Commun ty Matters Emporia Presbyterian Manor
How is your hearing health? If you’re having trouble hearing conversations, you’re not alone. About one-third of people in the United States between the ages of 65 and 75 have some degree of hearing loss. For those older than 75, the number of people with some hearing loss is almost 1 in 2. Emporia Presbyterian Manor will host a free Hearing Health Seminar at 2 p.m. Oct. 7 for seniors in the Emporia area. Professionals from the Hearing Group will discuss important topics such as how to recognize the telltale signs of hearing loss, how to choose a hearing aid and how to decide what features are right for you.
October 2015
Art is Ageless® Local artists to be featured in 2016 calendar In 50 years of practicing dentistry, Richard Bennett carved a lot of crowns and bridgework. Since he retired, Richard has discovered his skills translated well to sculpting raw stone into art. His stone carving “Out to Pasture” is a winner in this year’s system-wide Art is Ageless® competition. Winners were chosen from the top local entries at all 18 Presbyterian Manors “Out to Pasture” by Richard Bennett of Mid-America communities. Richard’s piece will be featured in the 2016 Art is Ageless calendar, along with the works of more than 50 artists age 65 and older throughout Kansas and Missouri. Richard found the block of limestone, roughly 12 by 8 inches, on his farm in the Flint Hills. “I made a frame on the outside, then inside I cut deep into it and brought this horse out of it,” he said. “I think I’m about as pleased with that piece as any I’ve done.”
You can’t reverse hearing loss. However, you don’t have to live in a world of muted, less distinct sounds.
It’s only been about five years since Richard made his first sculpture. He was looking at a tall, oblong rock on his patio when he suddenly thought, “could I carve this into a tooth?” And he set out to learn the tools and techniques of sculpting stone.
The “Hearing Health Seminar” will begin at 2 p.m. Oct. 7 at Emporia Presbyterian Manor, 2300 Industrial Rd. The presentation is free. For more information, contact Marketing Director Ken Hanson at 620-343-2613 or khanson@ pmma.org.
A few years later, he brought home a 100-pound chunk of white marble from the quarry in Marble, Colo. He worked the stone for about three months to create a large holiday-themed urn he called “Christmas in Marble.” That piece won the Christmas category at the Emporia Art is Ageless competition this year. His “Bowl of Fruit” took Best in Show last year at the local level.
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Just as he did with dental work, Richard said he has to visualize the final piece before he makes the first cut. Now, however, he says the stone speaks ART, continued on page 2