Fort Scott Community Matters February 2019

Commun ty Matters February 2019

Fort Scott Presbyterian Village

Quilt show in Slow and steady wins in love Gerald and Billie Cox February met their junior year

Every quilt made has a life story behind it. Some stories are told in the color choices, in the patterns used or in the house it lived in. Family memories surround these fabrics of comfort made with love and detail.

Join us during the month of February from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily in the lobby at the Presbyterian Village as we view the many quilts on display. We’ll also be serving cups of hot chocolate and giving tours of the community. To schedule a tour, please contact Becky Kellum at 620-223-5550.

Happy Valentines

of high school. They started talking to one another, then they became friends. Their love for each other grew slowly. Their senior year of high school they started going steady. They both lived in the country on their families’ farms, and their folks would come to town on Saturday evenings to do their trading.

Gerald and Billie would ride to town with their parents and meet in town for their date.

Billie and Gerald Cox give advice to young couples this Valentines Day.

After graduation, Gerald and Billie continued to go steady but went separate ways. Billie moved to Kansas City and went to work for Blue Cross Blue Shield where she worked in the billing department.

Gerald stayed on the family farm and also joined the Naval Air Reserve in Olathe, Kan. Gerald would go to Kansas City one weekend a month for reserves, where he stayed with his family who lived in Kansas City. While he was there, he would take Billie on a date.

Billie would return to Mound City on weekends except for the one weekend a month that Gerald came to Kansas City for reserves. They officially dated for two years before they got married on March 29, 1952. The wedding was

SLOW AND STEADY continued on page 2

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Slow and steady continued from page 1 held at the Methodist Church parsonage in Prescott, Kans.

Gerald and Billie moved to Gerald’s family farm after the wedding, where they worked on the farm, and Gerald continued with the buying and selling of cattle. They were married for three years before their son was born. Three years later, they were blessed with their daughter. Gerald and Billie took their children to church at the Mantey Church, and family and God are very important to them.

When asked what advice they would give to a young couple just getting married, they said:

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Community Matters is published monthly for residents and friends of Fort Scott Presbyterian Village by Presbyterian Manors of 501(c)(3) organization. Learn more at PresbyterianManors.org.

“I have told many young couples that you must learn to give and take,” said Billie.

“It goes both ways, for the bride and the groom,” said Gerald.

They enjoyed traveling and took their children with them often. They’ve been to 49 states but never had a desire to go to Hawaii. Gerald lived on his family farm for 85 years until he and Billie moved to Presbyterian Village.

“This is my home away from home now,” said Gerald.

He stays very active by going to the sale barn and he enjoys the environment of buying and selling

Branson

handbells

come to Fort Scott Join us Thursday, February 10 at 3 p.m. at 2401 S. Horton

Our mission: We provide quality senior services guided by Christian values.

as we enjoy the sounds of Shepherd’s Bell Ringers from Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Kimberling City, Mo. Ginger Nance, executive director, met the group while in Branson, and asked if they would come perform.

They kindly obliged and we are excited to bring this to our community.

FortScottPresbyterianVillage.org

Learn more about their story at

Ginger Nance, executive director Becky Kellum, marketing director To submit or suggest articles for this publication, contact rkellum@pmma.org.

Telephone: 620-223-5550 Fax: 620-223-7800 Address: 2401 S. Horton, Fort Scott, KS 66701

http://www.fortscottpresbyterian village.org/our-blog 2 COMMUNITY MATTERS FEBRUARY 2019

cattle. Gerald has been buying and selling cattle since he was a little boy, and he is glad he can still go and enjoy the sale barn atmosphere every Saturday.

Billie enjoys her quilts, and she has made more than 50 quilts for her family. Billie also enjoys doing a daily journal entry about life’s journey.

Billie enjoys doing crafts such as sewing, quilting by hand, crocheting afghans and more.

Presbyterian Village of Fort Scott along with Gerald and Billie Cox would like to wish you a Happy Valentine’s Day.

Funding degrees, dreams Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America believes that providing continuing education opportunities not only improves employee morale and retention but ultimately leads to better experiences for residents, too. That’s why every year thousands of dollars in scholarships are given away to deserving employees.

We want to congratulate Melissa Fernandez who recently received one such scholarship.

“I’ve worked at Fort Scott Presbyterian Village for 10 years. I started as a parttime CNA, went on to become a CMA, and will receive my LPN degree in May. Then, my ultimate dream is to achieve my ARNP,” said Melissa. “I applied for the scholarship last spring and was thrilled when I got it!”

In addition to nursing experience, Melissa has also served as the Life Enrichment Director/Marketing Director. While she was the director of these departments, she helped with starting the evening bistro, an evening meal in the bistro area where tenants can come to visit with other tenants and enjoy their supper meal. The bistro was a success and continues to operate today.

When Melissa was going to have her second baby and needed to spend more time at home, she also needed a more flexible schedule. She decided that she needed to go back to the floor and work as a CMA. Melissa has been working for the last three years as a CMA and was encouraged by other floor staff and nurses to go back to school. So, she applied for the education assistance fund and worked Friday nights and every weekend while taking classes.

Way to go, Melissa!

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Melissa receives her education assistance award from Executive Director Ginger Nance at the employee Christmas party.

We respect the privacy of residents and ask that you respect their privacy, too.

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FORT SCOTT PRESBYTERIAN VILLAGE

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Presbyterian Village 2401 S. Horton Fort Scott, KS 66701

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Fort Scott Presbyterian Manor’s Art is Ageless® call for entries underway Fort Scott Presbyterian Village has issued a call for entries for the Art is Ageless® juried exhibit to be held March 26–April 10, 2019. Entries of artistic works will be accepted from any area artist who is 65 years of age or older to exhibit and/or compete for an opportunity to be featured in the 2020 Art is Ageless calendar.

Artists may choose to enter the exhibit only. For the competition, works are to have been completed in the past five years (since January 2014). There are nine categories, as well as designations of amateur or professional. Works to be entered for judging need to be at Presbyterian Village by March 25.

The Art is Ageless® Program encourages

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Presbyterian Village residents and other area seniors to express their creativity through its annual competition, as well as art classes, musical and dramatic events, educational opportunities and current events discussions throughout the year.

Local competition winners will join winners from 16 other Presbyterian Manors and Villages of Mid-America communities to be judged at the systemwide level.

Entry forms and information can be picked up at Fort Scott Presbyterian Village, 2401 South Horton, Fort Scott, Kansas 66701, or by contacting Becky Kellum at 620-223-5550 or rkellum@pmma.org. Or go online to ArtIsAgeless.org to view rules, download an entry form or enter online.