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The fountains at Greenbriar in the News
Independence, Mo. – On September 28, Independence veteran Hans Schulze, 86, will travel along with other area veterans to the nation’s capital as a guest of Honor Flight Network (HFN). Schulze, a former Marine, signed up for Honor Flight about a year ago after attending a presentation about it at The Fountains at Greenbriar, the retirement community where he lives with his wife of 63 years.
According to HFN’s website, since its first flight in 2005 through 2010, the organization transported more than 63,000 veterans of World War II, Korea and Viet Nam to see the memorials built to honor their suffering and sacrifice to keep this great nation free and a world leader. Trips are paid for entirely by donations.
According to Sarah Albin, Community Life Director for The Fountains at Greenbriar, Schulze served a total of six and one half years in the military during both WWII and the Korean conflict. He lost an eye in Korea when he was directly hit by grenade fire. He still has shrapnel in the surviving eye and several prominent scars where other grenades hit him. He told Albin he was one of very few survivors in Iwo Jima and he looks forward to visiting that memorial.
Having cheated death numerous times, Schulze told Albin the resiliency he learned on the battlefield became a thread throughout his life. Once, when Schulze served as a company runner for a rifle platoon, he got caught in between enemy tanks. For three days, he had to hunker down in a foxhole with bullets flying over his head. “Finally, I thought well, I better make a break for it,” Schulze said. “If I get hit, I get hit. If I don’t, I don’t.” He has carried this attitude throughout his life, or perhaps this attitude has carried him. He has also survived a lightning strike at the age of 18 and a broken neck only a couple of years ago.
Independence, Mo. - Teams of associates from The Fountains at Greenbriar, 2100 S. Swope Dr., had fun stacking donated food items into intricate designs in a competition held in celebration of a recent food drive’s success. The Stacks ‘n’ Snacks Food Drive Celebration took place at the Indpendence retirement community on September 13th. In all 711 food items were collected in four barrels for the Salvation Army in a campaign led by the community’s Care and Share Committee. Four teams competed in the Stacks and Snacks contest. Most Creative Design went to the ____ team. A pizza party for the whole team was the prize.
“We like to celebrate any success big or small at The Fountains at Greenbriar and this was no exception,” said Desiree Rogers, Executive Director. “This effort shows that we certainly aren’t lacking in generosity or creativity around here.”
Executive Director Desiree Rogers (third from left) poses with members of the Care and Share Committee at The Fountains at Greenbriar along with some of the 711 creatively stacked food items the committee helped collect for the Salvation Army.
Helping others is one way to thrive at The Fountains at Greenbriar, as one team’s design illustrates.
Independence, Mo. - Helen Koch of Independence has been named one of 16 semi-finalists in the Beautiful Minds campaign for 2011, announced Desiree Rogers, Executive Director for The Fountains at Greenbriar, where Koch makes her home.
Beautiful Minds 2011 is sponsored by the National Center for Creative Aging to help raise awareness of people who are keeping their minds beautiful, and actions people can take to maintain the most important organ in our bodies—the brain.
“We are absolutely thrilled for Helen to be so prominently recognized as a role model,” Rogers said.
Koch is a former pastor’s wife and nurse. At 89, she stays active and inspires others by leading a “Bad Girls of the Bible” class at The Fountains at Greenbriar. The theme focuses on lesser-known female figures in the Old and New Testaments. The course is one of dozens offered to Fountains’ residents and area seniors through Watermark University. “I was a little nervous at first, but the residents have embraced me in this role,” Helen said.
When she’s not reading and preparing for Bible study, Helen participates in a biography writing class and current events discussions. She also regularly does chair exercise and goes to the theater.
Ten finalists will be showcased in a national photo essay exhibit that travels to multiple cities as part of an educational campaign to inspire all Americans to follow suit in maintaining their brain health. Beautiful Minds candidates who are selected will also receive $500 to be given to the nonprofit charity of their choice plus a prize package valued at $500.
Online polls are now open to the public. Read more about Helen and all the semi-finalists then vote for your local favorite at www.beautiful -minds.com. Direct link to cast your vote on line:
http://www.beautiful-minds.com/MeetTheBeautifulMinds/2011BeautifulMinds.aspx
By Kelly Evenson
Independence, MO — Christina Vaughn was excited when the St. Mary’s High School Student Council received a phone call from the Fountains at Greenbriar about its monthly Senior Dance.
“It was a chance for us to get out into the community and participate,” said the St. Mary’s junior. “We all were excited to be involved.”
Each month, residents at the senior living community in Independence have a senior dance. Every dance has a new theme and for the April dance, prom was one of the first that came to mind. Sarah Albin, community life director, said organizers zeroed in on the theme of “April in Paris.” The floor was decorated with a small Eiffel Tower and residents enjoyed a movie by the same name earlier in the day. She said having the students attend was a great idea to mingle the two generations.
“I pitched the idea to them (the Student Council) in February. The staff and students were enthusiastic about partnering to make this happen,” Albin said. “Anytime I can involve youth in our activities, I welcome the opportunity. Intergenerational activities help break down stereotypes about older adults from the other perspective, about teenagers too.”
Kevin Grover, president of the Student Council and a senior at St. Mary’s, said he liked the idea immediately. He said it was a good way to become involved with those at the Fountains and learn about a different group of people at the same time.
“There is a lot we can learn by simply listening to their lives,” he said. “We had the chance to talk with them and spend time with each of them. By listening to what has happened in their lives, we can take their advice and apply it to our own lives.” About 75 residents attended the senior prom, 20 guests and 10 students from St. Mary’s. Albin said she called two other schools in addition to St. Mary’s, but the Independence high school was the first to respond. She said St. Mary’s students have volunteered in the past at the Fountains and continue to be respectful and helpful to all of the residents and staff.
“Both groups seemed to have a great time,” Albin said. “At one point, I looked and saw one of our senior guests teaching one of the students how to do the jitterbug. They were smiling and laughing and wholeheartedly enjoying one another’s company. Moments like those make these events worthwhile.”
Senior Elizabeth Polina said she thought it was fun having the residents teach dances like the waltz and even a line dance. She said it was different, though, because that is not the type of dancing she is used to.
“It was just a different type of dancing than we all do at dances, but it was still fun,” she said. “We danced with the residents, ate and had the chance to sit and talk with them. I think they had a good time because they reminded us they have a dance every month.”
Albin said she attempts to include the community, whether it be high school students or adults in almost all of the events and programs at the Fountains. She said one of the biggest ways the community is incorporated is through Watermark University, a series of lifelong learning opportunities that are held throughout the year at the retirement center.
“Watermark is committed to creating extraordinary communities where people thrive,” she said. “I think the dance was a fun event for everyone. One of the St. Mary’s students even approached me about helping with game nights. She said a resident suggested the idea, and she thought her fellow student council members would enjoy that kind of project. I see this as proof that bonds were formed between young and old.”
See photos.
By Adrianne DeWeese
As long as Renata Hader keeps her hands moving, the effects of her arthritis are kept at bay.
“What do they say? If you don’t use it, you lose it – that’s really the case with me,” says 97-year-old Hader of her love for crafts. “If I don’t use it, I lose the use of something.”
She is just one person, but Hader needed a two-bedroom apartment when she moved into The Fountains at Greenbriar in Independence four months ago. The extra bedroom contains a trunk filled with crocheted afghans she made throughout the years, among other things.
That spare room consists of her work station, filled with spools of thread, multiple pairs of scissors, a collection of yarn in a variety of colors, completed and just-started projects – and her beloved 1942 Singer sewing machine.
“I’m just a person who has to keep my hands busy,” Hader says from her apartment at The Fountains. “I would not want to be here without being able to keep my hands busy.”
Hader has owned two other sewing machines in the nearly 70 years since buying the original, but they simply didn’t do what Hader wanted them to, she says.
Her love for crafts started eight decades ago when Hader’s mother taught her to crochet, which involves interlocking and looping thread with a hooked needle.
“They say you can knit if you can crochet,” Hader says. “Under my mother’s supervision, I knit a sweater … but I just cannot get the hang of knitting.”
One of her most beloved crafts is a frog she created from seashells, though she is no longer able to work with seashell materials because of her arthritis.
Hader really hasn’t had to go Christmas shopping in years. Instead, each year, she creates plastic canvas Christmas ornaments that hold money. Though her three siblings have died, Hader still makes the ornaments for her 106 nieces and nephews, which includes her blood-related greats, great-greats and triple-greats.
Hader enjoys watching the Game Show Network on TV, though she tries to stay involved in making crafts on a daily basis. She says crafts have likely led to her longevity, though Hader’s parents also lived until their 70s and 80s.
“I think you would easily give up,” she says. “I know I shouldn’t say this, but I find that it’s getting easier all the time just to sit and watch (TV), but I know that I have to keep busy, to keep active.”
Staff at The Fountains recently approached Hader about teaching several craft classes through Watermark University, a program that allows staff members and residents to teach their skills to the greater community.
According to Sarah Albin, community life director at The Fountains, Hader is one of the most crafty among the 187 residents at the retirement community. Though many of the female residents specialize in individual crafts such as making quilts or knitting, Hader is likely the most diverse in her making of crafts, Albin says.
“She has the biggest variety of different things,” Albin says. “She’s very enthusiastic about it.”
Hader is now working on linen covers for individual glasses at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church on East 39th Street in Independence, her congregation of choice since 1949. St. Paul’s also includes a prayer shawl group that meets twice monthly, and Hader has made 20 shawls since joining the group. She also volunteered and sold crafts at the Senior Citizens Craft Shop on the Square for eight years.
Born June 29, 1913, the retired payroll clerk has called Independence home since 1957, and until last August, she had lived in the same house on South Blue Ridge Boulevard. Her husband, Ervin Hader, died in 1982, and the couple had no children of their own.
“It was difficult, but it wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be,” Hader says of leaving the home she shared with her husband and called her own for more than 50 years. “It’s just like one big happy family (at The Fountains). I’m really liking it.”
Students who participate in Hader’s upcoming craft classes will leave with their own set of beverage coasters, and Hader offers just one word of advice for those who attend: Patience.
“You thank the Lord when you can do it because the time comes when you can’t do a lot of those things,” Hader says of not taking for granted tasks like using a pair of scissors. “I’ve never taught a thing in my life. I don’t know how I’ll come out on that, but I’ll try.”
Copyright 2011 The Examiner. Some rights reserved
By Adrianne DeWeese
March 1, Aug. 16 and Nov. 1 are the days to celebrate in 2011, at least for three female residents at The Fountains at Greenbriar, a retirement community in Independence. Those days feature the original artwork by The Fountains’ residents LaVon Williams, 84; Pauline Whitehead, 94; and Margaret Larsen, 92; inside Watermark Retirement Communities’ 2011 Thrive 365 desktop calendar. Watermark Retirement Communities includes 34 communities in 16 states.
The women’s paintings depict natural scenery in Switzerland, Denmark and Missouri. The paintings were completed in the 1980s and 1990s, and though none of the women actively paint today, Larsen still teaches her peers as a volunteer painting instructor for Watermark University at The Fountains. Another painting of Larsen’s also is featured as an honorable mention recipient in Expressions 2011, a wall calendar that Watermark Retirement Communities publishes annually.
1 What is your artistic background, and what triggered your interest in painting? |
Williams: I started out when I was very, very young, and my dad, he loved horses. He always (drew) pictures of horses with the saddles on and sometimes with the harness hitched up to wagons. That’s when I got interested in art. Over the years, my husband’s uncle also was a painter and was very good, here in the Kansas City area. I learned a lot from him. ... I’ve given most of my paintings away. |
2 Where did you gather inspiration for your artwork? |
Williams: Just everything – to me, everything you look at can almost be art. Art, to me, is an inspiration, and when you look around, you see things. I always took a lot of pictures when we’d go on vacation because that way you could come home and paint it. |
3 How do you think the creative process and healthy aging correlate? |
Williams: I think they are very much so. You know, art is related to all age groups, really. The older you get, the more you appreciate the things that you see around you. If you like art, you can take that all through your life. |
4 How has art affected your life? |
Williams: I think in just about every way because it’s not only what you see, but sometimes what you think has something to do with art. |
5 What advice would you offer for aspiring artists, and what advice can you offer seniors to stay active in their lives? |
Williams: I think just get up every day and have a good attitude toward the things around you. Always try to be pleasant. I think going to art shows is a big help for a beginner because you get acquainted with different artists and you learn from different arts people. |
Robert Gregor served on the USS Furse during World War II, Korea
Robert Gregor, who resides at The Fountains at Greenbriar in Independence, has been notified that he will be included in a group of World War II veterans to be flown to the nation’s capital next month courtesy of Honor Flight Network, a non-profit organization created solely to honor America’s veterans for all their sacrifices.
Gregor applied for this opportunity after learning about it at a presentation made to veterans at The Fountains at Greenbriar by representatives from Kendallwood Hospice a few months ago.
Gregor has lived at The Fountains at Greenbriar since 1994. Earlier this week, he told Community Life Director, Sarah Albin, about his military service. He joined the Navy in 1944 and first worked as a cook at Coast Guard Station in St. Louis. He shipped out to the Philippines in January of 1945 and also served in Guam during WWII. He was discharged in 1946 but decided to rejoin the Navy in 1947. During that time, he was stationed on a destroyer called the U.S.S. Furse off the East Coast.
He served in Japan from 1947-48 and in the tail end of the Korean War. He was discharged finally in Sept. 1951. He has a liberation medal and China service medal.
Mr. Gregor will be transported with other WWII heroes to Washington, D.C. next month to visit and reflect at the WWII Memorial. The trip will be at no cost to Mr. Gregor.
Independence, MO – Dorothy Erickson leaned in closely, just moments after she shook hands with a complete stranger for the first time.
“I need to tell you something,” Dorothy says, almost in an airy whisper. “I’m not ordinary.”
She “is not the grandmother that sits in a house on the side of the road and waits for people to come see me,” Dorothy continues. Just six months into her residency in The Fountains at Greenbriar, a retirement community in Independence, she is generating buzz as an 80-something-year-old woman who has gotten a few stamps in her passport.
“She is great fun and is young at heart – and she definitely ain’t ordinary!” wrote Alvene Swanepoel-Branco, a friend and an overseas travel companion of Dorothy’s who now lives in Portugal. “I was privileged to have (shared) so much with her and to have met her. She is a special person, and I love Dorothy very much.”
“I mean, would you call me ordinary?” Dorothy asks Erin Ricky, sales director at The Fountains, who sees the resident nearly every day.
Ricky pauses to form the right description.
“I’d call you ‘beautifully unique,’” she replies, “and I would never call you ordinary.”
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She taught kindergarten for 30 years near Versailles, Mo., living her entire life on the belief “I’m not ordinary,” she says. At 18, she married “her hero,” Kenneth Erickson. The two remained together for 37 years until he died of heart complications nearly three decades ago.
Her career started in a private kindergarten classroom, an experience Dorothy says “she enjoyed so much” that she thought it was necessary to earn a degree in education.
When her two oldest children were in first and third grade, Dorothy worked toward earning her undergraduate degree at age 27 – while six months pregnant. This took place during the mid-1950s, and Dorothy says she never let a barrier stand in her way.
“In that day, there were not pregnant students,” she says, “but I was married and had two other children!”
After retiring in 1988, Dorothy moved to Israel for a decade to care for her grandchildren while their parents – Dorothy’s daughter, Faith, and her husband, Moshe – worked. They lived in the Negev Desert on a small settlement near the Egyptian border.
“Another wonderful experience,” she says. “See? I just have one after the other. I can’t believe it. I think something’s guiding me.”
That marked the beginning of Dorothy’s excursions. Once, she sailed in a felucca boat along the Nile River, “just like living the pages out of a book when I was at school,” she says.
“A lot of the things I’ve done, the things have just come my way,” Dorothy explains. “The opportunity was there, and I made use of it.”
Faith and Moshe still live in Israel – she works as an archeologist, and he owns a small trucking business, Dorothy says.
Dorothy says she remembers “goose pimples” on her arms when her daughter in Israel first got a computer, sent a message to Dorothy’s son, Jonathan, in California and got an instant reply. During the Gulf War in the early 1990s, the whole family in Israel had to wear gas masks, including the young grandchildren, Dorothy says. They collected batteries for flashlights and stocked up on drinking water. Once, Jonathan called from California and asked, “Are you having fun yet?”
Until she relocated to The Fountains, Dorothy moved several times a year – she has a small cottage on a farm near Versailles, where she lived in the spring and fall. She has visited Israel annually since she permanently moved away 10 years ago. In the winter, Dorothy called Florida home.
“And I thought I’d never want to leave,” she says, “but when I found this place, I said, ‘This is it!’ ”
Dorothy stayed at The Fountains for a month because of health problems associated with her blood pressure, “just the one glitch” in her overall health, she says.
“Before the month was up, I just signed the paperwork and said, ‘This is it. This is home now. This is where I want to live,’ ” Dorothy says.
Dorothy’s classroom experiences didn’t end when she retired as a teacher. She teaches yoga classes at The Fountains, a discipline she learned a decade ago while living in Florida. And at The Fountains, she takes weekly beginning piano lessons and practices two hours each day.
“I figure if I’m going to do it, let’s do it right,” Dorothy says of her piano lessons. “It’s another good experience. I’m doing this for myself.
“You know, this piano, it’s for me – and I think we have to like ourselves.”
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It doesn’t matter what two numbers follow Dorothy’s name.
“No, I won’t tell you that,” she says, laughing, about revealing her true age. “I used to tell my age, but then I moved here where there are people 10 years or more older than me, so I think it’s no big deal.”
Typically, Dorothy is changing into her walking shoes “to get busy with her day,” Ricky says, laughing, of their encounters. Dorothy also is a regular at The Fountains’ monthly dances, and Ricky called her one of the more popular residents because of her charisma.
“Oh, here comes Dorothy!” Ricky says. “Everybody knows who she is. She’s active enough that it’s noticed enough when she’s not there. She’s just got that light and that spirit about her that people want to know her.”
Because of Dorothy’s active participation in activities and her proactive view on daily tasks, she serves as an inspiration to other residents at The Fountains – and to the associates who work within the community, Ricky says.
“She doesn’t sit and let life happen to her. She lives her life,” Ricky says. “A lot of times, people can be afraid of what the future holds and how will I age, and she’s a wonderful example of, ‘Don’t just sit there and take it. Live your life proactively and live it to thrive.’”
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Do you know what a bucket list is, Dorothy?
“I. Am. On. It,” she replies, punctuating her sentences for emphasis. “I can identify.”
A bucket list is a “wish list” of experiences people aim to accomplish before they “kick the bucket.”
About five years ago, Dorothy completed a zip-line in South Africa. She still wants to visit The Orient. Through regular e-mail correspondence, Dorothy keeps close contact with Alvene, a traveling companion whom Erickson visited in Portugal in 2008.
She has backpacked from Israel to England and went on a safari in South Africa.
“Actually, my bucket is about full,” Dorothy says, laughing. “Who knows? The opportunities just come. The idea – my list – I don’t know where it’s taking me, but I’ll be there.”
She wakes up at 6:30 a.m. daily, and she reads the Bible habitually. One of her favorite scripture verses, Psalms 90:9, reads, “Your life is a tale that is told.”
“In other words, it had better be good,” Dorothy says.
“So, what would the title of your autobiography be?” Ricky asks. Dorothy took the Life Story Class offered at The Fountains in which residents get to write their autobiographies.
“‘Life is good,’” Dorothy replies. “And it always has been.”
She doesn’t get nervous, and she isn’t afraid to try new experiences. Dorothy stresses the importance of one life lesson: “Don’t sweat the small stuff.” She opens her arms wide. “Just eat, drink and be merry.”
“You know, really, I’m not afraid of death. In fact, I’ll welcome it someday,” Dorothy continues. “Whatever it is will be. You know, we only have one life, and we might as well enjoy it.”
Copyright 2010 The Examiner. Some rights reserved
Independence, Mo. - The 2010 Fountains Blaze-Off and Senior Q will take place October 15-16, 2010 at The Fountains at Greenbriar, 2100 S. Swope Drive, Independence, Missouri. This KCBS-sanctioned barbeque competition, held in conjunction with Senior Q Month, has been proclaimed a Missouri State Championship by the Governor.
Over the years, The Fountains Blaze-Off and Senior Q has grown to be one of the most beloved events on the KCBS Barbeque Circuit as teams compete to win valuable prizes and come away with heart-warming experiences, every time. Seasoned resident judges from The Fountains at Greenbriar especially look forward to the event, according to Jon Williams, Director of Dining Services for The Fountains at Greenbriar and one of the co-founders.
“All of us at The Fountains at Greenbriar are really excited to host this event again this year,” said Williams. “My wife and I especially look forward to it and I know our residents do, too.”
In addition to $750 in prize money and a Weber Smokey Mountain Bullet Smoker, the Grand Champion of The Fountains Blaze Off and Senior Q will receive an invitation to the prestigious 2011 American Royal Invitational Barbeque Competition in Kansas City and the 2011 Great American Barbeque Invitational in Bonner Springs, Kansas and will be in the drawing to compete in the 2011 Jack Daniels World Championship Barbecue in Lynchburg, Tennessee.
Up to 30 contestant teams will be accepted with paid entry fees due by October 1. More information is available www.fountainsblazeoff.com. Senior Q has been celebrated in the Greater Kansas City area since 2006 when, in an effort to raise awareness of our elderly as a national treasure, the Kansas City Barbeque Society, the National BBQ News, and the Iowa Barbeque Society joined hands in declaring October "Senior Q month."
Independence, Mo. – Residents of The Fountains at Greenbriar collected 475 non-perishable food items plus close to $250 in cash donations, far exceeding their expectations for collections on behalf of Harvesters Community Food Network last month.
According to Sarah Albin, community life director for the retirement community located at 2100 S. Swope Drive, the drive was spearheaded by the community’s Care and Share committee and members of the Current Events club, whose goal was to collect 400 food items.
Before delivery of their food drive booty to Harvesters, Fountains residents gathered for a celebratory photo around the community fountain -- filled to the brim with donated food.
The Fountains’ effort helped jumpstart Harvesters’ Hunger Action Month, continuing through the end of September.
“There was a lot of heart put into this effort and it went a long way. We look forward to doing it again next year,” Albin said.
Fountains residents Sharon Johnson (left) and Emily Miller (right) display some of the nonperishables collected during their August Food Drive for Harvesters.
Harvesters is a clearinghouse for the collection and distribution of food and related household products, serving an estimated 66,000 individuals per week. According to food bank literature, Harvesters can provide three meals for every $1 donated.
Spearheaded by the retirement community’s Care and Share Committee and representatives from the Current Events Club, the Food Drive will help jumpstart Harvesters’ Hunger Action Month in September.
Harvesters is a clearinghouse for the collection and distribution of food and related household products, serving an estimated 66,000 individuals per week.
Giving back to the community is something that many folks at The Fountains at Greenbriar have been doing most of their lives. Many of them lived through the Great Depression and they remember how it feels to go hungry. Today they don’t need to be reminded how fortunate they are.
“A lot of people here have always been attuned to helping people, so this gives them a chance to continue doing that” said Sharon Johnson, Care and Share Committee Chair.
At The Fountains, residents enjoy a comfortable, secure lifestyle with the convenience of chef-prepared meals, opportunities for lifelong learning, and outings to interesting destinations, such as the Burr Oak Woods Nature Center and the National Archives in Kansas City, which they visited earlier this month.
“Community service projects like the Harvesters Food Drive provide a sense of purpose, which is an important dimension of wellness and vitality at every age,” said Desiree Rogers, Executive Director of The Fountains. “We look forward to overflowing our fountain!”
Lots of love and promises kept are gifts that keep on giving
Independence, MO. – A new tie or a new rake may top the list of gifts many kids will give their fathers on June 20th. However, experienced fathers at an Independence retirement community are shifting the focus of the holiday to what lasting gifts fathers can pass on to future generations.
Associates of The Fountains at Greenbriar, 2100 S. Swope Dr., recently sat down with four dads in residence to ask their opinions about fatherhood. Following is their advice for young fathers today.
“As soon as they are old enough, take them with you in whatever you do and give them a lot of love. This will bring them closer to you, and you’ll not only have a son or daughter but a friend for life.” --LeRoy Lindblom, 78, raised two children in Grinnell, Iowa
“Make the most of each second. For, once past, it is gone forever. You may recall the memoires, but not the time.” --John Cox, 91, raised four children in California, Missouri and Colorado
“Be sure when you promise them something that you follow through on it, and before you make that promise, be sure it’s logical.” --Ed Chandler, 93, raised four children in Independence, Mo.
“You can make them mind, but you have to do it in a manner that is firm, but not angry.” --Bob McKim, 87, raised three children in Independence, Mo.
Each of these fathers raised their families a half century ago. Such perspective lends both clarity and credibility to their advice.
By speaking out, these members of an experienced generation are offering young fathers today a most valuable gift.
Chuck Holden came to Liberty Memorial Monday to honor his fellow veterans. The 88-year-old man wept while telling KMBC about his 3 1/2 years as a POW in World War II.
See the news video.
One Watermark University course, Oil on Canvas Painting, is taught by Fountains at Greenbriar resident Margaret Larsen. This eight-week course allows participants of all levels to express themselves through art. According to Margaret, “anyone can learn to paint.” There is no charge for Session I which runs from 1:00 to 2:30pm every Tuesday in May.
Behind the Scenes is a course taught by prospective resident Glen Paronto. During a four-week session, participants will get ‘the insider scoop’ on musical films from a true movie buff. Each class airs a different show. This class takes place Sundays at 4:00pm on July 18 and Aug. 1, 15, 29.
Bejeweled is a class that will show participants how to create their own accessories – pins, bracelets, earrings, and more – every month from 2:30 to 3:30 pm on May 14, June 11, July 9, & Aug. 6.
Arm Chair Travels is described in the course catalogue as “your passport to new and exciting locations!” Four monthly destinations include the Ozarks (May 11), Peru (June 22), The Bayou State (July 29) and Italy (August 19). Presenters, who include volunteers, associates of The Fountains, and special guests will present travel photos, food and fun facts about each tourist attraction--all to be enjoyed from the comfort of your armchair. Times vary.
Seniors from the greater Kansas City area are encouraged to check out the wide range of courses available through Watermark University. From arts and crafts, games and fitness, to more serious subjects like “Dealing with Loss” with Vickie Mears, and “I Can’t Hear You” a two-part Lunch and Learn series with Kathryn Grote, there are many interesting courses for seniors and their families to discover.
All Watermark University courses are open to the public, and most of them are free of charge. For more information, call Sarah Albin at The Fountains at Greenbriar, 2100 S. Swope Drive, Independence, MO, at 816-257-5100.
By Adrianne DeWeese
The Examiner
Posted May 08, 2010 @ 12:49 AM
Independence, MO
Several women living at The Fountains at Greenbriar, a retirement community in Independence, were interviewed on their advice for today’s mothers. Though it has been at least 50 years since these women raised their own children, they believe the basics still remain true in 2010.
Peggy Nicoll, 76 Raised three children in Kansas City “Correct them if they need it, but do it lovingly. I think children need discipline, but they need loving discipline. Take them to church! Not only take them to church but also go with them and be there with them.”
Bette Craig, 86 Raised five children in Kansas City, Kan. “Patience is one of the most important things, if not the most important. When you have five children, you have to have a lot of patience. I try not to be angry. If the children are having problems with one another, you have to be fair. You have to be stern, but loving.”
Eleanor Pearson, 91 Raised two children in Raytown “Stay close to your children. Discipline them, and you will be rewarded in the end. Things were very different back then.”
Nellie Miller, 93 Raised two biological children and a stepchild in Kansas City “I feel sorry for people who don’t have children. Be stern. Be strong. You’ve got to carry through with punishment so they know that you mean it. Give them a lot of love.”
Copyright 2010 The Examiner. Some rights reserved
Independence, MO -- The Fountains at Greenbriar is pleased to announce its Watermark University semester course catalog to area seniors. With a curriculum tailored specifically for seniors, Watermark University is a continuing education program designed with interesting topics and activities to keep minds and bodies fit. Courses begin in May.
One Watermark University course, Oil on Canvas Painting, is taught by Fountains at Greenbriar resident Margaret Larsen. This eight-week course allows participants of all levels to express themselves through art. According to Margaret, “anyone can learn to paint.” There is no charge for Session I which runs from 1:00 to 2:30pm every Tuesday in May.
Behind the Scenes is a course taught by prospective resident Glen Paronto. During a four-week session, participants will get ‘the insider scoop’ on musical films from a true movie buff. Each class airs a different show. This class takes place Sundays at 4:00pm on July 18 and Aug. 1, 15, 29.
Bejeweled is a class that will show participants how to create their own accessories – pins, bracelets, earrings, and more – every month from 2:30 to 3:30 pm on May 14, June 11, July 9, & Aug. 6.
Arm Chair Travels is described in the course catalogue as “your passport to new and exciting locations!” Four monthly destinations include the Ozarks (May 11), Peru (June 22), The Bayou State (July 29) and Italy (August 19). Presenters, who include volunteers, associates of The Fountains, and special guests will present travel photos, food and fun facts about each tourist attraction--all to be enjoyed from the comfort of your armchair. Times vary.
Seniors from the greater Kansas City area are encouraged to check out the wide range of courses available through Watermark University. From arts and crafts, games and fitness, to more serious subjects like “Dealing with Loss” with Vickie Mears, and “I Can’t Hear You” a two-part Lunch and Learn series with Kathryn Grote, there are many interesting courses for seniors and their families to discover.
All Watermark University courses are open to the public, and most of them are free of charge. For more information, call Sarah Albin at The Fountains at Greenbriar, 2100 S. Swope Drive, Independence, MO, at 816-257-5100.
Independence, Mo. – It could have easily been mistaken for a segment being filmed for PBS’ popular Antique Road Show. Only the cameras were missing. But nobody seemed to mind that on March 13th when a crowd gathered at The Fountains at Greenbriar, treasures in hand, for a free consultation from Platte City appraiser Mary Ann Brooks.
According to event organizer Erin Ricky, more than 50 participants responded to The Fountains’ invitation to bring up to four antique items for a free, on-the-spot appraisal at the community, located at 2100 S. Swope Drive. After sharing their wares, they enjoyed lunch and tours compliments of The Fountains, which is home to nearly 200 ageless residents--and an untold number of antiques.
According to Brooks, items presented ranged from a plaster replica of Rin Tin Tin, a relic from a boyhood carnival; to a very valuable 200-year-old gold-painted Saint icon made in Russia. One of the most unusual items, she said, was a Swedish coffee server painted to look like burled wood, then finely accented in 24-carat-gold paint applied with a tiny brush.
“Whether or not their items were valuable, they were valuable to them,” said Brooks.
Most valuable of all were the smiles on everyone’s faces as they learned about their family heirlooms and swapped stories. “It’s our goal here at The Fountains to offer interesting events to suit a variety of interests, and to always have fun along the way,” Ricky said.
Independence, Mo. – The University of Central Missouri has awarded Sarah Albin the prestigious Riley H. Pittman Outstanding Student Award for 2010. Albin works full time as community life director for The Fountains at Greenbriar while pursuing her Masters degree in social gerontology from the University of Central Missouri. The Fountains plans to host a reception for Albin to celebrate her award.
Pittman, who taught sociology at the University of Central Missouri from 1957 until his retirement in 1976, started and grew the sociology department, which now offers Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Science in Social Gerontology degrees.
Nominated by faculty, one gerontology student each year is honored for excellence in class-related activities; quality oral and written work; good leadership skills; and a belief that the student will represent UCM well in her/his chosen profession.
“We are so proud of Sarah and not the least bit surprised that she has been so honored by the university,” said Desiree Rogers, executive director for The Fountains at Greenbriar. “We see Sarah apply those same traits in her work here, every day.”
In her work as community life director, Albin helps organize lifelong learning and other resident programs. Future classes and workshops promoting brain and body fitness will be offered through Watermark University at The Fountains at Greenbriar starting May 1.
Watermark Retirement Communities Reappointed as Manager for Fountains Portfolio
Watermark Retirement Communities, Inc., formerly Fountains Retirement Communities, has been reappointed as manager for 16 retirement communities previously managed by Sunrise Senior Living, announced David N. Barnes, President/CEO of Watermark Retirement Communities.
“Watermark was the obvious choice for managing the Fountains portfolio because we know the communities so well,” said Barnes.
After selling 18 properties within the Fountains brand to Sunrise in 2005, Fountains Retirement Communities was renamed Watermark Retirement Communities. Over the past four years, with his partner David Freshwater, former Fountains CEO, Barnes has grown Watermark’s management portfolio to 11 communities plus three home health agencies in six states. The addition of the Fountains portfolio brings Watermark’s total managed communities to 27 in 16 states.
“We very much look forward to the coming weeks and months as we personally welcome back so many former residents and associates into the family of Watermark communities. It feels like we’re putting the band back together,” stated Barnes.
Watermark Retirement Communities has owned and operated successful, innovative senior housing communities for more than 20 years. According to Barnes, Watermark is committed to creating extraordinary communities where people thrive and a culture where everyone is encouraged to express their creativity, passion and inner child – to express their true selves. As a result, Barnes says, Watermark communities are full of spirit, character, compassion and adventure.
INDEPENDENT LIVING
The Fountains at Greenbriar | 2100 S. Swope Drive | Independence, MO 64057 | 1-816-425-2157
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