received a bravo from PMMA for the same incident, noting that he stayed on a Sunday to make sure all residents were safe.

Thank you, Alvin! u