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Members in the News
La Posada - Day Camp with Kids and Seniors
I am including some materials, photos etc regarding the Summer Camp we ran for employee children inside the Long Term Care are of La Posada (La Hacienda). It was a true win/win for the employee, the kids and the resident. The article that was in the local paper is attached, my apologies for the pictures not being easy to see, but if magnified, I think the article is readable and captures what we had hoped to accomplish with our “experiment”.
It was one long week, but we did have a few remarkable findings. One resident (Rodger, the one in the cowboy hat) had not left the facility to attend any outside activities in five years. He was so taken with the children and one child in particular, Joseph a 4 yr old of one of our CNAs, that he got on the bus and headed up to Madera canyon for a picnic. Quite a sight. Many of the children, who were very shy on Monday, really did not want to leave by Friday and have asked their parents to bring them in more so they can see the residents. One child was so proud of his Mom after he watched and learned what she did each day. He really had no idea. That was one result we really wished for. Hopefully, we will keep chipping away at some of the fears children have related to aging..so they do not grow up with such fears.
We had a great time doing it and if there is one thing our team loves to do with our folks here, its have fun.
Steven Kolnacki MS. CNHA, CASP
Director of Healthcare Services
La Posada at Park Centre
700 S La Posada Cir
Green Valley AZ 85614
Cypress HomeCare Solutions
Cypess HomeCare Solutions ranked the #1 Home Care Agency by Arizona's Magizines' Ranking for 2010.
Please click here to read about it!
Congratulations!
Beatitudes Campus Resident Receives Congressional Gold Medal
Geri Nyman Honored for Serving as a Women Airforce Service Pilots, WASP
PHOENIX – Geri Nyman – a pioneer, a role model, a hero, and a new resident of the Beatitudes Campus retirement community – received the Congressional Gold Medal for serving in the U.S. Women Airforce Service Pilots or WASP during World War II. Nyman is a survivor of the W1, the first WASP training class.
Nyman’s service, along with the other 300 surviving WASPs, was finally recognized as of July 1, 2009 when President Barack Obama and the United States Congress awarded each one of them with this highest honor. On March 10, 2010, 200 of the surviving WASPs, including Geri, travelled to the U.S. Capitol to accept the Congressional Gold Medal from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Congressional leaders.
Her remarkable story as a WASP began when she landed free flying lessons from her first instructor, who had hired her as his bookkeeper. She logged over 500 hours of flying time and then became an instructor. Nyman recalls, “Everything was shut down for 200 miles from the coast, so I got on a bus and headed east, and every time I stopped at an airport, they’d say ‘well, I don’t think the men in our area will take a flying lesson from a kid!’” She was only twenty years old.
In 1943 she met famous aviator, Jacqueline “Jackie” Cochran, by chance when in New York City. Jackie’s plans for the Royal Air Force were changed when the United States Air Force asked her to “donate” her twenty-five women to work with them instead – with no future guarantees or recognition. Nyman and the others headed off to Houston, Texas for training. Already having more experience than the men on the base, Jackie’s pilots aced their tests in style and served their country.
These exceptional pilots were the first women in history trained to fly American military aircraft and they freed men for combat and tested the planes. Specifically, they would ferry them from factories to military bases and towed targets for gunnery training. Members of the WASP successfully demonstrated expertise and skill when flying military aircraft and their records showed that when women pilots were given the same training as men pilots, they were as capable as the men in non-combat flying.
Despite these accomplishments, the WASPs were not considered to be in the military under existing guidelines. “We were nothing,” Nyman remembers “we were not considered members of the Air Force – we were just working for the Air Force!” Because of their lack of recognition, they had to take up donations for the funerals of their classmates who perished in training operations. Thirty-eight WASP fliers lost their lives while serving during the war – 11 in training and 27 on active duty. Luckily, Geri Nyman was not one of them.
All records of the WASP service were classified and sealed for many years, so their contributions to the war effort were not known by many. But Nyman, and her fellow fliers, finally received the recognition they deserve. Although grateful to be acknowledged now, she thinks about her fellow WASPs and feels some sadness for those who did not live long enough to finally receive this recognition. Nyman will turn 90 this month.
In addition to the Congressional Gold Medal, Nyman also received a personal letter from General Norton A. Schwartz, USAF, current Chief of Staff of the Air Force. General Schwartz wrote, “…As one of the first women in history to fly American military aircraft over 60 year ago, you have undoubtedly contributed to the making of today’s Air Force. You were, indeed, a catalyst for the integration of women pilots in the United States military and we are forever in your debt! On behalf of the men and women of the United States Air Force, we thank you for your service.”
About the Beatitudes Campus
For more than 40 years, the Beatitudes Campus has served as an all-inclusive Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC), including Independent Living, Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing, and Memory Support. Through our programs and services, our Campus offers a true community that recognizes and nourishes the spiritual, physical, social, and emotional needs of our residents.
The Campus is sponsored by the Church of the Beatitudes, a United Church of Christ congregation. The Church of the Beatitudes also founded the following related not-for-profit organizations: Beatitudes Agelink, an intergenerational child development center located on site of the Campus; and Duet: Partners In Health & Aging, serving homebound adults, family caregivers, nurses in faith communities, and grandparents raising grandchildren.
Nyman’s service, along with the other 300 surviving WASPs, was finally recognized as of July 1, 2009 when President Barack Obama and the United States Congress awarded each one of them with this highest honor. On March 10, 2010, 200 of the surviving WASPs, including Geri, travelled to the U.S. Capitol to accept the Congressional Gold Medal from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Congressional leaders.
Her remarkable story as a WASP began when she landed free flying lessons from her first instructor, who had hired her as his bookkeeper. She logged over 500 hours of flying time and then became an instructor. Nyman recalls, “Everything was shut down for 200 miles from the coast, so I got on a bus and headed east, and every time I stopped at an airport, they’d say ‘well, I don’t think the men in our area will take a flying lesson from a kid!’” She was only twenty years old.
In 1943 she met famous aviator, Jacqueline “Jackie” Cochran, by chance when in New York City. Jackie’s plans for the Royal Air Force were changed when the United States Air Force asked her to “donate” her twenty-five women to work with them instead – with no future guarantees or recognition. Nyman and the others headed off to Houston, Texas for training. Already having more experience than the men on the base, Jackie’s pilots aced their tests in style and served their country.
These exceptional pilots were the first women in history trained to fly American military aircraft and they freed men for combat and tested the planes. Specifically, they would ferry them from factories to military bases and towed targets for gunnery training. Members of the WASP successfully demonstrated expertise and skill when flying military aircraft and their records showed that when women pilots were given the same training as men pilots, they were as capable as the men in non-combat flying.
Despite these accomplishments, the WASPs were not considered to be in the military under existing guidelines. “We were nothing,” Nyman remembers “we were not considered members of the Air Force – we were just working for the Air Force!” Because of their lack of recognition, they had to take up donations for the funerals of their classmates who perished in training operations. Thirty-eight WASP fliers lost their lives while serving during the war – 11 in training and 27 on active duty. Luckily, Geri Nyman was not one of them.
All records of the WASP service were classified and sealed for many years, so their contributions to the war effort were not known by many. But Nyman, and her fellow fliers, finally received the recognition they deserve. Although grateful to be acknowledged now, she thinks about her fellow WASPs and feels some sadness for those who did not live long enough to finally receive this recognition. Nyman will turn 90 this month.
In addition to the Congressional Gold Medal, Nyman also received a personal letter from General Norton A. Schwartz, USAF, current Chief of Staff of the Air Force. General Schwartz wrote, “…As one of the first women in history to fly American military aircraft over 60 year ago, you have undoubtedly contributed to the making of today’s Air Force. You were, indeed, a catalyst for the integration of women pilots in the United States military and we are forever in your debt! On behalf of the men and women of the United States Air Force, we thank you for your service.”
About the Beatitudes Campus
For more than 40 years, the Beatitudes Campus has served as an all-inclusive Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC), including Independent Living, Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing, and Memory Support. Through our programs and services, our Campus offers a true community that recognizes and nourishes the spiritual, physical, social, and emotional needs of our residents.
The Campus is sponsored by the Church of the Beatitudes, a United Church of Christ congregation. The Church of the Beatitudes also founded the following related not-for-profit organizations: Beatitudes Agelink, an intergenerational child development center located on site of the Campus; and Duet: Partners In Health & Aging, serving homebound adults, family caregivers, nurses in faith communities, and grandparents raising grandchildren.
National Council of Nonprofits -- Special Report re State Budget Crises
From: Tim Delaney [mailto:tdelaney@councilofnonprofits.org]
Subject: National Council of Nonprofits -- Special Report re State Budget Crises
Dear Listening Post Colleagues:
Given our mutual interest in helping nonprofits in the field, I thought I should share the following link to our new Special Report, “State Budget Crises: Ripping the Safety Net Held by Nonprofits.” http://www.councilofnonprofits.org/sites/default/files/Special-Report-State-Budget-Crises-Ripping-the-Safety-Net-Held-by-Nonprofits.pdf
As you know, the picture is beyond bleak in the states … and likely to get far worse for at least a few more years. Therefore, we designed the report to provide our state associations and nonprofit members, as well as our national allies, with an initial broad public frame to help them see and explain to others what is happening so they can take action to prevent, or at least mitigate, the damage. The report is also intended to put state and local policymakers and members of the media on notice about the dangerous trends we have been tracking.
We have several other reports in the works that will dig deeper into the state trends on budget cuts, withholding of payments (late, partial reimbursement, etc.), and imposition of new taxes and fees. We also plan to chronicle some impressive work in strengthening the partnership between nonprofits and state governments. We are building our repository of information on these issues, so as you have noteworthy examples – good as well as bad – please forward them to us. Thanks.
Knowing your recognition about threats mounting in the states, and because your members may be reading news reports about this report very soon, we wanted to get this Special Report directly into your hands. Please feel free to relay the link directly to your members (if you want) so they have some added ammunition.
Tim Delaney | President & CEO
National Council of Nonprofits
National Voice · State Focus · Local Impact
1101 Vermont Avenue NW, Suite 1002 | Washington, DC 20005
Ph: 202.962.0322 x121 | F: 202.962.0321
La Posada - Do we make a difference?
Please click here for La Posada's 2009 Social Accountability Report to the Green Valley Community.
Christian Care Nursing Center - U.S. News & World Report
Please click here to read the article about Christian Care Nursing Center rating for one of America's Best Nursing Homes!
Piper Fellowship Awarded
Congratulations to Peggy Mullan, President and CEO, Beatitudes Campus for being one of the five exemplary non-profit organizations to receive the Piper Fellowship from Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust.
Please read the article:
http://www.pipertrust.org/enewsletter/articles/pipertrustfellowsdec2009-...
Congratulations Peggy!
McShane Construction - 2009 General Contractor of the Year
McShane Construction was selected by the Chicago chapter of NAIOP as the 2009 General Contractor of the year! Congratulations!
Please click here for info.
Amedisys Home Health Care of Surprise Named to 2009 HomeCare Elite as a Top Home Care Provider
Amedisys Home Health Care of Suprise has been named to the 2009 HomeCare Elite, a compilation of the top-performing home health agencies in the United States. This annual review identifies the top 25% of agencies and further highlights the top 100 and top 500 agencies overall.
Please click here to read the announcement.
Editorial about Donna Taylor, VP Human Resources, Arizona Baptist Retirement Centers
The following editorial ran in this morning's USA Today features Donna Taylor, Vice President, Human Resources, from Arizona Baptist Retirement Centers, and supports the CLASS plan's inclusion in health reform.
Donna who cares for her mother and grandmother, talks about her father's last days, the burden of long-term care and CLASS Act -- an insurance policy she hopes becomes law. Taylor says CLASS Act would have helped her family care for her dad at his home. Instead, he died in a nursing home.
The story can be found online at http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2009/10/debate-on-disability-our-view-lon...
If you would like to contact Donna, here is her info:
Donna Taylor, SPHR, CASP
Executive Vice President
Arizona Baptist Retirement Centers
11315 W. Peoria Avenue
Youngtown, AZ 85363
623-933-3333, ext. 1302
www.abrc.org
