Salina Presbyterian Manor
Mission at the heart of our being
JUNE 2019
I remember where I was when …
We’ve all experienced significant historical events in our lifetime— some leave a lasting impression that allows us to recall exactly where we were when we first heard the news. We asked some of our residents to recall historic events that have happened in their lifetime.
Art Adams recalls getting a bill for $54 for a long-distance phone call from his son while his son served in the Vietnam War.
Art Adams: The assassination of John F. Kennedy, Nov. 22, 1963
“When JFK was assassinated, I was in McAllen, Texas. I was 39. My wife, Mary, and I were on vacation in our fifth wheel. We were at the administration/recreation building at the campground when someone came in and told us. I was just surprised. It didn’t make sense. The next few days everyone just talked about it.” Sept. 11, 2001 “I was in Branson, Mo. We were ready to go to breakfast and had the TV on in our motel room across from Wendy’s. We were glued to the TV for quite a while. When the first plane hit, we thought it was an accident. When the second plane hit, we heard it was a terrorist.” “I Love Lucy” premiered in 1951 “We were married five years and had a table model TV, 17 inches, in our living room. It was on Channel 10 – Lincoln. We lived in Marysville, Kan. The only channels we got were channel 10 in Lincoln. It was always full of snow, but the audio was good. It gave us a lot of good laughs.” Elvis Presley “I remember my son, Arthur “Dub” and his next-door friends, Larry and Lee. They would imitate Elvis Presley’s actions and would sing ‘flip top’ box which was a commercial for Marlboro cigarettes.” -Memories, continued on page 2
Each April, our PMMA organization celebrates Founder’s Day. This year marked another milestone for our organization with the unveiling of a new logo for PMMA and its senior living communities. In May’s Community Matters, you were introduced to our new PMMA logo. I hope you took the time to read what the elements of the logo represent. Our new logo design points to our future, while exemplifying the founding legacy of Alice Kalb and our continuing commitment to our mission statement, “To provide quality senior services guided by Christian values.” About five years ago, I wrote a devotion built around our mission statement. In it, I said that the word that has always spoken to me in our mission statement is “guided.” What is a guide and who guides us? According to the dictionary, the definition of guide is “To lead. Someone who shows the way by leading, directing or advising. One who serves as a model for others. Someone who serves to direct or indicate. To direct the course of. To exert control or influence over. To show the way.” As a child of God, I often look to Psalm 23 as our guide to the Shepherd who leads each of us. When I think of our employees who provide so many different types of care for our residents, I first think of their hands. It makes me think of the words of Father Edward Ferrell in Meditation on Hands from, Surprised by the -Chaplain, continued on page 5
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-Memories, continued from page 1
Vietnam War “My son, Arthur, was in the Vietnam war in 1966-67. He was on an aircraft carrier, USS Hancock, and was a gunner’s mate. We were living in Salina. I remember he called from Singapore and told the operator to reverse the charges and charge my phone in Salina. It was around $54. I worked for Southwestern Bell and they normally paid my phone bill, but they didn’t write that one off. When he came back, we were having a work stoppage strike. I told him to call 913101, the long-distance test board in Salina. He tried to call home and had no answer. He tried 913101 and got a hold of me as the man knew I was in charge of the long-distance equipment at the phone company.”
Cecelia and Rod Anderson saved a Dallas Times Herald newspaper reporting JFK’s assassination. Cecelia and Rod Anderson were traveling through Dallas when JFK’s assassination took place in 1963. go to Oklahoma first to meet family members. When we slowed down and got a paper there was a map and I said to Rod really loud, ‘Oh my gosh, we are on the same street that the President’s caravan went
on when he was shot.’ All the stores were closed, the traffic was at a standstill, every person we saw was weeping. We were almost out of gas and finally traffic moved enough to get to a filling station. We looked over and the window to the Texas School Book Depository was still open. It gave me a creepy feeling. After we got gas, the radio was -Memories, continued on page 5
Cecelia Anderson: Assassination of John F. Kennedy, Nov. 22, 1963 “Rod (Cecelia’s husband) was working at Cape Canaveral in Florida and we lived in Denver at the time. We were going home for Thanksgiving and were going through Dallas. We stopped to eat at a restaurant, and it came over the loudspeaker of the assassination. Our son, Darcy, about 7 years old said, ‘If some man can shoot the President in Dallas can they shoot us?’ We were on the street that it happened, as this street was the highway where we needed to be to
Honor the people who make our community great. Make a gift to the Employee Scholarship Program today. Stop by the front desk today for more information.
PMMA
Presbyterian Manors Of Mid-America
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SALINA Presbyterian Manor 785-825-1366 ◆ Fax: 785-825-6554 2601 E. Crawford Salina, KS 67401-3898 SalinaPresbyterianManor.org
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Community Matters
is published monthly for residents and friends of Salina Presbyterian Manor by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America, Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organizaton.
To submit or suggest articles: jjones@PMMA.org Desi Flerlage, executive director Jenni Jones, marketing director
OUR MISSION: To provide quality senior services guided by Christian values.
Employee of the Year: Charlie Peterson Congratulations to Charlie Peterson, C.M.A., who was voted Employee of the Year for 2018.
become part of our family,” said Kelly Wellbrock, human resource director.
“It’s an honor to be the Employee of the Year,” said Charlie. “It means I’m making an impact on people’s lives one way or another and I’m guessing it’s a positive impact.”
The award came as a complete shock to Charlie.
“I was completely side swiped from it. I wasn’t expecting it at all. We do good deeds, get noticed, get All 12 Employees of the Month are Bravos written up and get voted. eligible to be Employee of the Year. I’m very thankful that the staff at At the end of each year, the names the Presbyterian Manor chose me Charlie Peterson and a PMMA of each Employee of the Month are to be their Employee of the Year,” resident. posted and employees vote for one said Charlie. of them to be named Employee of spending time with her family, Along with the title, which was the Year. Charlie was Employee of which includes her two daughters announced at the employee the Month in January 2018. and her husband, Ryan. Christmas party in early 2019, “Charlie is a joy to work with “We’re huge sports fans, there’s Charlie also received a framed and a blessing to have on the always a sports game on in my certificate and Chamber Bucks to [Presbyterian] Manor team. She house. I also love spending time spend at local businesses in the takes pride in the important work with my family and cooking—I like community. that she does each day and carries a to try new things I see on Pinterest or Facebook, especially pastapositive spirit everywhere she goes. Outside of her work at the We are so thankful that she has Presbyterian Manor, Charlie enjoys related,” said Charlie. ◆
June activities Remember, “You don’t stop having fun when you get old, you get old when you stop having fun.” Cathy Boos, life enrichment director
Here is a summary of our activities: June 4 Ladies Breakfast – Honoring Teachers June 5 MC Trip to Martinelli’s June 5 Travel & Taste – The Cove – Milford Lake June 6 Father’s Day Celebration - Casino Time June 8 Holy Land Slide Show/Presentation
June 10
Ladies Lunch Club June 21 HC Trip to Old & Shopping – China Chicago Buffet - Lindsborg June 22 Glenda & Mike’s June 11 June Birthdays & Magic Mysteries & Anniversaries – Wonders Wine & Cheese June 23 Salina Community Party Theatre – Newsies June 12 MC Trip to Old the Musical Chicago June 24 Trip to Sale Barn June 14 Silvertone Singers June 26 Kansas Star Casino June 15 Bill Burrows Band June 27 HC Trip to Olive June 18 Pirates of Garden Penzance – Great June 29 Salina Kennel Club Plains Theatre June 18
AL Birthday Party
June 19
Men’s Breakfast
** Activities subject to change ◆
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Employee of the Month: Melissa Gasperino Congratulations to Melissa Gasperino, Employee of the Month for May. Melissa has worked for PMMA eight years. She first worked at Emporia Presbyterian Manor as a CNA for two years, then came to Salina as an LPN for the last six.
When asked what most people would not know about her, she said that her first time out of the country was for her honeymoon, which was all planned by her husband and a complete surprise to her. They went to Toronto, Canada, and Niagara Falls.
Melissa has been married to Kevin Gasperino for eight months. In her spare time, Melissa likes to take family road trips and enjoys cooking with her husband.
We are so thankful to have Melissa on our team! Please say congratulations when you see her. ◆
Melissa’s goals include starting a family and traveling to Australia. Melissa chose to take her picture with a resident friend. Thanks, Dale, for joining in the fun!
The problems with do-it-yourself online wills by Marguerite C. Lorenz for Next Avenue As a professional trustee and executor, I have seen hundreds of estate-planning documents, including some from do-it-yourself online services. I appreciate that using a DIY site to draft a will can save money and time. But I’m also concerned that sometimes doing it this way could lead to expensive and unpleasant estate planning mistakes.
I recently saw one DIY estateplanning service that had typos on its site and its estate-planning “packages” had the same document labeled with three different names. Worse, the packages I looked at were missing a key estate planning document which very few users would know to ask about. This service, like many other DIY estate-planning sites, has attorneys on staff, but access to specific help for your personal documents is rarely available. If personal advice is offered, it then appears to cost a
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great deal more to receive. But what if you don’t know which questions to ask? Online DIY wills vs. hiring a professional
For some people with complicated personal and financial lives, today’s complexities may not be fully addressed with a do-it-yourself service for wills and trusts. While many of us would prefer to fill in the blanks in silence than have to talk to anyone about our doubts or concerns, sometimes it helps — a lot — to get professional advice. If you prepare your taxes yourself and they end up incorrect, you and the Internal Revenue Service may end up working things out. If you decide to do your estate planning by yourself,” however, you may never know the results of your
work, but your loved ones will. There are lots of DIY options for completing your own estate plan, and they have been available almost as long as we have had the internet. (Longer, if you count all the software packages you could buy off the shelf.) With the ease and availability of these programs, and their low price, you might think more of us would have an up-todate estate plan. Yet according to the AARP article, Haven’t Done a Will Yet?, “only 4 in 10 American adults have a will or living trust.” -Wills, continued on page 6
Island, S.C. After boot, I was sent to Camp Lejeune, N.C. I wound up on and it was reported that JFK’s qualifying for the Marine Corps body had landed at Andrews Air Academy at Quantico, Va. Unlike force Base, and that was how long other military academies who it took us to get through the city. A school cadets there, the Marines newspaper boy already was selling ‘farm out’ their cadets. I was sent newspapers of the shooting. We still to Northwestern University for have it in the family.” three semesters of engineering. John Smutz: From there, I was sent to Penn State for three trimesters, where I Attack on Pearl Harbor, received my degree and returned to December 7, 1941 Quantico to finish military training “The bombing of Pearl Harbor and receive my commission. From occurred when I was in our smallQuantico, I returned to training town drugstore having a Coke and replacement battalion at with my high school girlfriend Lejeune. I really owe it all to Pearl and talking about our futures. Harbor, the Marines and lots of Mine was to be a truck driver or good luck. I came close to being a a bulldozer operator for Peter truck driver or a dozer operator, Kewitt construction in Omaha. both of which I love doing and both Instead, my parents insisted I of which I have done for a local follow family tradition by attending contractor friend on weekends and the University of Nebraska, where vacations. This Pearl Harbor bit mom and dad graduated in 1906. keeps on tumbling to my meeting While a freshman at UNL, I joined Helen, being recalled for more the Marines, was called up by the war experience and winding up Marines at the end of the semester at the Presbyterian Manor where and sent to boot camp at Parris I have met wonderful friends.
John Smutz credits the attack on Pearl Harbor for his career path and meeting his wife, Helen. The bombing of Pearl Harbor probably had the greatest impact on Helen’s and my future. Helen found work as a secretary at a naval ammunition depot at St. Julien’s Creek, Va., and that’s where I found Helen, being there myself as part of a Marine Corps guard detachment. I’m not sure I was exactly what Helen was looking for in the way of fame and fortune, but that is what she wound up with. It’s been an enjoyable 73 years together, capped by a wonderful continuation of ‘the good life’ at Presbyterian Manor. All this was brought about as a result of the Pearl Harbor bombing.” ◆
-Chaplain, continued from page 1
care for other than our hands.
-Memories, continued from page 2
Spirit. On our hands is written the story of our lives. As a child, we put our hands into the hands of those who were guiding us. Now as an adult, we use our hands to guide and care for others. How often have your hands been used to help another? Remember all the kinds of work our hands have done, the tiredness and aching they have known, the cold and the heat, the soreness and the bruises. Remember the tears they have wiped away, our own or another’s, the blood they have bled, the healing they have experienced. How much hurt they
have expressed and how much gentleness, tenderness and love they have given. Remember the many times they have reached out to guide others. The Bible uses another part of the anatomy as a symbol of our being— the heart. If you place your hand over your heart, you will feel the pulse of life-giving blood flowing through your body. Now lower your hand to your lap very carefully, as if it were carrying your heart, for it does. Each time you extend your hand to another, it is not just bone and skin, it is your heartprint. Your hand is also Jesus’ hand, because he has no other hands to guide and
Think of all the hands that have left their imprint on you. Fingerprints and handprints are the heartprints that can never be erased. Our hands have their own special memories. Think of all the people that carry your handprints and bear your heartprint. They are permanent and will last forever. Our mission to provide quality senior services is carried out through the hands and hearts of our loving, caring staff who in turn receive guidance from our guiding shepherd. Chaplain Mary ◆
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SALINA Presbyterian Manor
2601 E. Crawford Salina, KS 67401-3898 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Our Mission: to provide quality senior services guided by Christian values Like us on Facebook to stay updated on news and events.
-Wills, continued from page 4
What good estate planning is all about Our power to express our preferences is what good estate planning (or life planning), is all about. In my work as a trustee and executor, I’ve learned that the documents which provide me with detailed instructions are critical to avoid court involvement, to reduce administrative confusion and to know when our job is done. The four basic estate planning documents: a will, a trust, power of attorney for financial matters and an advance health care directive. If you plan to use any or all of them
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through a DIY site, expect to be offered a fill-in-the-blank approach. Keep in mind that each state has its own probate code (the body of law governing estate planning and implementation). The software package you use may have different names for the same documents I have listed above. Some of the DIY sites I visited have all of these documents for you, but only if you purchase their higherend packages. Some offer limited attorney consultation; on one site, it was really a drop-down of questions with pre-written responses, not an actual conversation with an attorney.
Pros and cons of DIY estate planning The advantage of using a DIY service is that you will have a plan, as quickly and cheaply as possible, and that may be better than having no plan at all. This is especially true regarding getting a will, power of attorney and advance health care directive. Those handle most emergencies for people who don’t own real estate or much else. The range of DIY services also has a range of prices — like $69 for just a will, to several hundreds of dollars for what may be described as a “complete plan.” Some sites have more information than others about their options. ◆