ACommunities, Inc. · 2016. 8. 1. · the early 1920s. Imagine the Antici-pation all those who...

May-June 2016Volume 23 Number 4

Residents, Associates, Families & Friends www.asburymethodistvillage.org

A NEWSPAPER FOR ASBURY METHODIST VILLAGE

90 Years of Anticipating More...and Getting It!

By Sue DaCamara, Chief

Operating Officer, Asbury

Communities, Inc.

A few months ago I had the honor of going

through many old pho-tographs of AMV with Hal Gaut. While we were not always able to put a name with a face or identify a specific event, it was easy to see the joy on the faces of all those who came before us in the history of AMV. What an amazing moment it was when we came across the photograph of the groundbreaking for the original “Rolling Acres” from the early 1920s. Imagine the Antici-pation all those who attended and were involved in the planning must have experienced!

We know from the old photographs, which have been pre-served over decades, that they Anticipated the construction of the Methodist Home for the Aged and Orphans, and the Home it would become for residents to “eat, sleep and rock.” Almost immediately after opening the cen-tral heart of the origi-

nal Home, there was Anticipation of new residents joining the Asbury family, from new wings on the Home to the Heritage apartment buildings to the WHCC.

Who could have imagined that when Dr. Herman Wilson introduced a “keep them busy” program that it would evolve over the decades to

Continued on page 15

restored by Jim Utterback and Dave Reiser

Ground breaking for the original Rolling Acres from the early 1920s.

Sue DaDamara, Chief Operating

Officer

2 May-June 2016 Village life

VILLAGELIFE

Asbury Methodist Village201 Russell Avenue

Gaithersburg, MD [email protected]

General information: 301-330-3000Website: www.asburymethodistvillage.org

Village Life brought to you in part by

EditorLinda Williams Aber

Director of Communications301-216-4106

[email protected]

Resident EditorsAnne Porter, MundMarilyn Gaut, Trott

Mac McCullough, DiamondMercer Cross, Wallace

Joan Dunlop, Edwards-FisherAnita Taylor, Park View

Maria E. Roberts, Courtyard Homes Marolyn Hatch, Villas

Resident StaffCourtyard Homes: Peter Cascio

Diamond: Mac McCullough, Jan Garman and Hal Garman

Edwards-Fisher: Joan Dunlop, Dorothy Harris, Luella LeVee,

Trudy Meissner and lots of love to one of my first mentors at Asbury

Betty Goen!

Mund: Gil Snyder, Jack Brinley, and Bob Tedesco

Park View: Duane McKenna, Lydia Page and John Eberhard

Trott: Bettie Donley, Copy Editor; Lois Lord, Jeanne North, Hal Gaut,

Joan Brubaker, Becky Ratliff, and Jack Hutchings

Villas: Carol Dennis, Dan Muller, Jean Hubbell, Margaret Sugg,

Tiiu Kera and Bill Brown.

Wallace: Keith Steele and Phyllis W. Zeno

Design/Layout:Mina Rempe @ Electronic Ink

Printing: Chesapeake Publishing Corp..

Village Life is published by Asbury Methodist Village

Communications Department

“The mission of Village Life is to provide timely, interesting and entertaining news about the lives, concerns and activities of the peo-ple who reside, work and volunteer at Asbury Methodist Village.”

Notes From the Laughter ZoneW hen I was in high school

and a curfew was always a bone of contention, my

mother’s reasoning when it came to Prom night was that “one always wants to leave the ballroom before it turns back into a gymnasium.” Today, at this time in my life, I agree with the philosophy and that is why I have presented my resignation and it has been accepted.

There have been very few moments in the greater scheme of things during my almost 13 years at Asbury, that I haven’t loved my job. There have been no moments in all those years that I haven’t loved, cherished, cared about, enjoyed, and shared important times and thoughts with you, the residents of Asbury Methodist Village. Let me say it plain and simple--I love you. I love working on Village Life with the dedicated, fun, funny resident staff that make their deadlines bet-ter than I do and turn out a campus newspaper of which I am proud to be the editor.

I love writing, producing and host-ing Asbury View each week because of the opportunity to tell you all to have a happy, healthy, smile-filled week. I love the AVTV volunteers who come to the studio each week to do their best making me sound smart, look better, and feel confident no matter who I am interviewing on whatever subject. Artha Jean Sny-der the Movie Matinee Lady, Mimi Cummings the Teleprompter lady, Dan the Man Muller, Allan Beech, Dave Reiser the camera guys, and all the volunteers who share their time and voices as voice-over talents. Oh gosh, too many to name, but my love for them all abounds.

I love picking two movies a week for the Rosborough Theatre After-noon at the Movies program I start-ed more than 500 movies ago. It is challenging and fun choosing films, knowing that you are a sophisticat-ed, educated, forgiving audience. I

have pushed the envelope by pre-senting R rated movies amongst the musicals, foreign, classics, and current Academy Award winners. Here’s a funny story (I think!). I presented an Academy Award win-ner that had a very bad word in it more than once. It even startled me when I saw the word in the sub-titles. Afterwards, I apologized to the first two residents to emerge from the theatre saying, “I am so sorry for the language.” Both ladies laughed. One said, “Oh honey, I’m 87 and I’ve heard that word plenty.” The other lady laughed and added, “I’m 92 and I’ve probably heard it more than she has!”

And I have so many funny sto-ries like that that have made me

throw my arms around residents and become friends for life.

I love my staff--Joon Kim and Eric Thornett--two creative, dedicated, responsible, resident-loving guys who would do anything to make residents feel respected, valued, and happy. We have worked together for a lot of years, co-created many original programs, shared a million laughs and some sorrows. They are like family to me and while people do leave jobs, they don’t leave fam-ily. We will always be in touch. And perhaps the best thing about them both is that they don’t need me to continue being as talented and great as they are.

Thank you to all of you who have shared your lives with me, stopped in at the Laughter Zone to share stories and concerns, called me, emailed me, and made me happy to come to work every day. I am leav-ing while the ballroom is still a ball-room for me, but my Mom lives here so you will see me dancing around the campus still and that makes me happy too. And as I say at the end of every Asbury View, I’ll see you around the campus! And I will!

With love and gratitude, Linda Aber

Corrections Please note the following corrections to the Asbury Foundation

2015 Report of Gifts, as printed in the April issue. Thank you for your understanding and support.• The contribution received from Dale and Charlotte Lowry was

made in memory of their parents and Pitter, their beloved cat.• The gift in memory of Shirley L. Bomboy was made by her sister,

Marolyn Hatch.• Charlie and Pearl Benjamin are members of the Heritage Society.• The listing for the gift made by Martha Hunt in honor of the Rev.

Noemi Parrilla-Mena omitted Noemi’s title.

Village life May-June 2016 3

A Feast For The EyesBy Jan Garman, Diamond

Soft and subtle watercolors Clear and crisp black and white photography Bold oil and acrylic paintings Cuddly crocheted farm animals Intricate and delicate models Quilting, cross stitch, needle point Collage, pen and ink, charcoal

All of the above and more, by more than 70 talent-ed Asbury residents, provided a feast for the eyes at AMV’s annual art show in Parker Hall during

May. Under the leadership of Bernadette (Bernie) Smith, a group of dedicated residents worked hard to bring this treasure to the Asbury community.

Who are these artists who share their creativity with us? There is only room here to highlight two of them, one a new exhibitor and one who has been active in AMV’s art community for a number of years. As I explored the show, I was particularly intrigued by a watercolor entitled “Rainy Day,” of a small child looking pensively through a glass door at the rain out-side. It was by Doris Gor-don, a first-time exhibitor. The painting, she told me, was of her eldest grand-daughter, Prudence, when she was two and her world had been upended by the birth of a new baby and a move to a new home. To make matters worse on the day that her grand-mother painted her, Pru-dence couldn’t play out-side because of the rain!

Although Doris chose a career in music educa-tion, she never lost the love of art which had been encouraged by courses she took in junior and senior high school. When her children were raised, she decided to take the basic art courses at Montgomery Community College and enjoyed exploring various media in the visual arts. She became “hooked” on ceram-

ics, developing a pottery studio in Washington Grove, and has sold many of her pieces. She has also sold many note cards that she created from her pen and ink drawings of places in the Grove. Besides working in watercol-or and acrylics, she enjoys working

in pastels, which she reports, “have a brightness that appeals to me.” Doris also started an art group at her church, which encourages the use of the visual arts to enhance worship.

Natalie O’Reilly is a sea-soned exhibitor at AMV and one of the enthusias-tic committee members responsible for putting on the art show. Two years ago, Natalie arranged a popular series in which resident art-ists in various media exhib-ited and demonstrated their craft. Natalie, herself, works

almost exclusively in watercol-or. “I love the transparency of the watercolor paints,” she says. Natalie has been painting “off and on” for 15-18 years, taking courses at Asbury and at senior centers. Natalie’s painting in this year’s show was of a stone bridge on Doris Duke’s New-port, RI estate on the Atlan-tic Ocean. Although she has painted one portrait, most

Continued on page 4


“EVERY PAINTING TELLS A STORY”By Jan Garman, Diamond

The sun shone bright as 16 intrepid Asbury resi-dents, along with Beloved

Community Initiative (BCI) Coor-dinator, Alex Moran, boarded a bus at 8:45 a.m. on Friday, April 8th. The next stop was Gaithers-burg Elementary School where, promptly at 9:00, nineteen third, fourth and fifth-grade students who are mentored by the BCI, boarded the bus and slid into window seats next to their men-tors. They were followed by their principal, Stephanie Brant; Vice-Principal, Loretta Woods and a school counselor, who wished everyone well before disembarking to attend to their school duties. Then it was onto Route 270 and the group’s des-tination, the National Gallery of Art, where the BCI’s three Wesley Seminary interns met the group. As the group was approaching their destination, excitement grew as famous sites such as “the Pen-cil,” (the “Washington Monument” to those not accustomed to elemen-tary school nomenclature) and the Lincoln Memorial came into view.

Once inside, the group was wel-comed by their two very experi-enced and knowledgeable docents. The mentors had chosen the tour entitled “Every Painting Tells a Story,” which was specifically geared to fourth and fifth graders. Their choice was rewarded as the

students were introduced to such paintings as “Daniel in the Lions’ Den,” by Peter Paul Rubens and Edward Hick’s “Peaceable Kingdom” and guided to extract the story behind each artist’s rendition. They were also given sketch pads and pencils and time to make sketches of their own. It was interesting for the mentors to walk among the young artists seated on the floor sketching to see which painting each of them had chosen.

After the formal tour was over, it was on to the Cascade Cafe where tables had been reserved for the stu-

dents and their mentors. In one of the galleries on the way to the cafe, three of the students encoun-tered a woman who had erected an easel and was making a copy of one of the paintings on display. They were most interested in her work and began asking her ques-tions. The artist was more than happy to answer their questioners and went on to explain how care-fully she had to observe in order to produce a copy of the painting. Both docents had also expressed appreciation for the students’ curious minds and for the quality of the questions that they asked. Well before the trip, they had been introduced to works of art and had had their curiosity piqued by a presentation by AMV resident, Bobbie Carr, a former mentor and a former docent at the National Gallery.

The students all enjoyed their pizza lunch in the cafe and then sev-eral trips under the dancing lights of the people mover connecting the cafe area with the East Gallery. Almost as interesting as the dancing lights were the cascading waters in the display adjacent to the cafe. They found that they were unable to actually touch the water, but it wasn’t from lack of trying! Then it was time to board the bus back to school. All agreed that it had been a great trip for students and mentors alike. The BCI is most grateful to the anonymous donor who made the trip possible.

This Month in the Gallery

The Rosborough Cultural Arts and Wellness Center is

home to an ever-changing gal-lery of arts and handiwork

created by our residents. Stop by and see what’s new. With 12 display cases to look at, there’s

something for everyone to enjoy. Here’s this month’s

sampling of art.

Marilyn HeilprinTrott

White-line woodcuts

Scott Brewer Diamond

Photograph

of her paintings are of still life and landscapes. One of her paintings was included in a set of notecards to benefit Asbury’s Wildlife Habi-tat.

Both Natalie and Doris participate in Asbury’s open stu-dio, which meets in Asbury’s new light-filled art room on Tuesday and Thurs-day mornings. Nata-lie stresses the value of this group as a place where artists of all levels can bring pieces to work on, and in the process, exchange ideas and help each other improve their art. Natalie says that

the group encourages artists to keep working, and she stressed the importance of this by sharing a quotation by Edgar Degas to the American artist, Mary Cassatt, in which he told her that “talent” in art came only with

“hard work and obsessive revision.” Doris adds that the open studio has given her the opportunity to develop friendships with other Asbury artists.

Natalie encourag-es artists in all visual media, to be planning ahead for the May 2017 art show, with entries due in April. There is room in Parker Hall for even more artists to exhibit, she says. She also reminds residents that they do not have wait another whole year to appreciate their fel-

low residents’ art. Changing displays are available year-round in the Rosborough Cultural Center’s art gallery.

FEAST FOR THE EYESContinued from page 3

Students take notes on their observations.


By Marolyn Hatch, Villas

At the April CAV meeting there was a lively discus-sion about dining menu

changes that really was about process. How do residents who have suggestions, visions, and annoyances get them heard and reviewed, perhaps even acted upon, by the Administration? It is tempting to spot an Associate in the hall, at Russell Ave Café or a meeting, and share your insights on the run. It’s a rare Associ-ate who says, send me a note or email on that. Such would sug-gest that the resident was being put off or that the brilliant idea they proposed wasn’t sufficiently commanding to warrant instant recall by the Associate later.

Well, reverse that scenario. You are at a meeting and an acquain-tance asks you to call him. Most of us are likely to forget the inci-dent, the person’s name or the message. Sure, we are, when we want to admit it, prone to soft-ening memory ability. Well, that may be true, but it is also true that we share with our younger Asso-ciates a limited “storage capac-ity” for off-the-cuff remarks and requests. So if you want to offer a suggestion or even rant about something, the community has an accepted process

The Administration, to a fault, encourages a “walk in” culture. From the Executive Director to the Security Drivers, most will politely stop what they are doing and listen to you. Some other more demanding issue may be hovering in their minds, but they will show you the courtesy of attention. But there are more use-ful means of sharing your points of view on the issue du jour.

Problem with your apartment: Call Maintenance (ext. 4070) or send a work request to [email protected]. The latter gives you a record of your request. With either, if you call more than once, indicate the number of the request so that a new order isn’t initiated.

Problem with your neighbor-hood/apartment complex: Con-tact your Council Chair. They have the ear of the administra-tion through the Quality Service Board (QSB) that meets monthly to discuss cross-campus service issues. Unresolved issues are added to a log, and their resolu-tion is tracked. An example is

tracking a request to Gaithers-burg and the county for a left turn signal at Odendhal and Rus-sell.

Suggestions for specific service areas: Call your PAC representa-tive or the PAC Resident Co-Chair. A list of these people should be on your mail room wall. If it isn’t, remind your Council Chair to post it. The nearby box is a clip-and -save list of the PAC Chairs. Each PAC focuses on a specific area of interest to us all. Because the Associate Co-Chair is the Director of the related depart-ment, communication is swift and is expected to be brought before AMV leadership if necessary to resolve the issue.

Thus, if you have a recom-mendation, query or complaint, please consider this process. In many cases similar comments have been raised, discussed and resolved. That doesn’t mean that each idea is acted upon. After all, there are 1400+/- idea shapers on campus. As to compliments and “attagirls,” they should go directly to the person you admire. There is a form for such tributes to be sure that the supervisor is also

aware of exceptional work. But that is another column.

PAC CO-CHAIRS

Buildings, Grounds and Environment

Dick Evans, Diamond, Ext. 5918Meets: 1st Tuesday, Admin. Bldg.Assoc. Lenny Hines, Director

Plant Operations and Mainte-nance

Communications:Hal Gaut, Trott, Ext. 5219Meets: 2nd Thursday, Sellars.

Lib. RosboroughAssoc. Joon Kim, AVTV Station

Manager

Dining and NutritionSusan Andrews, Trott, Ext. 6769Meets: 1st Wednesday,

Conley Hall, TrottAssoc. Evaristo GustinesGeneral Manager, Dining Ser-

vices

FoundationGordon Smith, Diamond, Ext.

5338Meets: 2nd Friday, Admin. Bldg.Assoc. Pat O’Toole, Dir. Devel-

opment

Future ProjectsMarolyn Hatch, Villas, Ext. 4875Meets: 2nd Thursday, Admin.

Bldg.Assoc. Executive Director

Health and WellnessBarbara Harbison, Trott, Ext.

5816Meets: 2nd Thursday, E-F

LibraryAssoc. Cathy Richardson, Dir.

Lifestyle and Wellness

MarketingSusan Dunn, Diamond, Ext.

6668Meets: 1st Monday, Admin Bldg.Assoc. Brent Bayes, Dir. Sales

& Marketing

Spiritual LifeJack Hutchings, Trott, Ext. 4650Meets 2nd Monday, Diamond

Arts/Craft Rm.Assoc. Anne Ellestad, Dir. Pasto-

ral Care/CounselingAlso, let’s make some new

memories! First, clear your mind for action. Remember what Paul said:

“. . .whatever is true, what-ever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Philippians 4:8 RSV)

By Marolyn Hatch,Villas

The C.O.I.K. (Clear Only If Known) Factor

Got an Issue? Here’s a Tissue:

How to Get Your Issue Addressed


Poetry, Now and Forever By Jeanne North, Trott, with Emily

Robinson, Edwards-Fisher

Poetry starts in childhood and lasts forever. The rollick-ing rhythms of “the Circus

Parade” infect my memory:

“Tomorrow, tomorrow’s the circus parade!

Just think what I shall see!What crowds of people in gay

colored clothesAll lined up the street there

will be.

And some of the children will have red balloons,

As up by the curbing they stand,Then off in the distance we’ll

suddenly hearThe circus’s big brass band!...”

The poem cries to be read aloud, as does every poem that speaks to the heart and the soul, whether Wil-liam Wordsworth’s “The Daffodils” or Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Concord Hymn”:

“By the rude bridge that arched the flood

Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled,

Here once the embattled farm-ers stood

And fired the shot heard round the world…”

Poetry reigns far and near, and certainly here at Asbury Methodist Village. Just watch Asbury View on AVTV’s channel 975 and you may catch an Asbury poet reading an original work for, after all, that is what a poem should do – speak to the listener.

Yes, there is a Poets and Writers Group on campus, founded and led by Edwards-Fisher resident Emily Robinson. Emily writes this about the group:

“Since early 2015, the resident-run Poets and Writers Group has been promoting flyers and articles in Vil-lage Life about the Poetry Project that will be part of the 90th AMV Celebration in May 2016. The Asbury Guild is supporting this activity.

“Poems were solicited campus-wide with a deadline of September 2015. Eighty-seven poems were sub-mitted by 22 poets. Seven reviewers have been busy since then judging each individual poem and then pick-ing the best ones in each category. About 35 poems will be included in a booklet of some 30 pages. The lay-out for this booklet, entitled “Ninety Years of Verse,” is being prepared and several resident artists are pre-paring sketches.

“The booklet will have four sec-tions: “Poets of Old” (deceased poets), “Asbury Now,” “Resident Memories,” and “Asbury Ponders.” The Asbury Guild will handle distri-

bution during the 90th Anniversary Celebration.

“The club, formed in 2011, now has 9 members, (originally called the Poets and Writers Bunch, now the Poets and Writers Group), meets once a month (usually the third Monday) in the E-F Library, at 2:00 pm. The group goes to Kindley once a month to read with residents in the first floor lounge.

“We choose different topics each month to write about and to read. Our poets are represented often on the “Poetry Ink” portion of Asbury View on AVTV. We welcome new members - closet poets or casual poets. Some members have been published in anthologies, or self-published books.”

What Emily doesn’t say about her-self is that she has been writing poetry since about the age of 10 and has participated in a vast array of poetry workshops and readings over the years, from St. Mary’s Col-lege in Maryland, to classes at the Writer’s Center in Bethesda, read-ings on Grace Cavalieri’s poetry hour on radio station WPFW, at the Martin Luther King Library in DC and other venues.

Current members of the Poets and Writers Group include, in addition to Emily Robinson, Eleanor Cun-ningham, Carlee Hallman, Julius Lau-derdale, Luella LeVee, Kathy Lowe, Trudy and Paul Meissner and Lora Sheridan. The only qualification for

membership is the willingness to participate. Clearly, many on cam-pus are interested in poetry: Those who submitted entries for the book-let include not only the members of the Poetry Group but a long list of residents. You may see the names of some of them when you read the Poetry book.

Watch for it!

Celebrate 90 Years of Words

By Jean Hubbell, Villas

Have you had a chance to see CELEBRATE 90 YEARS OF WORDS, A

book of poems from Asbury residents past and present? One of Asbury’s more recent endeavors among residents is the AMV Poets and Writers Group. Emily Robinson came to an Asbury Guild board meet-ing with a potential copy of the poetry book seeking the Guild’s help and any sugges-tions before the poetry book was sent for publication. The poetry project was enthusi-astically approved and now the finished book is available through the Foundation. Pat-rick O’Toole has been very busy getting notices and order forms to our various communi-ties.

By now many of you may have already received a copy but for those who may be just finding out about this new endeavor, the book of poems is available for $5.00 payable with check to “Asbury Guild” sent to Nancy Grissom at Mund 812. (Of course, if you are as enthusiastic as the Poets and Writers Group, you may want more than one copy or may just want to support the work of the Guild with an additional donation.)


The jazz concert featuring the Harris brothers (sons of Dorothy Harris, Edwards-Fisher) played to a packed house in Hefner audito-rium. One of the opening events of the week-long 90th anniversary celebration of Asbury Methodist Vil-lage, the concert focused on Rick, trumpet, and Bill, piano, with sing-ing by both.

“I recognized their talents by the time they were about five or six and started them with a teacher,” said Dorothy in a pre-concert inter-view. “Now they are both fine full-time musicians. Through the years, they have developed a wonderful habit – they come to see me, but they stay to play for Asbury peo-ple!” Dorothy also has another son, a daughter, four grandsons, and two great grandchildren “on the way.”

Rick and his wife, Hope, live in Dahlonega, Georgia, a 12-hour drive. In that little town, more than 100 people showed up recently to fete Rick on an appreciation night, rec-

ognizing all he has done to encour-age music there, from twice a week jam sessions to holding workshops to mentoring high school students interested in jazz. In coverage by the local newspaper, he is quoted as saying: ”Music makes people feel good. It radiates joy and is conta-gious. Singing and dancing are part of what you do to stay emotionally

healthy.”Bill, two years younger, lives with

his wife Stella in Flint Hills, Virginia, just 80 miles from here, and near enough to play at Washington’s lead-ing restaurants and night spots.

It was a thrill to watch them play and to listen to the repartee that went with it, often referring to “growing up” days or to the jazz

greats – like Louis Armstrong or Charlie Parker – who inspired them.

A fun time was when the broth-ers played a duet of Duke Elling-ton’s fast-paced “Perdido,” several times switching seats and never missing a beat.

Inviting his wife Hope “on stage,” Rick and she sang “I’m Old Fash-ioned.” It was a smooth blending of voices, with arms around each other. (We loved it!)

A favorite part of the evening was when Bill was on piano and singing in his low, sultry voice and Rick was on trumpet, occasionally break-ing out in a heart-breakingly beauti-ful moan or cry. The two seemed to complete each other’s thoughts, almost sharing each other’s souls, always having a wonderful time.

The audience also had a wonder-ful time. At the end of the program, I noted that everyone seemed invigo-rated and cheered, leaving wreathed in a smile.

Ebinger Chapel Dedicated at Wilson Health Care CenterBy Patrick O’Toole,

Director of Development, Asbury

Foundation

Although the forecast had been calling for rain all week, the sun was

shining down on the capacity crowd gathered in the lower level of Wilson Health Care Center for the Service of Dedi-cation for the Rev. Dr. Warren R. Ebinger Chapel on Monday, March 28. The lovely weather served to match the beautiful words shared in remembrance of Warren, a Methodist minis-ter whose lifetime of devotion to service made an impact all over the world and on the AMV campus during his time as a resident.

“Warren not only espoused Wesley’s encouragement, ‘Do all the good you can’ – he lived it,” said the Rev. Dennis Yocum, past chair of the AMV Board of Gov-ernors and chair of the Asbury Foun-dation Board, who offered the medi-tation at the service.

Ebinger Chapel is a space for peo-ple of all faiths to attend to their spiritual wellness as part of the over-all care they receive at Wilson Health Care Center. The new chapel’s open, light-filled space accommodates larg-er groups for services and gather-ings, and the adaptive seating con-figuration gives greater flexibility for welcoming those utilizing assistive

devices. A state-of-the-art audio sys-tem, hearing loop, and video stream-ing unit ensure the function of the chapel matches the beauty of its design looking out on the garden.

Tom and Jean Hefner made the lead contribution to name the cha-pel for their pastor and longtime friend, Warren Ebinger.

“Losing Warren left a tangible void in our lives, so Jean and I wanted to do something meaningful to per-petuate his memory,” Tom had shared in a letter announcing the project as

part of the ongoing renovations at Wilson. “We felt the timing was no coincidence.”

Warren’s beloved wife Mary, their son Jonathan, and their daughters Lee and Lori were involved in plan-ning the project, made contributions to support the effort, and attended the dedication. A display outside of Ebinger Chapel recognizes them and the other donors who made leader-ship gifts to the project through the Asbury Foundation.

The legacy of the former Medita-

tion Chapel on the first floor of Wilson has been preserved by the inclusion of its Psalmist Window stained glass in the hallway leading into Ebinger Chapel. The decommissioned furniture was donated to local United Methodist congrega-tions, with the proceeds from the unclaimed items going to support Spiritual Life on campus. Dr. Robert Wilson, Jr., grandson of the building’s namesake, Dr. Herman Wilson, also attended the dedication on behalf of his family.

AMV Executive Director Henry Moehring and Director of Pastoral Care Anne Ellestad led the presentation, naming, and consecration of the build-ing. Wilson Administrator Deb-bie Hedges and Foundation President Doug Myers also par-ticipated in the service, along

with the Rev. Maidstone Mulenga, Assistant to the Bishop, who repre-sented the Baltimore-Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church.

We hope you will visit Ebinger Chapel on the lower level of Wil-son to witness the precious gift the community has received in this new venue. If you are interested in sup-porting the continued renovations at Wilson Health Care Center, contact Pat O’Toole, Director of Develop-ment, at 301-216-4052.

Pictured left to right: Lee Ebinger, Mary Ebinger, Tom and Jean Hefner, Jona-than Ebinger, and Lori Lear.

Harris Brothers Score Hit With AMV Jazz Concert


By Jeanne North, Trott

Awards ceremonies are all about handshakes and well-wishes for a finer future than

the one expected earlier. For the Keese School of Continuing Educa-tion, Friday the Thirteenth of May, a date of apprehension for many superstitious folk, was one of spe-cial significance that brought nei-ther fear nor misfortune, but rather elation and gratitude, to a group of 25 Asbury servers who stepped up to claim their hard-earned scholar-ship awards. Bruce Kuehnle, chair of the Keese School Education Awards Committee, along with others, offered handshakes and well-wishes to the award winners, twelve servers from Crawford, thirteen from Hefner, a crop of hardworking, high-achiev-ing young adults on their way to their chosen goals.

With family roots and ties in Africa and Latin America as well as England and the U.S., the awardees came to the application process with high aspirations, among them to become a physician, to enter the business world, to found a nonprofit organiza-tion, to be a social worker, to earn an M.B.A., or a degree in accounting, to become a police officer, a teacher, a nurse or an occupational thera-pist. One, aiming for medical school, writes on the application form of an ambition of making her parents “proud and happy.” All spoke warmly

of their families, whether consisting of a single parent and siblings, or of a family large in number and scattered, whether in this country or oceans apart. Hobbies and interests reveal the energy and ambition and eager-ness to learn that point to future achievement.

In his welcoming remarks to the audience, Keese School President Dave Kosow noted that “the Keese School has been giving these awards since at least 2004, when we award-ed 8 $500 scholarships and 5 $50 Borders Books gift cards. Borders is gone,” Kosow commented wryly, “but

we are still giving awards,” adding that since at least 2006 the Catho-

lic Community of Asbury has been supplementing the awards.

That the 2016 crop of Keese School awardees can be so large - 25 in total - and the amount of funds so substan-tial - $37,500 - can be traced to sev-eral factors: for one thing, residents flocking to several popular Keese School lectures helped fill the School coffers and allow it to increase its support of the scholarship awards; also, with donations to the program now tax-deductible, resident contri-butions dramatically increased.

This year, the educational institu-tion where each of the 25 awardees would enroll in the fall -- Montgom-ery College, the University of Mary-

land, (College Park), Trinity Univer-sity (D.C.), Bowie State University and Morningstar Academy (Gaith-ersburg) -- will receive the sum of $1,500 toward tuition, a huge help to the enrolling student. In addition, Mary Lou Luff, on behalf of the Cath-olic Community of Asbury, presented each of the awardees a check for $125 for books.

Just as the Scholarship funds and number of awardees have grown over the years, so has the size of the crowds that come to enjoy the proceedings and cheer on the award-ees. Back in 2011, 80 chairs were set up for the expected audience; a few years later, 100 chairs were needed, and this year, reports Susan Veras, Special Occasions Chair, at least 150 chairs were set up to accommo-date the awardees and the audience. Beyond the numbers, the ebullience of the crowd and grateful acknowl-edgments of the award winners gave evidence to the significance of the occasion. Dave Kosow, Keese School President, presided, and AMV Associ-ate Executive Director Brad Andrus offered concluding remarks.

By Jeanne North

The Cyber beat goes on, albeit to a different rhythm: AVTV will be airing a Cyber

Asbury show on a new schedule with Bob Samworth and friends bringing viewers up to date with computer-focused activities on cam-pus. Read the CyberAsbury News-letter for details. If you’ve left an abacus behind and have moved on to a computer, you’re surely on the list to receive it: if you don’t get the Newsletter and don’t want to miss out, contact a geek (not a caveman!) to get on the list. (Dorothy Blakeslee might help.)

For example, did you know about the four-member team from Holy Cross Health Centers and their pre-sentation on Clinical Informatics? Fascinating show on how medical professional connect with each other and their patients. Other pro-grams are following: read the Cyber-

Asbury Newsletter to learn what’s going on.

Meanwhile, the Apple Corps par-tied -- and did some planning.

They finished up the 2015-16 classes in April, and at its semi-annual meeting/reception on May 12, feasted on apple cider and goodies, and fetedsup-porters and volunteers in cyber activities with rewards for their efforts.

Assistant Apple Corps Chair Charlotte Fischer awarded Maria Roberts the prize for correctly answering questions posed by the “Show Your Cyber Skills” game, designed by Charlotte to stimulate familiarity with and skill in using the internet. The prize: an always useful handy-dandy fancy new thumb drive.

Apple Corps Chair Ken Rogers acknowledged the volunteer work of 9 Apple Corps supporters - Jim

Utterback, Cheryl Imperatore, Bob Samworth, Charlotte Fischer, Sandy Clunies, Lynn Mohr, Virginia McDow-ell, Cecile Pease and Hal Gaut, offer-ing them each one of the new Apple

Awards (yes, a real live red apple).

Let it be noted that Ceci-le Pease, Trott resident, has offered her tutorial services on the iPhone

and will be available in the Apple Place from 10:30 am -12:00 noon on Monday mornings

to help iPhone owners with questions they may

have.Also at the meeting, Marybeth

Morsink announced the names of the Nominating Committee (Dave Kosow and John Travis), which will be preparing the slate for election of officers at the Apple Corps Fifth Annual Meeting on November 10, 2016.

This year the Apple Corps has scheduled something new: Summer Activities. These include

1) a New Class called Getting Started on your iPhone or iPad: for new users of both devices, or any wishing to review, reprise and solid-ify their skills, this course condens-es and combines elements of Basic 1 and Basic 11; users of both devic-es will meet together in the Apple Place on June 7 and June 14, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Cost is $40 for the two two-hour sessions. Advance Registration required. Registration forms in the plastic slots on the wall outside the Apple Place.

2) a Workshop on Keeping Your Apple Devices Secure Wise practic-es and what you should know to thwart cyber mischief July 12, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., Rosborough ABC $20 for one two-hour session. Regis-tration forms in the plastic slots on the wall outside the Apple Place.

Keese School

Cyber Corner

Photo: Hal Gaut

Handshakes and Well-Wishes


Celebrating 82 Years With Asbury Guild

By Jean Hubbell, Villas

On April 12 Hefner Auditorium was the venue for the Guild’s celebration -- especially appro-priate as Asbury celebrates its 90th year. Many

residents and guests attended the Guild’s Ice Cream (and cookies) Social and had the opportunity to see displays of all that the Guild continues to do even as our campus expanded from only one building (now the Administration Building) to many more with vari-ous types of residences plus assisted living and health care facilities. The Guild is Asbury’s oldest volunteer group, having 1934 as its official beginning although records indicate a Guild President as early as 1926, when Asbury itself began.

Some Guild activities have now become part of staff planning but other activities continue even though somewhat differently. Example - the Bargain Mart evolved from the Guild’s annual anniversary bazaar held every April on the fourth Saturday. Busloads came from all over D. C. and Maryland (except the Eastern Shore). At the Social on April 12, visitors enjoyed not only the ice cream and cookies but also the opportu-nity to see how the Guild continues to serve Asbury through its activities. One display board showed pho-tos of current activities and those in charge or working there, such as Gift Shop, Bargain Mart, Sewing Room and more. Next to that was a display board show-ing photos and information on all that the Guild has accomplished through past years. All the Guild activi-ties are designed to serve residents in various ways and to provide funds for Benevolent Care.

The Diamonds in the Rough provided entertainment while visitors enjoyed the ice cream and cookies. Presi-dent Janet Lingrell extended welcome to all and Doug Myers, President and CEO of Asbury Foundation,

spoke briefly on the importance of the Guild to the Foundation. There are many ways to participate with the Guild and for those who cannot participate through the activities, financial support through Guild memberships and donations is also greatly appreciated.

Asbury Resident Speaks At Estonia-Nato Association ConferenceBy Tiiu Kera, Villas

Villa resident Tiiu Kera is always grateful for opportu-nities to visit Estonia, where

her parents grew up. They fled just ahead of the second Soviet occupa-tion of World War II. Tiiu was born in a refugee camp in Germany and came to the USA with her parents in 1949.

In the 25 years since Estonia regained its independence, Tiiu and husband Norm Wolfe have been vis-iting Estonia at least annually. Usu-ally the trips are during the pleas-ant Nordic summers, but this year she was asked to speak in March at a conference organized by the Estonia-NATO Association, a civic group in Tallinn. The theme was UN Security Council Resolution 1325: Women, Peace, and Security. Tiiu

was invited to speak as a profes-sional who spent a career on those issues and as the highest ranking

military woman of Estonian heri-tage. Tiiu retired from the US Air Force as a Major General in 2002.

In her speech, Tiiu talked about how the opportunities for women to contribute, and the impediments thereto, in the US Air Force have changed since she joined in 1973, and how these changes in both Estonia and the USA have occurred because both countries need the manpower and brainpower of both women and men. Tiiu concluded with clear, practical advice on rec-ognizing and making opportunities for successful careers for both men and women. In March, it was still winter in Estonia; when Tiiu and Norm return for Mid-Summer, the days will be long and the air warm and dry.

Diamond Resident Terry Shima Adresses Maryland State Senate

Following the presentation of the Resolution in the Maryland House of Dele-

gates chamber on April 1, 2016, Japanese American Veterans Association (JAVA) representa-tives were invited across the hall to the Maryland Senate Chamber of the State House to receive a similar resolution to honor the 100th Battalion, 442nd RCT and MIS. It was said this is the first time an Asian Pacific American military unit was honored in this history-laden chamber. Senator Thomas Mike Miller, Jr., Presi-dent of the Senate, welcomed the JAVA delegation and Sena-tor James Rosapepe spoke about the Nisei experience during WW II. This was followed by the presentation of a Resolution to Dr. Ray Murakami and Terry Shima, the latter an Asbury resident. Another Asbury resident, Dr. Norman Ikari, wounded 442nd veteran, was not able to visit Annapolis.

On the invitation of President Miller to speak, Shima addressed the Maryland Sen-ate He told the 44 senators, who had voted unanimously for the passage of the Resolu-tion,

“On behalf of 100th Battalion, 442nd Regi-mental Combat Team, the Military Intel-ligence Service, the 110,000 persons of Japanese ancestry who were confined in internment camps for the duration of WWII, the 800 we left on the battlefields of Europe and the Pacific, and the Japanese Ameri-can Veterans Association, I wish to thank the State of Maryland for this extraordinary recognition. It is a great honor to receive

this Resolution in the Senate Chamber that served as the US Congress from November 1783 – August 1784, where General George Washington resigned his commission as commander in chief of the Continental Army on December 23, 1783, and where the US Congress ratified the Treaty of Paris on January 14, 1784 that officially ended the Revolutionary War thus making Annapolis the first peacetime capital of America.

We are proud to be contributing citizens to the Greatness of Maryland and America. God Bless Maryland and the USA.”

JAVA Vice President LTC Mark Nakagawa, USA (Ret), presented inscribed JAVA coins to Senate President Miller and Senator Rosa-pepe. Nakagawa said the significance of the recognition in the State House is that it linked the Nisei patriots to the patriots who saved America during the Revolution-ary War.

Air Force Major-General Tiiu Kera, guest speaker.

Standing, front row, L-R: Senator Rosapepe, Shima, Murakami, Nakagawa, Senator Douglas

Peters, Chair of the Senate Democratic Party Cau-cus. Rear: seated is the Rev. Mandy Sayers, Cov-enant United Methodist Church, Gaithersburg, MD. and standing to her left is Senate President Miller.

Photo from Nakagawa.

10 May-June 2016 Village life Village life May-June 2016 11

Fifty-four residents…too many to name individually… willingly gave up a major part of their lives

to become part of Asbury-on-Stage for the entertainment of neighbors, friends and family, in this year’s original musical with music, lyrics, and script written by Phyllis W. Zeno It Takes a Village: The Musical III. The musical was the kick-off for a week-long series of events celebrating Asbury Methodist Village’s 90th Anniversary. A picture is worth a thousand words!

It Takes a Village: The Musical III

KEEP


Seniors Caring for Seniors: The Pitfalls and Pleasures

By Sister Kathleen Weber, CSC Coordinator,

Holy Cross Caregiver Resource Center

Friends are golden—especially in our golden years. Today more and more seniors are offering a help-

ing hand to other seniors. They are filling in for faraway family and spouses who have passed away. And in couples whose partnerships have spanned decades, one spouse will often become the caregiv-er for the other who is struggling with some limitations.

This is one positive aspect of living in a caring community. It can be joyful to share this kind of relationship as you grow older. But to ensure the health and well-being of both caregivers and those receiving care, there should be some guidelines established.

Most of these caregiving relationships evolve over time. A simple gesture, such as a ride to the grocery store for a neighbor, becomes routine. Occasional help for a shut-in friend turns into daily visits. Caregivers may begin to feel exploited, in over their heads—or simply burned out.

How can you prevent this difficult situation before it begins?

• Start with a simple conversation to share vital information, talk about expectations, and put some rules in place.

• Exchange telephone numbers of family, phy-sicians and other close friends.

• Don’t provide hands-on care. No lifting, car-rying or assisting bed-ridden seniors. This can be dangerous for both of you.

• Limit your assistance to running errands, daily phone checks and simple companionship.

• If your friend feels ill, don’t play doctor. Call their physician and family to intervene.

• Problems with their living space? Serve as a liaison between your friend and the staff at their community or—if they live on their own—their family.

• Take time for respite. Schedule regular time for a weekend away, a visit with the grand-children, or a day trip just for fun.

• Keep healthy. Exercise, eat a balanced diet, keep your regular doctor visits—and sched-ule “alone-time” every day.

• Keep your sense of humor! Laughter really is the best medicine.

What should you do if it all becomes overwhelming?

There are resources to help • Join a support group for caregivers. Your

local hospital is a good place to start. At Holy Cross Health, weekly support groups help caregivers cope with the strain of caring for a loved one.

• Seek help from professionals. If your friend or spouse needs more help than you can provide, a Geriatric Care Manager may be the answer. These professionals can help con-nect you to important resources in your com-munity—and provide counsel to the senior, who may be more receptive to their advice than their children’s. The staff of Asbury Methodist Village should be able to provide the names of managers in your local area.

• Still need help finding critical resources for seniors? Ask your city or county’s Depart-ment on Aging. These government agencies are connected to a large network of services for older adults and can point you in the right direction. You can find their contact informa-tion online or in your telephone directory.

• Holy Cross Health’s family and caregiver

services are empowering caregivers with information, emotional and spiritual sup-port—and links to critical resources. Through the Holy Cross Caregiver Resource Center, Holy Cross Health offers support groups, including one at the Gaithersburg Senior Center and a

telephone call-in support group; educational classes; a caregiv-ers resource library; a caregiv-er newsletter; the Medical Adult Day Center; and more. To learn more visit HolyCrossHealth.org/family-and-caregiver-resources.

Holy Cross Health Partners at Asbury Methodist Village pro-vides primary care services, including a house calls program. Call 301-557-2110, to make an appointment.

Planning Ahead!

I just read the most amazing article in the The-ater Section of the New York Times today… “Well beyond Broadway, ‘Hamilton’ Is Sell-

ing Tickets Months in Advance for 2018.” And it gave me the most incredible idea! I have already started writing Asbury’s next-year show… “Once Upon a Village” and since this year’s show, “It Takes a Village” was sold out for all three perfor-mances, why don’t we start taking reservations for the 2017 show right now?

In fact, “Hamilton” is not scheduled to be at the Washington Kennedy Center until the summer of 2018, but patrons are encouraged to subscribe now and then renew next year with the guaran-tee that they will be able to lock in subscription seats for two years from now when the show comes to D.C.

I am not intimating that “Once Upon A Village” will be on the same cultural scale as “Hamilton,” nor am I suggesting that Frank Molony and Frank Tietze will be on the same performance level as Lin-Manuel Miranda and Leslie Odom, Jr., but our free admission will surely rival “Hamilton’s” $1591 for two tickets.

Your tickets will be delivered before the event (borrowed notice from the NYTimes.)

Delivering tickets to you requires skillful coor-dination and communication. To lay any such logistics concerns to rest, we guarantee that we will deliver your tickets to you in time for the event, or your money back (or zero dollars as the case may be.) We always prefer to send tick-ets via secured courier UPS, but when circum-stances do not allow this, (which is most of the time) we will employ our Special Delivery Ser-vices …Elaine Neidedecker and Vera Green …to handily handle hand-delivery of your tickets.

I think I can guarantee tickets in your mail box before the event providing Elaine Neidecker does not spend her annual one month in Flor-ida during distribution time. Linda Aber, will of course, be long gone by the next show, but Vera Green is always a willing assistant.

Of course, the fact that I am already 90 years of age could pose a challenge to completing the “Once Upon A Village” script, music and lyrics. And there are cast members who may feel a fourth musical is not incentive enough to get out of bed for 9:30 a.m. rehearsals for 36 mornings before scheduled show dates, but “God willing and the creek don’t rise,” we should be right on target for May of 2017 and as far into the future as May of 2018 with a different title.

Your check for $2500 made out to “Asbury-on-Stage” will guarantee your tickets for 2018!....just kidding!

Z-Notes

By Phyllis W. Zeno, Wallace


Dear MaryMary R. Ebinger, a Pastoral Counselor and National Certified Counselor, is the author of A Guide to Visitation - I Was Sick and You Visited Me and a chapter in When a Friend is Dying: A Family Deals with Grief.

By Mary Ebinger, Mund

Dear Mary:What do you mean by

“Creative Aging?” I understand you have given several talks about it. I really don’t see any-thing “creative” about it.

Thank you,Carol

Dear Carol,Our society does not always

respect aging as some cultures do. Even the elderly may say something like this: “I am getting old. I am fall-ing apart and I don’t remember very well anymore.” Yes, this could be true in some instances, but if a teen-ager forgets some things, no one says it’s because of age. Sometimes it is difficult to have a positive out-look about aging, yet it can help our daily living. We also need to realize that the loss of loved ones or a serious illness and other factors may be a part of our lives, our daily living, and our aging process. When I talk about “Creative Aging “ I use the letters of the word “creative” to explain what I think it means.

“C” is for “Creation”: Each of us is created with different gifts and abilities. We are unique individuals and thus we age differently. Hered-ity and physical problems or life situations may affect how we age. Yet emotionally we can determine to some degree our aging process. All of us know someone physically handicapped with a wonderful atti-tude or someone who is relatively healthy with a negative attitude. We create our attitude toward aging.

“R” is for “Rejoice”: One of my husband’s favorite scriptures was: “This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Rejoice also meant to him a sense of humor. Warren and I liked to col-lect seashells. One time we were at our favorite ocean spot. Each day we walked along the shore to find our “perfect” shells but many were broken from the latest storm. One morning my husband was digging frantically in the sand and came up with an unbelievably “perfect” shell. I “oooohed” and “aaaahed” and tucked it in my pocket. Several hours later Warren confessed that he had bought it for 50 cents and then placed it in the sand before

our walk. That was why he was desperately trying to keep it from being recaptured by the ocean. We laughed many times about that special shell. Laughter is rejoicing. Humor is an important part of the aging process.

“E” is for “Energy”: We need to put energy into our daily living. Some-times when we are not well this is hard. But when we are able this often helps the mundane to seem better. We need energy to bounce back from unhappy situations and criticism.

“A” is for “Attention”: We should be attentive to whoever is talking to us. Listening to others and their con-cerns and having an awareness of those around us is important at all ages. To really listen without think-ing about what we are going to say next often requires a bit of disci-pline for us.

“T” is for “Time”: How do you spend your time? In meaningful ways? Take time for yourself.

“I” is for “Inspiration”: We receive inspiration from music, books, and the beauty of nature.

“V” is for “Vision”: Without “vision” for the future people will perish. Smaller or larger vision, that is real-istic, provides hope for the future and for us.

“E” is for “Enthusiasm”: By enthusi-asm I mean “with God.” To be enthu-siastic, to be “with God”, helps us in the aging process. Enthusiasm was a lesson I learned long ago when our children were sick with the flu. On a cold winter day, an elderly woman from across the street brought over some soup and cookies. I’ll never forget her. Mrs. Dillion was perhaps in her nineties. She often dropped by and was always cheerful. I asked her, “What is your secret?” She put her arm around me and said, “I am enthusiastic, I am with God”. One cannot always be enthusiastic but if we are “with God” it does help.

Perhaps you might think of these letters as representing other quali-ties, but when we look at it all as “CREATIVE,” life and aging have more meaning. To age creatively is not easy but it helps to try.

Let me know how it goes, Carol.Mary

Green Roots Run Deep at Asbury

Gerry Green as told to

Marolyn Hatch, Villas

We all know that Asbury was found-ed in April 1926 on

the grounds of the Rolling Acres dairy farm. It is hard to imagine how much of Gaithersburg, now studded with condos and shop-ping centers, was once small farm-ing communities. In fact Gerry Green’s great grandfather, Gary, born in 1832, was one of three men who purchased in 1868 land that became the Quince Orchard community. That community has been home to many of the Green family and led over time to the Greens’ connection with Asbury. But let me use Gerry’s own words to tell his story.

During the summer of 1981 my grandmother Evelyn R. Hallman, who had been a longtime resi-dent of Quince Orchard, became a resident at Asbury Methodist Vil-lage. With her coming to Asbury as a double amputee, her daugh-ter, Ida Pearl Green, visited her almost daily. Pearl also spent time with other residents there even after her mother’s death in 1982. Pearl also sold Avon products to some of the associates, who rec-ognized her for her volunteering and as “The Avon Lady.” At 97 she continues today to sell Avon.

When Pearl’s grandson, Jason, was five years old, Pearl would take him with her to Asbury. As she went about her rounds, he would help her by filling the water pitchers with ice. He also saw her as she read to residents

or sat and comforted them. Her compassionate efforts influenced Jason as an adult to be involved in public service and giving back.

Pearl continued to volunteer at Asbury for the next 30 years until 2012, when she found her-self at Wilson Health Care Center recovering from a wound on her foot. During her stay at Asbury, Jason would visit her. They talked about where she grew up which she said was in “Quince Orchard.” To Jason, Quince Orchard was the name of a high school and a street. His grandmother insist-ed that she grew up in a place called “Quince Orchard.” This led Jason to research and discover that, indeed, Quince Orchard was a community. It was a commu-nity of blacks and whites whose history, Jason felt, needed to be told. The Quince Orchard Proj-ect that Jason is working on tells that story that is “too precious to lose.”

Gerry Green was first intro-duced to Asbury when he visited his grandmother here. One of his last memories of her was a visit at the insistence of his mother Pearl. On that visit he sang to his grandmother “I Don’t Know about Tomorrow I Just Live from Day to Day.” He left and went off to work; and upon returning home was told that his Grand-mother Evelyn had died that very day.

For 12 years Gerry served as the pastor of Gaithersburg’s Epworth United Methodist Church. As

Jason Green, Pearl Green and Gerard Green in Israel’s Jordon River reaffirming their baptism.

Continued on page 16


By Mac McCullough, Diamond

When asked her opinion of downsizing, Louise Stewart, one of Asbury’s

Move-in Coordinators, said, “All resi-dents that I have helped seem to be happy with it, because they pay less in fees each month, they have all kinds of options to choose in the new space, and because we and their neighbors all pitch in to help. It’s like a celebration when it is all done.” That’s how an Associate sees it, how about from the resident’s point of view?

Jan LaFleur says that after her husband moved to Wilson she just didn’t need all that space in her Edwards-Fisher combo apartment. Lucky for her there was a vacant one bedroom with den apartment just down the hall and around the corner on the same floor. With the help of a moving company, Asbury associates, family, and wonderful fourth floor neighbors the downsiz-

ing occurred. Jan said this is the third time she has done it (once from Rockville to Kentlands, then from Kentlands to Asbury, and now a move within Asbury). “It is never easy, but what a relief getting rid of all that ‘stuff’ you don’t need, and having a smaller monthly fee is nice too.”

Then there is Joyce Rohmiller.

She had lived happily in Wallace for a number of years, but when three of her best friends on the fifth floor died, it wasn’t the same. She also decided she didn’t need all that room or all that monthly fee, which kept going up. She let Asbury know of her decision to downsize, but it took a year to find the right apart-ment for her. It was in Edwards-

Fisher and Joyce had the opportu-nity to choose the floor covering, cabinets, marble counter tops, and washer/dryer. Joyce says she plans on spending the money she saves on herself (i.e., trips, concerts, plays, etc.)

A final example of downsizing is Nancy Brown. The Browns moved into Diamond a few years ago. After he died, she felt she didn’t need all the space her Westminster model gave her. After waiting a year for another model to come available, guess what? The apartment next door became vacant. After renova-tions are completed, Nancy will be moving from 505 to 504 with a sub-stantial savings each month.

The bottom line seems to be: if you have too much space and want to save some money, consider down-sizing. It won’t be easy to do, it may take a long time, but you’ll appreci-ate having less space in your home and more money in your pocket.

Upside of Downsizing

By Mac McCullough, Diamond

Setting: The Blue Note Bistro. Four residents sit down for lunch.Action: Resident # 1 Did you hear, Linda Aber is retiring?

Resident # 2 Who’s Linda Aber?Resident # 1 You know, she’s

the Director of Communications and hosts the AVTV show, “Asbury View,” for which I understand, she writes the script, produces, rehearses guests and hosts. I also heard she edits all the official notices we get, like for emergen-cies, changing filters, washing windows, and such.

Resident # 3 And, did you know she is Asbury’s Public and Com-munity liaison and was instru-mental in inviting the City of Gaithersburg to use our facilities for their May “State of the City” event and facilitates the rela-tionships between AMV and the Strathmore and with Johns Hop-kins and its OSHER program?

Resident #2 Oh, I know Linda. Her Mother lives over in Wallace and produces all those great musicals. I think Linda was one of the stars in the first two productions, but was relegated to the lobby passing out programs for the last one. I wonder why?

Resident #4 I think I’ll have the “Signature Burger” and a side order of onion rings.

Yes, after 13+ years and 5 Exec-utive Directors (counting 2 inter-ims), Linda Aber is leaving Asbury.

She came to work here in an inter-esting way. At that time she was raising a

family in Potomac (husband and two

young sons) and writing her 150th chil-

dren’s book. One of Lin-da’s church friends was in the

Wilson Health Care Center and

Linda came to see her. It was Lin-da’s first visit to AMV. That same weekend she saw an Asbury want ad in the Washington Post looking for a writer/editor. She sent in her resume, was interviewed, hired, and has been here ever since.

Looking back over the years she remembers her early days when Village Life staffer and Edwards-Fisher resident Betty Goen came into her office to give her some advice on how to get the Village Life resident staff to like her: “Give them a yearly calendar notebook and they’ll love you!” Well, yes

she did that and they were thank-ful, but here’s how Linda knew she may have been here long enough—“Residents stopped wanting the calendar notebooks—because they used their electronic calendars instead!”

She will really miss all of the residents and their terrific senses of humor and unbelievable tal-ents. “There are artists and musi-cians and writers and teachers and doctors and scientists, and engi-neers, and University presidents, and my Mom! This place has as much texture as New York City!” And most of all she thinks she will miss her “Creative Team” (the resi-dents who work in the TV studio and those who write for Village Life). Linda doesn’t plan on for-getting Asbury. In fact, she plans on spending a lot of “quality time” here with her Mother, now that she doesn’t have to worry about all the other stuff that has kept her so busy. She certainly won’t miss the commute from Ashburn, Virginia each day and is looking forward to getting back to writ-ing, doing fun things with her two granddaughters, her husband, and her two sons and their wives, who now all live in the area. Family is her greatest treasure.

Linda left me with one of her favorite quotes, “The secret of life is never let an old person live inside of you.” We will miss her.

Linda’s Leav ing

Photo: Hal Gaut

A staff meeting where work comingled with laughter and the result was always Village Life.


By Joan Dunlop, Edwards-Fisher,

Source: Margaret Topping

Feeling guilty about eat-ing that delicious des-sert? No need! Asbury’s

outdoor games provide just the vehicle to work off those extra calories and take inches off your waistline!

Add to this the fun of com-petitive sports and the spirit of camaraderie that comes with friendly athletic competition and you can be a part of the delightful opportunity provid-ed by this play.

On Parker Lawn each Wednesday during our outdoor season we provide the equip-ment set up for shuffleboard, croquet and horseshoes from 7:00 p.m. until dusk. Badmin-ton and volley ball are other options and only inclement weather can discourage their availability. It is gratifying too

when families, grandchildren, and reunions take advantage of our always accessible equip-ment in the two little houses. At Diamond bocce is also an avocation of many.

All levels of ability are wel-comed from casual to serious. For those whose aim is more competitive a Ladder system is now available where players with similar intent and capa-bility can even arrange regular play on their own schedule. Bing Garthright (x6862) has kindly volunteered to assist in this endeavor and keep the ladder up to date with the reported scores which would allow the option for some to go to the Senior Olympics at the end of the summer!

Don’t spend those long summer evenings cooped up in your apartment. Come to watch or enjoy the games, because the play’s the thing!

the many dimensions of Wellness that residents and associates enjoy to this day? As the decades passed, special events and opportunities that residents Anticipated included gardening, boat rides, field trips, cul-tural events, helicopter rides, fish-ing tournaments, sleigh rides, Bible study, and so much more!

When I arrived at Asbury Meth-odist Village in 1983, I was personally filled with the Anticipation of a new job. What I immediately experi-enced was so much more than just a job. It was a closely knit community of resi-dents and staff – a family that supported each other through the joys and sor-rows of life. I quickly began to Anticipate the rituals of life in the community – the ringing of the bell as residents entered the grand dining room each evening, res-ident Elizabeth’s homemade birth-day cake for the festive celebration each month, May Pole Dances in the garden behind the now Administra-tion Building, resident Maude direct-ing skits and plays, Elegant Victorian Evenings each Christmas, weekly Afternoon Teas, Guild Spring Ral-

lies, Fall Pilgrimages, Annual Guild Bazaar Day, Elves Day, and the pure joy and kindness Miss Carrie shared freely with everyone.

As the community continued to expand with the new Home, Vil-las, Rosborough Cultural Arts and Wellness Center, Diamond and Wal-lace apartments, Parkview, and most recently the Courtyard Homes, more

and more residents and associates Anticipated living and working at AMV. And when Asbury Solomons joined the Asbury family of orga-nizations, we intentionally Antici-

pated the placement of the puzzle table outside the dining room, and the star on top of the Community Center that was specially built as a gift to AMV’s sister community, as a way to honor rituals that had their roots at AMV.

Anticipation has never been lim-ited to inside the fence of AMV. The surrounding community and AMV

have enjoyed a wonderful rela-tionship over the years. Whether it was hosting events, providing open green spaces, creating wildlife preservation areas, knitting winter accessories to keep children warm, rocking babies at the hospital, col-lecting stamps, preserving Williams-burg Lane or embracing a beloved community, AMV has always given back, and seen itself as a good neigh-bor and citizen that many have ben-efited from and enjoyed.

It is said that a species might be considered functionally extinct

when only a hand-ful survive. It is that thought that caused me to reflect during AMV’s 90th Anniver-sary that there are only a handful of us who can personally recall early moments of AMV’s history that contributed to it becoming the vibrant and thriving commu-

nity that it is, and are able to recall hundreds of moments of Anticipa-tion. I count myself extremely for-tunate and blessed to be part of that handful that keep the memories and archives of this very special commu-nity alive. Over the decades many hopes and dreams have been Antici-pated and realized at “Rolling Acres.” Those who have come before us, those who are currently with us, and those who will come after us all fulfill the hopes and dreams of Anticipation.

Photo: Dorothy Harris

The Play’s The Thing

90 YEARSContinued from page 1


Welcome New ResidentsMargaret (Peggy)

Unsworth Diamond 614, x 5029

Peggy Unsworth is new to Diamond, but not new to Asbury. For about five years, Peggy and her husband, Barney, lived in Park View. Then in December of 2013, they moved back to Ithaca, New York, which had been their home for 46 years. Barney want-ed to be among old friends who had known him when he and Peggy had been active in their church, in civil rights, and in the women’s, environmental and peace move-ments. After Barney died, Peggy’s children applauded her decision to move back to Asbury, where she would be close to her daughter and where it would be easier for her sons to visit her. One son, Alan, lives in Rochester, where he is a reference librarian at the University of Rochester. Her other son, Bruce is a musician in CA and her daughter, Laura, lives in northern Virginia, where she is a counselor at Wolf Trap Elementary School. Peggy has four grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Peggy grew up as the eldest of four sisters. She was born in Newark, New Jersey and gradu-ated from high school in East Orange, although

the family lived in Lancaster, PA and Philadel-

phia along the way. She started her college

career at Vassar, but took time off during World

War II, working in quality control in a factory

which manufactured radio tubes. After the war,

she returned to college at Chapel Hill, NC, fin-

ished her undergraduate degree and started working on a Masters in Economics at Rut-gers. There she met Barney. They married in 1949 and started their family. After ten years in the business world, Barney decided that he wanted to become a teacher. “It was the happiest day of my life,” Peggy says. The family moved to Middletown, Connecticut, where he earned a Masters in Teaching at Wesleyan University and then decided that they would like to live in Ithaca. While Barney taught world history at Ithaca High School, Peggy studied and worked at Cornell University. For more than 20 years, she served as an academic advisor to undergraduates in the College of Arts and Sciences.

During her first five years at Asbury, Peggy helped start the sewing group which serves Asbury residents and associates and was on the Gaithersburg Beloved Commu-nity Initiative Advisory Board and partici-pated in the GBCI’s Latina Moms’ Conversa-

tion Group. Since returning, she has attended a meeting of the GBCI’s Advisory Committee and taken tickets for “It Takes a Village: The Musical.” She is reconnecting with her former AMV friends and anticipates making new ones. Welcome back to Asbury, Peggy

John Schneider Trott 807 x 6698

A quiet-spoken resident, John Schneider reveals his young adventurous spirit. As a bio-chemical teacher from Wisconsin, he became a faculty member at America’s U. of Beirut, Lebanon. “In 1958 it was a beautiful time before the fighting.” He remembers his penthouse apartment rooms looked down at the crew boats in the port and up to the Cedars of Lebanon. With friends he went hiking, cave crawling, and traveling. His return trip, mostly by bus, took him through the Middle East including Syria, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, India, Kashmir, and many countries in Asia.

Born in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, he was a chemistry major in the local college. At the U. of Wisconsin, he obtained MS and PhD degrees in Experimental Oncology.

Back home in the U.S., John taught at Vanderbilt U. but became interested in the challenge of accessing published research

(prior to computers). He became Editor in Chief of the publication Biological Abstract.

He learned about NIH training programs and moved to the offices of Scientific and Technical Information in the National Can-cer Institute, where he worked for 25 years. During that time, a generous grant was given by Mr. Block of H & R Block to build the International Research Data Bank Pro-gram. John was the director of that program for 10 years. He also worked on the review of Research and Training grants.

John and his wife, now divorced, have two children, James in DC and Helen in Blacksburg, VA.

Among John’s numerous hobbies were bike riding, taking massage classes, and keeping up with current events. He listens to many PBS programs. At Asbury he enjoys a book group and singalongs.

-- Lois Lord, Trott reporter

such, he would visit with church members who were Asbury resi-dents. On occasion he would also be a guest preacher at Asbury. While pastoring at Epworth, he enrolled in a Pastoral Counseling program at

Loyola University. When it was time for him to do his clinical work in counseling, he chose Asbury Meth-odist Village. Having also counseled adolescents and enjoyed it, Gerry sought and received in 2011 a PhD in pastoral counseling from Loyola University. At that time there was an opening in Pastoral Care and Coun-seling at Asbury. Gerry applied for

the position and was accepted. For Gerry it wasn’t just a job at

Asbury, it was like coming home because of the connectedness of his family to Asbury beginning with his grandmother, then his mother, his son and now him. His young-er brother Vernon also worked at Asbury. So you see, Green roots run deep at Asbury.

Editor’s Note: The Rev. Gerry Green is leaving Asbury to serve as superintendent of the Greater Washington District. His appoint-ment begins July 1 and we wish the Rev. Green success and bless-ings.

GREEN ROOTSContinued from page 13

Photo: Hal Gaut


Welcome New Residents

Marsha Cohen Diamond 311 - 6411

Upon entering Marsha Cohen’s apartment, the first thing to catch one’s eye is a beautifully mounted Home Blessing, asking that the home be filled with the light of Torah and the spirit of good deeds. It came from a cruise which Marsha took with her whole family. In fact, Marsha’s whole apart-ment abounds with art piec-es which she has collected. Many were collected from travels with her husband, before he became ill with the multiple sclerosis which claimed his life. Her apart-ment may have the distinc-

tion of containing the most unique dining room table on campus, a glass top set atop a gigantic 250-year-old grapevine.

Marsha moved to her Asbury apartment from Baltimore, where she had spent her whole life until relocating in April 2016 in order to be near to her daughter, Lisa, who lives in Derwood with her family. Lisa is a Vice-President of NASDAQ while Marsha’s son, Marc, is an executive chef who runs three restaurants in Orange County, California. Marsha has five grand-children who live in various parts of the USA.

A graduate of the University of Maryland Law School, Marsha practiced law for many years, first in private practice, and then for 28 years with the Federal Government in the Social Security Administration. Being from Bal-timore, she is an avid Orioles fan and has MASN and MASN 2 installed in her apartment in order not to miss a single Orioles game. She also follows football and college basketball. Asbury welcomes this retired attorney and avid sports fan.

—Jan Garman, Diamond reporter

Imagine planning for Christmas and a move to Asbury Methodist Vil-lage at the same time! Nancy Wyne moved into Edwards-Fisher on December 14, 2015. She was only eleven months old when she left her birthplace in Edinburgh, Scot-land and moved across the Atlan-tic Ocean to Washington, D.C. After completing her early education at Coolidge High School Nancy met and married Richard, who had just finished his military service in World War II. She first became a stay-at-home mom, raising four sons. Since then the family has grown, num-bering nine grandchildren and four great grandchildren. Richard, now in the Wilson Health Care Center, counts Nancy as his favorite visitor.

Her business career began with the Bureau of Ships at the Navy Department’s District of Columbia location, where she worked until 1955. Nancy’s secretarial skills brought her to NIH, where she was employed until her retirement in 1988.

Music is a big part of Nancy’s life and she has sung ever since she learned Scottish ballads on her

father’s knee. She has contributed her soprano to women’s choruses and church choirs often being a

part of the Asbury Guild Memorial Chapel services. It can be truly said that Nancy always has a song in her heart.

Any and all kinds of crafts interest her with the exception of needle-work. Nancy was quick to volunteer for all her children’s school events. She started a thriving senior group at her Methodist Church that has just celebrated its twenty-sixth anni-versary.

Nancy’s Asbury Methodist Village connection began with her father’s stay at Wilson and her frequent appearances at the Guild Memo-rial Chapel services, and now with her husband’s Wilson residency. The thought often occurred to her that she might become a permanent part of the campus and, a direct quote, “Here I am!” We Edwards-Fisher friends and neighbors are delighted.

--Joan Dunlop, Edwards-Fisher reporter

Photo: Phil Sze

Nancy Wyne Edwards-Fisher 607, x5669

Joan Kirkwood Edwards-Fisher

614, x5450While we were wonder-

ing why our New Year’s resolutions didn’t work out, Joan Kirkwood was busy moving into Edwards-Fisher on January 19, 2016. Born in Baltimore, Mary-land, Joan is a Seton High graduate.

While in school Joan worked for the telephone company. Her business career began at the A&P supermarket office in Bal-timore, but marriage, a move to Columbia, and the raising of a son and three daughters as a stay-at-home mom kept her completely occupied. Eleven grandchildren softened the blow of widowhood and she thoroughly dotes on her seven great-grandchildren, one of whom is brand new. Joan was a versatile employee and adapted easily to any part-time position that stirred her interest. She eventually put her family rearing skills to work by going into child care.

Joan enjoys traveling, and sewing is a natural talent she has developed. Watercolor painting is something she’s very interested in. Joan was an active volunteer at St. Alphonsus Rodrigus Catholic Church and was always willing to help in all sorts of activities.

When a retirement living decision was made, Joan took advantage of her Rockville granddaughter’s knowledge of Asbury Methodist Village derived through a regular business association. The location and amenities were ideal for her needs as were the many smiling faces on the residents. We Asbury friends and neighbors are delighted to welcome her to our family.

—Joan Dunlop, Edwards-Fisher reporter

Photo: Phil Sze


By Luella Nash LeVee, Edwards-Fisher

A rich spiritual history and a bright vision for the future were heralded by the Rev.

Anne Ellestad, director of the AMV Care and Counseling Department, in a Thanksgiving Service beginning our 90th anniversary celebration. She paid homage “to God; to those Meth-odist pastors, congregants, youth groups, and Asbury Guild members who made the dream of a home for retired clergy and lay people a real-ity; and to all those residents who over the past 90 years have contin-ued to shape and transform AMV into the community we know and love today.”

“Starting a home for the elderly in the early 20th century was not a popular cause,” she stressed. “It was not a cause that the govern-ment was advocating for; it was not even a cause that the institutional church was advocating for. It was an uncomfortable and depressing subject that no one really wanted to deal with.

She explained: “Caring for the elderly had been the responsibility of the family or the church. There was no Social Security, no pensions, no retirement plans. Those who did not have family or money were sent to the poorhouse. . .The prospect of ending up in such a place was a constant and real fear of the elderly.

“In 1926, a dairy farm in Gaithers-burg, MD was converted to a home for Methodist seniors... But if the founders of AMV had only acted on causes that were ‘safe and popular’ Asbury would never have been built.

“It is important to remember that Asbury’s founding came about through individuals rather than institutions,” she emphasized. “Yes, such individuals had the support and backing of the Baltimore con-ference, but the vision, the hard work, and even the money came to fruition through Mother’s Day offerings, youth group fundraisers, and the endless work of the Asbury Guild.”

Rev. Ellestad called upon Keith Steele to report on the history of the Guild Memorial Chapel (where an ecumenical service and a Catho-lic mass are held each Sunday) fol-lowed by Deacon John Locke, rep-resenting the Catholic community. “Neither faith community is original to AMV,” Ellestad said. “Both grew out of a realization that the religious landscape of the 20th century was different from the religious land-

scape of the 21st century and that today’s residents represent a myriad of faith traditions rather than just one.”

Among the many faith traditions of our residents she pointed to were: “a growing Jewish community, a thriving Unitarian community, an outreach effort to Muslim students.”

She ended with the words of Dr. John McLaughlin, one of the found-ers of the Keese School: “’It has been truly said that the torch of the spirit loses its brightness if it be not passed from group to group, and the dream dies at the end of the day if it is not shared. Therefore, it is for us the living to so dedicate our time, our talents, our substance and our prayers to the life at Asbury – its programs and its general welfare—to the end that the spirit of one-ness and caring, bequeathed to us, shall not perish from this campus or from this earth.’”

Participants in the Thanksgiv-ing program also included the Rev. Noemi Parrilla-Mena, the Rev. Dr. Gerard A. Green Jr., the Rev. Michele Bartllow, Ginger Dixon, Jan Sengers, Ruth Gibson, Mary Lou Luff, Polly Conley, Mary Ann Willow, Kathleen Lowe, Sylva McCulloh, Norman Heim, and the Asbury choir.

Residents who took part in this service are all members of the Guild Chapel Congregation, the Catholic community, or the Spiritual Life PAC.

Spiritual Roots Go Deep Here at Our Community


Mac and Zil

They Come and They GoBy Jeanne North, Trott

I n my memory, Grandma Minnie didn’t come, she was always just there, set-

ting the big pan of bread, covered with a dish towel on the hot air regis-ter to rise, baking pies, staying with us children when our parents went out for an evening. And then, suddenly, she wasn’t there. She was just gone, away, not to be seen again.

In later years, it wasn’t always like that. People came into my life, and then they went. They appeared, stayed a while, then passed out of my line of vision, went on to other places, other things.

So this is life, isn’t it? They come and they go. Only rarely do they stay around for long, like family of course, and like my Round Robin friends, over these years since grade school days: they came into my life, and then, one by one, they have left, all but three of us, the departed leav-ing only memories behind.

Looking back on my years at Asbury, the people who stand out in my mind are those who made an impact, not only on me, but on the community. From my early days in Trott, I remem-ber Mickey Martin, Harriet Renison, Beth Kilgore, all active in their own ways, leaving their imprint on the many who remember them, and on the broader community, Harriet for her work in the once-active Historical Society, Mickey for governance, Beth for concerns for literacy classes for associates. Their impact on the larger community lingers like a jasmine per-fume in the air, to affect us all.

So it will be with the many here at Asbury. Gene Callahan came to 4 Trott, stayed but a month or so until only a few got to know him well, then passed on, leaving us sobered and sad.

AMV’s own CEO Henry Moehring, in his position but a few years took what seemed like abrupt leave of us residents, saddened by his departure, grateful for his help for our project, whatever it might be, but admiring of

his determination to work for a cause he so firmly believes in. Now we hear that our beloved pastor Dr. Gerard Green is departing: oh how we will miss his inspiring words of wisdom at Council meetings.

And then there’s Linda. For the newer residents, it must seem that like my Grandma Minnie, she was always just there, doing her thing, leading the Village Life troops and putting out the indispensable news-paper, managing the AVTV crew and hosting “Asbury View,” arranging the many Rosborough Theatre events and handling the impossibly innumerable jobs expected of the Director of Com-munications of an institution the size of AMV.

Others of us older residents know it was not always so. We know she wasn’t always here. We know she came, has made a huge difference in life at Asbury. And now we know she is going.

Linda, we will miss you.

Resident Residence(s) Date of DeathJanet Harrison WHCC/Wallace 05-04-2016Mary Bowers WHCC 05-13-2016Kathleen Dysart WHCC/Kindley 05-16-2016Gwen G. Sellers Wallace 05-19-2016Tristan Biasini WHCC 05-21-2016Elizabeth Waters WHCC 05-23-2016Carol V. Dodd Mund 05-30-2016Bettie Jean Labriola WHCC 05-31-2016Barbara Lacy WHCC 05-31-2016Ellanora L. B. Holtzople Mund 05-31-2016

In Memoriam


Asbury Methodist VillageCommunications Department201 Russell AvenueGaithersburg, MD 20877-2801

Non-ProfitOrganizationU. S. Postage

PAIDRockville, MD

Permit No. 4297A NEWSPAPER FOR ASBURY METHODIST VILLAGE

VILLAGE LIFE: A NEWSPAPER FOR ASBURY METHODIST VILLAGE

The clouds in the heavensmight remind us of winter,

but it’s Spring!

—César Portocarrero, Courtyard Homes

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