November Vol Issue A monthly publication for Presbyterian Villages

November 2007 Vol. 15 Issue 11 A monthly publication for Presbyterian Villages’ Employees i VillageLfe W Dear Colleagues: What are you THANKFUL for? Just pause for a moment to consider this important question. What are you thankful for? Operation Able Awards Page 3 Partners In Technology Page 5 Inside This Issue In a world that so often is consumed with negativity, sorrow, conflict and pain, there is not enough attention given to all that there is to be THANKFUL for. With the Thanksgiving Holiday fast approaching, please take some time to reflect on those people, occasions, places and experiences that have enriched your life during the past year. I hope that some of these are connected to your service at PVM. Also, think about the role that you have played in the lives of others… family members, neighbors, friends, fellow staff members and the elders who you serve. I am sure that many of these are truly THANKFUL for YOU. May GOD bless you and yours during this Thanksgiving season and always. With deep appreciation and gratitude for all that you do. The Village of East Harbor maintenance staff was awarded the Coralee Henrikson Beautification Award honoring their hard work keeping the village looking beautiful this summer. David Miller presented the maintenance department with the award at a reception where staff and residents celebrated with punch and cake provided by Morrison Food Service. The Village of East Harbor campus is set in 44 park-like acres with 3 different gardens and multiple green spaces for residents, staff and visitors to enjoy. We give our thanks to the East Harbor team for maintaining the grounds year round and especially for their extra work during the summer months. Congratulations on this exciting award! T The Village of East Harbor Celebrates Winning the Coralee Award Roger L. Myers SERV ANT LEADER President and Chief Executive Officer Pictured Above: Mary Breen, Roger Sanday, Fadil Muharemovic, George Lenczewski, Doug Vincent, Frank Janssens, and Rod Brandt. Not Pictured: Fred Spaller, Gerry Poelker, Mario Dagostinis and temporary ground staff Jeff Steffen and Paul Vanderdonck For the month of November, I would like to honor and recognize all of the efforts of the Village employees who worked with PVM Foundation to help make PVM and their Villages a better place for our residents to call their home. Budget Worksheets I want to extend a huge thank-you to all of the Village Administrators who submitted a budget worksheet to PVM Foundation this year. These forms outlined the amount of money each Village expected to raise and spend in 2008 and the specific projects and timelines the funds would be expended on. These forms helped us organize and sophisticate our budgeting process and we are grateful for the quality work from the Administrators! Open Enrollment PVM Foundation had excellent participation in our Open Enrollment Sessions and 20 employees enrolled in a new or increased payroll or PTO deduction! Congratulations to our 2007 $25.00 gas card winners: Linda Johnson-The Village of Redford Mike (Merle) Allen-Our Saviour’s Manor IAWL Support Many Villages are committed to the success of the PVM Foundation It’s A Wonderful Life event and have supported us in many ways beyond buying tickets. There are many creative ways to get involved: G The Village of Oakland Woods held a successful Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre event on October 27th to raise money for their IAWL silent auction basket. G The Detroit Region held an energy-filled Gospelfest at The Village of Brush Park on September 21st with an offering to support IAWL. G The Village of Westland Resident Council made a donation to the event in lieu of purchasing a table this year. Foundation Update I hope that you were able to get a flavor of the many types of fundraising activities and the Village staff and resident participation with the PVM Foundation. If you have an idea for a project or fundraiser for your Village, please contact the Foundation office at 248.281.2040 to talk about your idea. We would love to hear from you! Melinda Conway Callahan President, PVM Foundation Working to Meet Fundraising Goals The residents, staff and family members at all of the Villages create wonderful ideas for programs, services and equipment that can enhance life at the Village. The following are two highlights of Villages who met and are working toward their fundraising goals: In September 2007, The Village of Hillside Manor opened the doors to their newly renovated Bloom! Room for wellness activities. In partnership with the PVM Foundation, Friends and Family Campaign and private donors, they were able to raise the over $14,000 to renovate a space into their new Bloom! Room. Congratulations on meeting your fundraising goal and for completing your project. I know you and your residents will enjoy your new space for years to come! The Village of East Harbor is working diligently on raising nearly $1million toward the completion of a chapel on their campus. Currently, over $110,000 has been raised toward their goal. The latest fundraiser was the annual Italian Feast with a raffle. Congrats to the raffle winners: 3rd Place $100: Patricia Pike, Administrator, East Harbor 2nd Place $250: George Melnyk, Dietary Director, East Harbor 1st Place $1,250: June Myers, Resident, East Harbor 2 The Village of East Harbor started a program to benefit our employees called “Betsy’s Pantry.” The pantry is for staff members and their family members who are in need. The pantry consists of nonperishable items, household items, toiletries, and baby supplies. At this time we are running very low on all supplies and are looking to restock our closet. Donations are being accepted at all main entrances at the Village of East Harbor. Please contact April Myers at 716-7397 or Tracy Tesch at 716-7408 with any other questions or concerns. Betsy’s Pantry As team captain for the Breast Friends of Inside Out Fitness team for the Michigan Breast Cancer 3 Day walk, I was honored by the presence of two of my coworkers, and 3 residents at this year’s event. As a 5th year participant, I fully expected the event to become somewhat “ordinary” for me now. I could not have been more wrong. This year I felt like I was walking with my mom, who lost her battle with cancer over 27 years ago. While walking with 86 year old (legally blind) Sophie Wasik, I learned so much about her life that I almost feel part of her family. I felt my mother’s presence as I walked, talked, cried, laughed, and stretched with Sophie, Audrey King, and Helen Houston. I watched as so many people were in awe of our participating residents. I was SO proud of them! One of my very best friends Julie walked with us. I had told her that she did not have to stay with us as her pace was “slightly” faster then ours. ? As we were walking the first morning I asked her if she wanted to walk with Sophie for a while and she did. A little bit later, as Julie and I walked together, she said to me “I am going to walk with you guys the rest of the weekend. I have realized that this is not about me walking all the miles, it’s about all this!” (As she pointed around to our group of residents and staff enjoying this special time!) While I could write so much more about this event, I have asked my teammates for their thoughts on it, so that I could share them with you. From Patti Mayes/Service Coordinator – a poem written by her! We walked the paths, and wore the pink, With bras on our hats, what would they think? We giggled, we laughed, and sometimes we’d cry, Until two men in a truck, danced happily by. The Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk: A Weekend to Remember in our Hearts Forever! People cheered and they honked, we’d get pats on the back. After so many miles, we were ready to hit the sack. The aches and the pains, the blisters and woes, Were forgotten like magic at the evening’s shows. A huge pink bubble of love and of caring, Surrounding us all in this event we were sharing. The Breast Cancer 3 Day will always remain In our hearts, there forever, the sweetest refrain. Thoughts from Helen Houston “It was awesome, thrilling, very emotional, and a wonderful, fun experience!” Thoughts from Audrey King “Walking the 3 Day was a great and emotional experience!” Thoughts from Sophie Wasik “If it is ever possible for anyone to participate in the 3 Day, they should! That is how much I loved it! It was an inspiration! If I was a little bit younger I’d do it again next year!” For more information on the 2008 – Michigan 3 Day Walk for Breast Cancer, contact Maggie Barclay at mbarclay@pvm.org! Employees receive honors at the Operation Able Awards! Operation Able Awards Luncheon on October 24, 2007 at the Hyatt Regency in Dearborn. Carmen Harlan was the emcee, and presented the Ability is Ageless awards to the top 10 winners. Greg Babb from the Village of Redford received one of these awards. Congratulations to Greg and also to Patricia Lindner, Mary Stye and Denny Goetz who received certificates. Not pictured, but also received certificates were Mariellen Davis, Helen Mikoloff (Village of Redford) and Terri Costea, Linda Martin, Lynn Bockensette, and Sue Koleczko (The Village of East Harbor). 3 Our third Community Forum ("A CALL TO WATCH PART III") was held on Monday, October 8, 2007 from 6-8 p.m. There were four things the Neighborhood Community Watch wanted to do with regards to Brush Park Manor - Paradise Valley 1) pay tribute in the form of a public thank you/acknowledgment for allowing us to meet in their facility; 2) pay tribute to several of the residents without whom I would not have been able to carry on this effort; 3) pay tribute to the security person as she has always looked out for our safety entering and leaving the building and 4) most importantly, honor Ms. Scott for her generosity and loyalty. Therefore, the following residents received special recognition called the “Great Looking Out” Outstanding Community Volunteer Award: Mr. Willie Williams Ms. Eunice Paul - for whom Ms. Scott accepted the plaque Ms. Dorothy Bell Ms. Applise Bryant Ms. Ethel Ambrose Mr. Thomas Page Mr. Larry Emmert Ms. Rosaana Pardo What began as an interesting challenge “One house at a time, one block at a time, one building at a time, one neighborhood at a time,” effort in the Spring of 2005 has blossomed into a full scale community effort by members of Historic Brush Park located in Midtown – Detroit, Michigan. The Village of Brush Park Manor “A Call to Watch”... Additionally, we presented Ms. Scott and Officers Dorsey and Munoz with a surprise special Great Looking Out Outstanding Community Support Award of recognition in the form of free standing engraved jade glass awards. Additionally, we had the following speakers: Deputy Chief Sheerce Fleming-Freeman, Detroit Police Department - Central District Mr. Paul Childs, Director of Clean Downtown During the program light refreshments were served and at the end we engaged in a networking session involving residents of other developments within the community. One our Watch members is Andrew Humphrey from Channel 4 who attended the forum. 4 Advanced Communications Incorporated (ACI), Advanced Satellite Communication (ASC) and Teoma Systems, were formally recognized as Presbyterian Villages of Michigan’s (PVM) 2007 Partners in Technology by Roger Myers, CEO and President, Melinda Conway Callahan, President of the PVM Foundation, and Paul McAninch, Director of Technology. McAninch selected these three companies from the hundreds that PVM works with based on three key criteria for being considered a partner with PVM: 1) the overall quality of service provided; 2) their willingness to earn business in a competitive marketplace; and 3) their ongoing philanthropic support of PVM. “If a company can meet the first two criteria they are a vendor, maybe even a good vendor. If a company goes the extra mile and believes in PVM’s mission, they’re a partner,” said McAninch. Michael A. Falsetti, President and CEO of ACI, began his career in the telecommunications industry Presbyterian Villages of Michigan Acknowledges ACI, ASC and Teoma Systems as Partners in Technology 25 years ago, and his entrepreneurial vision and strong leadership grew the company from a local provider to a provider that serves markets across the nation. ACI ensures and supports all the infrastructures of the cabling systems at PVM’s villages. Gus Semaan, President of ASC, which began in 1990, started his relationship with PVM in 1998, which started as a small service call. The relationship has now transformed into a partnership and his company supports and integrates technology solutions for closed-circuit surveillance systems throughout PVM’s villages. Daniel Janer, VP of Sales for Teoma Systems, has been working with PVM since June of 2003. Teoma Systems designed, implemented and supports PVM’s wide area network for both voice and data. Troy based Teoma Systems, founded in 1993, is a leading systems integrator with clients in 38 states. The support PVM receives from these three partners allows PVM to more efficiently support the care-free lifestyles that older adults prefer in its communities. The first annual Redford Poker walk was September 24th and was a big success. We had sixtynine participants and a beautiful day to walk around the campus of Redford. We raised around sixteen hundred dollars for the Wellness Programs throughout PVM, and we all had a great time doing it. Thanks to everyone who helped with this event. Our mission at Presbyterian Villages is to serve seniors, and we do a great job of it. With the start of fall take a look at your own personal Wellness. Ask yourself these questions: Your Personal Wellness These are just some questions to ask yourself and to get you thinking about your personal wellness. If you need help getting your personal wellness back on track Employees are encouraged to join the wellness centers. If your Village does not have a wellness center there is probably one close by or a Y.M.C.A. is another affordable option. It’s easy to make a change, like the NIKE advertisement says “JUST DO IT”. Stay Healthy, Your Wellness Coordinators Do you exercise regularly? Do you eat fruits and vegetables daily? How many times a week do you eat fast food? Do you drink enough water? Do you get enough sleep? Do you smoke? How many hours a week do you watch TV? How many hours a week do you read for pleasure? 5 Village of Redford Nov 12th at 10:00 Veterans Day Remembrance Ceremony Dec 3rd Holiday tree Decorating Contest (judging Dec 7th) Dec 14th Staff Holiday party Dec 31st at 12 noon – Resident New Years Eve Celebration Upcoming Events (Mark your calendar) Village of Warren Glenn Nov 15th Thanksgiving celebration at 11:30 a.m. Dec 20th Holiday Party and gift exchange with Santa at 11:30 a.m. Dec 22nd Resident tour of Holiday lights, and restaurant dinner Village of Peace Manor Nov 7th Canterbury Village Nov 15th Thanksgiving Celebration at 11:30 a.m., non-alcoholic wine and cheese party will precede the dinner. Dec 20th Holiday dinner with Mrs. Claus and gift exchange at 11:30 Village of Hillside Nov. 29th Soup luncheon prepared by Board Member Dec 13th resident Holiday Party at 1st Presbyterian Church of Harbor Springs, featuring entertainment by the “Kids Club” , homemade desserts by the Village of Hillside Board members, and a full turkey dinner. Dec 27th Soup luncheon prepared by Board member Bethany Manor Nov 3rd- Bethany Manor Resident Council Breakfast 9am-11:30am. Meals are $3 per person. Nov 7th- Body and Soul Presentation 2pm-4pm Nov 9th Movie Day sponsored by Councilmember Brenda Jones 2pm-5pm Nov15th- Village Thanksgiving Potluck Dinner 2pm-4pm. This event is open to anyone who wants to attend, just please bring a dish. Dec 1st- Bethany Manor Breakfast sponsored by Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity. Meals are free. Dec 20th- Bethany Manor Annual Holiday Party 5-8:30pm. Village of Oakman Manor Nov 4th Harvest Party hosted by the youth of Jefferson Avenue Presbyterian Church 2:30p.m- 3:30 p.m Nov 8th MI CAFÉ Open enrollment9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Nov 15th Resident Pre- Thanksgiving Dinner 4:00 p.m. Nov 22nd Thanksgiving Dinner Delivery11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. sponsored by Westminster Presbyterian Church. The Village of Westland Nov 17th Bazaar and Bake Sale - 9:00am-2:00pm Dec 14th Employee Holiday Party Dec 19th Resident Holiday Dinner PVM Foundation Nov 16th – It’s A Wonderful Life! Gala at The Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport 6 T The Village of East Harbor Award Thanks and Recognition for the Village of East Harbor This will be the last time I shall be able to ask this of you now that Molly Dunning is no longer with the Village of East Harbor, but I don’t want to let the opportunity go by without recognizing the care and kindness shown by three of your staff in the Health Care department. I would like to recognize everyone who touched Molly’s life because they were all instrumental in looking after her, but Lynette Sanday, Leeanne VanBuskirk and Traci Buckner are the ones who Molly came to rely on the most and who kept me advised on her condition on a continuing basis. Therefore, I would like to request that the Village list these three ladies in the Point Setters Awards program. They are very deserving and I know Molly would agree with me. Thank you and the Village of East Harbor for all you have done for her. Sincerely, John Dunning Dear Mrs. Pike On behalf of the staff and residents here at the Village of East Harbor, I was happy to accept this years Retired Senior Volunteer Program of Macomb and Senior Companion of Macomb's " 2007 Volunteer Station of the year" award. We value our parternership with this organization and appreciate the recognition. Patty Dobbs Thank You for Caring for My Brother The People at East Harbor, I want to thank everybody at East Harbor for the fine service you gave my brother while he was there, and the sympathy you gave me. Walter and Norma Michael Employee of the Month Gerry Poelker - Maintenance Tech The Villages of Hillside and Perry Farm would like to extend a warm welcome to our new Maintenance Supervisor, Ernst Rusche (pronounced like the color fuchsia!). Ernst has been working and living in the area for the past five years, and has many useful contacts and maintenance talents. He is also a licensed home builder which comes in very handy at work…and at home: Ernie and his wife Kathy are remodeling their 100 year old house in Petoskey. In the winter, Ernst and his wife also coach the Petoskey Middle School Ski Team at Nubs Knob. We are very happy to have Ernst in our “Up North” PVM Family! Jeanne Cole Administrator The Village of Hillside and Perry Farm Welcome T The Village of Hillside and Perry Farm How very grateful we all are for the sincere care you gave to Wilfred. Colleen, you most certainly have made a very positive and assuring difference at the Village! Thank you for taking the time to come out and comfort us. May our Lord continue to shower His grace on you and everyone at the Village. We will not forget all you have done. Most Sincerely, Samuel and Vera Weeker Dr. Tommie Johnson Mrs. Evelyn Sims The Family of Wilfred Atkinson Weeker Thanks for Caring for Wilfred T The Village of Redford 7 T Jason has been employed with PVM for two years. He started as a cleaner for one of the of the contractors during the construction phase. Jason was doing such a great job and stood out from the crowd that he was offered a position as the maintenance supervisor for Harmony Manor. Jason has such a great relationship with the residents & vendors, he has not missed a day of work this year. It is a pleasure to know Jason is on the Harmony team where he is greatly appreciated. Linda Wilcox Property Administrator,COS,NSA,Cpm The Village of Harmony Manor Employee of the Month The Village of Harmony Manor M COME LIVE LIFE WITH US.™ The Mission of Presbyterian Villages of Michigan, guided by our Christian heritage, is to serve older adults of all faiths and to create new possibilities for quality senior living. The Vision of Presbyterian Villages of Michigan is to become the premier leader and organizational resource for older adults in Michigan. Mission Statement V Vision Statement 1. Click on Employees Only and 2. Type in “Employee” for User Name 3. Type in “pvm757” for Password Check out the PVM Website Employment Section http://www.pvm.org This will give you access to your employee handbook, benefit forms & information, payroll forms, the Village Life, and much, much more! See your Human Resources Liaison with any questions. Correction to October’s Village Life: The Detroit Region sponsored the Gospelfest, not only the Village of Bethany Manor. Sunday, November 11: Thursday, November 22: November Dates to Remember Veteran’s Day Thanksgiving The Code of Conduct (COC) is intended to provide guidance to ensure that our work is done in an ethical and legal manner. It emphasizes the shared common values that guide our actions, and the COC contains resources to help resolve any questions about appropriate conduct in the work place. Contact LaDonna Holley, Corporate Compliance Officer with any concerns you may have regarding COC at 248281-2056 or lholley@pvm.org. When to Call the Corporate Compliance Officer