File - Senior Connections

Spring 2014 Volume 54
The mission of Senior Connections is to recruit, train and support
volunteers who visit and befriend isolated adults in our community.
Dear Friends,
This winter/spring issue is always about gratitude. And what a lot we have to be thankful for this year - you!
Aging is a time of unique challenges and opportunities, and through your support we are fortunate enough to be
here to walk alongside our seniors as they progress along their journey. We are here to lend a helping hand to
one who may stumble, to listen with a grateful ear to an older adult who may feel they are going it alone.
We exist because you understand how essential it is to be there when the going gets tough and the way seems so
lonely. Our seniors are the heart and bedrock of the community and they have given us a way forward through
their years of hard work and rich lives spent among us. They were the teachers of our children, and the persons
who delivered the mail. They were our nurses, our librarians and our caregivers. They are still our neighbors and
our friends.
As you read these pages you may notice that our support continues to grow and diversify. We are so thankful for
each new gift! Please make a special note of all of those businesses in Evanston who gave freely and generously
to support our Fall Fundraiser. We hope you will consider them you fill out your shopping lists and Go Local!
We are collaborating evermore with our partners in the community: We are on the Planning committee for the
Aging Well Conference and Film Fest held in May this (see more about that inside) and are on subcommittees for
the Age Friendly Evanston! Initiative through the City of Evanston and the World Health Organization and, we are
thrilled to be partnering this fall on a workshop with the Evanston Art Center. (full disclosure – I have been taking
some classes there recently and have realized that my age and experiences are positive factors in the art I create)
–so I asked the Art Center to help bring this experience to our seniors –and they said YES!
But most importantly – we remain thankful to continue to embrace the older adults of Evanston and the
volunteers of all ages who gather together weekly to nurture, support and enjoy each other in thousands of
hours of one-on-one visiting.
Please take a moment to congratulate yourselves for putting your hours, your skills, your kindnesses and yes,
your dollars towards keeping Senior Connections and the wonderful elders of our community embraced and
engaged in Evanston.
Thank you,
Barbara
Senior Connections Honor Roll
We celebrate and remember those for whom a
contribution has been given
In Honor of
Ellen Butkus
Don and Patty Baker; Martha McDonald; Phyllis
Schlueter; Suzanne Carlson
Emily Kastrul Clarke and Rob Clarke
Susan Gessner Barker
Helen Conway
Joey Conway
Joan and Diane
Hub Dretzka
Karyn Glass
Sanford Glass
Eleanor Kaufman
Ann and Tom Mc McMahon; Martha Clark;
Joseph and Ellen Sanford
Wendy Klinkner
Rosa and Jessie Hano; Bay Sittler; Martha
McDonald; Kathy Bogacz; Barbara Sittler; Suzanne
Carlson, Alliene Edson
Wendi Kromash
Joseph and Ruth Kromash; Indira Johnson
Marysia Lisowski and Ann O’ Neil
Wendy Klinkner
Esther McGuire
David Roosevelt
Beanie Peterson
Ann Fay
Florence Sibert
Betty Smitherman
Jessie Sibert
Florence Sibert
Barbara Sittler
Bay Sittler; Norma Martin; Marj Lundy; Martha
McDonald, Alliene Edson
William Soule
Donald Soule
Amanda Osborn and Jane Newton
Sallyann Garner
Amy Keefner Tharpe
Barbara Ann Smutnik
Penny Whiteside
Ann Searles
Harvey Whitfield and Gladys Johnson
Barbara Sittler
In Memory of
Ruth Allison
Amanda Jones
Marta Appel
Doris A. Graber
Kathleen Blankenstein
Phyllis Ryan
Rita Calsyn and Mary H. Heimer
Joey Conway
Mildred Cooper
Denise Denholm
Joan Edwards
Jane Bayldon
Jane Hernandez
“My loving friend” Winnie Dotson
Donna Johnson
Barbara Sittler and Harvey Whitfield
Ethel Jurs
Diane Ethel Parker
Jean Gessner Kastrul and Jeff Kastrul
Susan Gessner Barker
Pearl Levine
Kristine Anderson
Esther McGuire
David Roosevelt
Rose Schencker
Elaine Lewis
Lena Ransom Sibert
“My mother” Vincent A. Ransom
Hans Sittler
Claudia Sittler, Harvey Whitfield and Barbara
Sittler
Nancy Spellman
Jean Luft
Reid Keefner Tharpe
Jan Keefner
B.J. Wagner
Anna Boekstegen
In Memory of cont.
Harvey and Kate Whitfield
Harvey Whitfield and Barbara Sittler
John and Frances Wilcznski
Charlie and Donna Kitchen
Mary Woeber
Amy Keefner Tharpe
Athena Youtsos
My Mother – Harriet Becharas
In Gratitude for ALL our Faithful Donors in 2013
Trail Blazers: $1000 and above
Al and Ellen Butkus
Abigail Butkus and Lonnie Upshaw
Deb Cross
Glynis and Dan Doyle
Diane and Paolo Fellin
First United Methodist Church of
Evanston
William and Beth Geiger
David and Mary Ann Grumman
Michael and Rhoda Kamin
Peter and Margaret Morris
The Trustmark Foundation
Harvey Whitfield and Barbara Sittler
Penny Whiteside
Anonymous
Path Tenders $300 to $999
Nancy Baker
Joan and Daniel Batlle
Catholic Woman’s Club of Evanston
Christopher Cain
Emily and Rob Clarke
Jane and David Doyle
Alliene Edson
Lawrence and Kris Erickson
Mel and Meta George
Margaret Gergen
Doris A. Graber
Rosa and Jessie Hano
Jerry and Wendy Klinkner
Elaine and Wade Lewis
Brad and Leslie Luning
John and Jane Peterson
Marie O’Connor
Reba Place Fellowship
Robert and Patricia Reece
Daniel and Caroline Selke
Stephen and Claudia Sittler
Thomas Smith
William and Donald Soule
Amy and Trevor Tharpe
Bridge Builders $100 to $299
James and Mary Abbott
Roberta and Edward Bannon
Susan Barker
Harriet Becharas
William and Anne Bevan
Nat and Judy Bilsky
Bill and Barb Bridges
Elijah and Hazel Brewer
Kathleen and Jerome Bogacz
Daniel Bullard
Vicki and Tom Burke
Patricia Caine
Martha and Loren Clark
Agnes Curtin
Linda Marie Delloff
Ann Sterry Fay
Earl and Bettie Fields
Marion Flynn
Chris and Cindy Galvin
Cease and Paul Giddings
Sanford Glass
Steve and Mary Goering
Erika and Howard Goldstein
Great Chicago Smiles
Julie Hagwood
David Hovde
Allan and Jeanne Howe
Sandra Hubbard
Fr. Willard Jabusch
Dorothea Jacobson-Wenzel
Amanda Jones
Mary Eleanor Kaufman
Charles and Donna Kitchen
Koi Restaurant and Lounge
Rupert Krieg
Wendi Kromash
Leslie and Paul Lehner
David and Lois Lieberman
Marysia Lisowski
Marguerite Lytle
Mary Pat Martin
Norma Martin
Pauline Mayo
Joseph McCloskey
John McKnight
Ann and Tom McMahon
Linda McMillan
Joseph Mrugalski
Marie O’Connor
Stuart Opdycke
Liz and Mike Otto
Diane Parker
Allie Payne
Anka Popovich
Ed and Mary Pec
Eric Peyer
David Phillips and Beata Walsh
Robert and Patricia Reece
Eleanor Revelle
Barbara Roberts
Bernard and Catherine Rocca
Phillip and Mary Roden
Ellen Sanford
Phyllis Schlueter
Bruce and Margaret Sents
Bay Sittler
Karyn Skleney
Jane and Carl Smith
Hon. Elizabeth Tisdahl
Christopher Thale
John and Gail Ward
Jim and Janice Zeller
Anonymous
Foundation Keepers up to $99
Margaret Adamson
Kristine Anderson
Nan Anderson
Don and Patrice Baker
Judy and Nevin Belser
Peggy and Julius Belser
Sen. Daniel Biss
Joy and Norman Blair
Rachelle Blough
Anna Boekstegen
Jacqueline Brenner
Ellen Browne
Warren Brown
Matt and Lisa Butkus
Suzanne and Stephen Carlson
Julie Chernoff
Heather Ashcroft Clark
Jean Clarke
Valerie Clarke
Joan Cohan and Jim Signorelli
Constance Conley
Joey Conway
Denise Denholm
Frances and Charles Devonshire
Don and Linda Dixon
Winnifred Dotson
Donald Draganski
Hubert Dretzka
Joan Edwards
Laura Farrelly
Christina Ferraro
Tessa Fisher
Priscilla Florence
John and Teri Frigo
Linda and William Frillman
Sallyann Garner
The Green Family
Richard Greenspan
Elizabeth Harling
Brenda Havens
Elaine Hendricks
Margaret Henningsen
Judith and Robert Herbert
Megan Hering
Kristie Higdon and Thomas
Draganski
Florence Hurter
David and Joanne Janzen
Indira Johnson
Rose and Robert Johnson
Sandra and Jeffry Jurs
Andy and Cori Keefner
Janice Keefner
Judith Brady Kirk
Miriam Kliot
Ruth and Joseph Kromash
Madeline Kurtz
Kathleen and David Lakowski
Hardist and Janice Lane
Linnea Latimer
Pearl and Susan Levine
Heather Lingner and Eric Yu
Marj Lundy
Jean Luft
Martha Mackin
Isadora McCoy
Joy McDevitt
Martha McDonald
Masako Nishikiori
Minnie Northcut
Colleen and Jeffrey Olson
Coula Papadatos
James Parker
David Phillips and Beata Welsh
Olga Pop
The Povailaitis Family
Anne Pyshos
Suzi Ralph
Vincent Ransom
Davidson Ream
Beverly Reese
Tehemina Richardson
Reenie Riley
Katherine and Steven Roberts
Tracy Roberts
Nancy and Carl Rollins
Kimberly Roosevelt
Lisa and Kevin Russell
Phyllis Ryan
Ann and John Searles
James and Rita Sheinin
Florence Sibert
Ann Sickon
Mary and Edward Signatur
Betty Smitherman
Barbara Smutnick
Tony and Debbie TenEyck
Frances Tenison
Renee Verghese
Tom and Allison Walder
Andrietta and Ashton Ward
Johannes and Julia Weertman
Ruth Werstler
Harvey Amani Whitfield
Joan Williams
Adella Zunas
In-Kind Donors
Larry Erikson
Julie Flores
Dorothea Jacobsen Wenzel
Jim Jung
Zainab Mian
Julie Neely
Carol Youngquist
Reba Place Church
Downtown Evanston
McGaw YMCA
Hilton Garden Inn
PaperSource
Northlight Theater
Light Opera Works
Evanston Symphony
Limelight Catering
Hecky’s Barbeque
Koi Restaurant
Oceanique Restaurant
Adagio Tea
WineStyles
Piron Chocolatier
Walsh’s Natural
Ergo Salon
Salon Roula
Somavida Bodyworks
Rebecca Sturgeon Massage
Williams Next Door
St. Joan of Arc School
Evanston Township High School
“Senior Studies” students
Around Town
Sunday, April 27th, 2014, Senior Connections Annual Appreciation Tea, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm, The King Home, 1555
Oak Avenue, Evanston.
Wednesday, May 7th, 2014, Aging Well Film Festival, 7:00 pm, Evanston Public Library, 1703 Orrington Avenue,
Evanston. Movie shown is I Never Said I Wasn't Happy.
Friday, May 9th 2014, 16th Annual Aging Well Conference, 8:00 am - 12:30 pm, Three Crowns Park, 2323
McDaniel Avenue, Evanston.
Hungry for more Senior happenings? Check out The City of Evanston Levy Senior Center News and FleetwoodJourdain Community Center (Senior News).
Founder’s Corner
An old Beach Boys song began, “Wouldn’t it be nice if we were older…?”
I recently spoke to a colleague who has directed a shared housing program for decades, asking how her work was
going. “Times have changed—we can no longer call organizations “senior” or name programs with “senior”—
people avoid them. People in their 60’s and 70’s are out playing tennis, doing yoga, travelling, shopping,
volunteering. ‘Senior’ means something different than when we began working on senior housing issues 20 years
ago.”
Another friend who passed her 6th decade of life experience said, “I’m not sure I am ready to identify with that
group.”
THAT GROUP. When did we stop wanting to be older?
Wouldn’t it be nice if we who ARE over 60 could embrace the positive of what that means for many of us—
freedom from child-rearing responsibilities; less pressure to achieve in business, or perhaps “retired” fully;
freedom to spend our time as we wish. Freedom to be ourselves and less pressure to meet someone else’s
expectations; to spend time with family and friends, being creative, caring for our bodies and our minds, giving
back. (And not fear the negatives, such as segregation, isolation, some rebellion from our previously agile
bodies?)
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could embrace aging, looking forward to being respected because we have achieved
much, given much, grown much, learned much? If we were sought out for our wisdom and insight simply
because we have experienced more of history and life than those with decades fewer years?
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could be confident that as another decade or two passes and our bodies (or minds)
break down some, that a label of “senior” would engender respect and inclusion? That we could count on
someone seeing our wit and worth and not just weaknesses?
The City of Evanston has embarked upon a process to prepare for its maturing population. WE have joined the
World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Network of Age Friendly Cities project, measuring its age-friendliness
and formulating a 3-year city-wide action plan for implementation. (Google ‘Age Friendly Evanston’—and join
us!) The Aging Well Conference, now in its 16 th year, joins professionals in the area of aging, and professionals in
EXPERIENCING aging  to learn and share myriad ways to age well and to include those who are aging/maturing
in our community. May 7 is the film festival, May 9 the conference—all free!
And of course, Senior Connections bridges generations (maybe blurs the boundaries would be an apt description)
through its friendships—as peers, persons sharing relationships with mutual benefit.
I think there is hope it WILL be nice when we’re older!
Happy Spring!
Ellen
Please join us at our
Annual Appreciation Tea
Sunday April 27th
The King Home 2 to 4 p.m.
Join us for an afternoon of Tea and Visiting, Music and story Telling as we celebrate our seniors
and their wonderful visitors.
Help us grow to meet the needs of our mighty older adults by making a donation by purchasing an
origami Heart or Crane at the “Giving tree”. Your gifts will help us expand to meet the ever
growing needs of the community
If you’d like to join us and have not received an invitation please let us know!
Call Wendy at 847-869-0682
A new collaboration!
Is joining with Senior Connections to host a creativity workshop for our
Seniors and their visitors at our annual Fall Luncheon.
There will be more about how this collaboration came about in coming issues of the
newsletter, on our Facebook page and on our website. Stay tuned!
Food for the Soul
From the desk of Wendy Klinkner:
It all starts with a Helping Hand!
I had a recent conversation with a couple of our seniors and volunteers and was reminded once again of the
kinds of practical things that get done because of someone is willing to take the time to care and help. One senior who
was needing to replace his bed with a hospital one, generously offered to give his practically new bed and frame away.
We posted his offer in the church bulletin; his visitor was there to facilitate the pick-up of the old bed. When the visitor
noted the bathroom counter obstructed wheelchair access for his senior, he called a carpenter friend of his who came
in that day and within two hours had the bathroom handicapped accessible. Now his senior was able to return home
to his new bed and an accessible bathroom.
Another senior who volunteers at an animal shelter recently shared with me that her visitor was an invaluable
“LINK” for her. Ms. S. said, “We both love dogs and with my visitor’s access to the web, she has enabled me to find
foster families for some of our shelter dogs.” Our senior wisely said, “It all starts with a volunteer spirit. It takes two of
the same heart and mind. You put them together and things get done!” And this is the essence of Senior Connections.
Board member Penny Whiteside forwarded this to us from an email she received:
You know ... time has a way of moving quickly and catching you unaware of the passing years. It seems just
yesterday that I was young, just married and embarking on my new life with my mate. Yet in a way, it
seems like eons ago, and I wonder where all the years went. I know that I lived them all. I have glimpses of
how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams.
But, here it is... the back nine of my life and it catches me by surprise...How did I get here so fast? Where did
the years go and where did my youth go?
I remember well seeing older people through the years and thinking that those older people were years
away from me and that I was only on the first hole and the back nine was so far off that I could not fathom
it or imagine fully what it would be like.
But, here it is...my friends are retired and getting gray...they move slower and I see an older person now.
Some are in better and some worse shape than me...but, I see the great change...Not like the ones that I
remember who were young and vibrant...but, like me, their age is beginning to show and we are now those
older folks that we used to see and never thought we'd become.
Each day now, I find that just getting a shower is a real target for the day! And taking a nap is not a treat
anymore... it's mandatory!
Cause if I don't on my own free will... I just fall asleep where I sit!
And so...now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared for all the aches and pains and the loss of
strength and ability to go and do things that I wish I had done but never did!! But, at least I know, that
though I'm on the back nine, and I'm not sure how long it will last...this I know, that when it's over on this
earth...it's over. A new adventure will begin! Yes, I have regrets. There are things I wish I hadn't
done...things I should have done, but indeed, there are many things I'm happy to have done. It's all in a
lifetime.
So, if you're not on the back nine yet...let me remind you, that it will be here faster than you think. So,
whatever you would like to accomplish in your life please do it quickly! Don't put things off too long!! Life
goes by quickly. So, do what you can today, as you can never be sure whether you're on the back nine or
not!
You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of your life...so, live for today and say all the things
that you want your loved ones to remember...and hope that they appreciate and love you for all the things
that you have done for them in all the years past!!
"Life" is a gift to you. The way you live your life is your gift to those who come after. Make it a fantastic one.
LIVE IT WELL! ENJOY TODAY! DO SOMETHING FUN! BE HAPPY! HAVE A GREAT DAY! Remember "It is
health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver. LIVE HAPPY IN 2014!
Old is good in some things: Old Songs, Old movies, and best of all, OLD FRIENDS!!
Staff
Barbara J. Sittler LCSW; M. Div. – Executive
Director
Wendy H. Klinkner LCSW – Director of
Volunteers
Davis Hovde
Wendi Kromash
John Peterson
Amy Tharpe
Penny Whiteside
Governing Board
Joey Conway – Board President
Advisory Council
Al Butkus – Council Chair
Robert Clark
Jane Doyle
William Geiger
Harvey Whitfield
Penny Whiteside – Secretary
Thomas Smith –Treasurer
Kristie Higdon
Wish List
8.5 x 11 printer paper, office help,
Drivers and greeters for the Appreciation Tea
As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for
helping others."
Audrey Hepburn
Save a tree, save two dollars. If you would like to receive this newsletter electronically – the pictures are in color! –
please email us at Barbara@senior-connections.org and we will switch you right over. If you no longer wish to
receive this newsletter please let us know and we will remove you. We do not wish to clog mail boxes with
unwanted mail and will use the savings to support more senior friendships!
Email: barbara@senior-connections.org
Website: www.seniorconnections.org
Facebook: Senior Connections
Twitter: @visitseniors
Weekly Office Hours
Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 9:30 to 3:00
And by appointment
Senior Connections
535 Custer Avenue
Evanston, IL. 60202
847/869-0682
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED