Alexandria Harmonizers Visit Music for Mission

September 2015
Volume 22 Number 7
A NEWS PAPER F OR A S B URY M ET H ODIS T V IL L AGE
Residents, Associates, Families & Friends
www.asburymethodistvillage.org
Alexandria Harmonizers Visit Music for Mission
By Hal Gaut ,Trott
W
hether it’s the “River City
School Board” from The
Music Man or the Glen
Echos at a recent Kindley Ice Cream
Social, you can’t beat a good Barbershop quartet. Unless it’s a chance to
hear a world class barbershop chorus. Well, on September 26th Asbury
residents will have that opportunity.
The Alexandria Harmonizers are
performing in the Rosborough Theatre in support of Music for Mission.
If you haven’t heard about them,
your first thought might be, “Here’s
a bunch of local guys from Alexandria, Virginia. Big Deal! We have
had some pretty good barbershop
groups here before.” Well it’s true
that this is not our first exposure to
barbershop harmony, and we have
had some delightful groups, but
The Alexandria Harmonizers
here’s the rest of the story.
The Harmonizers were organized
in 1948 and sponsored by the Capital City Singing Chorus (which has
also graced our stage several times
The Alexandria Harmonizers at the Supreme Court Building.
and counts Sam Barrow of Park View
and the late Billy Ball of Wallace
among its members.). Since then
they have accrued 4 International
gold medals (’86, ’89, ’95, & ’98),
countless silver and bronze medals,
and have been Mid-Atlantic district
champions 24 times. This last June
they came in 4th in the world at the
International Competition. It is safe
to say that they are acknowledged
by their peers as one of the best
choruses in the world.
The week before they visit
us they will be in concert at the
Rachel Schlesinger performing arts
center which is their usual venue.
Some years ago they joined Victor
Borge at Wolf Trap for his birthday
celebration. (I wasn’t there, but I
understand that’s a hilarious story
in itself!) They have performed at
Carnegie Hall (raising money for
Japanese tsunami relief). They have
had several appearances at the Kennedy Center in support of various
Honorees. Last year they were invited by the French Government to
sing at the Normandy D-Day celebration. While in Paris they broke
into spontaneous song in Sainte
Chappelle. (The acoustics were fantastic and you can hear them on
YouTube.) Over the past few years
they have toured China and Russia
and performed all over the US. From
a personal perspective I think my
favorite performance was in 1998
in the Georgia Dome. It’s impossible
to describe the feeling of being one
of 133 men on stage at the 50-yard
line, looking out at 30,000 people
and hoping we could take home the
gold. We did!
The Alexandria Chapter of the
Barbershop Harmony Society (formerly SPEBSQSA) is located in
Alexandria, Virginia and has close
to 200 members. From these they
form a chorus of about 100 men
Continued on page 2
An Ice Cream Social by the Numbers
By Mac McCullough,
Diamond Reporter
O
n Sunday, August 2, 2015,
the Annual Diamond Ice
Cream Social honoring the
25 new residents who have moved
into Diamond since August 1, 2014
was held. But this year it was a little
different.
Because of the renovations being
made to Hefner Auditorium, we
had to find a new venue. With the
help of Chef Gus and the Catering
Department, it was decided to hold
a 2 tier social using both the Hefner Lobby and the Blue Note Bistro.
This presented some logistical problems, but these were overcome.
146 reservations were received
to attend the social. There were 15
“no shows” (people who made reservations but didn’t come) and 17
“walk ins” (people who showed up
without reservations),making a total
of 148 persons in attendance. This
year, for the first time, all former
residents of the Diamond Building
now living at Kindley received invitations. There were 3 who came,
were introduced, and received a
round of applause.
Art Rabenhorst welcomed everyone, gave a short history of the Diamond Ice Cream Socials (there have
been 12 of them over the years),
VILLAGE
LIFE
Asbury Methodist Village
201 Russell Avenue
Gaithersburg, MD 20877
laber@asbury.org
General information: 301-330-3000
Website: www.asburymethodistvillage.org
Village Life brought to you in part by
Editor
Linda Williams Aber
Director of Communications
301-216-4106
laber@asbury.org
Photo: Betty Smith
Meet the scoopers! Martha Ball, Gordon Smith, and Bobbie Carr.
recognized the “originals” in attendance, encouraged everyone to meet
the new residents (whose name
tags were bright red to make them
easily identifiable), and to enjoy the
chocolate, vanilla and strawberry
ice cream with all the toppings.
(Also available were lactose, gluten,
sugar-free ice cream, and sherbets
for those wanting them.)
Beryl Miller and Fred Hecklinger
did a wonderful job of organizing
the whole thing. Volunteers included: 3 registrars, 2 photographers; 1
photograph scheduler, 1 traffic controller, 10 “scoopers,” 1 sign maker, 3
pianists, and 5 “cleaner uppers.”
Everyone seemed to be having a
good time. It was hard to get them
to leave at 5:30. One complaint
heard from a resident was: “You
made us eat too much ice cream.” A
total of 8 gallons of ice cream were
consumed by the attendees.
Resident Editors
Anne Porter, Mund
Marilyn Gaut, Trott
Mac McCullough, Diamond
Mercer Cross, Wallace
Joan Dunlop, Edwards-Fisher
Al Tholen, Park View
Maria E. Roberts, Courtyard Homes
Bill Brown, Villas
Tom McIllrath, Kindley
Resident Staff
Courtyard Homes: Peter Cascio
Diamond: Mac McCullough,
Jan Garman and Hal Garman
Edwards-Fisher: Joan Dunlop,
Dorothy Harris, Luella LeVee,
Trudy Meissner and big hugs
to Betty Goen!
Mund: Gil Snyder, Jack Brinley,
and Bob Tedesco
Park View: Duane McKenna,
Anita Taylor and John Eberhard
HARMONIZERS
Continued from page 1
that practice extremely hard, but
have a lot of fun in the process. Men
not physically on stage support the
singers with incredible behind-thescenes efforts with costumes, props,
logistics, etc.. The result is hard to
explain, but when one visits other
chapters across the US and around
Get your tickets today before our shows sell out!
Music for the Mission concert series
Proceeds support Benevolent Care at AMV
All concerts to begin at 7:30 p.m. in Rosborough Theatre
Saturday, September 12 – Mendelssohn Piano Trio
Presented by the Eric Stewart Group
the world, the name Alexandria
Harmonizers seems to evoke its
own aura. (I’ve personally experienced it in such far-flung places as
Brussels, Wales, Tokyo, New Zealand,
and other spots.)
I hope you get to share the experience on September 26th as part of
our Music for Mission effort.Tickets
are only $15 which considering the
fact that Harmonizer concert tickets normally range from $20 to $50,
and even then are usually sold out,
is one of the best bargains of the
year. (If you enjoy them as much as
I think you will, I don’t think the
Foundation would reject an additional gratuitous donation to the
Benevolent Care Fund.)
Trott: Bettie Donley, Copy Editor;
Lois Lord, Jeanne North, Hal Gaut,
Joan Brubaker, Becky Ratliff,
Jack Hutchings, and Dr. Bob Hartman
Villas: Carol Dennis, Dan Muller,
Jean Hubbell, Marolyn Hatch;
Tiiu Kera and Bill Brown.
Wallace: Keith Steele and
Phyllis W. Zeno
Design/Layout:
Mina Rempe @ Electronic Ink
Printing:
Chesapeake Publishing Corp..
Saturday, September 26 – Alexandria Harmonizers
Presented by Hal and Marilyn Gaut
Saturday, October 10 – Rockville Swing Band
Correction:
Tickets are $15 each; Patron levels start at $50
For ticketing info, contact Leta Loring at 301-216-4050
Asbury’s statue is at 16th
and Mt. Pleasant Streets. Not
Mt. Vernon Street as stated
in the August issue article
“Happy Birthday Francis.”
Presented by TAD Relocation
2
September 2015
“The mission of Village Life is
to provide timely, interesting and
entertaining news about the lives,
concerns and activities of the people who reside, work and volunteer
at Asbury Methodist Village.”
Village Life is published by
Asbury Methodist Village
Communications Department
Village Life
Some People Count Sheep
It’s A
Guy Thing
By Mac McCullough, Diamond
T
rouble going to sleep at night is a common problem among people
our age. I’m not talking about serious issues, like sleep deprivation
or insomnia, but just the amount of time it takes us to get to sleep.
We use all types of techniques to prepare us: soft music, a darkened room,
a warm bath, something soothing to drink.
Then there are those who still use the old tried-and-true method of
counting sheep. Hundreds of sheep
pass in front of our mind’s eye as we
try to get to drop off. I have another
technique, I count family.
In my mind’s eye I see a chart. I start
by naming Minette’s and my four children and their four spouses. I move
to our twelve grandchildren and their
nine spouses. And finally, in my head I
name our twenty-one great grandchildren.
Some think it is impossible to remember all those names. It’s easy if you use your chart, even when you get to
the “greats”. There are James, Camden, Rory, Riley, Mathew, Nora, David 1,
Ryan, Lila, Olivia, Noah, MacKenzie, Xavier, Kyleigh, Zachary, Aubrey, David
2, Johnathan, Luke and Charlotte. I have to admit there are times when I
fall asleep just before I get to Emily, but of course that is the purpose for
doing it.
You should give it a try. Not only will it help you sleep, but it will keep
fresh in your mind those most important to you.
Music Continues
at the
Blue Note Bistro
By Dan Muller, Villas
Big News for the Guy!
It’s been about a year since I wrote the last Guy Thing, mostly because
I couldn’t think of anything new to write about. Finally, here is something
new. I GOT MARRIED.
I’ve been attending a Sunday School class at Grace Church for some time,
and a little over a year ago I settled in my usual place and sort of noticed
the lady who has been sitting opposite me for some time. Her name is
Ruth. She was recently widowed. We knew each other casually through
Grace Church activities for many years. In fact, she taught two of my
grandchildren in Sunday School, and her daughter participated in a home
repair mission activity in Virginia which I led. More recently, and possibly
by coincidence, we each agreed to participate in the Grace Church Brown
Bag program distributing bagged lunches to those in need. Then fate intervened, we both were assigned to the same team and together made peanut
butter and jelly sandwiches.
After the Brown Bag program ended, I said to myself one Sunday morning,
“Gee, it would be nice to get to know her better.” Thoughts went through
my head like, “He should I do it?” I hadn’t asked anyone for a date in more
than sixty years. What if she says “No”? Well, I screwed up my courage and
after our class asked her if she would like to attend a Big Band Concert at
Asbury? She smiled and said, “Yes.” It was a great date!
Well, one thing led to another and the rest is history. I didn’t actually
propose, but we sort of mutually agreed that it would be a good idea to get
married, which we did on June 13.
In summary, it’s really wonderful to have someone around the house
who loves me and tells me what to do. Obviously, a Guy Thing.
Wednesday, September 23 at 2:00 p.m.
Diamonds in the Rough
Edith Isacke, Rhoda MacKensie, Betsy Monks, flute
Jan Forbes, guitar; Barbara Melzer, piano
Food and drink available in advance.
By Luella Nash LeVee, Edwards-Fisher
Flying fingers at the piano and
Donald Trump’s amazing face dominate my memories of the Summer
Chamber Music concert at the Blue
Note bistro on August 12.
Lois Lord, Trott, my friend of 30
years, had taken me for lunch at the
Blue Note to celebrate my birthday and we lingered at the table
to enjoy the concert, the third of a
series.
It was good to lean back and watch
the gathering crowd. I saw many
people I knew – Carlee and Howard Hallman, Diamond (he is the
impresario who put together the
Asbury Chamber Music series); Roy
Wampler, E-F; Betty Lou Ball,
Mund; Bea Kikawa, E-F; Gordon Dibble, E-F; Luther Saxon,
T; Margaret LeFever, E-F; Sylva
Village Life
McCulloh, D; Irene Stuart, Wallace; and Keith and Genevieve
Steele, W, proudly wheeling their
twin infant great granddaughters in
a buggy just made for twins.
I also enjoyed the Blue Note
atmosphere – the large black and
white drawings of jazz performers
on the walls, the quiet professional
service of the waiters as they juggled food trays on their arms and
Jean Lauderdale, D, played first.
There were lots of smiles as we
recognized the magnificent music
of J.S.Bach, Claude Debussy, and
Frederick Chopin.
Alma Rhodes, E-F, entertained
us with the stirring work of Chopin, Franz Joseph Haydn, Fredrico
Mompou, and Kent Kennan.
The Chamber Music ended with
a finale duet, both pianists playing
music by Samuel Barber.
moved smoothly among the tables,
The overflow crowd (80 plus)
and, looking toward the end of the lingered a while to congratulate the
room, a huge flat screen TV then pianists and chat with friends. I
showing Donald Trump with his joined Lois and we made our way
words inscribed beneath. Above us out, noting that still dominating the
was a skylight and we could see two TV screen was Donald Trump smilwomen peering down at the scene ing his enigmatic smile. O, how the
below, only the tips of their straw world intrudes upon us, even in
hats showing.
the rarefied atmosphere created by
Suddenly, the room became beautiful music.
hushed and the program started.
September 2015
3
By Anita Taylor, Park View
W
e start with unsustainable life patterns, ones
humans could not continue, climate change or not. There,
water use leads.
Many of the world’s aquifers are
being tapped far beyond replenishment rate, mostly due to habits of
food consumption, not the natural
cycles of drought. It is the system of
factory farming and consumer habits that support them that requires,
in wet years and dry, excessive
amounts of pumped water.
How does that relate to us, here in
water- blessed eastern North America? Through our diet, which I will
discuss one issue at a time, starting with our worst offender. And,
in spite of recent media attention,
that’s not the lowly almond. It’s
beef.
Our factory farming system means
that most beef eaten east of the
Mississippi River comes from west
of that same “continental divide.”
Hence most meat eaten in water
rich places comes from much more
arid places. Half the cattle sold in
the U.S. come from just 8 states:
Green Matters
from irrigation.
A good steward plans to ensure a
life-sustaining earth for seven generations ahead. In contrast, today
we are TAKING water from not the
7th generation, more like the 17th.
With tax policy and spending
changes, the seventh generation
from us COULD have a national debt
near zero. They would NOT find
anything close to our already lowered ground water levels of today . . .
much less those 25 years ago, before
the draw downs grew outsized.
Anita Taylor, out standing in her field.
Only consumer behavior can
begin to confront this problem. And
YOU can be part of that solution.
Here are some first steps.
Texas, Nebraska, Kansas, California, and quite a bit more than pork. If
Eat less beef. Remember, each 6
Oklahoma, Iowa, Missouri, South you want the comparisons made by oz portion NOT eaten saves almost
Dakota. Moreover, most beef, from amount of protein or calories sup- 500 gallons of water.
any state, grazes on grass--only part plied, the ratios shrink somewhat;
Be sure the beef you consume did
of its life. Its last several months are even then beef costs 3 times more not fatten with water from underspent in feed lots where restricted water than chicken.
ground aquifers west of the Missismovement and grain diet pile on
What those simple comparisons sippi.
pounds.
miss: WHERE is the water from?
At Asbury, that also means we lean
After gasohol, most U. S. corn feeds Chickens and pigs are raised all over on Sodexo . . . hard . . .AND we back
people through cattle, which costs a the U. S. including the wetter east it up with our menu choices.
lot of water. To grow one pound of and south. Beef? See above. MoreSince we all CAN do these things,
beef requires at least 1,500 gallons over, almost all water for feed lot intending to be good stewards, we
of water. That is several times more beef in those dry places is pumped will.
than a grain-fed pound of chicken out of an aquifer already shrinking
Water: Installment One
WHAT IS A VEGETARIAN?
Why did I choose to be one and why have I remained one?
I
By Luann Mostello, M.D. Villas 546
n a scene from “The Great Dictator”, a German
soldier who recognizes Charlie Chaplin’s character in a Jewish ghetto, says,“I always thought
of you as an Arian,” to which Chaplin replies,“ I’m
a veget-arian.” Needless to say, confusion about the
definition of vegetarian remains with many words
using the “-arian” suffix.
• A vegetarian does not eat meat, poultry or fish.
• An ovo-lacto-vegetarian does not eat meat, poultry or fish, but enjoys dairy products and eggs.
• A lacto-vegetarian does not eat meat, poultry,
fish or eggs.
• A flexitarian adopts the vegetarian eating plan
but occasionally will eat meat, poultry, or fish.
• A vegan consumes only plant-based foods.
(No meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, eggs or
honey.)
The vegetarian lifestyle is not a new-fangled
notion. It was present in ancient Greece (associated with Pythagoras of geometry fame) and in
India from the sixth century B.C. It was associated with the desire not to harm animals. Later in
Western civilization vegetarianism became very
rare, but in India it persisted with the practice
of Hinduism. (Currently, 20% to 40% of people in
India with a population of one billion are lactovegetarian.) There was a resurgence in Europe in
the mid-19th century A.D. with vegetarian societies
emerging in many countries. In the U.S. Frances
Moore Lappé’s Diet for a Small Planet became
4
a bestseller in 1971. While researching hunger
issues, she exposed the enormous waste of food
resources in meat production. The practice of
“meatless Mondays” is frequently attributed to her
popularity. Now during the 21st century, people are
choosing to become vegetarian for ethical, health
and environmental reasons.
My journey to become a vegetarian was spurred
by two issues. My husband Art desired to become
a vegetarian, so I started cooking vegetarian evening meals in the 1990s, while I persisted in eating
meat at work. Art had been impressed by Lappe’s
book as well as two others, John Robbins’ Diet for
a New America, (1987), an exposé on connections between diet, physical health, animal cruelty
and environmentalism, and Dr. Dean Ornish’s Program for Reversing Heart Disease, (1990), which
promoted a whole food, plant-based diet and other
September 2015
lifestyle changes to improve cardiovascular outcomes. My second issue was concern about the
cruelty of meat production, particularly as it concerned calves, the source of my much favored Italian veal cutlets. I saw a documentary that opened
my eyes to this reality, and I could no longer savor
this once highly desired food.
Gradually, I joined Art as a full-time ovo-lacto-vegetarian and I have fun finding new recipes that are
tasty, nutritious and appealing to the eye. Over the
last twenty years, I have seen the acceptance by
dietitians, the mainstream medical community, and
even the federal government, and their validation
that the vegetarian eating style, even veganism, is a
healthy choice. Many restaurants now offer more
than a “plate of vegetables” to the inquiring vegetarian.As a rule, ethnic cuisines offer great choices.
Many friends ask me about adequate nutrition.
The key with any type of dietary pattern is eating
a wide variety of foods. A few nutrients -- 1) elements of calcium, zinc, iodine, iron, 2) vitamins
B12, and D, 3) omega-3 fatty acids --- need special
attention by a vegetarian. Fortified foods and commonly available dietary supplements will meet
these requirements. Many seniors, regardless of
dietary lifestyles, have increased requirements for
some of these nutrients, and supplements may be
needed anyway.
Recent information indicates more protein is
Continued on page 10
Village Life
Asbury’s Hidden Treasures
By Mac McCullough, Diamond
T
This Month in
the Gallery
The Rosborough Cultural
Arts and Wellness Center is
home to an ever-changing gallery of arts and handiwork
created by our residents. Stop
by and see what’s new. With 12
display cases to look at, there’s
something for everyone
to enjoy. Here’s this month’s
sampling of art.
Photos: Hal Gaut
If you do, call Kathy Albertson on
x5279 and let her know. She will
come to your home, discuss your
treasures, and arrange to have them
packaged, displayed, and returned
to you. There is always a need to
refresh the exhibits.
Even if you do not have any collectibles to share, you should take
a look down that third corridor at
Rosborough and see what great collectibles are on displayed.
Photo: Dorothy Harris
he next time you are in
the Rosborough Center
take a walk through the
lobby. Do not go down the first corridor to the exercise room and pool.
Keep going past the second corridor that leads to Community Rooms
AB&C. Walk past the theater and
the TV studio. Soon you reach the
third corridor. Have you ever been
there? Not many residents have.
You are in for a treat. Along the
left walk are six large display cases
housing 24 exhibits of Asbury Collectibles. These treasures have
come from collections of Asbury
residents. There are: dolls from
around the world; figurines of birds,
pigs, elephants and clowns; gold
dishes and black glassware; razors
and wrenches; and much, much
more. These treasures have been
lent so you can enjoy them.
Do you have any collectibles
you would like to display for others? Watches, matchbook covers,
unusual china or glassware, items
from your travels, Playboy magazine
centerfolds, angels, dog figurines?
Barbara Lehman
Courtyard Holmes
Stained Glass
Olivia Clivia and Trivia Clivia
A Tale of Two Clivias
the soil, it revealed a wide, sensuous
stalk with opulent buds. Rising
n the summer of 1988, we
above
the top of the plant, the buds
received a healthy young plant
with a profusion of glossy opened simultaneously, displaying a
strap-like leaves radiating from its profuse bouquet of bright salmon
base. Not wanting to be poor stew- blooms.
Thus, Olivia lived happily for thirards of such a gorgeous specimen,
teen
years, wintering indoors, and
we researched it. We found it to
be a clivia, a native South African summering in a shady corner of our
plant. The sun porch of our country yard. Even a move to our first retirehome proved to be an ideal envi- ment community did not deter its
ronment for it, and it thrived. We annual display. We kept it on the
named it,“Olivia Clivia,” and awaited floor by some double French doors.
One day we heard a strong tap-tapits annual blossoming.
One day, we saw a little swell- ping on the glass door. Upon investiing at Olivia’s base, and watched gation, we observed a male bluebird
its daily progress. As it rose from on the outside, preening itself and
popping its body against the glass
By Trudy Meissner, Edwards-Fisher
I
Village Life
where the bloom was!
As the years flew by, Olivia outgrew her pot by sending up frequent shoots. The time had come
when she had to be divided. With
trepidation, we carefully dug around
her matted roots, producing a new
plant. Thus, Trivia Clivia was born.
Even two more moves, to Bethesda and Asbury, did not deter either
plant. But now, there arises a new
dilemma — Trivia Clivia is bursting out of its pot! It’s time again
to divide. We would happily share
some roots with you. Call Trudy or
Paul Meissner, x 6884. Help us to
keep the Clivia legacy going!
September 2015
Jeanne Jarvis
Park View
Woven Fabrics and Baskets,
Ceramics, Macrame
5
By Jeanne North, Trott
W
hat’s most important about planning a
party?
Food! What are we going to
serve the guests?
No, who are the guests? Who
are we inviting?
Oh, but what’s really most
important, is Why are we having
a party?
Okay, let’s make a list:
1. Why a party?
2. Who’s giving the party and
who’s invited?
3. What entertainment awaits
the guests?
4. Will there be any kind of
refreshment?
5. What’s special about this
party?
Why a party? That’s easy. This
year is the 25th anniversary of the
Computer Club. Yes, it began in
1990 with informal meetings of
AMV residents interested in those
“newfangled” gadgets called “computers.”
Now a silver anniversary is worthy of a party in anyone’s book:
just imagine the imagination,
Party Planning 101 for The Big Do
vision, persistence and doggedness required for launching and
maintaining an operation like the
Computer Club.
The list of Pioneers involved in
that launching is long and impressive. Anyone coming to the Sept.
8 party celebrating the anniversary could see a video on the Rosborough Community Rooms’ big
screen of some of those Pioneers
talking about “the good old days.”
Hosting the party was the new
Cyber Asbury group, made up of
computer-linked individuals and
entities — members of the Windows group, the Apple Corps and
any interested in strengthening
AMV’s place in the cyber world
that is now upon us. Invited
guests were all AMV residents and
friends. One such distinguished
individual was AMV’s very own
Executive Director, Henry Moeh-
ring, who joined the party and
offered some brief remarks.
Not least in any party were the
refreshments. An elegant platter of
choice succulent fresh fruits, trays
of tasty mini desserts, iced decaf
tea and coffee, were all enjoyed
in an atmosphere of visual and
tactile excitement.
An exhibit of vintage computer
equipment drew some amazement –– and laughs; a video on
the big screen; a demonstration
by Computer Guru Bob Nisbet
of the new versatile Windows 10;
another demonstration, this one
of Apple’s FaceTime, which allows
you to video-talk to an Apple
friend many miles away; an introduction by Apple Instructor Jim
Clark to his new Apple Watch and
what it can do; a Silent Auction
giving everyone the chance to bid
on everything from an apple pie
or an Apple class to a Windows 10
book to Trader Joe’s Gift Card’s’s
and much more. Closing out the
afternoon were announcements
of the winning bids of the Silent
Auction.
The Pioneer Scramble Meets Exhibitors’ Exhaustion
and the Not-So-Silent Auction Cries Out for Attention
Another Pioneer is nonresif the seven Computer dent long-time Windows InstrucClub Pioneers inter- tor Bob Nisbet: Bob’s old madeviewed, whose con- from-a-kit computer was in the
tributions go back many years, exhibit; also, remember punch
three, Jean Young, Floyd Mauer cards? No, probably few of you
and Helen Collyer, live in the do. But the exhibit table held
Villas; Keith Steele makes his other vintage gadgets no longer
home in Wallace, Charlie Fuller- in use.
But identifying the display
ton hangs out in Edwards-Fisher,
items
was just the first step:
John Villforth in Park View, Hal
Gaut in Trott. Just imagine AVTV’s next was schlepping everything
Joon Kim scurrying from one res- to Rosborough ABC rooms from
idence to the other, video equip- wherever they’d been stored,
ment in hand, to meet his own checking that the tables were all
properly set up (thanks to Houseself-imposed taping timetable.
Jim Utterback, schlepper-in- keeping, they were), plugging in
chief, hauled Rita Wysong’s old whatever computers were there,
printer down to the Apple Place and hoping for the best.
In Party Planning 101, there
closet for safe storage until party
surely
has to be room for a Funtime (though whether it would
qualify for the exhibit table was draising Effort. A Raffle? Silent
at press time still unclear), and Auction? Garage Sale? What’s the
sought to bring to life an ancient difference?
If you like gambling, a raffle
Apple PowerBook.Alas, his efforts
might
be the way to go. Here’s
to revive it failed when the reset
button responded to his touch what Wikipedia says about rafby falling out. Sorry, folks, this fles: “A raffle is a gambling comfailed PowerBook didn’t make petition in which people obtain
numbered tickets, each ticket
the grade for display.
having the chance of winning
By Jeanne North, Trott
O
6
a prize. At a set time, the winners are drawn from a container
holding a copy of every number.
The drawn tickets are checked
against a collection of prizes
with numbers attached to them,
and the holder of the ticket wins
the prize.
“The raffle is a popular game
in numerous countries and is
often held to raise funds for a
specific charity or event.”
Hmmm. Gambling? Not sure if
that’s AMV style. Still, it wouldn’t
hurt to have some kind of fundraiser to cover costs.
How about a garage sale? Lots
of people make money and get
rid of lots of junk that way. I
could put my old 25-pound Webster’s Third New International
Dictionary out on a For Sale
table and donate the proceeds
to Cyber Asbury. Alas, people
laughed when I suggested that.
Who wants a 25-pound dictionary when you have a hand-held
one on your iPhone?
That leaves us with a Silent
Auction for a fundraiser. What is
a Silent Auction anyway? Here’s
September 2015
what the Wise Geek website says:
“A silent auction is a fundraising technique frequently used
at charity events. It differs from
the typical auction conducted
by an auctioneer who calls out
the prices for items and then
takes the raised hands or paddles of people as bids at a certain price. It’s often a preferred
means for raising money at charitable events because it does not
detract from the entertainment
provided at the event.”
Now the party was not really a
charity event, but still, the party
hosts needed to raise funds to
cover costs and this sounded like
a plan. Here were the donations
offered at the September 8 party
Silent Auction: apple pie and an
Apple class; One Hour of Free
Consulting and an iPad Book;
One Hour of Picasa Consulting;
an iPhone book; a Windows 10
for Seniors Book; two Gift Cards
from Trader Joe’s; a Live Plant.
Sound enticing? You could bid
on any (or all!!) of these at the
Silent Auction. Now doesn’t that
sound like fun?
Village Life
What Being Mortal Can Tell Us, Part I
become the customers, so we should be happy
with our purchase. We can choose to abandon a
passive role and take a more active stance about
our care.
By Jack Hutchings, Trott
Introduction
This is the first of a series about Being Mortal
by Atul Gawande. We have distilled ideas arising
from discussion groups, supplemented by recent
articles on health care. Our wish is to indicate
how useful ideas stemming from the book are
for our lives here in AMV. Our hope is that AMV
residents realize more fully the range of choices
we have in living out the rest of our days.
Health Care
Dr. Gawande’s book is subtitled “Medicine and
What Matters in the End.” During recent decades
life expectancy has rapidly increased, but medicine has been slow to keep pace withmedical
care needed by the older population. Doctors
are just beginning to realize that the usual adult
norms, developed for the 30- or 40- year-old adult
male, may not apply to those of us in our 70s or
80s. Geriatrics is a relatively new specialty, and
there are far too few geriatricians being trained.
Doctors are taught how to fight disease and to
extend life. We may be more concerned about
the quality of our remaining days than the duration. This difference in goals has the potential for
conflict. We need to become clear about what
we wish to accomplish in our medical encounters. We also need to decide how we wish to
end our days, and to execute legal documents
Our Medical Home
To enjoy the best quality of life during our age
of lessening abilities and also to maintain optimum health, we need to establish and continue
in a collaborative relationship with a practitioner.
This is our primary care doctor, preferably a geriatrician, who serves as our “medical home.” It’s
important to have a doctor we like and one with
whom we can communicate easily. For coordinated care, all information and recommendations from specialists should be channeled to our
medical home. It is our primary care doctor who
orchestrates our care.
We should leave every health care encounter
with written information including the diagnosis
or impression and any recommendations. Of
equal importance we need to carry in writing for
each medical contact:
1. Our primary care doctor’s name and phone
number
2. Our health care advocate’s name and phone
number
in order to ensure that our wishes are carried
3.
Significant present and past diagnoses
out. Many doctors are not trained to talk to their
4.
Both prescribed and OTC medicines with
patients about death, and are reluctant to do so.
any past untoward reactions.
And yet we must have such discussions.
Medicine has become a business. We have
Dear Mary
Dear Mary:
I have a friend who is terminally ill and I don’t know what to do. I really
don’t know if I should visit him or what to say if I do. Any ideas?
—Fred
By Mary Ebinger, Mund
Dear Fred:
You are in the process of anticipatory grief before your friend dies; in
Mary R. Ebinger, a Pastoral Counselor and National Certified
Counselor, is the author of A Guide to Visitation - I Was
other words you are grieving for him before he is gone.
Sick and You Visited Me and a chapter in When a Friend
Yes, visit him. Your presence will mean a lot to him. Don’t stay very long.
is Dying: A Family Deals with Grief.
You might just be silent or tell him how you enjoyed times together. This a
very difficult time for you and your feelings are natural. I will be thinking
Dear Mary;
about you. Let me know how it goes.
I receive the newspaper “Village Life” although I do not live in Asbury.
—Mary
Recently I gave your column about the loss of a loved one to a friend of
mine. She found it very helpful. Will you write more about grief and how
Dear Mary:
to handle it?
I moved to be close to my children and because they wanted me. HowThank you.
ever, I feel bad because I never see them. What should I do?
Ann.
—Ginger
Dear Ann:
Thank you for your letter. I am glad your friend found my letter helpful.
Everyone suffers from grief at some point in life. It may happen at different times in various ways; perhaps the loss of a pet when young, or a member of a family, a mother, father, husband or wife. Grief can come in waves,
at different times and not always in the same way.Shock, anger, tears,
silence , withdrawal, sleeplessness, loss of appetite can be some of the
ways.. And, yes. grief may be handled in different ways. There is no perfect
and right way to grieve. However, grieving is important and is necessary.
Sometimes people might say, “he” or “she is so strong.” This may seem
to be true, but may not be the case in private. It is important to be nonjudgmental about how a person grieves.
Some people find a group is helpful. Writing about feelings, meditation
and prayer are other ways to cope. There is no time table, and grieving
may be long term.
I hope this is helpful.
—Mary
Village Life
Dear Ginger:
You sound disappointed that you don’t see your family very often. Are
there children? Most children have very busy schedules and this may be
part of the reason. Perhaps you could have a calendar and discuss some
dates when you could go there or they might come to see you, possibly for
a meal. Are you keeping busy? This can help. You also might plan to go
with them to some of their activities if you are well enough. Try to understand their feelings and the life they lead, and realize you must plan a new
life for yourself. Good luck!
—Mary
September 2015
7
From Boston To Quebec
By Carol Dennis, Villas
W
hile Washington sizzled
in July, Jerry and I headed north. We flew to
Boston for a cruise of the Canadian
Maritime Provinces. That same day,
our son, John, flew from Sweden
to join us on the cruise. The following morning our Connecticut
granddaughter, Jessica, arrived by
train for a day in Boston with us.
We all took the hop-on-hop-off bus
around town, stopped for lunch
near Faneuil Hall, and took a harbor
cruise hoping to see the French sailing ship replica, L’Hermione,
that brought Lafayette to our
shores during the American
Revolution.
Unfortunately,
L’Hermione arrived in Boston
after we had set sail, and we
failed to sight her as both ships
cruised to Halifax. C’est la vie!
Our first port of call was Bar
Harbor, Maine, where we went
whale watching and saw several large fin whales, including a
mother and calf leaping together
through the waves. Next came
Halifax, Nova Scotia. Jerry and
I had been there several times to
visit organist friends we had made
on French and British Organ Seminars as well as at conventions of the
Royal Canadian College of Organists. Our friends chauffeured us
Jerry and Carol having fun
around their city, which included a visit to the famous Citadel
where the noon-day cannon salute
was re-enacted. We then dined on
fresh seafood while watching Theo-
Jerry, Carol, Jessica and John Dennis in Boston.
8
Throughout the week, the weather was splendid, especially welcome
after the terrible winter everyone
in the Maritimes had suffered. It
did turn windy and chilly on our day
at sea as we sailed the St. Lawrence
River. Jerry, John and I tried walking around the promenade deck
but didn’t get very far! However,
we arrived in Quebec to another
beautiful day. We wandered the old
settlement near the docks, saw the
famous stairs that open the Hitchcock thriller, “I Confess,” then took
Stairs to Old Town, Quebec
the funicular up the steep incline to
the Old Town with its continental
dore Tugboat and quirky round fer- flair. The entire area is dominated
ries ply the waters.
by the Frontenac hotel where Jerry
While walking around Old Town and I had tea on our honeymoon
Sydney near the tip of Nova Scotia, over 58 years ago. We sought out
we happened upon a craft show at our favorite restaurant for some
an Anglican church where we had meat pies, wandered up and down
interesting conversations with an the hilly streets and returned for our
acrylic artist of charming paintings last night on board ship.
and a geologist who told fascinating
Saturday’s rains put a damper on
tales of his rock-hunting adventures. spending one last morning in QueWe then sailed on to Charlottetown, bec. Instead we had a long wait
Prince Edward Island (PEI), made in the small airport until our flight
famous by “Anne of Green Gables.” took us to Toronto. We then sepaJerry and I had attended a church rated much too quickly from John
music conference on PEI several after a wonderful week of happy
years ago and one day visited the adventures. We all arrived home
house of green gables. This time safely and treasure our time both
we simply wandered around Char- together and with the friendly Canalottetown, revisited several church- dian people, our charming neighes with excellent pipe organs and bors to the north.
dined on lobster.
September 2015
Village Life
I
f I had to choose my least favorite form of
travel, it’s without clothes. I know whereof I
speak, because an airline ...which shall remain
nameless but has the initials AF...,misplaced all of
my luggage for the better part of an Ocean Princess cruise from Venice to Nice.
I had absolutely nothing but the clothes on
my back. My light blue suit and flowered blouse
was adequate when I left Baltimore, but when I
hit the heat in Venice, I knew I was in trouble,
particularly when my two bulging suitcases were
not twirling around the treadmill with everyone
else’s luggage.
As the rest of the group staggered from the
vaparetto across the bridge and over the quay to
the ship, dragging their suitcases behind them, I
said brightly, “There are some advantages to not
having any luggage!” These advantages soon dissipated as the Captain’s cocktail party loomed
ahead.
I thought about Scarlett O’Hara and her velvet
drapes that she whipped into a smashing gown
after the burning of Atlanta. I eyed the bedspread
in my cabin...random stripes of heliotrope fading into aqua and light blue. I threw it over my
shoulder and nearly dropped to my knees from
the weight...pretty, but a bit warm for Mediterranean wear.
The matching drapes wouldn’t make much
more than a mini skirt, and the shower curtain
had a rather conspicuous gloss plus all those
metal grommets that would be hard to explain.
Glumly I attended afternoon Bingo. My eyes
lit up when I spotted the aqua table cloth under
the Bingo cage, but then, I never did look good in
checks. I discarded the thought.
The mustard color dinner cloth impressed me
even less, particularly when one of my table
companions spilled ketchup on it. I could call it
a Pucci print. No, forget it.
When the boutique opened that evening, I was
first in the door. Alas, the merchandise was fairly
Z-Notes
By Phyllis W. Zeno, Wallace
How to Have
Fun on a Cruise
with No Clothes
sparse...a few $235 euro jersey daytime dresses
in size 2, tee shirts and sweatshirts, but no evening gowns. The salesgirls were at a loss to come
up with a solution.
As I was leaving the shop, I stopped to admire
a gold and malachite necklace, artfully arranged
on a green and gold display cloth. Wait a minute!
That cloth had definite possibilities. Did they
have two matching pieces? They did. Not only
that, but they would loan me the necklace for
the night.
Returning to my cabin, I began playing with
the pieces of cloth. Without needles, thread or
pins, I was at a definite disadvantage. Nonetheless, I began wrapping and knotting the material,
and by trial and error, found I could fashion a
sari-like skirt out of one piece. I tore a strip off
the other and made a bodice by knotting it at
top and bottom. The remaining square I folded
into a triangle and draped it over my shoulders
The Asbury Singers Prepare
for a New Season
A
like a stole.
Within the hour, I was off to the party. Unless
the knots came untied, I was reasonably welldressed for the evening.
In the next few days, I learned how to make
necklaces out of rope, sundresses out of scarves,
and I can’t even begin to tell you what I made
out of bathroom tissue and the cardboard rollers.
When my suitcases finally arrived in Catania by
the fourth day of the trip, I gratefully slipped into
one of my own dresses and went to dinner. One
of my table companions was very complimentary. “You look very nice tonight.”
His roommate remained unimpressed. “Frankly,” he sniffed, “I liked her better without her
clothes.”
Phyllis WITH clothes and flanked by fellow
cruisers.
Mac and Zil
By Al Tholen, Park View
s the Asbury Singers plan another year of song, a new director will
take the baton. Her name is Mary Ann Willow and is the Director of
Music and Organist at the Silver Spring United Methodist Church.
She takes over from Dr. Nae Hugh Pearson of the Silver Spring United Church
of Christ who has been the Director for the past couple of years. Dr. Pearson reluctantly felt the need to give up this voluntary task due to personal
reasons. However, he had offered the participation of the Singers in the Park
View 10th Anniversary Celebration on October 15th in the Guild Chapel.
Over the years, the Singers have provided entertainment under a succession
of 4 Directors (Mary Ann Willow being the latest). Annually, they prepare two
concerts each year, singing each one in performances in Wilson, Kindley, and
campus-wide. A dozen or so provide special music at the Ecumenical service
in the Guild Chapel on the 4th Sunday of each month. Additionally, a duo sing
at the Wilson Ecumenical Service on the 2nd Sunday of most months.
The steady leaders behind the success of the Singers have been Betsy
Monks (Diamond) and Sylva McCullough (Diamond). Betsy is an overall organizer, music provider and leader at performances when the Director is not
available. Sylva, like Betsy, has served as the talented and patient accompanist.
Anyone who likes to sing and can commit to rehearsals is invited to join
up. There is no membership cost involved. Rehearsals begin on September
the 10th at 2 pm in the Guild Chapel.
Village Life
September 2015
9
OUR NATIVE PLANTS (11 of a series)
BUSHY ST. JOHN’S WORT
flowers have blood-red spots and
leaves give off toxic oils to resemur Asbury campus has
ble tears. Additionally, like most
three groups of this yelof this genus, it blooms around
low flowered native with
June 24; the date of John’s beheadthe scientific name of Hypericum
ing, thus spreading to almost all
densiflorum. The oldest batch
species the common name of St.
is in Pollination Plot #1 (PP#1)
John’s Wort. Another source says
above the lower pond and up by
June 24 is John’s date of birth; yet
the fence along Summit St. There
another says his beheading was
are two sets of three plants each
August 29.
in both PP#2 fenced in at the
According to another legend,
south end of the upper pond; and
God assigned a medical treatin Sand Filter #3 along the lower
ment purpose to every herb. The
pond path near 420 Fellowship
Hypericum flower being yellow
Circle. When in bloom they shimcaused it the assignment of jaunmer with the activity of our native
dice. It does have some medicinal
pollinators.
values; however, jaundice is not
The group near the center of
one of them.
PP#2 is interspersed with three
It has been found as effective for
hybridized Hypericum ‘Hidcote’
mild to moderate depression as
with a much larger 5-petaled
source
reports
that
during
the
many prescription drugs, but the
the
denuding
of
our
estimated
19
bright yellow blossom that is
mislabeled as native (mea culpa). medieval years the common Euro- Hypericum plants in the evening caution flag is waved because of
Learning is a continuous process pean Hypericum was “seasonally” of June 23, 2016 as we each seek its likely adverse interaction with
other drugs. Past uses with partial
in this endeavor here at Asbury. gathered and burned, believing one more year.
There are many other legends success were for wound healing
It turns out that ‘Hidcote’ is a that the smoke would drive off
and
superstitions attracted to and scar reduction. Since a Greek
the
evil
spirits
of
the
dead.
The
very old cross between the large
Asiatic H. cyathiflorum and the ‘season’ must have been winter these persistent yellow-flowered doctor first tried it out medicinally
wild H. calycinum native from since pruning of the old shoots is shrubs. The Crusades’ Knights in 288 BC the plant, leaves and
Bulgaria to Turkey and commonly recommended at that time since of Saint John are said to have flowers have been tried to benefit
called Aaron’s Beard; or whatever the plant blooms on the new searched the lands where they most human ailments. There is
Aaron’s Beard is in Bulgarian or spring wood. Another folk remedy traveled and fought for any and all a multitude of additional records
Turkish. (Incidentally, in French it for dispersing encroaching evil Hypericum species that might be and folklore about finding other
was to hang sprigs of it above win- growing in the wild. They would uses for it. In the modern era
is Barbe de Saint-Jean.)
There are some 490 identified dows and saints’ images. Trans- then use the plants to treat their France has banned any use of St.
John’s Wort products because of
species in the Hypericum genus lated from Greek, Hypericum warriors’ wounds.
possible interactions between it
It
is
said
that
John
lived
in
the
(Yperikon)
means
“Above
images.”
found globally except in tropical
Additionally, if you put a branch wilderness subsisting on locusts and other medications. Japan, the
swamps, deserts and our two froof
yellow flowers under your pil- and honey. In Greek “locusts” UK and Canada are in the process
zen poles. About 50 of these are
low
on St. John’s Eve, not only came to mean the plant on which of adding warnings of drug-herb
native to North America.
Throughout the recent centuries would your dreams be visited by locusts landed. This plant, on interactions to the products. Forthere have been questions about the Baptist but he would bestow which John dined, was once again tunately, our busy pollinators have
how these plants have become a blessing guaranteeing you one the medicinal Hypericum. The discovered the original value of
known as Saint John’s Wort. One more year of life. The Asbury Wild- species most identified with this the plant.
life Habitat team will anticipate story is H. perforatum whose
By Peter Cascio, Courtyard Homes
O
VEGETARIAN
stock consumes 56% of water use in the U.S.
Overall, more than 2500 gallons of water are
needed to produce a pound of beef; only onetenth as much for a pound of soybeans. The
raising of animals for food is a major contributor to greenhouse gases (as much as all transportation!). Then, when I look at the oceans
I see the depletion of fish and sea creatures,
with many species close to critical levels or at
the brink of extinction. (I highly recommend
Kip Anderson’s documentary,“Cowspiracy,” for
even more startling material.)
For a long time I hope to be an advocate for
a diet that is kind to human health, animals, and
the earth. So I welcome you to join me!
Continued from page 4
necessary for senior health. Based on body
weight, this requirement may be increased
50%, e.g. instead of 50 grams for an average
woman, she may need 75 grams. No problem!.
On a vegetarian diet there are many sources
of protein—nuts, pasta, beans as well as many
vegetables.
To the last question about remaining a vegetarian, I must be very honest. It is the desire
for a healthy, sustainable environment for those
who will inhabit the earth in the future. In particular, the production of meat requires high
land and energy use. Growing food for live-
10
September 2015
Village Life
Welcome Home After 25 Years in Saudi Arabia
N
By Jean Hubbell, Villas
eighbors noticed when that
strange car parked in my driveway. Well, you don’t see that
many Jaguar convertibles around here,
but it wasn’t mine. It was my son Shelton’s gift to himself on his retirement
after working 25 years as a geophysicist in Saudi Arabia. Having Shelton come
home to stay after all those years working
there was a catalyst for remembering my
own trip to Saudi.
I was fortunate enough to have traveled to Saudi with my husband John once
during those years and it was quite an
experience indeed. I had been told to
be sure my collarbone was covered and
arms and legs. When I arrived, my daughter-in-law Dottie gave me the black abaya
worn by all the ladies in Saudi. She also
provided me with a head scarf but I did
not wear the face mask.
Shelton worked for Saudi Aramco oil
company, which provided its workers
with housing in a community much like
Asbury--a variety of housing depending
on family size, a community building with
swimming pool, restaurant, and other
amenities like our Rosborough Center.
This was fortunate indeed as those who
worked for other oil companies like Texaco or Exxon did not have planned communities. They had to live in the cities
and towns where, outside their homes,
they had to be careful to dress correctly.
For the Aramco community, we could
relax in our own community, but Dottie was careful to pull the blinds over
the windows at mealtime as our visit
coincided with Ramadan that year and
it would not have been wise to be seen
eating before sundown.
There were no religious facilities other
than mosques, but the Old King (now
deceased) granted special permission to
the Aramco community to have a “teacher” who could conduct “meetings” which
took place in the elementary school on
the Aramco campus. Even an Easter sunrise service was held in the school playground area. The school went through
grade 8 after which students had to leave
the kingdom for high school elsewhere.
Shelton and Dottie’s three children grew
up in Saudi but attended boarding schools
here in the U.S. for their high school education. They learned to make the trip
across the ocean on their own early on.
Women were not allowed to drive, but
the Aramco women could drive on their
Village Life
Jean Hubbell in a Abeya.
own campus. While John and I were visiting, we drove to one of the towns quite
some distance south of Kobar, which was
the Saudi town closest to the Aramco
campus. Both were on the eastern side of
Saudi. The towns are all built around an
oasis as Saudi is a desert country. Taking
photos is not something you do except
cautiously. There was an adorable baby
with its mother and I wanted a picture
but I had to ask permission by pointing to the camera and then to the baby
and then showing a questioning face.The
mother thought about it quite a bit and
then finally nodded her head.
In the bustling market place there was
another lady at her booth and she was
fully masked and looked at me and pointed to my face and then to her own, but
I shook my head. No mask for me. I did
take another photo of the market place
and had no idea I had done something
wrong when Shelton came up to me and
said to put the camera out of sight. I had
September 2015
included an armed Saudi solder in my
photo and that was a no-no. I didn’t even
realize I had done it as I was just taking
in the marketplace scene. Fortunately the
soldier was not looking my way so all
was well and Shelton was not deported.
He warned me not to photograph any
mosques either as that too could get him
deported.
The only reason I could even be in
Saudi was that I was with my husband
and my son was responsible for me. My
daughter-in-law’s parents could not visit.
Women didn’t have the same rights. During our time there we also visited a beach
on the Persian Gulf. It was for Aramco
employees, but a sign warned that modest bathing attire was required meaning
one piece for women—no bikinis—and
as modest as you could get a bathing suit
to be. Not too many people were there at
that time as it was still not the hot part of
the year, but it was fun to get in the water.
Another visit to a shopping mall
was interesting as there were very few
women there at all. There were lots of
men though. Another time we went out
to dinner at Kohbar and there was a Saudi
couple sitting at a table not far from us.
The lady had her face covered and I wondered how she planned to eat her meal. I
watched when the food arrived and she
just pulled her face veil outward a bit and
lifted the forkful of food into her mouth.
Once I was home again I had fun dressing up in the beautiful Saudi Bedouin
dress I had bought and was told it was
what the women would have worn to a
wedding. I had my black covering over it
and my head scarf on and wore it when
giving a slide show and talk to residents
in Asbury Home (now Park View apartments). The folks attending looked somewhat startled to see that strange woman,
but when I peeled off the black abaya
and they saw it was someone they knew,
we all had a good laugh.
My trip to Saudi is already in the past
and with the new rulers there, things are
changing, but they have a long way to go
I think. Tourism did not exist then and
I am not sure there is much of it even
now as the Saudis are the guardians of
the special cities of Mecca and Medina
and take that very seriously. I was glad
to be home again, but also happy I had
the opportunity to visit such a fascinating country. I am also very glad my son is
home again too.
11
Beloved Community Has a New Coordinator
T
by Jan Garman, Diamond
he Beloved Community Initiative (BCI)
is happy to announce that it has hired a
new part-time coordinator. She is Alexandra (Alex) Moran. Alex brings many gifts to
the BCI. She is a resident of Gaithersburg so she
knows the community well. Before graduating
with a BS in Social Work from the University of
Maryland, Baltimore County, she graduated from
Watkins Mill High School and Montgomery Village Middle School. She also brings insight into
Gaithersburg’s Latino community, as she, herself,
is the member of a close-knit Latino family and
speaks Spanish fluently. In addition, she is very
familiar with Asbury. She volunteered all during
her middle school and high school years at the
Wilson Health Care Center and did her internship in college with AMV’s Director of Social Services, Erika Baylor. If her last name sounds a bit
familiar, it’s because her mother is Mayra Moran,
AMV’s Protective Services Manager.
Alex describes herself as a “people person,”
Alexandra (Alex) Moran
and that is apparent when one meets her. She is
friendly and a good listener. She enjoyed working with the residents of Wilson but she also has
a “soft spot” for children. She teaches Sunday
Bible School to second and third graders at her
church and is a teen counselor with the youth
group at her church. When an injury prevented
her from playing soccer, which she had enjoyed
doing for many years, she earned a national
license for coaching soccer and now coaches
her fourteen-year old brother’s soccer team. She
was really drawn to the BCI position because
she will be able to work with seniors, children
and people of all ages.
Alex is looking forward to expanding the BCI
program here at Asbury and in the community
outside Asbury’s gates. Her office is in the Pastoral Care wing of the Administration Building, as
she is working under the supervision of Reverend Anne Ellestad. Her phone number is x4094
and her email is amoran@asbury.org. Be sure to
extend an Asbury welcome to Alex either in her
office or when you see her on the campus!
Montgomery County Fair’s Welcome to Seniors
was the acrobat performance advertised
as all day, but we figured they
t’s a bargain welcome because
we get in free. It’s a sweet wel- had to take some breaks as that was
come because we are greeted hard work.
And, of course, our favorite—
with free donuts and coffee. And we
always look forward to our “goodie” cooking and handcrafts, painting
bag, which has among other things, and photography are never to be
a ticket for a free ice cream, either missed. Here is where we get to
cone or cup. All this just for being see some of the work of our own
senior citizens! So, if you have a Asbury residents. They got blue ribsweet tooth, don’t miss next sum- bons!
We took a tram ride through the
mer’s fair!
Then, if you like fun there are the Fair grounds. The lady on the micropig and goat races, the comedy pat- phone told us when we arrived at
ter of the caller, and the bets on the the animal area, but our noses had
winners (of tee shirts). We like the already told us that!
It was time for our ice cream and
Old Timer’s display and the decorated toilets. This year a big draw then we headed back to Asbury.
I
By Marilyn Gaut, Trott
Photos: Hal Gaut
Jean Young brings home ribbons...again!
Jerry and Carol Dennis meet up with newlyweds Dan and Ruth Muller.
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September 2015
Howard Hallman is an artist and a musician!
Village Life
Welcome New Residents
Bill and Johanna Cohen
Diamond 113,x5236
where he stayed for the next 25 years.
Johanna was born and grew up in Bavaria, Germany, but being an adventurous young woman
she came to the United States under the sponsorship of a friend and became an au pair for a few
years before she went with the National Bank of
Washington.
Johanna and Bill met at a dance at the Roosevelt Hotel in Washington and were married
one month later, starting a 56- year life together.
Along the way they had three children, four
grandchildren and one great-grand. Before coming to Asbury, the Cohens lived in Kensington
and Silver Spring. Johanna says she really misses
her garden. Bill still does some tax work for
clients, but is cutting down. They considered
several CCRCs before choosing Asbury and think
they made the right choice.
—Mac McCullough,
Diamond reporter
In 1904 Bill’s grandfather brought his family
by train to Gaithersburg from Washington, D.C.
for their summer vacation in nearby Washington
Grove. Little did he know his grandson would be
moving to Gaithersburg 111 years later.
Bill Cohen was born in Baltimore, but when he
was an infant, his family moved to Washington
where he grew up and went to school. (Personal note: Bill and my wife were classmates
from the 4th grade through high school.) After
getting his accounting degree from Ohio State
University, Bill spent a couple of years in the D.C.
National Guard manning one of the anti-aircraft
guns which were around the city protecting us
from possible Russian attacks. Bill went into public accounting for six years before joining the
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Nancy Hirsche
Diamond 315, x6730
Nancy studied voice at neighboring Bennington College and began performing as a recitalist
and opera singer, performing roles with regional
Teacher, actress, mezzo-soprano, wife, mother, companies in western Massachusetts and eastern
grandmother --- these are some of the roles new New York. Commuting to New York City to study
resident Nancy Hirsche has played.
and sing, she also did TV commercials, voice-overs
Born in Buffalo, NY, Nancy and the family moved and soaps. She was a five-year regular on “As the
to Winter Park, Florida. In her teens she attended World Turns.”
Walnut Hill School in Natick, Massachusetts. After
Lee retired after 32 years at Williams College.
graduation, she went to Oberlin College to receive He and Nancy moved to Baltimore, where she
her BA and then to Yale for her MA in French.
performed in several plays at Center Stage. After
While at Oberlin, she met her future husband, Lee’s death 10 years later, Nancy moved first to
H. Lee Hirsche, a student at nearby Kenyon Col- Florida and then to Chevy Chase, MD to be near
lege. Graduating from Yale, the couple moved to one of her sons. The other one lives in New
Austin,Texas where he taught art at the University Hampshire. Nancy has three grandchildren.
of Texas and she became head of the YWCA Adult
Nancy was looking for a CCRC with lots of
Education Program. Three years later, Lee took a activities. In a book on CCRCs she discovered
job as Professor of Art and created the Art Studio Asbury and made her move. She won’t be disapat Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts. pointed.
As an instructor in French, Nancy became one of
—MacMcCullough, Diamond reporter
the first two women to teach at Williams.
Rachel Peabody
Mund 201, x4368
Rachel Peabody came to Asbury in the fall of
2014. She was born in Lexington, North Carolina.
After graduating from high school, she enrolled
in a business school in nearby High Point. That
training opened the way for a move to Washington, D.C. in 1944.
Rachel was a secretary at the U.S. Public Health
Service, which was responsible for recruiting
nurses during World War II. Her next employment was “on the Hill,” in the offices of Congressman C.W. Bishop of Illinois and of Senator
Alexander Wiley of Wisconsin.
In 1949, Rachel married Richard Peabody.
When the Peabody’s started their family, Rachel
discontinued working outside of their home.The
Peabody children are Richard, Jr., the eldest, who
now lives in Arlington, VA and is retired from
Johns Hopkins University where he taught English literature and writing. He is the editor, the
magazine Gargoyle, which he founded in 1976.
Nancy, the middle child, lives in Urbana, Maryland and works in Germantown as supervisor of
Village Life
auditing for the Department of Defense. In connection with her work, Nancy has spent one year
in Iraq and two years in Saudi Arabia.
Gary, the youngest, is an abstract artist and lives
in New York City.
When the children were in school, Rachel
September 2015
returned to outside work as a secretary at the
National Institutes of Health (NIH). Being able to
walk to work was one of the advantages of the
job. Rachel started as a secretary but soon was
promoted to coordinator for NIH’s prestigious
Clinical and Research Associates Program.
Each year, NIH department heads choose a new
class of Associates for this highly sought-after
program. The candidates come from the year’s
highest ranking graduates of the top American
medical schools. Once selected, the new Associates are commissioned in the Public Health Service, then are not eligible for the military draft.
After thirty years of government service,
Rachel retired at age fifty-five. Now, she has time
to paint portraits and travel whenever possible.
In addition to the principal Western European
countries, she has also visited Finland, Turkey,
Israel, and Egypt; Austria, the Czech Republic,
Hungary, Russia, and Jamaica. Rachel also participates in the activities of the Daughters of the
American Revolution, the United Daughters of
the Confederacy, and the Republican Party.
—Helen Strang, Mund reporter
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Welcome New Residents
Sally O’Neal
Diamond 1012 x5269
School System. She taught at Rock Terrace
School, where students ranged in age from
12 to 21. The school was located close to
Born and raised in Buxton, ME, Sally
her home in New Mark Commons, Rocklater graduated from Nasson College in
ville.
Springvale, ME with a B.A. in home ecoSally and Don had two children. One
nomics. She got a job with the Arnold
son, whose daughter and son live in RockBakery Company in New York. (Did you
ville, while the other son lives in Fort
know Betty and Dean Arnold started their
business in 1940 after he became allergic Lauderdale, FL with his daughter. Between
Maine, Florida and the family cottage on
to the flour in his first job?)
Sally met her future husband, Donald, Raquette Lake, NY, Sally had lots of great
while living in Greenwich, CT. He was a places to vacation.
Deciding to come to Asbury was not too
graduate of Cornell and worked for the
American Machine and Foundry as an difficult. Being a member of the Potomac
engineer. He died at age 46 leaving Sally Presbyterian Church she had lots of friends
already here, including Alice Smith (Mund)
and their two boys, ages 11 and 14.
The family moved to Maryland and Sally whom she has known for many years.
went to The George Washington Universi- Sally says the 10th floor has made her feel
ty where she received her Master’s Degree welcomed and she has already enjoyed
in Special Education. Then began her 20- several of the exercise classes.
year career with the Montgomery County
—Mac McCullough, Diamond reporter
George Cook
Trott 507, x6797
was trained and worked as a mechanic. He was
teaching in mechanic’s school by the time he
ended his six years on active duty. From 1945
George was born in Baltimore, the youngest of to1951 he worked for the Veteran’s Administrafour siblings. He lost his parents early in life: his tion. He loved dancing and met his future wife
father was killed at work when George was two at a dance in the Spanish Ballroom in Glen Echo
and a half. The family moved to Martinsburg,West Park. They were married in 1949, and had two
Virginia, and George attended grammar school children. George was called back on active duty
there. His mother died when he was in the fifth in the USAF for a short time during the Korean
grade, and George lived with an aunt and uncle War. Finally he joined the U.S. Postal Service and
for a short period. Next he and his two sisters worked there for 22 years. The family lived in
went to live near Chicago in Mooseheart Child District Heights. His wife, in her last years, develCity, a large orphanage run by the Moose organiza- oped dementia, and they moved near their son in
tion. After high school graduation George joined Waldorf where she could receive proper care. She
his older brother in Hagerstown. It was during died in 2006.
the Depression, and jobs were hard to come by,
George moved to AMV to be near his daughter,
but George was able to work intermittently at and because he was tired of shopping and cookodd jobs. He received a one-year scholarship to ing his meals. He is very proud of his five grandUniversity of Iowa and spent a year in Iowa City, children, all of whom have graduated from colbut he could not afford to attend any longer and lege. And he is delighted that he recently became
returned to Hagerstown.
a great grandfather.
In 1939 George joined the Army Air Corps and
—Jack Hutchings, Trott reporter
Photo: Hal Gaut
Mary Ann Lewis
Trott 110, x6665
Photo: Hal Gaut
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Florida and lived there for the past
28 years. Mary Ann did a lot of volunteering including tutoring children
Mary Ann has one of those wonderand working with the Animal Shelter.
ful “How I Met My Husband” stories.
While in Florida, Mary Ann got her first
They lived only 30 miles apart in New computer and enjoyed doing genealJersey but never met until they were ogy, scrapbooking and card making.
in Colorado Springs on vacation. They
She and Bill moved into a retirebegan dating and married in 1955.
ment home in Florida but when Bill
Mary Ann was an elementary teach- died in March she decided to come
er for 32 years. Bill was in the Air Force here to be closer to her son, Bill, and
during WWII and was a tax manager daughter-in-law, Shirley, who live in
for Campbell Soup Co.They have one Bethesda.
son. Bill and Mary Ann had a home on
From the sofa we faced many teddy
the Jersey Shore, great for their love bears, just a few of her collection
of boating, fishing, crabbing, outdoor begun years before with a gift from
activities.
her husband and son.
In 1987 they retired to Lake County,
—Marilyn Gaut, Trott reporter
September 2015
Village Life
Welcome New Residents
Pam Parmer and Ron Stevenson
moved into their Villa in mid-April,
2015. They had already decided
on another retirement community
in PA when friends invited them
to come and see Asbury. They
liked what they saw and heard
enough to change their plans and
come to AMV.
Ron grew up in Sioux City, IA.
After graduating from the Univ. of
Nebraska, he served as an officer
in the U.S. Navy (1963-67). He
then resigned his commission and
returned to civilian life, working
for the next 37 years as a marketing executive for Hallmark Cards
in the Washington metro area.
This provided him opportunity
to occasionally sail on the Chesapeake Bay.
Pam was born in Lancaster, PA
and educated in MD. She received
her undergraduate degree from
Mt. St. Mary’s (BS in Sociology)
and earned a Masters in Social
Work (MSW) from the Univ. of
MD in Baltimore in 1989. Pam
has enjoyed a wide-ranging career
from the Peace Corps in Ghana, to
Research Specialist for the International Association of Chiefs of
Police in Gaithersburg, to school
social worker in several locations,
Ron Stevenson and Pamela Parmer
Villa 392. X4609
to Director of Admissions at Chestnut Lodge Hospital in Rockville,
to Clinical Social Worker for the
Department of State, and, finally,
as a consulting clinician to USAID
employees and families.
Ron is a third generation genealogist and has continued research
begun by his maternal grandmother and mother, documenting
some branches of the family going
back 7, 8 and 9 generations. He
has used The Family Tree Maker
and Ancestry.com to trace one
branch to Rollo the Viking (his 33rd
great grandfather) and one of his
descendants, William the Conqueror (Ron’s 28th great grandfather)
He discovered that he and Pam
share an ancestor in William the
Conqueror, who was also Pam’s
28th great grandfather.
Pam and Ron met while running!
Both were members of a running
club in Washington, D.C. and have
been married for 31 years. They
don’t run as much these days, but
they hike and bike and have done
three 100- mile walks across Scotland and England, often visiting the
castles of their ancestors. At the
end of their walk in the UK, they
visited a son, daughter-in-law and
3 grandsons who live there. They
also like to visit their daughter and
son-in-law and 2 granddaughters
in southern CA, especially in the
winter. They soon will leave for
a trip to a lake in IA where their
families have gathered for the last
40 years, including Pam’s 2 brothers and Ron’s brother and 2 sisters.
In addition to what has already
been mentioned, Ron jogs, and is
an avid photographer. Pam does
yoga, meditation and they share a
love of in-line skating, and reading.
They are happy at Asbury, like all
the activities it offers but are still
exploring and deciding how to be
involved. Our villa community is
greatly enriched by having them
here.
— Fran Blendermann,
Villas reporter
Dotti Walsh
Edwards-Fisher 114, x 6884
Photo: Dorothy Harris Village Life
Her life-long love of animals, dogs in particular, led her to open her own business in Vienna,
Virginia. Thus, Camp Dotti, a pet-sitting, trainDotti’s story is both unique and fasci- ing and boarding facility, was born. nating.
Here, on three-quarters of an acre, she boardShe was born in Berlin, where her ed up to seven dogs at a time, stressing the
father was importance of kindness and the wise choice
Germany’s Director of Air Research and of dogs with compatible temperaments. She
Development during WWII. Her child- walked them five at a time, and matched up
hood was spent moving around to escape their bowls at feeding time, using individualthe bombings. This resulted in attend- ized menus. ing several schools, ranging from oneWhen it was time to retire, Dotti chose
room school houses to parochial schools. Asbury for its beautiful campus and its welAfter the war, her family was relocated coming atmosphere. She was able to bring her
to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Day- gentle-natured yellow lab, Shiloh, to live with
ton, Ohio. There, her father was in a group her here. of leading German scientists successfully
Previous hobbies have included oil and expatriated to United States under a pro- watercolor painting, gardening, knitting/crogram named “Project Paper Clip”.
cheting, and cooking. Now she is active in
In Germany, she had attended the Edwards- Fisher’s new arts and crafts room. She
the University of Maryland’s extension sees as much as she can of her family, which
branch in Munich. She graduated from the now includes three grandchildren. We are glad
U. Maryland College Park campus with that Dotti’s happy trails led her from Germany
a degree in art education. Dotti then to a pleasant retirement here at Asbury.
taught art in Prince George’s County
—Trudy Meissner,
before marriage and the birth of her two
Edwards-Fisher reporter
daughters.
September 2015
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Asbury Celebrates in the Labor Day Parade!
Photo: Cathy Richards’ Parents
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September 2015
Village Life