Gadsden GAB - Bishop Gadsden

Gadsden GAB
A
P u b l i c a t i o n
o f
B i s h o p
G a d s d e n
View the Gab in color on-line at
http://www.bishopgadsden.org/community_life/newsroom.html
Part II - Oberammergau Passion Play (2010):
A Personal Reflection
Vi n c e
INSIDE THIS
ISSUE:
President’s
Message
2
What is a
Blog?
3
From the Vice
President
5
Activities /
Events
6
Birthdays
10
Chaplain’s
Corner
13
L a n n i e
The bus from Munich, on July
17, 2010, moved carefully along
curved roads high up into the Bavarian
Alps, and after a two-hour ride, my
wife, Joanne, and I finally arrived at
picturesque Oberammergau, a village
nestled among mountains, lakes, and
valleys. About 5,000 people live in
Oberammergau and reside in homes
famous for their exterior stuccoed frescoes depicting traditional religious and
folklore themes. In addition to these
homes, the village boasts a long tradition of professional wood carvers who
create and paint figures of all sizes and
prices, ranging from
religious motifs to children’s toys to stately
sculptures.
Traditionally a
quiet village, Oberammergau breathes a new
and vibrant life every
tenth year. For it is the
home of the famous
day-long Passion Play
performed once every decade between
mid-May and early October, five days
a week from 2:30 PM - 5:00 PM &
8:00 PM - 10:30 PM, with a threehour dinner interval. 2010 is such a
year and approximately 500,000 visitors attended its 102 performances.
About half of Oberammergau’s
inhabitants participate in this Play as
actors, singers, musicians, and technicians. They must be born in the village
or have lived there for at least twenty
years. There are 150 speaking charac-
ters but the 19 major speaking roles
are played alternately by two actors.
Our Sunday night performance featured Andreas Richter, a child psychologist by profession, as Jesus
and good-naturedly referred to by
the locals as the ―fast Jesus‖ because he speaks his lines more
quickly than the alternate Jesus.
Performances take place regardless
of weather conditions and the
mountain air often turns chilly during the evening program. It is advisable to rent blankets for the night
(about two dollars each) and use
them comfortably during the late
hours.
Why such an international
hullabaloo about a once-in-a-decade
Play produced in a remote mountain
village? The reason goes back to a
well-documented and important
event in the village’s long history.
During the 17th century’s Thirty
Years War, bubonic plague broke
out in southern Germany. In 1633,
the inhabitants of Oberammergau
vowed to God Continued on Page 9
Page 2
Volume 251
President’s Message
C .
With
Thanksgi ving still in
our rear view
mirror and
Chanukah
and Christmas
both
within just a few weeks, we will
be in high gear here at BG until
the ball falls and the New Year
begins. Although too intense, it
is also a fun time in which we see
more of our families and friends
than ever. I am looking forward
to it and hope you are.
As many of you have heard by
now, Sarah Tipton, Jim Epper
and I, along with Glen Tipton,
our architect, and Todd Altman
of Bovis Lend Lease, our general
contractor, gave a very successful
and well-received presentation at
the Annual Meeting of the
American Association of Homes
and Services for the Aging
(presently changing its name to
― Le a d i n g A ge ‖ ) e n t i t l e d
―Excellence in Dining Service
Design: A Journey of Transformation.‖ The attendee evaluations on what we have accom-
W i l l i a m
T r aw i c k
plished here as a ―best practice‖
in the industry ranged from the
―best presentation at this Annual
Meeting‖ to ―one of the best ever
presented at any Annual Meeting.‖ We have already had residents and management come
from a community in upstate
New York and others from a
community in Mississippi are
planning a visit. I hope you share
our pride that, once again, Bishop
Gadsden is a leader of culture
change—not only improving the
lives of our own residents here at
home but also, by our example,
inspiring other retirement communities to improve life for their
residents as well. We are also
pleased that the primary hurdles
have now been jumped and our
Read Cloister dining room, to be
known as the ―Schlemmer Bistro,‖ will be open for our Cloister
residents to enjoy for the holidays. What a life changing event
this will be for these residents!
We are also blessed this holiday season to be able to enjoy the
new altar painting in our chapel,
―The Presentation of Christ in the
Temple.‖ This magnificent paint-
Welcome New Residents
Frances Porcher
Robert Jaegly
ing, which has been a year in
creation, will be a timeless reminder for us of the dependability
of faith. The prophet Simeon and
the prophetess Anna, although
they had grown old, never lost
their faith that they would see the
Christ child before they died—
and God did not let them down.
Amid the chaos that is inevitable
during the holidays, it would behoove each of us to visit our
chapel and take some quiet time
to reflect on the meaning of our
new altar painting—and of
Christmas itself. If we invite the
Christ child into our hurried lives
this season, we will not be disappointed either!
I wish each and every one of
you all the blessings of the season.
Page 3
Volume 251
What is the Bishop Gadsden Blog?
Kimberly M. Farfone, Director of Development & Public Relations
What is the Bishop Gadsden Blog, or for
that matter, what is a blog? This is a question I
have heard around the community recently. I
thought it would be
fitting to let you know
the definition of a blog
and how you can become a blogger.
First things
first…the true definition of a blog, courtesy
of Wikipedia, is as follows: The term "blog"
was coined in May 1999. Shortly thereafter,
"blog" came to be used as both a noun and verb
("to blog," meaning "to edit one's blog or to post
to one's blog"). Blogs are maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other materials and entries
are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological
order.
Therefore, to bring things down to basics, a
blog is basically a journal entry (called a post) that
is available on the web/internet. The activity of
updating a blog is ―blogging‖ and someone who
blogs is a ―blogger.‖
The Bishop Gadsden Blog is located on our
website. Scrolling down to the bottom of the
Bishop
Gadsden
homepage
(www.bishopgadsden.org), you will find the link
to our Blog site - http:// bishopgadsden.wordpress.com/.
Bloggers to the Bishop
Gadsden Blog include residents and family members, as well as staff. We have had blogs on events
that occurred in or outside of our community, on an
experience that one had in reference to Bishop Gadsden or a reflection on some aspect of Bishop Gadsden.
Blog posts are
usually about 3 – 4 paragraphs long and can contain a picture or video.
All residents and family
members, as well as staff,
are encouraged to submit
a Blog post. You can do
so either by writing a
submission to the Office of Development & Public
Relations or via email to me at Kimberly.farfone@bishopgadsden.org.
Once reviewed and edited if necessary (for
grammar, etc.), we will post Blogs as they come in,
leaving each up for a few days, before a new one is
added. Additionally, for those residents who we
have emails addresses, we will send out a notice of a
new blog post, so you can be kept in the ―BG Blog
Loop,‖ just like our staff. Currently, Gen. Ireland
holds the award for the most resident blog posts, but
I am sure he would be happy to see his record surpassed by any other resident or family member.
I hope you will consider contributing to the
Bishop Gadsden Blog. If you have additional questions on this topic, or any other aspect of our website
or development activities, please contact me. You
can call 406.6334, stop into my office across from
Blackmer Hall, or send me an email at Kimberly.farfone@bishopgadsden.org.
Telephone Announcement
Anytime you are having trouble with your
phone, please call Helen Boatwright
first. This will ensure that your specific
outage is pinpointed and the correct
company can be called to expedite the issue
(406-6600). This will also alleviate
unnecessary charges.
Page 4
Volume 251
Meet your NeighborMarge Cogswell
Wa l t
Marge was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
and attended college at Swarthmore where she met
and married her husband, Billy Cogswell, of
Charleston. Billy was in the Marine Corps,
and stationed nearby. They were married on
February 12, 1944, in the President's Church
at the White House. Billy soon went overseas during WWII, and did not return until
after the war ended.
Billy was the fifth generation of
printers associated with Walker Evans &
Cogswell, here in Charleston, SC., where the
couple lived. This company printed Confederate
money during the War Between the States. Billy had
graduated from Carnegie Tech in Pittsburgh with an
unusual degree of Printing Engineering, and was one
of a very few with that degree in the Southeast.
They lived in the Crescent subdivision, and
raised two sons and a daughter. Unfortunately, one
son was killed by a drunk driver when he was 31. To
add more tragedy, a grandson was killed in an auto
accident not long ago at age 27. Her daughter lives in
Charleston, and her son, Connor, is a lawyer in Pittsburgh. She feels fortunate that she has several grandchildren, and 8 great grandchildren.
Marge has been very active in community affairs. She was a member of the Ladies Benevolent
Society from 1990 - 2004, and served as its Superintendent. She served on the Roper Hospital Auxiliary;
she was on the Board of the Charleston Historical So-
E c t o r
ciety. Marge was a founding member of the Ivy Garden
Club which began in 1948, and served as its President on
4 occasions. She is on the Board of the Blind
Association. She relishes service to these organizations.
Billy died in 1994. Marge continued to
live in the Crescent until she moved to Bishop
Gadsden about six months ago. She had lived
in the Crescent for a total of 63 years! She says
she loved it, and I got the impression that she
still misses it. However, she says she has enjoyed living here at BG.
Marge loves to paint, and her apartment is filled
with really nice oils. She also loves flower arranging and
has been on the flower guild at Grace Church for years.
One of her most memorable times was the week she
spent in England a few years ago. While there, she
worked with the Queen's flower arranger, and says she
felt she ―was in heaven.‖
Marge has had some health problems. In 1975
she had both hips replaced in Boston when this surgery
was in its infancy. She has also had back surgery. However, she continues to exercise, and says she looks forward to joining the group that plays water volleyball here
at BG.
During their 50 years of marriage, Marge and
Billy enjoyed many trips to Europe, the Middle East and
Russia. After Billy's death, she continued to enjoy travel,
going 7 times to England.
Welcome to Bishop Gadsden, Marge!
Why Brain Fitness? Why Posit
Science?
E l i z a b e t h
For years we’ve been
given advice on how to keep our
heart healthy, now all we’re hearing about is how to keep our
brain healthy. So why are we so
focused on keeping our brain
healthy?
It is often thought that
brain growth only occurs during
infancy and early adulthood, with
a cognitive decline taking place
in older adulthood. Recent research has shown that under the
G r i m e s ,
W e l l n e s s
right training circumstances, the
power of brain plasticity can help
older minds grow!
With our newest brain
fitness software, Posit Science,
you are able to train specific areas of the brain. One program
focuses mainly on the auditory
system of the brain while the
other program, Insight, puts a focus on the visual system. The
different programs work together
to speed up brain function, im-
prove accuracy, and strengthen
recall.
During our first Posit Science class, we had four residents
sample the class. They have all
made remarkable progress! At
the end of 6 weeks, they will all
have the ability to continue on
with the program at their own
pace right at home. Stay tuned
for more info on our next class to
start in January!
Page 5
Volume 251
From the Vice President
S a r a h
It probably comes as no surprise
that there are heroes among us at Bishop
Gadsden. We have war and military heroes, public and community service heroes, and now, our very own Health Care
Hero. Caroline Bailey PA-C, who serves
Bishop Gadsden in the Putman Clinic
through her employment with Dr. Levern
Livingston, was recognized as a Health
Care Hero finalist at the annual awards
ceremony on November 18, 2010.
The 2010 Health Care Heroes
awards were presented by
the Charleston Regional
Business Journal and industry sponsors at the Francis
Marion Hotel. The annual
program recognizes those in
the health care and public
safety sectors who have selflessly served their patients
and their communities above
and beyond the call of duty.
Nominations are independently and separately judged, and then scores are tallied
to determine finalists and winners.
The themes from Bishop Gadsden’s
nomination for Caroline are consistent:
exceptional relationships and extraordinary care, all enhanced by an upbeat
approach and ever-ready words of encouragement. As Tommy Thorne was
quoted in the nomination, “Caroline is a
gem. She helps me through any ailment I may have and does it with a
smile. She is respectful and caring – I
could not ask for anything more from
my health care professional.”
T i p t o n
At the award presentation, our own
hero Caroline was in very good company.
As Dr. Ann Kulze introduced the nominees and their stories, we heard tales of
remarkable action ranging from a nurse
who donated a kidney to a coworker to
two off-duty EMS workers who administered CPR and saved a man’s life in the
middle of a football game. After receiving
her award, Caroline, in her characteristically uncomplicated way, said she simply
could think of no greater honor than the
opportunity to serve our residents each
day. Caroline, we can think of no one
more heroic than you! You have made
us all proud.
Page 6
Volume 251
W h a t ’ s
B Y
K a t i e J a y n e ,
C h r i s t y S m i t h
H a p p e n i n g !
C y n t h i a M a r t e r r e ,
a n d K a y J e n k i n s
(right) Myers Hall
Kindness Klub with the
goodie bags they filled
and decorated for needy
senior citizens.
2
(above) Mary Cone, Stella
Barnett & (right) Joan
Hazzard enjoy lunch and
music at Church of the
Good Shepherd.
(above) Dr.
DuBose
Egleston, Doris
Lifton, (right)
Henry Townsend
with John Totaro
enjoyed the
Friday afternoon
Retreat at the
Parade at The
Citadel.
R e s i d e n t
U p d a t e
M e e t i n g s
Apartment & Cottages:
December 15th at 10 AM
Myers Hall:
December 9th at 11 AM
Read Cloister:
December 16th at 11 AM
Page 7
Volume 251
W h a t ’ s
B Y
K a t i e J a y n e ,
C h r i s t y S m i t h
H a p p e n i n g !
C y n t h i a M a r t e r r e ,
a n d K a y J e n k i n s
(below) Hand-carved butternut
squash vases filled with root
vegetables dyed to make flowers.
What has 30 cooked
turkeys, 5 ice sculptures
and any holiday item you
could want? Thanksgiving
at Bishop Gadsden!
Congratulations to our
Dining Services team as
they successfully served
over 300 people when a
normal buffet night is
around 180. We are truly
living an extraordinary life!
Page 8
Volume 251
W h a t ’ s
B Y
K a t i e J a y n e ,
C h r i s t y S m i t h
H a p p e n i n g !
C y n t h i a M a r t e r r e ,
a n d K a y J e n k i n s
You Don’t Want to Miss This…
December 3 - 3:00 PM
Christmas Tree Trimming - Myers Hall Living Room
December 5 - 6:00 PM
Citadel Candlelight Service - Front Lobby
December 7 & 14 - 2:00 PM
Holiday Rejuvenation for the Grieving - Card Room
December 7 - 3:00 PM
Holiday Open House at Bill Trawick’s House - Front Lobby
December 7 - 5:15 PM
Hanukkah w/ Rabbi Alexander - Living Room
December 9 - 5:30 PM
Dinner on the Town Charleston Grill - Front Lobby
December 10 - 5:45 PM
Candlelight Tour of the Edmondston Alston House - Front Lobby
December 10 - 4:00 PM
Myers Hall Christmas Party hosted by The Advisory Council Myers Hall Activity Room
December 13 -11:00 AM
Kindergarten children from O’Quinn’s School spread cheer Myers Hall Activity Room
December 13 - 4:30 PM
Lucia Heins Christmas Reading Circle w/Guest Reader Father
Frank-The Gift of the Magi-Myers Hall Activity Room
Out Of This World Party
(above) Adela Stoney as
Princess of the Universe.
December 14 - 6:15 PM
Charleston Christmas Special at the Charleston Music Hall Front Lobby
December 15 - 11:15 AM
Stiles Point 4th Graders Christmas Carols and Visit -Myers Hall
Activity Room
(above) Gray Geissler and
Cynthia sport futuristic hair.
December 15 - 3:00 PM
Employee of the Year Ceremony - Chapel
December 16 - 3:00 PM
Create Christmas Ornaments with Mindy - Miller Art Loft
December 17 - 3:00 PM
Music by Jesse Cockcroft - Myers Hall Activity Room
December 19 - 3:00 PM
St. James Presbyterian Men’s Choir: Anointed for Christ - Chapel
December 31 - 6:00 PM
New Year’s Eve Party - Myers Hall Frederick Dining Room
(below) Bill Thomas and
Sheila looking for aliens.
Page 9
Volume 251
The Citadel Christmas
Candlelight Service
To m
The South Carolina Corps of Cadets has presented the Christmas Candlelight Service annually to
the Lowcountry in Summerall Chapel on The Citadel campus. Bishop Gadsden residents have enjoyed
attending since 1988, and our bus will be available
for your convenience this year.
Cadets from the Protestant, Catholic, Gospel
Choirs, Chorale, and members of The Citadel Regimental Band take part in the annual celebration of
the birth of Christ, observing the events through
Scripture lessons and carols. Special highlights include the Procession of Lights.
The hour-long program is free and open to
the public. Flash cameras are not permitted. Visitors are encouraged
to
arrive early to
secure parking
on campus and
seating in the
Chapel.
Summerall
Chapel
was
erected during
1936-1937.
O b e r a m m e r g a u
M a n n
Cruciform in design, the Chapel is a shrine of religion, of patriotism, and of remembrance. Seen from
the air, the red clay tile roof forms a cross. It was
designed in the spirit of 14th century Gothic. The
furniture is plain-sawed Appalachian Mountain
white oak stained cathedral brown. The ceiling and
timbering are pine. The lighting fixtures are handcrafted wrought iron. Hanging from the walls are
flags from the 50 states and the territories.
Since it is entirely nonsectarian, Summerall
Chapel does not belong to any particular denomination.
The great chancel window, located directly
behind the altar, was dedicated in 1942 as a memorial to all Citadel graduates who have given their
lives in their country’s cause. It portrays exemplars
and symbols of courage, sacrifice, religion, truth,
duty, loyalty, patriotism, faith, charity, prayer, adoration, praise, and immortality.
The inscription across the front of Summerall
Chapel reads, ―Remember Now Thy Creator in the
Days of Thy Youth,” which summarizes the spiritual
atmosphere at The Citadel. We are excited to enjoy
this celebration on Sunday, December 5th.
c o n t i n u e d
that if they were spared further deaths from the
plague they would, in thanksgiving, perform a ―Play
of the Suffering, Death, and Resurrection of Our
Lord Jesus Christ‖ every ten years. Amazingly no
additional plague deaths were reported; and a year
later, 1634, the village fulfilled its promise, made in
a moment of mortal threat, with its first production.
Still today residents of Oberammergau, meeting in
the covered open-air 4700 seat Passion Play Theater,
solemnly renew fidelity to their ancestors’ vow. No
one, of course, will ever know whether God heeded
their plea. But it seems clear that the Play runs deep
in the Oberammergau psyche to this day and serves
as a ―theater of the people‖ exploring the ultimate
purpose of life.
Not fluent in German, we purchased an English translation of the Play’s text. The text connects
Old Testament themes with New Testament passages
and helps to explain the dramatic structure of the
f r o m
p g . 1
Play as it unfolds on stage. The afternoon performance begins with the triumph of Palm Sunday and
ends with Jesus’ arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane; the evening performance concentrates on
Jesus’ trial, suffering, death, and resurrection. The
Palm Sunday opening segment literally takes one’s
breath away. More than 800 people throng the stage
to welcome Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem (including
two little altar boys who assisted in our worship service that Sunday morning) waving palm fronds and
shouting ―hosanna.‖
Each of the Play’s 11 Acts remains an entity
in itself as it details a specific part of Jesus’ last
days-often in the stark darkness of a cold mountain
night. In the same way each individual Act (except
the final one) includes several interrelated dramatic
components which feed upon one another: (1) a prologue proclaimed by a narrator; (2) a musical chorus
featuring soprano and baritone voices; (3) a unique
Continued on Page 14
Page 10
Volume 251
D e c e m b e r
B i r t h d ay s !
Bess Burrows
Joby Meade
Fran Pfaff
Clarice Foster
Joanne Lannie
Gordon Lyle
Dorothy Pennell
Dick McLaren
Molly Stender
Joan Middleton
Bob Clement
Marion Jones
Fran Brawner
Elizabeth S Williams
Nancy Attaway
Ray Houlihan
Charlie Luce
Dee Whitaker
1
4
4
4
9
9
9
11
12
13
14
14
15
15
16
17
17
18
Adele Grimball
Bettye Mitchell
Peggy Magathan
Carroll Rivers
Jarko Burbello
Ted Stern
Jo An Cushman
Martha Ann Heyward
Carol Ragsdale
Noel Ferguson
Essie Boykin
Claire Irwin
Jim Aichele
Dave Wallace
Lorrie Clark
Bill Thomas
Joyce East
Maynard Pearlstine
Lawrence Schroeder
(above) This painting, Johns Island
by Ginny Weckel, was selected
to hang in the 33rd Annual Exhibition
of the S.C. Watermedia Society
in Rock Hill, SC.
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29
31
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R e s i d e n t s i n t h e
C o m m u n i t y
(above) On September 17th, Tom and
Billye Mann accepted their Star of the West
Medal from Citadel Foundation Board of
Directors Chairman, Steve Tobias, and the
19th President of the Citadel, Lt Gen John
W. Rosa at the 2010 Leaders in
Philanthropy induction ceremony at
Summerall Chapel.
Page 11
Volume 251
M e e t
Yo u r
N e i g h b o r — J o a n n e
D r . Wa l t E c t o r
Joan Middleton – Jo Anne
says that her name is really Jo
Anne, not Joan as so often printed.
She calls herself Jo Anne, named
after her father Joseph Andrew
Combs. She was born at home on
her mother's birthday, December
13, 1921, in Bristow,
Oklahoma. She had
only one sibling,
Andy Combs, a well
known Charleston
real estate developer.
Jo Anne has
lived in many places.
She says she counted
40 moves in her life.
She lived her early
years in Carlsbad,
New Mexico where
she finished high
school.
As a small girl she encountered Bonnie and Clyde while she
and her father were buying vegetables on the outskirts of Carlsbad.
As they arrived to buy vegetables,
the lady who sold them told them to
take the vegetables and leave
quickly. There was a young couple
inside, and she had noted some suspicious bloody clothing, so she had
gone to a neighbor's phone and
called the sheriff. About that time
the sheriff arrived, just as Clyde
appeared on the porch with his gun
drawn, and told the sheriff to throw
down his gun, which he did. Bonnie then appeared, and pleaded with
Clyde not to shoot the sheriff, so
they kidnapped him, and took him
to Texas where they released him.
Jo Anne said that Bonnie was a
skinny, black haired girl who was
very ugly – nothing like the
movie depiction.
Jo Anne attended Woodbury College in Los Angeles,
California, a school of art and design. She had studied art from the
age of about 10
years. She later attended the University of Oklahoma.
While at home in
Carlsbad, she and a
girl friend were
swimming in the
Pecos River when
two soldiers came
by. She was entranced by one of
them, Dick McDonald, and they were
soon married. He was a bombadier in the old U.S. Army Air
Corps during WWII. After the
war he became involved in real
estate development. Later, during
the Korean conflict, real estate
development was put on hold, but
was allowed in Aiken, SC. This
was because of the need for housing for the new Savannah River
atomic bomb plant, so Jo Anne
and Dick moved from Albuquerque, New Mexico to Aiken. After
the Korean conflict ended, they
moved to Charleston. They had
one child, a daughter, Sharyn,
who attended the University of
North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and
later a school of art and design in
Sarasota, Florida.
Jo Anne and Dick were
divorced, and she married Ab
M i d d l e t o n
Middleton in 1972. They lived in
Northbridge Terrace in West Ashley, on the creek that runs from
the Ashley River to Charles Town
Landing. Jo Ann and Ab had no
children. They were divorced in
the 1990's, and Jo Anne moved
into a home in downtown
Charleston where she lived until
she moved into Bishop Gadsden
on June 11, 1999, where she and
Ab live across the hall from each
other.
Jo Anne no longer paints,
and has given most of her art
away. She says she has always
loved fishing. She continues to
be a staunch member of the John
Birch Society which is still active
in the U.S.A., and has a chapter in
Charleston. Jo Anne joined the
Gibbes Museum of Art in 1970
where she was very active. She
was also an active member of the
Charleston Symphony Women's
Association.
In 1986, she became a member of the Board of
the Confederate Home and College on Broad Street in Charleston. She resigned in June of this
year. The organization owns several pieces of property. They rent
some to businesses, and also provide low rent residences for
women who need help. She is
also a member of this year's Outreach Committee here at Bishop
Gadsden.
Page 12
Volume 251
BG Residents & Future Residents
Continue to ―Reach Out with a
Generous Spirit‖
K i m b e r ly
Bishop Gadsden is thrilled to announce the
following:
~ The Cloister Dining Room will become The Schlemmer Bistro
~ The Palm Court Guest Suite will become The John C. Mettler Guest Suite
~ The New Cloister Aquarium will become The Joan & Ted Halkyard Aquatic Reef
These current and future residents have
made the decision to become a major donor to
Bishop Gadsden, and we are very grateful for their
generosity. They join
recent other naming
donors including
Phyllis Miller for the
Miller Art Loft &
Gallery, The Gage
Family for the Gage
Sun Porch and the
Fei Family Foundation for the Fei Wine
Cellar.
Currently, we
have three additional
naming opportuniThe Schlemmer Bistro ties available. They
include the soon-toNearly Complete.
Fa r f o n e
be renovated Cloister Living Room, the Club Room
with our active billiards table and the Card Room
where bridge players enjoy social and duplicate
games.
We encourage you to play a leadership role
in the life of our community by naming one of our
newly-created or renovated spaces. Whether you
contribute on an individual basis, as a family or
maybe as a group who share like-minded interests,
your generosity can provide an opportunity to leave
a lasting legacy.
We hope you will join us
in thanking our new
naming donors. If you
have any questions on
these opportunities or
other aspects of giving to
Bishop Gadsden, please
contact Kimberly M.
Farfone, Director of
Development & Public
Relations at
843.406.6334
or via email at
kimberly.farfone
@bishopgadsden.org
N ov e m b e r ’ s E m p l oy e e o f
t h e M o n t h – To m m y D av i s
If you have used BG Transportation for any reason in the last few months, you
have probably met Transportation Team Leader, Tommy Davis. Tommy may be large in
stature, but has become known as a true gentleman and a respected staff member.
Tommy originally worked in Security and was seen as a great team member, so
much so, that when Richard Rodriquez retired from his position as Transportation
Leader, Daniel Larrabee, Director of EVS, knew he had the man for the job. Tommy
took over in February of 2010 and has continued as a wonderful addition to the Environmental Services Staff.
Becoming the Employee of the Month was a fitting tribute to his contributions at Bishop Gadsden thus
far. In one of his nominations, it stated – ―Despite being bombarded with last minute appointments, Tommy
always keeps his cool and makes it happen. No, is not part of his vocabulary.‖
We are grateful to have Tommy Davis as a leader in the Environmental Services Department. Transportation is a vital entity among or residents and staff and with Tommy leading the way, we are sure that it will
continue to be a reliable and well organized service. Congratulations Tommy!
Page 13
Volume 251
Traditions and Facts about the Christmas Tree
F r a n k
S o m e
sources concerning the history of
the Christmas tree indicate that the
birthplace of the first Christmas
tree was Riga, Latvia in 1510. Another legend has it that Martin Luther began the tradition of decorating trees to celebrate Christmas.
One crisp Christmas Eve, about
the year 1500, he was walking
through snow-covered woods and
was struck by the beauty of a
group of small evergreens. Their
branches, dusted with snow, shimmered in the moonlight. When he
got home, he set up a little fir tree
indoors so he could share this story
with his children. He decorated it
with candles, which he lighted in
honor of Christ's birth.
The Christmas tree tradition most likely came to the United
States with Hessian troops during
R u s s ,
C h a p l a i n
the American Revolution, or with
German immigrants to Pennsylvania and Ohio. But the custom
spread slowly. The Puritans even
banned Christmas in New England. Even as late as 1851, a
Cleveland minister nearly lost his
job because he allowed a tree in
his church. Schools in Boston
stayed open on Christmas Day
through 1870, and sometimes expelled students who stayed home.
The Christmas tree market
was born in 1851 when Catskill
farmer Mark Carr hauled two ox
sleds of evergreens into New
York City and sold them all. By
1900, one in five American families had a Christmas tree, and 20
years later, the custom was nearly
universal.
As you recall stories of
past Christmases and observe the
many traditions of this sacred season, rejoice during this joyous
time of year as you behold the
glimmering lights of your Christmas tree, draped on its evergreen
boughs, and remember that the
light of God has come into our
midst to bring us everlasting life.
Merry Christmas!
The Service of Lessons and Carols
The Service of Lessons and Carols will be held on Sunday, December 12
at 4:00 p.m. in the Bishop Gadsden Chapel, presented by the St. Gregory
Choir of Grace Episcopal Church
Christmas Services in the Chapel in December
Christmas Eve, beginning with Carols at 4:30 p.m., the Festival
Celebration of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ will be held
in the Bishop Gadsden Chapel
The First Sunday after Christmas, December 26, at 10:30 a.m.,
Christmas Lessons & Carols (sung by the choir and congregation)
in the Bishop Gadsden Chapel
Page 14
Volume 251
Meet your Neighbor Claire & Jim Allen
M a r i l o u
Claire and Jim Allen are a couple with wide
interests and many talents. Claire was born in Boston and graduated from Vassar with a degree in Philosophy. Jim was born in Childress, Texas, received
his BA from Harvard and Medical Degree from
Johns Hopkins. He was a professor at Johns Hopkins and later at the University of Maryland Medical
School. Claire and Jim were married in Quincy,
Massachusetts and have been a happy couple for 56
years.
They moved to Charleston when Jim became
chair of the Department of Medicine at MUSC, then
later as VP of Medical Affairs at Roper Hospital. They moved to Seabrook Island in 1993 where
Claire was president of the Club and on the Real
Estate Board. Jim served on the Symphony Board
and was president for several years. Claire also has
been a hard worker for the symphony. Claire is a
member of the Historic Charleston Foundation
O b e r a m m e r g a u
dramatic device known as a
―tableau vivant;‖ and (4) a New
Testament event tenuously fused
to one in the Old Testament.
The most unusual theatrical technique used throughout
the Passion Play is the ―tableau
vivant‖ (living image or picture)
which dramatizes a specific stationary scene from the Old Testament. Once a common staple in
European performances, it is seldom used in contemporary
drama except at Oberammergau.
These ―tableaux vivants‖ rely on
a scriptural interpretive tool
known as ―typology‖ which purports to discover Old Testament
themes in New Testament
events. Thus, the last supper
―tableau vivant‖ shows Moses
feeding his flock heavenly
manna while Jesus sustains his
disciples with his sacred body
and blood. Jesus alone, according to typological interpretation,
Wa t t s
Board of Trustees, a licensed tour guide and a docent
at the Russell House. Jim enjoys golf and likes to go
hunting, often with Doug Plate. Both Claire & Jim
are avid readers.
The couple owns a working farm in Vermont
where they grow organic feed crops. With conservation being one of their many interests, they are currently trying to reestablish a hardwood forest that had
been over-cropped. All in all, they are a real addition
to the Bishop Gadsden Community.
c o n t i n u e d
connects the Mosaic desert meal
to the last supper: ―Our fathers
ate manna in the desert and died.
I am the living bread. Whoever
eats this bread will live in eternity. I am the bread of life.‖
Comfortable in my wheel
-chair seat not far from center
stage, I marveled at the realism
of the painted carved figures in
each ―tableau vivant.‖ ―I cannot
believe,‖ I whispered to my wife
wrapped in her warm blanket,
―how life-like these carved figures are.‖ With a look of incredulity on her face, she responded
rather pointedly: ―Those are real
people-motionless actors-holding
their same pose for several minutes. That is what amazes me!‖
Not possible I thought. Just to
be sure I took a closer look and,
alas, she was right as usual. The
so-called carved mannequins
were indeed real-live humans.
Yet to this day I remain startled
f r o m
p g . 9
how still actors, including teenagers and young children, can
hold their pose until the stage
curtain descends upon the scene.
The Passion Play ends
with the prophesied resurrection
of Christ-labeled ―The Encounter
with the Risen One‖ in the text.
It is the Play’s shortest Act and,
perhaps, the least satisfactory.
Jesus is laid to rest, but his tomb
is not visible on stage. Jesus appears briefly, almost ethereally,
and then vanishes (do not blink
too long lest you miss him on
stage). Instead, the story line
proceeds through the words of
Mary Magdalene who arrives at
the invisible tomb only to despair that ―they have taken away
my Lord.‖ But a heavenly angel
appears to reassure her that
Christ is alive, instructing her to
inform the disciples that he will
be with them ―until the end of
the world.‖ Instead of the physiContinued on Page 16
Page 15
Volume 251
Worship in the Chapel - Throughout
the Year
F r a n k
R u s s ,
C h a p l a i n
A frequently asked question I hear is – Are only Episcopal
services held in our chapel?
Certainly each Sunday in
our chapel at 10:30 a.m., the service of Holy Communion taken
from the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer is celebrated. In addition, a communion service is
also held each Tuesday at 10:30
a.m. But other faith groups also
hold services on a regular basis
here at Bishop Gadsden in our
chapel. A Roman Catholic communion service is held each
Thursday at 2:00 p.m. (and the
Mass is celebrated each second
Thursday by a priest). A community communion service, sponsored by First Scots Presbyterian,
is held each third Thursday at
3:30 p.m. A Jewish Shabbat serI N
L ov i n g
vice is held in our ecumenical
oratory
(adjacent to the chapel)
each first Friday at 11:00
a.m. And every Thursday at 12 noon, an ecumenical prayer services
is led by the chaplain in
the chapel. The ministry
of your Chaplain includes facilitating worship opportunities for all
of our residents with local clergy in the area.
M e m o ry
Grant Ward
July 24, 1925 ~ October 31, 2010
Jackie Mappus
December 20, 1926 ~ November 14, 2010
Dorothy ―Dottie‖ Lockwood
June 16, 1928 ~ November 14, 2010
Ruth Leach
March 16, 1927 ~ November 18, 2010
Tom Uffelman
November 18, 1919 ~ November 28, 2010
O b e r a m m e r g a u
c o n t i n u e d
cally resurrected Jesus commanding center stage for
all to see, the 2010 Oberammergau production, using
―luminous light‖ and ―triumphal music,‖ proclaims
the Risen One in a ―restrained visual presentation.‖
From my viewpoint, the only effective component of
this new and disappointing interpretation (and what
truly saves the Act) is the choral and orchestral thundering musical finale which electrifies the theater
and ennobles the resurrection drama: ―Praise, honor,
adoration, power, and majesty be yours forever and
ever.‖ Yes! Jesus is risen from the dead and that is
the ultimate and sacred bottom line.
The lights go out and the Play is over. An
f r o m
p g .
1 4
initial scattering of inappropriate applause ends quietly. There are no cheers, no individual bows. An
emotionally drained audience exits slowly and reflectively. Some even have tears in their eyes. It is
cold outside but the audience remains warm inside.
It is, ultimately, a mystery of faith.
My wife and I left Oberammergau the next
day but Oberammergau will never leave us . It is larger than life.
The end is the beginning.
The Gadsden Gab is a monthly publication written by and for the residents of Bishop Gadsden.
Submissions are welcomed from all residents and are used on a space-available basis. Committee members
Katie Jayne, Managing Editor
Marilou Watts, Editor
Kent Freeman
Vince Lannie
Goodie DiRaddo, Photographer
Walt Ector
Suzanne Mersereau
Katherine Harms
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