L UTHER H OUSE , 120-126 J ENNERS P OND R OAD , W EST G ROVE , PA 19390
610-869-4240
Luther house gazette
V OLUME 12, I SSUE 1
January 2014
The Snow Storm
Announced by all the trumpets of the sky,
Arrives the snow, and, driving o'er the fields,
Seems nowhere to alight: the whited air
Hides hills and woods, the river and the heaven,
And veils the farm-house at the garden's end.
The sled and traveller stopped, the courier's feet
Delayed, all friends shut out, the housemates sit
Around the radiant fireplace, enclosed
In a tumultuous privacy of Storm.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
January Activities Scheduled
 First Thursday each month, Reiki Stress Reduction Sessions. For more information, see note on page 6.
 Epic Health Services will be hosting Ice Cream & Hot Chocolate Socials in each building at 2pm. LH I
on January 8th, LH II on January 15th, LH III on January 22nd, & LH IV on January 29th.
 Wednesday, January 15th, Bayada Nurses will be sponsoring an informational luncheon at 12pm in
LH IV.
 Tuesday, January 21, Visit Far Away Places will feature “Long Ago and Far Away: Iran to India” at
7pm in LH III.
 Monday, January 27th, Amerikids Singing Group will be performing in LH III at 7pm.
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History of Luther House
In the late 1980s, the Social Ministry Committee of St. Michael Lutheran Church in Unionville, PA,
began discussing the issue of affordable senior housing in Southern Chester County. In the early 1990s
members of the church congregation began a detailed study of the subject and determined that subsidized
senior housing was sorely needed in this area.
In 1998, in a great leap of faith, 18 acres of land were purchased in Jennersville with loans from private individuals. The first funding application was submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in July of 1998. In December, notification was received that HUD had granted
$5.4 million for construction of the 68-unit, three-story Luther House I building and $1.5 million for
rental subsidies. HUD stated that the vision of building a campus-like facility was an excellent example of
good development. The groundbreaking ceremony occurred in November of 1999 at the same time the
application for a second, identical building was approved by HUD. November of 2000 was the groundbreaking for Luther House II.
The Jennersville area was quickly becoming an ideal location for senior housing. With a nearby
YMCA, construction of a shopping center, and a hospital with associated medical offices located less than
a mile from the housing; the location was perfect for seniors wishing to remain active in the community.
In 2001, the first residents began moving into Luther House I and it was fully occupied by July of that year. Luther House II was fully occupied by the end of
March, 2002.
In July 2003, an application was submitted to HUD for a four-story, 76-unit,
third building. This was the largest HUD award granted in Pennsylvania in
2003. Luther House III was completed in September, 2006.
In June 2006, an application was submitted to HUD for a fourth and final
building. Luther House IV was completed, and the ribbon-cutting was held on
December 14, 2008.
Without grants from HUD, Luther Foundation of Southern Chester
County, The Longwood Foundation, Crystal Trust, the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania, the Chester County Department of Community Development, private foundations, and without the support of the Penn Township
Supervisors, the Luther House campus would never have become a reality. The involvement of federal, state, and private organizations (managed by the all-volunteer group
from St. Michael Lutheran Church, Unionville, PA)
serves as an example of cooperation in addressing a
significant social concern in Southern Chester
County.
For more information, go to www.lutherhousepa.org
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Spotlight on Resources
Employment organizations helping seniors are available.

Senior Community Service Employment Program which provides low income seniors part-time employment in public and non-profit agencies. Call 610-344-6350.

Goodwill Senior Community Employment Program is paid job training program providing subsidized,
part time, job training, job placement for low income seniors. Call 215-653-7095.
Home Modifications can be done for residents requiring special
needs to enable them to maintain health, safety and independence in
their homes. The modifications include grab bars, hand rails, walk in
tubs, etc. Call 610-869-4240 for details.
Housekeeping services are available at a reduced cost through Kendal
Crossland Helping Hands at 610-388-5580. Income eligibility requirements are not to exceed $24,900 for a single person, and $25,500 for
couples.
Rent Rebate Program: any person living on a limited income might
be eligible to receive a refund for part of the money paid for rent during
the calendar year. The refund depends on the landlord’s payment of
property taxes and the resident’s income that cannot exceed $15,000
per year (only half of social security is counted towards total). Claimants or spouses 65 years of age or older, widows or widowers 50 years
of age or older, and the permanently disabled 18 years of age or older
may qualify for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program. All claims must be filed by June 30th unless the
state extends the filing date. To check on the status of your rent rebate call 1-888-222-9190.
For more information or to obtain required forms, call Diane.
Good Neighbor Reminders:

All residents MUST respond to all fire drills. (Resident Handbook #28)

All fire extinguishers located in Luther House apartments are rated for all types of
fires. Do not put water on grease or electrical fires; if you are comfortable, use extinguishers and then call 911.
All furniture must be inspected by “Casey” our bed bug investigating dog. This includes
all furniture from second hand sources such as Lions Club, Salvation Army, Habitat for humanity, etc. The only exception to this house rule is furniture purchased new from retailers.

I have learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery
depends on our disposition and not on our circumstances.
- Martha Washington (1731 - 1802)
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Holiday Luncheons 2013
P AGE 4
L UTHER H OUSE G AZETTE
Secret Santa Visits Luther House
Sponsored by
Home Instead Senior Care
Wawa Food Donations
Every weekday, a volunteer from Luther House
picks up and delivers Wawa food donations to
each building. Food items are placed in the activity room freezers for residents to share on a
first-come first-served bases. Delivery days are:
Volunteers from the Avon Grove Quilters
Group have donated several bags to be used
with walkers. If you would like to have one of
these special bags, please call Diane at
(610) 869-4240 ext. 111.
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Luther House I - Fridays
Luther House II - Tuesdays
Luther House III - Mondays and Thursdays
Luther House IV - Wednesdays
Note: Delivery times are at the discretion of
each volunteer
PAGE 5
Free Monthly Reiki Stress Reduction Sessions
Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation. Eleanor Gona, a local Holistic
Health Practitioner, will be conducting free 15 minute sessions each month at 10 am in
LH II. Eleanor will plan to see four residents (or more) each month starting in January
2014. Appointments are necessary. Eleanor is now scheduling appointments for January 2nd, February 6th, March 13th and April 3rd.
To schedule an appointment please call Eleanor directly at 610-932-3855.
This Month in History
January 1, 1776 - During the American Revolution, George Washington unveiled the Grand
Union Flag, the first national flag in America.
January 6, 1941 - President Franklin Roosevelt delivered his State of the Union
address to Congress asking for support for the lend-lease program aiding Allies
fighting the Axis powers. Roosevelt also defined four essential freedoms
worth defending; freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from
want, and freedom from fear.
January 21, 1954 - The USS Nautilus, the world's first nuclear powered submarine, was launched at Groton, Connecticut.
January 23, 1849 - Elizabeth Blackwell was awarded her MD by the Medical Institute of Geneva, New York, thus becoming America's first woman
doctor.
January 24, 1848 - The California gold rush began with the accidental discovery of the precious metal near Coloma during construction of Sutter's sawmill.
An announcement by President Polk later in the year caused a national sensation and resulted in a flood of "Forty-niners" seeking wealth.
The Origin of Phrases
A miss is as good as a mile
Meaning: a narrow miss is as bad as a wide miss - they are both misses.
Origin: This saying dates from the 18th century. The first example of it in print is from the USA, in the
journal The American Museum, 1788: “A smart repartee... will carry you through with éclat such as, “a miss
is as good as a mile.”
Wet behind the ears
Meaning: Naïve; the inexperience of a baby, so recently born as to be still wet.
Origin: The earliest citation for “wet behind the ears” is from the Portsmouth Daily Times, October 1911:
"There is not much in the matter so far as the organ [the courthouse record] is concerned except it is so
new that it is wet behind the ears yet.”
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Please REMEMBER OUR TROOPS
in your thoughts and prayers, and especially:








Bryan Hammell, grandson of Mary
Hammell (LH I)
Joseph M. Morrone, grandson of Rose Morrone (LH II)
James Edward Tackett, grandson of Jennifer
Rosa (LH IV)
Jason D. Seaton, great-nephew of Nina
Bramble (LH II)
Brock Morris, nephew of Jen Rosa (LH IV)
Irwin Wainwright III, grandson of Joan
Barnett (LH IV)
Steven Vansant, grandson of Helen Vansant
(LHI)
Jason Sunderland, son of Phyllis Sunderland
(LHI)
My Favorite Recipe ...
Blueberry Zucchini Bread
Ann O’Connell
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups sugar
2 cups zucchini shredded
1 pint fresh blueberries
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease
4 mini loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl beat together eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar. Fold in the Zucchini.
If you have a digital camera
and would like to volunteer to take pictures
of scheduled events at Luther House
or
If you have a story, poem, recipe, photo, etc.
you would like to share
in future Luther House Gazettes
please call Diane at (610) 869-4240 x 111
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3. Mix together the flour, salt, baking soda,
baking powder, and cinnamon. Fold into
wet ingredients, then gently fold in blueberries. Transfer to the prepared loaf pans.
4. Bake 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or
until a knife inserted into the center of the
loaf comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes in
pans, then turn out onto wire racks to cool
completely.
PAGE 7
A generous heart,
kind speech,
and a life of service
and compassion
are things which
renew humanity.
- Buddha
Luther House
Information
Office Hours:
Monday-Friday
8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
Telephone: 610-869-4240 or
TTY/TDD AT 7-1-1 to connect
through the PA Relay Service
for Hearing Impaired
www.lutherhousepa.org
After hour maintenance
emergencies, please dial:
610-869-4240 ext. 0
Luther House is an equal
housing opportunity
organization providing housing
regardless of race, color,
religion, sex, handicap
or national origins.
Articles are due by the 24th
for next month’s publication.
Diane Berquist, reporter and
layout
Katie Parker, activity calendar
P AGE 8
“Waiting for Spring”
Drawing by
Helen VanSant
Happy Birthday
January
1 - Alice Osborne - I
Hazel Potter - III
2 - Shirley Barnes - I
5 - Mary Scott - II
Al Pitts - III
6 - Albie Lee - I
8 - Matilda Matherly - III
9 - Tony Demopoulos - III
12 - Dorothy Saunders - I
Clyde Gent - I
Richard Reeves - IV
13 - Ralph Ream - III
14 - Benita Boswell - II
15 - Marie Rhoades - III
18 - Peg Nuse - IV
21 - Howard Neikam - III
23 - Robert Reeves - I
26 - George Barnes - I
27 - William Smith - II
Elsie Gehron - III
28 - Catherine Holgerson - I
29 - Annie Clendenin - I
Mildred Simpson - I
February
3 - Jean Bugenhagen - III
Shirley Tingley - III
9 - Doris Mayes - III
10 - Rosemarie DePoulter - I
13 - Jones Osbourne - II
Delbert Atwood - III
15 - Marie Sweeney - II
16 - Karen Toto - II
17 - Wilma Jean Powell - III
19 - Janet Parme - III
21 - Darla Moore - III
22 - Doris Pugh - II
Eileen Love - II
23 - Suzanne Young - III
24 - Beverly DeSanto - IV
Just being there for someone
can sometimes bring hope when all seems hopeless.
- Dave G. Llewwllyn
L UTHER H OUSE G AZETTE