REFLECTIONS
MAPLEWOOD’S FAMILY PICNIC
On another glorious day, a reunion of relatives and close friends gathered in the front parking lot for this year’s Annual Family Picnic. There were about 350 of them! Mike Fall’s Dining Services staff (featuring volunteer guest griller Richard Tompkins) offered hamburgers, hot dogs, macaroni, potato salad and watermelon. The Maple Bay Café was also open. Old friends the Webster Village Band provided rousing music.
Set up began on Thursday when the big top tent arrived. This event is driven by teamwork and planning. Activities Director Gary Sacco, who has prepared for many of these, strongly feels that every detail needs to be thought out in advance. “When I was setting up tables, my thoughts concerned spacing. Is there enough room on the ends and between tables for wheelchairs to pass by? You know that unless the weather is disastrous there will be hundreds of guests, and this year was no different. We just have to be ready.”
With the sun shining on picnic day, a squad of staff and volunteers clothed tables, set up the serving line and redirected a temporarily bewildered band to play in a different area. (Administrator Greg Chambery asked that the band be placed under a series of smaller tents, about five feet away from the big tent. His primary reason was the sheer volume generated in years past and picnic goers’ negative reactions to that.)
At about noon, the band was ready and staff and family members began taking residents out to the venue. Staff then became problem solvers. “It is so hard to explain working the picnic,” declared Sacco. “When the event is in full swing, there are no defined jobs. The first person on the scene takes responsibility for that particular issue. It works well.” On this day, everyone was accommodated. The serving line moved briskly and a number of guests complimented the food.
The southern parking lot, used for the second year in a row, has proven to be a great venue. No one missed trying to maneuver wheelchairs through the former patio yard’s grass. The tent offers ample room on the sides to get around. People seemed to stay a little longer, too. The band sounded perfect and their main tent absence also created more room for guests. Once again, the Maplewood Community adapted well to the situation. This flexible bunch found spots to settle at Maple Bay – even on the hillside. “It was good seeing people using that hill,” observed Sacco. He particularly noticed the fun new resident Ruth L. and her family were having.
At about 2:15pm, that parking lot, filled with vigor only a few minutes before, grew empty and silent. Staff quietly and efficiently tore down. It was a good point to reflect and wonder if the work was worth it. It’s ALWAYS worth it, and those who attend this event are the reason!
DR. NICK AND GLORIA
By Gary Sacco, Activities Director
On Friday, August 6, fans packed the Maple Bay Café for the rescheduled performance by Dr. Nick Davis and Gloria Gonyeo. July’s gig was postponed. While they’ve played here a handful of times, I’ve managed to miss every show! So, I too was curious and excited to witness what many have glowed about.
After a week of sticky, sweaty conditions, residents and a few family members were eager to soak in the hospitable outside venue. A week earlier, I picked up that the duo definitely enjoys an outside following as a fan popped in a week early by mistake.
Dr. Nick and Gloria are both medical people. He is an eye doctor while Gloria works as a nurse in a local geriatric facility. They seemed to really understand their primary demographic – playing familiar tunes. Yet the duo was entertaining enough to draw the attention of more youthful audience members. Most of their tunes (including Louie Prima’s “Just a Gigolo”) were snappy. They also threw in a few love songs.
Love song or not, the two really played off each other, often vocalizing together and sometimes trading lyrics. This led many to ask me if the two were “together.” “Don’t know, think so,” was my reply. Most of the backing music was machine synchronized. However, Dr. Nick demonstrated skill on both trombone and saxophone. The duo’s ability to connect with and “work” the crowd was eye opening. Dr. Nick frequently showed off an outgoing personality while Gloria gently engaged residents as she strolled around singing to individual residents. Her willingness to share histories of both song and the two of them was very much appreciated. Nick spiced the scene up with a joke or two.
On that afternoon, Maplewood was certainly Dr. Nick and Gloria country! The duo returns in late autumn. Their performance is probably the only time residents really enjoy when the doctor and his nurse are in.
LABOURS OF THE FIELD
By Janet Pater, Resident Columnist
My father was one of those extraordinary men who were able to repair (sometimes with a bit of a struggle) whatever household problem arose or any appliance in need of restoration. Can you begin to understand my surprise when I became aware that my new handsome, wonderful husband was clearly NOT a repairman?
For some stupid reason, I had assumed every man had some extra special quality that gave him the ability to conquer everyday repair work. I do not want to demean him; for, indeed, he was a formidable pastor. (“Whatever you do, work at it with your whole heart, as working for the Lord.” Col. 3:23) However, for some vague reason that was not apparent to me, his mind was unable to guide him through the simplest household repairs. Fortunately, we lived for many years in a church-owned building or parsonage. Thus, when something broke down, an easy telephone call to the Building and Grounds Committee of the church always brought forth a person to take care of our latest problem – often plumbing or electric.
One frustrating afternoon, my singular man was attempting to fix a leaky kitchen faucet. He thought this would be an easy fix – WRONG. He fiddled with the faucet for quite a while. With each new twist, he retreated to the basement to turn on the water. Then I’d hear his voice calling upstairs to me, “Has it stopped dripping?” “No,” I’d holler back to him in a distressed voice. After several attempts, our telephone rang. Upon answering it, I was annoyed as it was an older woman in our congregation with a touch of dementia. After a very long conversation with her I finally told her we were in the middle of attempting to fix my dripping kitchen faucet. “Oh,” she replied cheerfully, “have you prayed about his?” As I am always truthful (sometimes even blunt) I replied, “No, I usually don’t pray about things like this.” I figured – well hoped – this would end the conversation. To my great surprise, Mrs. X began to pray, pray and pray (then pray some more!) about our faucet. For my part, I also began to pray Mrs. X would soon run out of words of wisdom when she finally said, “Goodbye, I hope you get it fixed soon.” “Amen,” I muttered to myself. I told my agitated mate that maybe we should go downstairs and together read carefully the directions. We did. Would you believe that the next time he ran downstairs, amazingly, the drip stopped! Thank you LORD!
As we think about Labor Day, I’m reminded of how many people here at Maplewood labor for us in various ways. It seems to me that almost every other week, I need to put a call in to the Maintenance Department because my sink is plugged, my bed won’t go up and down, a light bulb has burned out and so forth! Also, we are often indebted to our aides, the kitchen crew, nurses and many others who faithfully try to meet all of our needs. None of these people ever ask for remuneration; however, I think that a simple thank you would be appreciated so they do not think they labor in vain and that we do appreciate their efforts on our behalf.
“I know thy good works and tribulations. I know they abound in every good work.” Col 1:10
“Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly.” 2 Cor. 9:6
“A fool’s work wearies him, he does not know the way to town.” Ec. 10:15
“If a man is lazy the rafters sag; if his hands are idle the house leaks.” Ec. 10:18
“So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” Ec. 2:17
DID YOU KNOW...
By Martha Miller, Activities/Librarian
One of the greatest joys of my position at Maplewood is providing reading materials to residents. It is incredibly rewarding to share my love of reading with others who feel the same. One resident, Alice MacDonald, is one of my best customers. Recently, Alice compiled a list of all the books she has read since coming to Maplewood in March of 2009. We were both astonished to find that she has read over 50 books! Curious as to how Alice had become such a prolific reader, I asked if she’d agree to an interview. “Well,” she replied, “if you promise not to make a big deal of it.” Even though I certainly do feel it is a big deal, I promised to keep my superlatives at a minimum. One lovely summer afternoon, Alice and I sat down and she shared her story – some of which follows:
Martha: “How did you acquire your love of reading?”
Alice: “As a child my mother read to me and my brother each night. I recall Bible stories, Robinson Crusoe, books on President Lincoln and the Civil War. As we lived on a farm with no electricity and little money, reading was an important part of our lives. My Aunt was my teacher in our one-room schoolhouse, and she also encouraged me to read by loaning me books from the school’s collection.”
Martha: “As you matured, did reading continue to play an important part in your life?”
Alice: “Certainly. There were times when I read more than others. As a teenager, we traded books with one another using the public library as a resource. After I began my work career, I read less frequently, but often talked about books with friends. One particular book I remember from that time period was Edge of Glass. Although it was fiction, I can still remember the descriptions of crystal and colored glass. After I retired after working 20 years at the Webster Town Hall, I read two books a month.”
Martha: “What books have you enjoyed since coming to Maplewood?”
Alice: “I have read two complete series that were very memorable: Jan Karon’s The Mitford Series, and Alexander McCall Smith’s The Number 1 Ladies’ Detective Series. I have recommended both to friends. Other books I have especially enjoyed are The Help by Kathryn Stockett, The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks, The Pilot’s Wife by Anita Shreve and Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas.”
Martha: “How has reading impacted your life at Maplewood?”
Alice: “Reading has certainly enhanced my Maplewood experience. So many books, so much enjoyment!”
REACHOUT RADIO
Maplewood is pleased to announce the immediate availability of Reachout Radio. Sponsored by WXXI, Reachout Radio is a reading service that offers a wide variety of audio programming 24 hours a day. Programs include the daily reading of local and national newspapers such as the Democrat and Chronicle, New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. You can also enjoy old time radio shows like Fibber McGee and Molly, as well as special interest programs on travel, science and health.
Access to this service is as easy as tuning your television to Channel 3 and turning up the volume. As you listen to the audio programs, the television screen will display Maplewood’s menu, activities, announcements of interest and the daily weather. Program schedules will be delivered to each room. Any questions or concerns regarding this service may be directed to the Activities Department.
We are excited to be able to offer this additional service and are certain that the programs will enrich your Maplewood experience.
MAPLE BAY CAFÉ SEPTEMBER EVENTS
FRED VINE IN CONCERT
Thursday, September 2, 5:00-6:00pm
Talented guitarist Fred Vine performance begins the last month of the Café. Fred (most notably a blues player) adjusts his set for the Maplewood Community. The late start should drag in a few more family members and friends.
HOUSE BAND B-SHARP TRIO
Tuesday, September 14, 2:30-3:30pm
Ed, Tom and John create set lists highlighting 20’s, 30’s and 40’s tunes. Frequently, guests will drop by and sit in, most notably long time Maplewood friend and flutist Carolyn Griswold-Garman.
CROSSMOLINA LIVE!
Thursday, September 16, 5:00-6:00pm
Feel the glow of that late afternoon sun listening to husband/wife duo Bill and Valerie Wroblewski belt out up tempo Irish and folk numbers. Crossmolina’s excellent version of Johnny Cash’s speedy tune “I’ve Been Everywhere,” might lead to raucous dancing!
NFL AT MAPLE BAY
Sundays, Bills Games
Wear your good luck Bills t-shirt, step out bayside and root for Buffalo. They open with Miami at home (9/12) then travel to Green Bay (9-19) and New England (9-26). Answer a few Bills trivia questions and win prizes. Maybe they’ll be specials for every time the Bills score a touchdown, which most likely won’t be often!
AUTUMN COFFEE BAY
Friday, September 24, 2:30-3:30pm
It will be difficult to say farewell to summer, on autumn’s first full day and watch the last ships slip out of Maple Bay. Café staff tries to set the tone for the upcoming fall season by serving coffee, cider and perhaps fried cakes to patrons. We see this as a celebration of things to come. Join us.
FROM THE HEART OF THE KITCHEN
By Juliana Stojanova
Football season is here! It’s time to get out your best chili recipes/tailgating food and have a touchdown season! Since the weather will be starting to "chill out", we will be closing our Maple Bay Cafe in the autumn season, so included are a couple recipes from the Maple Bay Café favorites to enjoy anytime of the year.
During the month of August there was a very high demand for the leafy vegetable escarole. A little history of this tasty (but healthy) green is definitely worthy of food for thought. Escarole is actually a main variety of the leaf vegetable endive (or chicory). Since Escarole can be a little on the bitter side, it is usually prepared using a braising method and is commonly found in the recipe "Greens and Beans". Escarole is very high in nutrients such as folic acid, fiber and vitamins A and K and can also be eaten raw. This simple leafy vegetable has a very unique flavor profile. With a crinkled shape to the leaves, it provides various degrees of flavor as the outer leaves are removed. While the outer leaves are a dark green, the inner leaves become lighter shades of green. As the shade of the leaves lightens, the degree of bitter taste also lessens. Escarole was first grown nearly 5,000 years ago and used as a medicine. The Egyptians, Greeks and Romans all used escarole as a salad vegetable; it was thought to help with digestion. The Culinary Team and I are always happy to take requests for different vegetables and greens that aren't offered as often. We will work with our produce purveyors and try to fulfill all your food needs the best we can. What will be the next popular food/vegetable at Maplewood?
ARTICHOKE AND SPINACH STUFFED MUSHROOMS
Serves 5
Ingredients:
10 Large button mushrooms (washed and stems removed)
2 Cups spinach
2T Parmesan cheese
4 oz Cream cheese, softened
1 Cup drained artichokes, quartered
1T butter
Salt and pepper - to taste
1 Teaspoon granulated garlic
½ Cup water
¼ Cup sherry wine
Procedure:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a small sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add spinach and artichokes, cooking over medium-low heat for 3-5 minutes or until spinach is wilted. - Cool in refrigerator until cool.
- While spinach is cooling, in a food processor place cream cheese, Parmesan, granulated garlic. Pulse until well combined and smooth. Add cooled spinach and artichokes to mix; pulse until roughly chopped.
- In a small baking pan, put mushrooms in pan flat side down. Place 1-tablespoon of stuffing mix in each mushroom. Pour water and sherry wine in pan then cover with aluminum foil. Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Enjoy while still hot!
CLAMS CASINO
Makes 12
Ingredients:
4 Slices of bacon, chopped fine
½ Cup chopped onion
1 Large garlic clove, minced
1 T olive oil
½ Cup finely diced red bell pepper
½ Cup finely diced green bell pepper
¼ Teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1 Teaspoon wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan
12 Medium (2 1/2-inch) hard-shelled clams, shucked, bottom shells reserved
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 400o F
- In a sauté pan cook the bacon over medium heat, stirring, until it begins to brown but is not crisp. Transfer it with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain discarding the fat from the pan. In the pan, wiped clean, cook the onion and the garlic in the oil over moderately low heat until they are softened, add the bell peppers and the oregano, and cook the mixture, stirring, until the bell peppers are tender-crisp. Transfer mixture to a small bowl. Stir in the bacon, vinegar, Parmesan and salt and black pepper to taste.
- Arrange the clams in the reserved shells on a baking sheet pan filled with some coarse salt (balances the shells), divide the stuffing mixture among them, and bake in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they are just cooked through and golden brown. Serve with lemon wedges for garnish.
ASSEMBLYMAN DAVID KOON VISITS RESIDENTS
On the resplendent Friday afternoon of August 13th, Assemblyman David Koon discussed Albany happenings and his displeasure with the new budget, which he voted against. The crowd of at least 25 Maplewood Community members, along with a few guests from the media, gathered at Maple Bay Café ready to ask tough questions. An accommodating Koon replied candidly and informatively.
Jo V. fired first. She asked about the assessment tax on nursing home residents. Carole K. continued along that line of questioning wondered about the dreadfully unpopular 6% tax. Koon has historically been against that measure. Many asked about the dysfunctional system in Albany. The Assemblyman reminded the group that an attempt engineered by him and others to oust Speaker Silver nearly a decade ago failed. He is convinced that the system is broken and too few truly look after the interests of their constituents. He ended the program with a brief campaigning message. Assemblyman Koon visits Maplewood roughly once a year.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Public speaker/comedian Sylvester Anderson pops in to deliver a zany set of expressive comedies and stories for the Maplewood Community on the morning of September 8. Sylvester radiates energy and uses the vast expanses of the Garden Room stage to act out his stories. Most of Sylvester’s bits center around his actual predicaments. The story about moving to Rochester from Florida and experiencing his first winter is just hilarious. This funny man starts at 10:30am.
Athena will greet Maplewood visitors on Tuesday, September 14, at the Wild Wings Bird Sanctuary. This facility at Mendon Ponds Park specializes in caring for injured birds of prey that aren’t well enough for a return to the wild. Athena, by the way, is an oversized Bald Eagle! Wild Wings is one of the area’s best-kept secrets. Visitors can get amazingly close to Red-tailed Hawks, American Crows and owls. The birds are obviously well cared for in their spacious pens.
Excursions to Donuts Delight resume this month. Resident Mike W. is very excited to be there on Thursday afternoon, September 23. A number of residents have expressed interest in sampling locally famous donuts at the refurbished store. The coffee is just delicious, service prompt and friendly. In fact, the waitress playfully chastised the Maplewood delegation for not visiting for a few months! Apple Fritters and glazed donuts seem the most popular picks. Activities Director Gary Sacco strongly endorses the Cannoli Donut.
September 24 ushers in the first day full day of autumn. Maple Bay Café struggles to say goodbye to summer. To soothe this inevitability, coffee, cider and fried cakes will be served instead of the usual summer fare. The Maplewood Community is invited to this special Coffee Gathering, which starts at 2:30pm.
To close out September, Dick Leschhorn plays the Garden Room! The legendary keyboardist runs through an hour long set, starting at 10:30am, that screams variety. Dick brings that boogie-woogie spirit with him every time. This performer has been doing it, month in and month out, at Maplewood for over 20 years now!
EMPLOYEE MILESTONES
Congratulations to:
Holly Blue, evening CNA on the Seneca Unit, for 5 years of service. Thank you, Holly!
Sherry Foote, Billing Specialist, for 15 years of service. Thanks, Sherry!
Gail Ross, Director of Housekeeping, for 15 years of service. Thank you, Gail!