Rolla Community Matters 2021

Rolla Presbyterian Manor

SEPTEMBER 2021

Three local artists among Art is Ageless® masterpiece level winners Three winning artists in Rolla Presbyterian Manor’s annual Art is Ageless® juried competition will be featured in the 2022 Art is Ageless calendar produced by PMMA (Presbyterian Manors of MidAmerica).

Michelle Swyers

Presbyterian Manor employee cares for those in need, young and old

“Uncle Sam Santa” by David Breuer and “Ave Maria” by Sophia deLaat will appear in the calendar when it is released this fall.

Works by local winners are automatically entered into a masterpiece level competition with winning art from 14 other PMMA communities. More than 160 entries were received for this year’s masterpiece competition. The winners are featured in the Art is Ageless calendar with pull-out postcards and greeting cards.

Michelle Swyers serves her community in multiple ways, both at work and at home.

She helps care for residents at Rolla Presbyterian Manor as an occupational therapy assistant for Aegis Therapies®, a position she has held for 14 years.

“Cardinal Direction,” a mixed media/crafts entry by Sophia deLaat, and “Chocolate Delight,” a quilting entry by Barbara Ford, will be featured on the pull-out postcards included in the 2022 calendar.

Last year, she also joined the Presbyterian Manor staff as a certified medical assistant.

“I want to educate myself in as many areas of treatment as I can in order to improve the residents’ overall quality of life and return

“We are honored to exhibit artwork by seniors,” said Joelle Free-

Art is Ageless

“Uncle Sam Santa” by David Breuer

Swyers – continued on page 4

– continued on page 3 Get the latest on visitation and COVID-19 at our campus at RollaPresbyterianManor.org/covid-19.

1

Lessons from Ecclesiastes

By Mary Bridges Chaplain, Salina Presbyterian Manor Editor’s Note: This is a guest column from the chaplain at Salina Presbyterian Manor. In a nod to our Presbyterian heritage, we will be periodically sharing columns from our community chaplains in your Community Matters newsletter.

In July, the Rev. Elwyn Holmes of Salina’s First Presbyterian Church led our first worship service in over a year. He used the familiar words from Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 for his message. The reverend said that these words from centuries ago continue to remind us that life isn’t always great and it often brings things into our lives that we don’t like. He used “The Message” translation by Eugene Peterson. These words gave me renewed hope for our world.

Jeffery Kranz, an author who lives in Bellingham, Wash., tells us that “Ecclesiastes explores the unpredictability of life: we have an idea of how the world should work, but it rarely goes that way. And no matter how wise we are, or how hard we work, or how strong our faith is, we don’t have any guarantees and we are encouraged to be loyal to God and enjoy the simple things in life — because we really don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow.”

A right time to make love and another to abstain, A right time to embrace and another to part, A right time to search and another to count your losses, A right time to hold on and another to let go, A right time to rip out and another to mend, A right time to shut up and another to speak up, A right time to love and another to hate, A right time to wage war and another to make peace.

But in the end, does it really make a difference what anyone does? I’ve had a good look at what God has given us to do — busywork, mostly. True, God made everything beautiful in itself and in its time—but he’s left us in the dark, so we can never know what God is up to, whether he’s coming or going. I’ve decided that there’s nothing better to do than go ahead and have a good time and get the most we can out of life. That’s it: Eat, drink, and make the most of your job. It’s God’s gift.

There is an opportune time for everything. u

There’s an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth: A right time for birth and another for death, A right time to plant and another to reap, A right time to kill and another to heal, A right time to destroy and another to construct, A right time to cry and another to laugh, A right time to lament and another to cheer, Like us on Facebook to stay updated on news and events.

Community Matters 573-364-7336 ◆ Fax: 573-364-7495 1200 Homelife Plaza Rolla, MO 65401-2595 RollaPresbyterianManor.org

2

COMMUNITY MATTERS | September 2021

is published monthly for residents and friends of Rolla Presbyterian Manor

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

To submit or suggest articles: lfreeland@PMMA.org Ann Caudill, executive director Joelle Freeland, marketing director

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

Art is Ageless – continued from page 1 land, marketing director. “Art is Ageless is unique in featuring only the works of artists age 65 and older. Our artists prove that art, in any form, is an ageless ambition.”

A copyrighted program of PMMA, Art is Ageless is open exclusively to people age 65 and older. For the competition, works must have been completed in the past five years.

PMMA’s Art is Ageless program encourages Rolla Presbyterian Manor residents and other area seniors to express their creativity through its annual competition, as well as art classes, educational opportunities and current events discussions throughout the year.

“Ave Maria” by Sophia deLaat

Started in 1980, Art is Ageless is an extension of PMMA’s wellness programs, which focus on mental, physical, social and spiritual health. u

“Chocolate Delight” by Barbara Ford “Cardinal Direction” by Sophia deLaat

Rolla Presbyterian Manor | A PMMA COMMUNITY

3

1200 Homelife Plaza Rolla, MO 65401-2595 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Swyers – continued from page 1 them to their highest level of function,” she said.

At Presbyterian Manor, Michelle finds satisfaction in meeting both the emotional and physical needs of residents.

“I feel like every day at work is a special moment,” she says, although Michelle particularly enjoyed helping with a successful resident picnic on a beautiful day earlier this year. “It made my day to see them so happy and enjoying the outside. It truly is an honor and privilege to get to work with our residents in their home.”

4

Her work at Presbyterian Manor is a good fit for Michelle, who says she has always gotten along well with people older than she.

care home in March and have parented eight children since, four of whom were still living with the Swyers family as of July.

She shifts gears at home, where she and her husband, Thomas, serve as foster parents.

“We are happy to adopt at some point and would like to have a little one,” she said.

“I have always wanted to help out children who are in need or abused,” she said. “My husband and I have raised our four children — the youngest just graduated from high school — and it seemed like the perfect time to start fostering.”

Originally from the St. Louis area, Michelle moved with her family from Barnhart to Steeleville, Mo., when she was 12. She volunteers at her church teaching Sunday school and for the girls’ ministry on Wednesday nights.

Michelle also enjoys crocheting, playing with her kids, family dinners, bike riding, long walks, and vacationing with her family. u

They became a licensed foster

COMMUNITY MATTERS | September 2021