Valentines Day, for the Young-at

JIM GRAUNKE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR • 323-257-7518
SPRING 2016
Valentines Day, for the
Young-at-Heart in Love
by Nina Zvaleko
The scene: Solheim’s elegant dining room, high
beamed ceilings, gold-tone and glass chandeliers,
gold tapestry chairs, and the infamous hand-carved
wooden map of the world. Add traditional red, pink
and white hearts and balloons, happy people, and
you’ve got a party!
The cast: Mistress of Ceremonies, Director of
Community Engagement Kathy Rust, King and
Queen of Hearts 2016, Joan and Bob; Officiating,
Conservator Pat Barr; Witnesses, a full complement
of family, friends, members of the LAPD, and the
residents, staff, and wonderful volunteers of Solheim;
Entertainers, professional dancers and instructors,
Brian Fortuna, Joan Robinson and Rachel Seward.
The festivities started with a welcome by Kathy and
introduction of the King and Queen of Hearts. While
Bob waited patiently, all eyes were on his bride. Joan
walked the aisle again in a cream lace dress carrying
a bouquet of white roses accented with orange. His
smile spoke volumes as she set upon the red “throne”
beside him. The couple was then draped with royal
capes of red with white faux-fur trim, and crowned
with convincing gold crowns. White frosted wedding
This year’s Valentine’s Day party was no exception, cake completed the setting.
except for the added joy of wedding vows renewed.
Kathy introduced the nine couples of Solheim, seven
You can believe that love is in the air in our 80s and 90s.
of whom were at the party to hear the congratulations
Solheim currently has a record nine married couples,
and applause in honor of their everlasting love.
and a few new romances budding. There were smiles,
hand holding, and more than a few kisses at this party.
Continued on Page 2
A
t Solheim, Eagle Rock’s premier retirement
community, holiday parties are the norm. In
addition to the regular activities; games, discussions,
socials, there’s always a reason to celebrate. With
holidays, birthdays, international independence
days, national pie day... the festivities are endless.
It’s called abundant living, and it is written into their
mission statement.
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Continued from Page 1
The happy couple were congratulated by several
members of the Los Angeles Police Department, where
Lieutenant Bob had served during his long career. They
appreciated him for his service, and each wished them
continued joy and happiness.
On Valentine’s Day 1957, Bob and
Joan were wed. He had just passed
the police academy test, and they
embarked upon their journey. Now,
59 years later, they would do it again!
Ooh and the entertainment was delightful! Brian Fortuna
and Joan Robinson, professional ballroom dancers and
coaches (Brian of Dancing with the Stars fame) wowed
The ceremony began with a remembrance. This was the crowd. Brian introduced himself and graciously
a renewal of an ongoing lifelong commitment. First, a presented Joan. He in a smart, sharp and elegant fitted
bit of romantic history: It was a Sunday in July when dress shirt and brown slacks, she in a formal gown of
Bob first saw Joan at the beach, looking “glamorous.” rich dark turquoise, with a cascade of sparling white
He met her and by the end of the afternoon he was flowers and matching collar, they took the dance floor.
driving her home, yes, they kissed. In a 1956 letter Grace, rhythm and romance ensued as they performed
to Bob, his sister approved of his intent to tie the a Rumba to “Quiet Night, Quiet Stars.”
knot. She wrote that Joan was,
Brian, coyly claiming that
“a very nice girl.” She wished
singing is not his first talent,
them a life of happiness
followed the Rumba with
together. Her wish came true.
a sweet rendition of Frank
On Valentine’s Day 1957, Bob
Sinatra’s “Fly Me to the
and Joan were wed. He had just
Moon”. This was followed
passed the police academy test,
by an impressive foxtrot. In
and they embarked upon their
an obviously surprise move,
journey. Now, 59 years later,
the dancers and their co-hort
they would do it again!
Rachel, who teaches dance
at Solheim, brought the
The vows were a reminder as
officers to the dance floor, and
well as a renewal: Joan and Bob
proved them graceful as well
you promised to love, for richer
as dedicated and brave. Bob
for poorer, in sickness and in
thanked everyone for being
health, in good times and sad,
there to celebrate with them,
and all have come to pass. You
declaring before all that he
have known plentiful times and lean, and you have
“Loves Joan very much and is happy to be together”.
been strong and weak. You have taken turns to care
The last dance of the afternoon, dedicated to Joan
for each other, and loved unconditionally through all.
and Bob, was the father/daughter rendition of Nat
Your love has made the good times better, and the sad
King Cole’s “Unforgettable”. Not surprisingly, the
times bearable. 59 years ago, on Valentine’s Day you
traditional tears were abundantly present throughout
promised to spend the rest of your lives together. Bless
the dining hall.
you for making your hopes and dreams come true. You
promised to love each other, and it has come to pass, A team of student volunteers, the performers, and
and continues on. Your years have been filled with joy, Solheim staff, offered everyone rich chocolate chip
laughter, hugs and unconditional, supportive love. You red velvet cupcakes and juice.
promised to love each other and it has come to pass As is often the case at Solheim, where respect,
and continues on.
dignity, and kindness, reign, the closing remarks
Joan, do you promise these vows again and to love Bob were simple, and clearly true: “To all our residents,
even more? Bob, do you promise these vows again, ‘We love you.’”
and to love Joan even more? They do. And sealed it
with a kiss, again.
Note: It is with sadness that we report the death of Bob,
not quite a month after this celebration. ❤
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Solheim Family Spotlight—
Jennifer Roman Rubio, Employee
By Josephine Williams, Resident
N
ot many people
can say they walk
40 miles a week.
Postal carriers, yes.
Maybe serious fitness
walkers preparing for a
competition. But 21-yearold Jennifer Roman, a
full-time server in the
Solheim’s dining room,
averages eight miles a
day making sure residents
are cared for Sunday
through Thursday on her
shift, 6:00 am to 2:30 pm. “I actually set up my
phone as a pedometer,” the Pasadena Community
College (PCC) junior says, “because I knew I was
doing a lot of walking and I wanted to know if was
just my imagination or was it a fact!”
Jennifer observed her second-year anniversary working
at Solheim in February 2016. A friend told her there
was an opening two years ago and even though she
was enrolled full-time at PCC she knew she needed a
job with plenty of hours to help pay for her education.
Jennifer’s major is Linguistics and her long-term goal
is to be a translator in the court system, she says. She
is already fluent in English and Spanish and is studying
French. She knows she will need to pursue a Masters
Degree and a Doctorate to be truly proficient in
several languages. Mandarin and Korean are the next
languages on her list. She hopes to finish her Bachelor’s
degree in 2017.
“I’ve learned a lot working here,” Jennifer says.
“I have to be sensitive to the resident’s preferences
and needs. And I have to listen to people and be
able to answer their questions and to be sensitive
to their concerns.”
When she’s not studying or working or attending
classes, Jennifer likes to play sports, especially baseball
and football. She says, “My friends would describe
me as adventuresome, although I think I’m pretty
shy.” Would Jennifer recommend Solheim to her
grandparents should they be looking for the many
Lunch time is particularly challenging. “Some residents
levels of care available? “Absolutely,” she says. “It’s a
bring family and we have to juggle more orders and
caring place. All the employees I know are caring and
make sure everyone is served and is satisfied.”
it definitely feels like home.” ■
The walking is part of the job, she says. “I want to
ensure that residents receive the service they expect.
And residents choose where they sit and since almost
all of the tables have at least one person at them it
means we have to pay attention to all the details.”
MYTH: Senior Living communities only have small
one-room studios.
FACT: Solheim has one bedroom suites, which
feature twice the square footage and twice the
closet space of our traditional studios! They include a
kitchenette, with a full size refrigerator, microwave,
cabinets, and granite countertops. The bedroom and
living room also have separate temperature controls!
See Chip or Jennifer in Marketing if you’d like to see
our available apartments.
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Solheim’s Pastor Charlie has Retired!
P
astor Charlie Carlson,
Solheim Lutheran
H o m e ’s b e l o v e d
fulltime chaplain, has
recently retired. Our
“encourager-in-chief”
gave our Solheim family
so very much, and
now we give him our
warmest send-off.
Each Sunday, Pastor Charlie led a religious service in
Solheim’s beautiful Weiche Chapel, and then led a
second service for Solheim residents in Skilled Nursing.
For the bed-bound, Pastor Charlie made personal
room visits where he offered prayer and communion,
frequently with visiting family members.
Ministering to Solheim residents’ family members was a
vital part of Pastor Charlie’s mission. During any family
crisis—on campus or at the hospital—Pastor Charlie
was there to share Scripture and prayer, offering hope,
For 15 years Pastor Charlie comforted, counseled and
encouragement and the strength to keep going.
cheered Solheim residents, staff and supporters alike.
Pastor Charlie would say: “I’m called here as pastor to “It’s all about making a human connection,” maintains
administer the Word to these folks, to love them, pray Pastor Charlie. “And you can’t go wrong by focusing
with them, joke with them, to always encourage them. on Jesus.”
It’s a big thing to be an encourager.”
Pastor Charlie’s love of man and God has fueled his
And encourage he did, meeting and greeting all who message and his mission. This June he’ll celebrate a full
stepped onto the Solheim campus. For the religiously 50 years in Ministry.
oriented, he was Pastor Charlie, ready to lend an ear
and offer spiritual guidance. For secular folks, he was We miss you, Pastor Charlie! Thank you for keeping in
touch, lending your open hand and loving ear when
just Charlie—a trusted friend in whom to confide.
needed.
As Pastor Charlie liked to say: “Every day can be a
miracle for you and for me.”
Goodbye, Pastor Charlie, and God bless! ✝
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Solheim is grateful to the generous donors who have
made gifts between January 1 and April 15, 2016
$20,000 – 49,999
Tesoro Corporation
$5,000 – 9,999
Thomas E. Lee
Susan & Oliver Stark
$1,000 – 4,999
James & Andrea Barber
John & Annette Brende
Howard & Esther Den Hartog
Glendale Adventist Medical Center
I.U.O.E. Local 12, Charitable Golf
Committee, Inc., Pasadena
Paul Jacques
Dr. Ralph C. Jung
Stone Tapert Financial Services
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans,
Thrivent Choice Dollars Program
Chester & Carol Weiche
$500 – 999
Audrey Bahr
Patricia & Robert Barr
Faith Lutheran Church,
San Dimas
The M Shop, Los Angeles
Ken Martin
James & Kim Overton
Patricia Poorkaj, Parvoneh
& Pat Navas
Debbie Speckenbrink
$100 – 499
Allied Medical & Health Services,
Inc., Glendale
Donna Jean Anderson
Lucy Arana
Isabel Bellier
Robin Bernier-Stieringer
Dennis & Evelyn Carpenter
Chevron Matching Employee
Funds
Eagle Rock Home Brewing
Supply, LLC.
Ellis & Ellis, CPA, Inc., Pasadena
William & Alice Ewing,
and Christian Brethren
Ray & Marti Gillespie
James Graunke
John Hoffman
Karen W. King
Cheryl Kling
Peter & Ella Loschky
Lutheran Health Ministries
of the Foothills, Inc.
Stephen K. Shepard
Solheim Lutheran Church, Eagle
Rock
David Starleaf
Linda Von Dette
Sherry L. Wait
Warren Printing & Mailing, Inc.,
Eagle Rock
$1 – 99
All Saints Lutheran Church
WELCA, Sun Valley
AmazonSmile Foundation
Ken and Barbara Atkins
Patricia Barnwell
Filomena B. Caranto
Christ Lutheran Church, Long
Beach
Jacqueline Downs
Lourdes F. Foja
Kendra Frank
Jennifer Garcia
Sally Kalaghan & Alexander
Beebee
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Farnaz Khanlar
Rosie Manalastas
Maria E. Pinlac
Anriette Pirian
James & Jean Speed
St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church
WELCA, Granada Hills
Gladys Van Tilburg
Thrivent Choice
Matching Gifts
Program:
Donna J. Anderson
Shirley Arkils
Phillip and Barbara Counts
Clemencia Cuellar
Janet Giertz
Olaf Halvorson
Steven & Karen Jones
Lionel Lyon
Patricia Schwartz
Dona Slotrem
Sherry Wait
Ronald & Janis White
In Kind:
James Davies
Estate of Virginia Hausdorfer
James Janossy
Jewell City Knitters,
La Canada
Cornelia Klesges
Bill Nelson
Maureen Perry
Lucille Seeley
Vera Zvaleko
Tribute Gifts:
Weiche Chapel
Chester D. & Carol Weiche
In Honor of:
Col. Donald Carver,
on his 96th birthday
Pat & Robert Barr
In Memory of:
Donald H. Anderson
Donna Jean Anderson
Richard Coffin
Ken and Barbara Atkins
Jane Hefflefinger
Karen W. King
John Hoffman
Ethel “Bunnie” Martin
Ken Martin
Welcome to
Solheim:
Joyfully
Remembered:
Hedwig Bross
David Andrews
Barbara Canady
Richard Coffin
Carol Clarke
Charlotte Costantini
Sew Tai Fong
Beverly Covington
Janet Giertz
Bruce Gill
Elizabeth Height
Merlene Griffin
Venita Krasomil
Virginia Hausdorfer
Retha Matson
Jane Hefflefinger
Ruth Nelson
Mary Hewson
William Nelson
Geneva Knutsen
Robert Shaull
Frimmie Leyton
Gloria Sperry
Florence McIllece
Teresa Savior
Betty Sweetnam
Robert Wachter
We make every attempt to
provide accurate information.
Please contact us with any updates or corrections.
Emelyn Whitlock
Thank you for remembering Solheim in your will or trust document.
Annual Meeting: You’re Invited!
A
t last year’s Annual Meeting in October, a couple of important things
happened!
•The delegates voted on a proposal to amend our by-laws so that our Annual
Meeting is held in June, rather than October annually.
•The delegates voted to amend our by-laws to provide our current Board of
Directors a vote at the Annual Meetings, along with our delegates.
This year’s annual meeting is scheduled for Sunday June 12th at 4pm! Just around
the corner! Please mark your calendars! The evening’s events include elections
to the Board of Directors, and reports on current and future plans. Dinner will be
served immediately following the annual meeting and election of the officers.
Solheim is a California not-for-profit corporation, and its members, the
congregations of the Southwest California Synod, elect the Board of Directors.
As a delegate, you can affirm your congregations’ ownership in this vital ministry.
To register as a delegate, as a non-delegate attendee, or for more information, please
contact Kari Stenberg at 323 257 7518 or kstenberg@SolheimLutheran.org. ■
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Luminaries Shine
on our Future!
What is a Luminary?
The word Luminary can be defined as an object, such as a celestial
body, that gives light. Our Luminaries give light! They radiate the
light of God’s love through stewardship to Solheim.
Our “Luminaries” are those in our Solheim Family who have
made a planned gift to support the future success, mission, and
ministry of Solheim.
Simple steps:
• Determine whether you’d like to make a gift
of a specific amount, or if you’d like to leave
a percentage, allowing your gift to remain
in proportion to your estate size.
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• Decide if you want to direct your gift to a
specific project or leave it as unrestricted,
where it is used for our most pressing needs.
If you chose to restrict it, please contact us so
that we can ensure your intent is fulfilled.
• See your attorney to include your gift in your
will or revocable living trust. The bequest
language below will help with your wording.
• If you desire, please notify us of your intention
so we can thank you and keep you informed
of ongoing activities. We are happy to adhere
to your wishes of anonymity.
Bequest Language for Your Will:
Bequest language is the formal name of the
sentences your estate planning attorney uses to
include a charitable bequest in your will. Here is
our suggested wording:
I, (Name), of (city, state, zip), give, devise and
bequeath to Solheim Lutheran Home (written
amount or percentage of the estate, or description
of property) for its unrestricted use and purpose.
For more information please contact Tina L. Antypas,
Director of Development at 323 257 7518, or e-mail
at giving@solheimlutheran.org. ■
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Celebrating Solheim’s
exceptional nursing staff!
Who provide loving quality care to our seniors every day.
Inside
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Gala Announcement
Annual Meeting Notice
Staff Member Profile by Josephine Williams
Pastor Charlie Retired
Oktoberfest Save the Date
Donations List
Welcome to Solheim
Joyfully Remembered
Visit us ONLINE at
www.SolheimLutheran.org
At Solheim, it’s all about
LOVE
and learn more about Solheim Lutheran Home.
Request information about living at Solheim.
Make a gift online.
Email individuals/departments directly.
This means that we believe in loving care for
seniors of all religions or none. We believe in
supporting one another in our joy and our pain.
Like us on Facebook at:
www.facebook.com/SolheimLutheranHome
The mission of Solheim Lutheran Home is to provide abundant living for older adults
in a caring, faith-based community filled with love, peace, dignity and security.
2236 Merton
Ave, Los Angeles
(Eagle
CA 90041
Complete and return this coupon to receive more
information
for you
orRock),
a friend.
323 257-7518 • www.solheimlutheran.org
Information requested: n Living at Solheim
n Donations
n Volunteer Opportunities
n Education Programs n Meeting Rooms
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Mail to: Solheim Lutheran Home • 2236 Merton Ave • Eagle Rock, CA 90041 • (323) 257-7518
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