Sentinel Winter/Spring 2025 by sevenacres

Seven Acres Jewish Senior Care Services hosted its annual “Generosity Grows”: Join Our Garden Gala on Sunday evening, January 26, and this year’s event exceeded expectations, bringing together community members, supporters, and donors for a night of celebration.

The gala honored longtime supporters Vicky and Michael Richker with the Joyce Proler Schechter Spirit of Life Award for their many years of support for Seven Acres. The theme of the gala, “Generosity Grows,” perfectly captured the spirit of the evening as attendees came together to show their support for Seven Acres’ mission to provide compassionate care for seniors. This year’s gala raised $1.3 million towards the support of seniors who reside at the facility

Held at the Hilton Americas-Houston Hotel, more than 500 guests filled the ballroom. The gala transformed the venue into a garden oasis with accents of lavender and purples throughout Vibrant flowers with silver fixtures decorated the tables creating an atmosphere of warmth and camaraderie. Guests were treated to an evening of fine dining, live entertainment, and an exciting auction

The event also featured speeches from key leaders within the organization, including Seven Acres president, Michael Feinstein. He announced exciting new leadership, proudly introducing Marsha Cayton as the new CEO of Seven Acres and The Medallion Jewish Assisted Living Residence. The Joyce Proler Schechter Spirit of Life Award was introduced by Vicky’s daughter Elizabeth Wasserman and Michael’s son, Jeff Richker

The generosity of those in attendance was overwhelming, with all proceeds directly benefiting Seven Acres and helping to further their mission to enhance the lives of seniors in their care

Marsha Cayton remarked, “A heartfelt thank you to all of you for being here tonight to celebrate our esteemed honorees Vicky and Michael Richker and for the countless years of dedicated services to Seven Acres and Greater Houston.”

Vicky and Michael Richker

“It is my pleasure to serve as Honorary Chair for Vicky and Michael Richker who are two of our closest friends and are like family to us.”

Honorary Co-Chairs Rhona and Bruce Caress

Co-Chairs Gary and Gail Swartz, Seven Acres CEO Marsha Cayton, Cindy and Gary Greenberg.

Honorees

2025 ‘Genorosity Grows’ Gala

Dear Friends,

On behalf of everyone at Seven Acres Jewish Senior Care Services, I would like to extend my gratitude to the community for its overwhelming support of our 2025 “Generosity Grows – Join Our Garden” gala This special event, which honored Vicky and Michael Richker with the Joyce Proler Schechter Spirit of Life Award, was an incredible success, raising over $1 3 million to directly benefit the residents of Seven Acres I am most grateful to our loyal supporters, whose generosity made this event possible Thanks to all of you, we can continue honoring and caring for our mothers, fathers, and grandparents with the dignity they deserve. Your assistance is essential to our mission, and I am genuinely thankful for your role in making this possible.

There's still time to contribute and support our residents donations can be made through our website at https://www sevenacres org/donate/spirit-of-life-gala-2025/ This is also where you can watch the gala video

Once again, I extend my heartfelt thanks to our dedicated gala committee for their hard work in making this a truly spectacular event A special thank you to our honorary co-chairs, Bruce and Rhona Caress as well as our auction co-chair, Bonnie Winograd, who gathered an incredible selection of items for the silent auction, raffle, and gift card trees. I also want to express my gratitude to the co-chairs Gary and Gail Swartz, and Gary and Cindy Greenberg for their invaluable support

Your ongoing support in taking care of our community elderly is most appreciated! I consider you all a very important part of our Seven Acres family.

Michael Feinstein, President, Seven Acres Board of Trustees

Seven Acres President Michael Feinstein, left, Michael and Vicky Richker, Seven Acres CEO Marsha Cayton, seated, Joyce Proler Schechter.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN SENIOR CARE : DOCTOR HIGHLIGHT

“The more you spend time and learn about each resident the more you understand why you do what you do.”

Dr Biju Oommen is the superhero behind the stellar geriatric care at Seven Acres Jewish Senior Care Services and The Medallion Jewish Assisted Living Together with his team of talented physicians from Trumen Physicians and Associates, he’s on a mission to deliver top-notch services to seniors across the vibrant Houston area.

Oommen says he first developed a passion for helping seniors during his internal medicine residency in Michigan

“I felt like geriatric care was so under served,” he said “People were treating it as an afterthought like “I’ll just do it on the weekends”, and I felt like the residents deserved better ”

He then went on to complete a one-year fellowship in geriatrics at the University of Hawaii.

“As I learned more and more my interest grew,” he said. “Most of my work was in elder abuse so this is where I developed my passion.”

Oommen has been a dedicated contributor to The Medallion and Seven Acres since 2003, playing an integral role in their medical operations As the medical director, he oversees the overall healthcare management, ensuring the highest standards of care are met Through his company, Trumen Physicians and Associates, Oommen supplies the facilities with essential medical support, including nurse practitioners, attending physicians, and weekend staff. Additionally, Trumen provides comprehensive after-hours, holidays, and on-call services, offering 24/7 care to always meet the needs of patients.

Working at both facilities feels like a natural fit for Oommen.

"Surprisingly, my mom worked here as a nurse when I was in high school, so returning to serve as the medical director has been a full-circle moment for me and nice to be able to come back," he said

At The Medallion, the concept of "home" represents a warm and inviting environment infused with a sense of family The community offers compassionate professionals dedicated to fostering genuine and heartfelt connections with each resident

"Every day is a highlight," Oommen says. "Each resident is unique. We take the time to understand each person individually, assess their specific needs, and ensure we meet them with the care they deserve."

Marsha Cayton, the Chief Executive Officer of Seven Acres and The Medallion says Dr Oommen has been such a plus to the organization and to the residents that they plan to honor him for their National Doctor’s Day event

“The accessibility to his vast knowledge has been invaluable to our organization throughout the years, and I have deep respect and appreciation for him "

"I truly believe there are many physicians who are more deserving, but I am honored to receive this recognition," Oommen said "I’m grateful and appreciative of this opportunity, and like any other doctor, I just strive to do my best "

The National Doctor’s Day event will take place Monday, March 31 The event is by invitation only, for more information, please contact Loren Gordon, 713-778-5720 or email lgordon@themedallion org

Meet Dr. Biju Oommen

RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY SPREAD LOVE ON VALENTINE’S DAY

Bruce Stein and his family, devoted supporters of Seven Acres Jewish Senior Care Services, hosted their annual Valentine’s Day celebration on Sunday, February 16th, spreading joy to the residents of Seven Acres and The Medallion, along with their guests

The family has hosted Valentine’s Day at Seven Acres for decades. This year, the Stein family was represented by Bruce Stein, Brad Stein, and David Stein

Guests also included family members, Board of Directors, employees and community members

More than 125 people filled the auditorium, which was beautifully decorated with Valentine's Day-themed décor. Guests enjoyed cookies and fruit, while the Gulf Coast Concert Band, a 35-piece ensemble, provided the musical entertainment for the celebration. The band performed a variety of medleys from classic Broadway shows like The Sound of Music and Carousel, along with popular hits from the big band era

Seven Acres Director of Life Enrichment and Volunteer Services, Jill Newman, kicked off the afternoon with a warm greeting.

"To say we are lucky to have the Stein family as part of our Seven Acres family is truly an understatement," Jill said. "They support us in so many ways, and without them, we wouldn’t have many of the special things we cherish, like the Stein Family Valentine Program we’re celebrating today "

BruceSteinandCEO,MarshaCayton

Top,SevenAcresPresidentMichealFeinstein,Seatedleft,DavidSteinwithChloe, BruceSteinandBradStein.

GulfCoastConcertBand

Ellie, Rose, and Eileen assisted the residents of Seven Acres in making cherry, apricot, and raspberry hamantaschen, helping to immerse us in the most joyous day of the Jewish year.

Ohr Zahava School came to visit our residents at The Medallion The afternoon was filled with laughs, activities, and sweet tunes

Help us update our rooms!

Our residents deserve furniture as comfy as yours

At Seven Acres Jewish Senior Care Services, we prioritize creating a home-like environment for our seniors, honoring their contributions to families and communities.

As Passover approaches, we emphasize the importance of caring for those in need and enhancing our seniors' living spaces. The Friends of Seven Acres Annual Campaign aims to raise $310,000 to furnish the Miller Wing's bedrooms with new, high-quality furniture, replacing worn items to foster a warm and inviting atmosphere for our residents.

Your generosity can help us provide:

Ergonomic beds to improve health, mobility, and overall well-being. Comfortable chairs to provide a cozy space for reading, relaxing, or visiting with loved ones.

Sturdy nightstands and dressers to ensure residents have accessible and functional storage.

Supportive mattresses and bedding to promote restful sleep and overall comfort.

A gift of $500, $10,000, or any amount meaningful to you will bring us closer to our goal and make an immediate difference in the lives of our residents. Every contribution, big or small, is a mitzvah that will be deeply felt by those who call Seven Acres their home.

Please join us in this sacred act of chesed (kindness). You can make your tax-deductible donation online by following the button below or by sending a check. For questions or more ways to give, please contact us at 713-778-5733 or donations@sevenacres.org

Thank you for your kindness and generosity. May your support bring you and your loved ones many blessings in return.

Seven Acres Annual Fund & Tributes 24-25

Thank you for your continued support. We are so grateful for every donation which helps provide compassionate and professional care to our vulnerable seniors during these most challenging times.

Annual Fund

Elaine Ackel

Marilyn Albert

Patricia Aros

September 1, 2024 -March 14, 2025

Lolin Wang-Bennett and George Bennett

Marlene and Daniel Bergman

Janis and Stephen Block

Bonnie and Gary Blumberg

Rita Blumenfeld

Gloria and Larry Brenner

Helaine and Stephen Brochstein

Jean and Kenneth Chapman

Shirley and Alan Cohn

David DeVido

David Duchen

Luisa Kluger and Arnoldo Efron

Carol and Mark Entman

Robert Fenton

Myrna Fisch

Lou Ann Flanz and Alan Rodenstein

Leon Freedman

Fredda and Gary Friedlander

Lillian Gaylor

Marion and Gary Glober

Irving Gold

Debbie and Eugene Goldgar

Joan and Jay Golub

Ronald Grabois

Jan Greenspan

Shelly and Mark Grenader

Nancy Haight

Mallory Hoffman

Jan F. Fuerst, M.D.

Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas

Tammie and Barry Kahn

Stuart Kane

Myrna and Leonard Kaplan

Gerry Karkowsky

Sharon Katz

Judith and Barry Kaufman

Glenda Kirshbaum

Bill Kottwitz

Robin Ladin

Leon and Ida Davis Memorial Fund

Ellen and Stephen Leventhal

Marge and George Leventon

Sheila and Norman Loewenstern

Claudia Lezell and Sheldon Magid

Svetlana and Stanley Malkin

Mary Ellen and Cornelius McCarthy

Rochelle and Edward Middleman

Rochelle and Bobby Mintz

Becky Nahas

James Nevik

Regina and Randall Prince

Linda and Jay Rosen

Brenda and Mansel Rubenstein

Sandra Schimmel

Leah Schultz

Jeri and Marc Shapiro

Karen Shoss and Irwin Dinn

Eileen Silverman

Ellen Singer

Denise and Jerald Turboff

Venture Assistance

Melodi and Gregg Weinberg

Susan Weingarten

Judith Winograd

Linda Wolf

Geraldine and Bernard Woolf

Alan Zuber

Tributes

ACTIVITY FUND IN HONOR OF

Marsha Cayton

November 15, 2024- March 14, 2025

Helen Wils and Leonard Goldstein

Barry Goldstein

Helen Wils and Leonard Goldstein

Rochelle and Alan Jacobson’s 50th Wedding Anniversary

Paula and Rick Stein

Vicky and Michael Richker, 2025 Joyce Proler Schechter Spirit of Life Honorees

Marilyn Hassid IN MEMORY OF Lilyan "Bootsie" Feld

Diane Dover

Chuck Green

Elaine Griver

Paul Gubin

Kyra Harris

Hope Schulz

Delores "Dodie" Krakower

Kelli and Marty Fein

Jill and Steven Newman

Ellen Reichenthal

Judy and Ronnie Yambra

Dr. Norman Schneidler

Drew Berkman

Kelli and Marty Fein

Barbara and Raymond Kalmans

Elissa and Tom Varadi

Cele Steinfink

Elizabeth and Sam Smith

ANNETTE AND DAN GORDON EVERLASTING CARE FUND IN MEMORY OF

Chuck Green

Bob Frank

BENJAMIN O. LEFF RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY FUND

IN MEMORY OF

Bernard O. Dow