Topeka Community Matters November 2015

Commun ty Matters Topeka Presbyterian Manor

November 2015

Sending ‘Angels’ to the Good Samaritan Program Special angels will soon be adorning Christmas trees and holiday displays at every Presbyterian Manors of MidAmerica (PMMA) senior living community.

The “angels” are paper ornaments that will arrive throughout the holiday season along with gifts to the annual Christmas Angel Appeal, which raises funds for the Good Samaritan Program for Benevolent Care. Donors who make gifts are asked to return paper Angel ornaments along with their gifts. The ornaments pay tribute to donors’ family members or friends and are displayed at PMMA communities designated by the donors.

During the past two years, donors to the angel appeals have given more than $90,000 to the Good Samaritan Program. The program assists PMMA residents who have out-lived their financial resources through no fault of their own. Since PMMA began 66 years ago, no residents have been asked to leave because they exhausted their financial resources.

If you would like to participate in the Angel Appeal, please email development@pmma.org or call 800-336-8511.

Arliss Douglass supervises a group of homeschoolers who help her put together lap quilts every other Friday afternoon.

The art of quilting

Finding peace and purpose, piece by piece Quilt squares, much like life’s daily blessings, are small. Sometimes, they’re colorful and exciting. Other times, they’re cut in shades of gray and beige. But Arliss Douglass has always been able to see the big picture, the whole of the parts, and has lived her life much like she sews her quilts: with purpose and passion.

“I’m always searching for ways to serve God,” said Arliss. “My main goal in life is to serve God because God is my best friend, and I’d like to serve him wherever I can.”

While Arliss has only been a resident at Topeka Presbyterian Manor since March 2015, she’s already become a vital part of our community and has found ways to serve others.

“When I first joined the sewing group here, they were cutting blocks and stitching by hand, which is fine, but for me, that takes too long. I could put the whole thing together in an hour or two. So, I took a bag of squares back up to my place, and got to work,” said Arliss.

QUILT, continued on page 3

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How to make a real difference giving to charity

By Richard Eisenberg for Next Avenue

Heartbreaking tragedies like the Nepal earthquake often make us want to donate to a charity and do our part to help. We’re also often touched by TV commercials imploring us to open our wallets for needy pets and children.

To submit or suggest articles for this publication, contact Amber Lopez, activity director, at alopez@pmma.org.

But since you can’t afford to help every cause, how should you decide which ones to assist? In his provocative new book, ‘The Most Good You Can Do,’ worldrenowned Australian ethicist Peter Singer offers his views about “effective altruism.” (His site, TheLifeYouCanSave.org, has a list of charities Singer thinks are highly cost-effective.)

You may not agree with some of Singer’s opinions — such as his belief that you should give money to reduce global poverty before U.S. poverty or his disinclination to support the arts. But this Princeton University and the University of Melbourne professor and author of Animal Liberation may get you thinking.

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Community Matters November 2015

I know he opened my eyes about when to open my wallet during our recently conversation about the book. Here are some highlights: Next Avenue: What Is Effective Altruism?

Singer: Effective altruism is a philosophy and social movement uses evidence reasoning to consider how to do the most good you can.

The head of the charity rating service, Charity Navigator, calls this “defective altruism” and says it will move us toward a more centralized form of giving where the experts decide where the money goes, rather than individual donors.

You might make that same criticism of Consumer Reports. Their experts decide what washing machines or cars we should buy, but that doesn’t take away the right of the consumer to decide. Who would want to pay twice as much for a washing machine that doesn’t wash as well as a cheaper one? And why give to a charity that’s not effective?

CHARITY, continued on page 4

QUILT continued from page 1

Got to work she did. With Arliss’ guidance, the sewing group has gone gangbusters on producing lap quilts, and has amassed nearly 40.

“At first they didn’t know what they’d do with them.

I said oh, these are too nice, somebody needs these things. I can sew five or six together in a week,” said Arliss. “My daughter’s a second grade teacher at a very poor school. She said, ‘Oh, Mom, these would be wonderful if we could give these to the kiddos for Christmas.’ The group said that was okay, so the first 30 are going to go there. We’re putting labels on that say ‘Made by residents at Topeka Presbyterian Manor.’”

Arliss has set her sights beyond this initial group, though, and has plans for many more quilts to come.

“At my church, there’s a care home we go play Bingo at once a month, so our next 40 will go there. I also get together with a group of widows every Friday night.

We eat together and play games. One of the ladies has a daughter that works at a daycare center, so our next 50 will go there. And on and on it goes,” said Arliss.

Not only are there many who will benefit from the warmth and comfort of these lap blankets, but Arliss is

ensuring that even others are served during the process of making them.

“I worked at McDonalds until not too long ago, and got to know a group of homeschoolers. I asked if they’d like to help tie quilts. So, they come, four children and two adults, and help me make them. They’re coming every other Friday now. Other residents also come to my apartment and help me. It gives them something to do,” said Arliss.

If anyone knows the power of helping others and staying active, it’s Arliss. After all, it’s what keeps her going.

“Health challenges have knocked me down, but I don’t stop. I go all day. I go to all of the exercise programs.

I’m so grateful I’m here! Praise God for Presbyterian Manor!” said Arliss. “It’s how I fight depression about not being able to do what I used to. I stay active. I can still do many things, and I can sit and sew quilts. The Lord has allowed me to serve, and that’s what I’ll do.”

If you’d like to get involved with Arliss’ quilting efforts, or have any double knit fabric you’d like to donate, please call 785-246-3903.

Everyone has a story to tell The January issue of Community Matters will focus on new

beginnings. Do you have a story about a time you decided to start anew? What happened? How did that alter the course of your life? Contact Activity Director Amber Lopez, and your story may be selected to appear in an upcoming Community Matters.

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Singer: In the present world we live in, I don’t think we Next Avenue: You have a chapter should give money to the called “Are Some Causes Objectively arts.Yes, it’s fine to help Better Than Others.” Are they? community projects to help kids express themselves Singer: Yes, I do think so. artistically; that’s a different matter. But giving tens I’m not saying you can rank all of millions of dollars to possible causes in an objective established institutions like hierarchy. But if you compare the amount of good done by the recent the Metropolitan Museum of $100 million gift to Lincoln Center Art? I think there are better things you can do with that money. by entertainment billionaire David Geffen to giving that same amount Next Avenue: In your book, you of money to restore sight in people talk about the choices people are who are blind or will become blind, faced with when deciding which to me it’s staggering that anyone type of charity to support. I’d like to would think having a nicer concert ask you about them. First: domestic hall could compare with what you or global? could get by restoring sight for a Singer: It’s a question of what do million people. you get for the money. Think of it Next Avenue: Are you against this way: Suppose you have $1,000 giving money to the arts? to give away. Would that make a CHARITY, continued from page 2

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Community Matters November 2015

dramatic difference to the life of an American family of four in poverty, making about $23,000 a year? Not really. That’s roughly what they get every two weeks. But for a family in poverty living on less than $1,000 a year, giving them your $1000 is their entire year’s income and makes a huge difference to their well-being. © Twin Cities Public Television - 2015.

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