August 2014

By the Rev. Dr. Larry Thornton, Aberdeen Village chaplain

The 40 days of Lent began on Ash Wednesday with the sign of the cross in ashes on the forehead and hearing the words, “Turn away from sin; be faithful to the gospel.” The church encourages us to have a time of self-examination, rethinking and reordering of our life: I can choose to be a grumpy grouch. I can choose to wilt and then wither away. I can choose to lament and languish. I can choose to grow older with all the kickin’ and screamin’ that’s left in me.

Pain is inevitable but misery is a choice. Or I can choose to age with a gentle heart, alive in the Spirit of the living God, full of his grace in Jesus Christ, with the power of God still at work in me regardless of my advancing years. Psalm 92:12-14 says it so well. “ The righteous flourish like a palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the Lord. They flourish in the courts of our God. They will bring forth fruit in old age.” What do you want to be?

May our Lenten journey be a time for retrospection, for looking back across the hills and valleys of our existence and noting where God has intervened in our path, lifting a burden here and introducing a surprise there. We need to trace our journey — write our autobiography — and realize how wonderful the God of the covenant has been. In retirement, we have more time to be with the Lord. To practice the Presence. To experience the indwelling Spirit. To be in touch with God!

The gift of time is nothing else than a gift of God, a precious package of life sent to us by our Lord, individually gift-wrapped and with our name on it … to give us the time that never seemed to be ours when we were younger. What a wonderful gift this is! Time for grandchildren and great- grandchildren. Time for prayer. Time to read the great books. Time to visit old friends. Time to think, to reflect, to love and laugh and listen to music. Time to exercise. Time to work on our own projects. Time to calibrate our spiritual compasses and get the priorities of life in proper order. I am no longer young, but I am not too old … to grow and change and flourish in the love and grace of God!

Ready for your Lenten journey?

BRAIN, continued on page 4

Aberdeen Heights March 2015

A proud member of Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America

Community Matters

GIVING, continued on page 3

Giving is a hallmark of PMMA’s historyGenerous donations and local relationships are the hallmarks of Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America. We often recall the story of Alice Kalb, who at 90 traveled to a 1947 Presbyterian Synod of Kansas meeting to ask for a retirement community in Kansas.

According to Edwin Shafer, senior vice president of development, what Mrs. Kalb basically told the Synod was: “If I give you all the money I have, will you build a home for the aging?”

Her heart-felt offer symbolized the plight of a growing number of seniors in need of the church’s help. Kalb’s initiative led a farmer from Wakarusa, Kan., to bequeath his farm to the new project. The sale of that land upon his death provided the funds for the first building of Newton Presbyterian Manor.

Today, philanthropy at PMMA is evidenced through community partnerships, capital campaigns, Good Samaritan Program giving, special projects campaigns, and planned giving through wills, trusts and charitable gift annuities.

Many of PMMA’s 18 communities were opened with the help of local fundraising campaigns.

is published monthly for residents and friends of Aberdeen Heights by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Learn more at: PresbyterianManors.org.

James “Jamie” Kneed, executive director

To submit or suggest articles for this publication, contact Vicky Weibel, resident lifestyle coordinator, at vweibel@pmma.org. Telephone: 314-909-6000Address: 575 Couch Ave., Kirkwood, MO 63122

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

Community Matters

Consider donating to Aberdeen Heights’ Garage Sale Committee, where your unused goods can have a new life and help others.

2 Community Matters February 2015

March 8, 2015

Garage Sale Committee seeks donations

Up until several years ago, Emmanuel “Manny” Paxhia had never even been to a garage sale.

“I’m not sure why they chose me to run this thing, but they asked, and I said yes,” Manny said.

By “they,” he means members of the resident council, which started hosting a garage sale not long after Aberdeen Heights opened to raise money for the employee appreciation fund.

“Most of the fund is made up of cash donations, but the garage sale brings in a decent amount,” said Manny. “It’s a good way for people moving from independent living to another level of care to downsize their things, and the community enjoys coming and shopping.”

The garage sale typically takes place toward the end of the summer, but if you’re looking to donate some items, it’s not too early.

“We’ll always take your things,” said Manny. “As a matter of fact, we had to have an additional sale in December to clear out room in storage. That’s a good thing.”

If you’re interested in donating items or perhaps volunteering your time, call Manny at 314-824-8947.

There were donations of land for the Clay Center, Fort Scott, Olathe and Topeka locations. In addition, coalitions of citizens, churches and business leaders raised money for buildings in the Dodge City, Emporia, Parsons and Rolla.

Through the years, capital campaigns have enabled PMMA communities to continue expanding services and remodeling campuses.

Over the past eight years, Shafer said, there have been four capital campaigns. Ark City added a memory care assisted living neighborhood, and Clay Center added health care rooms and space for dining and activities. Newton

created several neighborhoods at the health care level, and Rolla added assisted living rooms and a community meeting room.

Good Samaritan Program

PMMA’s Good Samaritan Benevolent Care Program provides close to $4 million a year to touch the lives of nearly 400 residents, Shafer said. Mailings are sent throughout the year to enlist support from friends.

The Good Samaritan Program allows residents to remain in their apartments even after they have exhausted their financial resources.

A similar mail solicitation is conducted in late summer/early fall

to benefit the Employee Scholarship Fund, which reimburses employees for tuition for approved classes.

Some campuses have special event fundraising programs.

For example, a couple of months ago, Lawrence’s soft-serve ice cream machine, donated to the Manor 15 years ago, could no longer be repaired. To meet this need, residents kicked off a campaign to raise the money for a replacement. In a matter of two weeks, they reached the $15,000 goal.

For more information about planned giving, contact Ed Shafer at eshafer@pmma.org or 800-336-8511.

March 2 - 27, 2015• Resident survey •

• complete the •

Quality of services

Your Opinion Matters

GIVING, from page 1

3Aberdeen Heights

Coming Up in Community MattersCommunity Matters will focus on Older American’s Month in an upcoming issue. The 2015 theme is “Getting into the Act.”

How were you involved in your community?

Did you serve in public office or otherwise participate in civic government?

What was your experience like?

If you have a story to tell, contact Resident Lifestyle Coordinator Vicky Weibel to share your idea. Your story may be selected for the next issue of your community newsletter.

In 2006, SSM Health Care of St. Louis moved its St. Joseph’s Hospital from a site in Kirkwood, Mo. As part of this hospital relocation, SSM Health Care issued a request for proposals to determine what to do with the old hospital campus site. Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America’s proposal for a continuing care retirement community was selected as the project to be constructed on the old hospital site.

PMMA’s 18th senior living community known as Aberdeen Heights opened in September 2011. Upon completion, Aberdeen Heights would include 243 independent living apartments, 30 assisted living apartments, 15 residential-style memory care rooms and 38 private nursing rooms. Aberdeen Heights is PMMA’s fourth senior living community in Missouri, joining the communities in Farmington, Fulton and Rolla.

In August 2012, PMMA announced plans for a major repositioning of its Wichita Presbyterian Manor

campus. The project would encompass nearly two-thirds of the grounds by replacing existing independent living cottages and the assisted living and health care areas with new buildings, completed in two phases.

The first phase encompassed new assisted living apartments including 24 assisted living memory care suites and a new health care neighborhood with dedicated short-term rehabilitation suites and new common areas for all levels of care. The amenities include a new chapel, bistro, beauty salons for independent, assisted living and health care areas and a new kitchen for the entire campus. The first phase was completed in late 2014 with health care residents moving into their new building in November, and the assisted living residents moving into their new residences in December.

Phase II of the repositioning of the Wichita campus will include 90 independent living apartments in

a new three-story building known as The Westerly. This second phase began in December 2014 with demolition of the previous health care and assisted living buildings. The Westerly is slated to open in late 2015.

This month, we conclude our look at the history of Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America as we celebrate the organization’s 65th anniversary.

Missouri gets new campus; Wichita campus is reborn

A beautifully appointed sitting room at Wichita Presbyterian Manor.

Receive our newsletter by email. Message

smay2@pmma.org and ask to have the

newsletter delivered to your inbox. It’s that easy!

Aberdeen Heights, PMMA’s fourth senior living community in Missouri.

4 Community Matters February 2015