"Talk" Newsletter - Spring 2015

In This Issue...
Going Mobile Pages 1-2 >
Spotlight on Nan Hohf Page 3 >
It All Started with Candy Page 4 >
Reaching Out to Seniors Page 5 >
Upcoming Events Pages 6-8 >
volume 9/number 1
Spring 2015
Going Mobile:
NSSC Artist Designs, Patents New Invention
North Shore Senior Center member A.J. Vasilatos likes to say that
he’s come full circle in his creative expression. From drawing
and painting in his youth to mechanical design and inventing in
middle age, A.J. is back at the starting point in retirement. You
can find him every Friday in our Dickey Art Studio using brushes
and sculpting tools to give life to his ideas.
A.J.’s ideas are as plentiful as his brush strokes. He gets his best ones in the
shower, he says, where he can let his mind wander. “Sometimes I have dreams,
too,” he said. “I wake up in the middle of the night with ideas and get up and
write them down.” No matter the origin of his inspiration, the 78-year-old’s mind
is always working.
A.J. Vasilatos is currently working on sculptures of his
grandchildren in our Dickey Art Studio
As a child, he loved to draw and decided on the field of fine arts as a student
at the Art Institute of Chicago. Graduating in 1960 with a bachelor’s degree in
art education, A.J. enrolled in the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), set on a
master’s degree in graphic design. But, fate intervened during an unplanned visit
to the Institute’s mechanical design lab. There he saw prototypes of a hovercraft
and an electric car, which set his mind reeling. “This is what I want to do,” he
recalls saying to himself.
And so, A.J. set down his paint brushes and began his career as a mechanical designer and inventor.
His patents include a precursor to text messaging using the wireless FM bandwidth (a copy of his
thesis is housed at the Smithsonian Institution Library); a battery-powered mechanical device that when strapped
to the arm allowed paraplegics, many of them military men, to open and close their hands; and the 16-mm
Bell & Howell Filmosound movie projector. When asked how he thought up these ideas, his response is
quick and simple: “They just came to me.”
(continued on page 2)
Going
Mobile:
NSSC Artist Designs, Patents New Invention
(continued from page 1)
A.J. is aware that he thinks differently than many people. When faced with a problem, he can “see” the design for
a solution in his head. “I’m good at idea formulation and conceptualization,” he said, but he admits that his gifts
have a downside. “I get obsessed with work,” he said. When involved in a project, he can even forget to sleep or eat,
which caused some family problems in his younger years.
“I get absorbed, but I have to because when you are solving a problem, you
have to think of how the person will use it (the invention). You have to
anticipate all the things that can go wrong.”
No amount of analysis could have prepared A.J. and his wife, Stella, for the tragedy
that befell them in 1986 when their son, Jerry, was involved in a freak CTA train accident
on his way to school at Columbia College in Chicago. Racing to catch the last train out of the
Harrison Street Station, the then 20-year-old caught his foot on the train and was dragged for 40 feet
into the tunnel. The doctors worked on him for eight hours, but eventually had to amputate his leg.
A.J. doesn’t say much about that time in his life other than that it was “terrible.”
B ut out of the misery came the invention that is closest to his heart—the SandPad. This idea was
Jerry’s brainchild, conceived during a 2004 visit to Greece, where, as an amputee, he couldn’t navigate
the sandy beaches because his crutches sank into the sand under his body weight. Following in his
Dad’s footsteps, he conceived the design for a round disk that would fit on his crutches to keep them
from sinking. He sketched a round disk on a napkin and, when he got home, he sought his Dad’s help in
developing a prototype. The pair worked together for years before they got it right.
A.J. and Jerry Vasilatos have patented the
SandPad, a device that can be used to stabilize
crutches or canes on all types of terrain.
The end result is a six-inch diameter rubber disk that provides a wider base of stability than a normal
crutch, cane or walker for travel across beaches, grass, rough terrain or paved surfaces. Drainage vents
allow water or sand to slide through the disk, and a three-inch flat surface allows users to “free stand”
their canes. According to A.J., SandPad users say the device works equally well in snow. In this case,
necessity was certainly the mother of invention.
Although A.J. still has a couple of inventions up his sleeve, he is focusing his attention on individual
sculptures of his grandchildren these days. You will see him in the art studio listening to classical music
through his headphones as he works. The music serves as a vehicle to his own creative world, he says.
A world where he is always thinking, always creating. n
A.J. and Jerry
Vasilatos in the home
office where they
designed the prototype
for the SandPad.
2
Parkinson’s Support:
For Nan Hohf, It Was Personal
Social Services team member Nan Hohf, who
facilitated our Parkinson’s Disease Caregiver
Support Group, retired in December 2014.
A familiar face at our Arthur C. Nielsen, Jr.
Campus, Nan devoted her time and talents to
North Shore Senior Center for 34 years.
In 1980, Nan became aware of the Center when
she read about its Parkinson’s Disease Support
Group in a local newspaper. At that time, she
was a caregiver for her husband, Robert, who
had been diagnosed with early onset Parkinson’s
ten years earlier.
“My husband was a surgeon,” Nan said. “When
he was diagnosed, we were relatively young. We
had a fairly normal life for about 10 years, but
as the Parkinson’s progressed, we saw less and
less of our friends. When you’re in your 50s and
early 60s, you’re at the peak of your abilities.
Adults who are active and healthy don’t always
want to spend their time visiting sick people.”
Nan become involved with our Parkinson’s
group and eventually helped implement a format
change for the meetings. “I decided to split off
the caregivers from the Parkinsonians,” she
recalled. “The two groups would meet separately
and then reconvene as a large group at the end
of the session. So, I started the caregiver group,
but not the Parkinson’s group itself. I think, in
the broadest sense of the word, I was doing this
work for myself and for the participants as well.
I got the same benefits they got.”
During her husband’s illness, Nan enrolled in
National Louis University to study social work.
It was an academic change of pace for a
woman who had earned her undergraduate
degree in 19th-century English. “It took me five
years to earn my master’s degree, because
I was a full-time caregiver,” she said.
Robert passed away in 1993 at age 71; Nan
was 72 and had to decide what to do with the
rest of her life. “I let a year go by and I decided
to use my degree,” Nan said. “Marilyn
Vocker, who was the Center’s director
of Social Services, took me under her
wing as a volunteer in her department.
I went through all the training—CCP,
elder abuse—and loved it. I gradually
worked into a volunteer job as a
case manager. I think I did all this to
make some sense of the long period
of losses I had experienced.”
In 1998, after working for four years as a full-time
volunteer case manager—as well as facilitating
the weekly Parkinson’s caregivers group—Nan
went on the Center’s payroll and became a
salaried employee.
Over the past three decades, North Shore Senior
Center’s Parkinson’s disease-related programs
have touched the lives of hundreds of people.
Nan thinks that the groups she oversaw went
beyond just support into the realm of therapy.
“Friendships were made and
members bonded with each
other,” she said. “People could
laugh at the funny things, but
they could also cry, because
they felt safe and sound and
grateful.”
In 2012, Nan retired as a case manager, but
worked periodically as a substitute for the intake
staff in the Social Services Department. Her
involvement with the Parkinson’s group continued.
“The thread of the group is what got me there
and that’s what kept me there,” she said. “I
became part of their lives and they became part
of mine. They relied on me and I couldn’t let
them down. It was a real commitment.”
Nan believes that the public’s general understanding of Parkinson’s disease has evolved
considerably over the last few decades. “It used
to be that people with Parkinson’s were kind of
hidden,” she said. “It wasn’t written up as much
and it wasn’t widely understood. But, the group
was wonderful because it provided a sense of
relief in knowing that there were others in the
same boat.”
In looking back on her 34 years with the Center,
Nan has learned much about social work—and
about herself. “I think one of the amazing things
I learned was that jumping in where everyone
was so much younger than I was…it definitely
sparked me,” she said “It created a resiliency that
kept me energized, kept me moving, kept me
climbing stairs, kept me behind the wheel of a car.”
Please join us in thanking Nan for sharing her
life, both personally and professionally, with
North Shore Senior Center. n
Parkinson’s Disease Support Groups
Wednesdays: 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Northfield Location
Suggested monthly donation is
$20 per familly.
Advance registration is preferred,
but not required.
For more information, please
contact Tierney Wilson LCSW, at
847.242.6241 or twilson@nssc.org;
or Heather Resnick at 847.784.6041
or hresnick@nssc.org.
3
It All Started with Candy:
Unwrapping the History Behind the Brach Endowment
In 2008, the North Shore Senior Center Foundation was the recipient of a substantial gift—$288,000 to be exact—
designed to support the Center’s recreational and fitness-related programming. The gift, which was presented to us by the
Edwin J. Brach Foundation, established our Edwin J. Brach and Hazel and Bertram Brody Endowment. For those who visit
our Brach Gymnasium to stay active and healthy, this donation has been priceless. It is also a testament to the philanthropic
legacy of a Chicago confectioner who changed the urban landscape in more ways than one.
You might remember the Brach Candy
Company’s Milk Maid Caramels, the Jelly
Nougats or the Chocolate Stars. It’s possible
that you scooped up a pound or two at
the “Pick-A-Mix” kiosk in your local grocery
store. But did you ever dream that these
treats would one day make it possible for
you to enjoy tai chi, ballet or yoga classes?
The fact of the matter is this: An American
love of candy was what made our Brach
Endowment a reality.
W W W W
In 1904, German immigrant Emil J. Brach
launched his business with a simple plan:
He wanted to make good candy that everyone
could afford.
The 45-year-old Brach invested $1,000 (about
$27,000 in today’s dollars) and opened his
“Palace of Sweets” at the corner of North
Avenue and Town Street in Chicago. The shop
occupied a typical retail footprint, measuring
only 18 feet wide by 65 feet deep.
With the help of sons Edwin, 17, and Frank, 14,
Brach attracted locals by making the delicious
sweets in a single kettle in the rear of the store
and placing them in attractive displays in the
front. The output of the Brach family’s candy
emporium grew quickly. When the business
was incorporated in 1910, Edwin and Frank
became vice-presidents and began receiving
pay for the first time.
By 1911, they were producing more than 25
tons of the sweet stuff every week. In 1922,
the Brach Candy Company built a large new
plant in the Austin neighborhood on Chicago’s
West Side. (The ever-growing factory would
eventually sprawl across 23 acres of land.)
During Prohibition in Chicago, the ban on
alcohol gave rise to mobsters, speakeasies,
jazz—and a candy boom. As bars closed and
sweet shops proliferated, the city’s residents
turned from liquor and got their fix instead
from confections. For Chicago, the home of
Brach’s and other sugar-fueled powerhouses
like Wrigley, Ferrara Pan, Curtiss, and Tootsie
Roll, the political and cultural changes
were advantageous. The city became known
as the “Candy Capital” of the country and,
as such, had more candy manufacturing jobs
than any urban center in the United States.
Eventually, Emil J. Brach’s modest storefront
venture became so wildly successful that his
company was able to make a sizeable and
sustained impact on Chicago’s economy. He
retired in 1924 and, thereafter, was not actively
involved in the day-to-day operations of the
business. For publicity purposes, he did retain
the title of president until his death in 1947.
4
Edwin succeeded his father as president and,
in 1951, became chairman of the board and
CEO; much of the company’s growth was led
by Edwin and Frank.
Emil J. Brach’s dream of building a better
candy store touched the lives of millions of
people—some directly and some indirectly.
As one of the largest employers in Chicago,
he and his sons helped thousands of families
pay the rent and send their children to school.
Whether feeding his factory workers to keep
them healthy during the Great Depression
or shipping rations to American troops during
World War II, the Brach Candy Company
showed a concern for the welfare of others.
Over the past seven years, our Brach
Endowment has grown from $288,000 to
more than $350,000. Five percent of the
value of the endowment fund is distributed
annually to North Shore Senior Center to
support fitness-related offerings as well as
the operation of the Brach Gymnasium.
We invite you to join us for an exercise class
or wellness program. When you do, we hope
you’ll keep a good thought for Emil J. Brach,
a man who aspired to excellence and taught
his sons Edwin and Frank to do the same.
To learn more about the many
programs that take place in the Brach
Gymnasium Monday through Friday,
please call 847.784.6030. n
Social Worker Reaches
Out to Seniors in Need
Sometimes a little help means a lot. For the 200 older
adults who are Aiden Cassidy’s clients, his work on their
behalf can make all the difference in the world.
Aiden is one of the 72 social services professionals
employed with North Shore Senior Center, the majority of
whom work with Community Care Program (CCP) clients.
Established in 1979, the Illinois Department on Aging’s Community
Care Program (CCP) helps seniors who might otherwise need
nursing home care remain in their own homes by providing in-home
and community-based services.
“I can’t help with financial problems, particularly for people who have
family around them for support,” Aiden said. “What I can do is make
calls on their behalf.”
In the case of Clarita Manaois, a CCP client who moved to Illinois from
California in September 2014, Aiden was able to arrange for her to
receive in-home services and an Emergency Home Cellular Response
unit, as she does not have a landline.
Aiden was also able to track down a missing Social Security payment—
money that Clarita needed for daily living expenses. “When you have
so little, you pinch your pennies,” she said. “I called and called and
they said ‘call back later.’ There is nothing there.”
And indeed, nothing was—but Aiden found out why. “There were
some overdue premiums for Medicaid and the government took them
all at once,” Aiden said. “Unfortunately, they didn’t tell her that. And her
bank could only tell her that the deposit had never arrived.”
As a temporary solution, Aiden was able to give Clarita a gift card for
a local grocery store to help her buy food. North Shore Senior Center
receives donations to purchase these cards, which can be used to
provide emergency assistance to clients.
work. Aiden visited their apartment to complete an assessment of
Clarita’s living situation and health-related issues.
“I need to determine what a person can do for
themselves and what the family can do for them.
Then, I can determine how many hours per week
of assistance we can provide.”—Aiden Cassidy
To help make Clarita’s home safer, Aiden borrowed assistive devices
for her bathroom from the Center’s Lending Closet. This free service
allows older adults to check out items like canes, shower chairs, walkers
and wheelchairs for a period of three months. Extended borrowing
periods can be accommodated, if inventory permits. There are no
membership, residency or income requirements for those who wish
to borrow Lending Closet items.
In Clarita’s eyes, Aiden is more than a social worker, he is her friend.
“I am so grateful that I came here to Illinois because I was able to
meet professional people like Mr. Cassidy. He’s always included in my
nightly prayers.”
For more information about North Shore Senior Center
Social Services Department and its outreach efforts,
please call 847.784.6040, Monday through Friday,
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. n
Clarita was born in the Philippines. Since she has bronchial asthma,
COPD and mobility limitations, her family convinced her to move to the
Midwest so they could oversee her needs. “I’m getting old and
my son said, ‘I can help take good care of you because
I can see you every day. Why don’t you try it here?’”
After learning about North Shore Senior Center, the
Manaois family contacted us for help in caring for
Clarita. They needed to ensure that she would be
safe when she was alone and they were all at
5
A Big Thank You!
We are grateful to all those who contributed to our
2014 “Space at Your Place” Parking Lot Campaign!
Your generosity helped us make our Northfield
headquarters a more accessible and welcoming
place for everyone.
UPCOMING FINANCIAL WELLNESS EVENTS
Lunch & Learn
Breakfast & Brew
Arthur C. Nielsen, Jr. Campus—Golder Dining Room
161 Northfield Road, Northfield, IL 60093
Chase Bank-Winnetka Branch—Lower-Level Conference Room
791 Elm Street, Winnetka, IL 60093
Panelists: Linda Collins, North Shore Senior Center (moderator);
Lynn Johnson, Brookdale; Tom Murphy, Adaptable Homes; and
Kerry R. Peck, Peck Bloom, LLC
Panelists: Patrick Price, North Shore Senior Center (moderator);
Howard and Susan Meyers, The Hudson Company; Michael Kodlowski,
Chase Private Client; Patricia Jonland, Meadow Lane Estate Sales
“Shall I Stay or Shall I Go?”
“Prime Time to Sell?”
Wednesday, April 15, 2015—11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
This informational panel discussion will answer such issues as:
n W
hat are the advantages of aging in my home?
n W
hat are the benefits of living in a retirement community?
n How do the costs compare between these two options?
n H
ow do I best communicate my decision to my children?
This event is open to North Shore Senior Center members, volunteers,
and staff as well as the general public. Admission and luncheon are
complimentary. Space is limited.
RSVP by April 8, 2015 to Mary Margaret Parker at
847.784.6050 or mparker@nssc.org.
6
Saturday, April 25, 2015—10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
This informational panel discussion will help you:
n A
ssess the market conditions for the sale or refinancing of a home.
n Evaluate whether to commit to a new mortgage or home equity loan.
n Determine whether to downsize.
n Stage your home to optimize its value.
n Decide the merits of an estate sale.
This event is open to North Shore Senior Center members, volunteers,
and staff as well as the general public. Admission and breakfast are
complimentary. Space is limited.
RSVP by April 17, 2015 to Mary Margaret Parker at
847.784.6050 or mparker@nssc.org.
Toast & Taste
A Five-Star Lunch
at the Vi
A Benefit for North Shore Senior Center
North Shore Senior Center
Arthur C. Nielsen, Jr. Campus
161 Northfield Road
Northfield, IL 60093
&
Friday, April 24, 2015 Saturday, April 25, 2015
8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Looking for one-of-a-kind items for your home or a unique birthday or Mother’s Day
gift? Consider making our Vintage Marketplace your one-stop shopping
destination! This event features the type of elegant merchandise you might have
seen at our other sales in years past, as well as glassware, framed art, pottery,
textiles, furniture, vintage clothing and funky retro treasures.
Admission and parking are free!
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
at 11:30 a.m.
In addition to great bargain hunting, shoppers can enjoy:
Join us for an elegant five-star lunch
prepared by Executive Chef Jose Luna and
Pastry Chef Michael Beltran while Wine
Sommelier Ellie Watrach presents and pairs
the appropriate wines throughout the various
courses of the meal.
n
n
n
ur “Heirloom Room,” filled with crystal, sterling, art, statuary, jewelry and
O
elegant items for the home.
C
omplimentary appraisals on Friday, courtesy of Gary Piattoni, seen on WTTW –
Channel 11 (9 a.m. to 11 a.m.); Jewelry appraisals courtesy of Tom Cullen,
of TJ Cullen Jewelers (noon to 2 p.m.); and on Saturday, doll appraisals, history
and repair tips courtesy of Merle Cristol Glickman, Doll Historian for the Museum
of Science and Industry (10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.)
Breakfast and lunch available for purchase on Friday at our A&A Café.
To learn more about the Vintage Marketplace, or to inquire about
making a merchandise donation, contact Rose Carroll at 847.784.6035
or rcarroll@nssc.org.
Proceeds from the Vintage Marketplace directly benefit North Shore Senior Center, a 501(c)(3) organization.
$65 per person
Vi at The Glen
2500 Indigo Lane, Glenview, IL 60026
All proceeds benefit the programs and
services offered by North Shore Senior
Center to our communities.
To make a reservation, please contact
Mary Margaret Parker at 847.784.6050.
Arthur C. Nielsen, Jr. Campus
161 Northfield Road
Northfield, IL 60093
Nonprofit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit No. 4
Winnetka, IL
North Shore Senior Center is a
501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
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Q uarterly Donor
Honor Roll
O
f Gifts of $10,000
or More October 1 to
December 31, 2014
n
Paul Bechtner Foundation
n
Mr. Alan I. Boyer
n
Martin and Mary L. Boyer
Foundation
City of Evanston
n Crown Family Philanthropies
n E
vanston Health Department,
n
Mental Health Board
Join Us for the 15th Annual
Samuel Thaviu Memorial Concert
An Event Given by the Thaviu Family as a Gift to the Community
Sunday, May 3, 2015 at 1 p.m.
North Shore Senior Center—Robert H. Cohn Auditorium
Arthur C. Nielsen, Jr. Campus, 161 Northfield Road, Northfield, IL
n
Mr. and Mrs. Jordan Luhr
n
New Trier Township
Meet and Greet Reception to Follow at 2:30 p.m. in the
Golder Dining Room
n
NSSC Foundation
$12 for members; $15 for non-members
Mr. C. Reed Parker
n Russell & Josephine Kott
n
Memorial Charitable Trust
n
Elinor R. Thaviu
n
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Weaver
Featured Artist:
Violinist Rachel Barton Pine
To purchase tickets, call 847.784.6030.
Arthur C. Nielsen, Jr.
Campus
161 Northfield Road
Northfield, IL 60093
847.784.6000
Evanston Social
Services Office
840 Dodge Avenue
Evanston, IL 60202
847.864.3721
House of Welcome
Adult Day Services
1779 Winnetka Road
Northfield, IL 60093
847.242.6250
Connect With Us:
www.nssc.org