Living with a Family Atmosphere
United PresbyterianRetirement
Home
2013 Holiday Newsletter
December 2013
Volume 66, Issue 2
What’s Happening on
Campus at the UP Home
Staff Win Quality Award
UP Home Residents Travel
Iowa Visiting All 100
County Courthouses
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Retirement Living with a Family Atmosphere
Dallmeyers Visit all 99 Counties on a Mission
to Visit Iowa’s 100 County Courthouses
“If you have an interest, then you can do it… no
matter what your age is,” said Helen Dallmeyer,
after completing her two-year trip around Iowa
visiting all 100 courthouses in 99 counties. It
all started after Helen finished reading ‘Dewey
the Library Cat’ which is a book based off a true
story of a cat found in the book return at the
Spencer Public Library in Spencer, Iowa, one
cold January night in 1988.
Inspired from the book she had read in August
2011, Helen and Carl decided to make a day
trip to Spencer, Iowa, to the Public Library.
On the way they happened to drive through
Hampton, Iowa, where they saw a beautiful
courthouse, they stopped to take a gander and
without thinking anything of it, Carl decided
to take a picture, then they continued on their
trip to the Spencer Library. While in Spencer,
they thought they would take a picture of the
Spencer Courthouse as well. Little did they
know this would become the first and second
pictures of their Iowa courthouse collection.
Carl and Helen Dallmeyer, age 88 and 89, stand in front of
the Washington County Courthouse in Washington, Iowa
after completing a tour of all 100 county courthouses in Iowa.
drove through Tipton, Iowa, where they saw a
modern county courthouse that Helen wasn’t
too keen on because of the new construction,
so they were about to continue on their journey
when Ross spoke up, “Helen, if you do one, then
just do them all.” “So, we did” Helen said with
a laugh, “but if we would’ve
known this, we could’ve taken
I always appreciate
a lot more pictures on our trip
getting back to our Kerr
to Spencer in August.”
“
Several months had gone by
since they had taken pictures
of two Iowa Courthouses.
Hall apartment and our
They hadn’t thought much
more about it until the
And so the journey began
fellowship and activities
summer of 2012 when they
at the United Presbyterian with a picture of their third
were heading to Clarence,
courthouse in Tipton, Iowa.
Home,
it
keeps
us
young
Iowa. They were on a typical
The couple put thousands
and keeps us going.
visit with their friends Elsie
of miles on their car touring
and Bob Huber and Jo Ross
the countryside of Iowa,
Helen Dallmeyer, determined to visit all 100
to a restaurant from their
19 year resident county courthouses in Iowa.
Directory of Iowa’s Best
Ma & Pa Restaurants which
features 531 of the best “Ma & Pa” diners in Before each trip they would visit the Washington
Iowa. On their way to Clarence for dinner, they County Courthouse to get an address, and
”
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Helen would map out their route on a map
which is now in shreds because of all the
use. They didn’t use any Global Positioning
Devices or the internet to research the areas
prior to the trip. Helen was the navigator and
each trip was a mission and an adventure.
They had many courthouses to see and didn’t
have time for stops on the way at shops or even
to see friends they knew. The trip consisted of
eating, sleeping, driving and taking pictures
of courthouses.
They traveled via byways only, avoiding
interstates at all costs, so they could enjoy
the spring flowers, changing colors in the fall,
grain farms and grazing animals, although they
agreed that they saw more hog confinements
than horses or cattle. The longest trip they
took over the course of two years was seeing
twelve courthouses in two nights and three
days. Throughout their various trips they
never saw snowfall, had rain only one day and
saw many once thriving communities now
only with convenience stores and a church.
The last trip featured seven courthouses and
the feat ended in Dubuque where they saw the
last of the 100 county courthouses.
The Dallmeyers were surprised to accomplish
this task and enjoyed their trips around Iowa
but they were always glad to get back home. “I
always appreciate getting back to our Kerr Hall
apartment and our fellowship and activities
at the United Presbyterian Home, it keeps us
young and keeps us going,” Helen said with a
smile.
The Dallmeyers have lived at the UP Home for
nineteen years and plan to continue traveling
Iowa to visit more Ma & Pa restaurants and
visit the inside of some of the courthouses
close to Washington.
A Note from the CEO’s Desk
Robert Louis
Stevenson said, “The
best things are nearest:
breath in your nostrils,
light in your eyes,
flowers at your feet,
duties at your hand,
the path of God just
before you.”
Stevenson’s statement really simplifies
what the true blessings in life are for
mankind. I’ve come to realize over the
years that the everyday things are our
greatest blessings: the food on the table,
our country, our homes, our family and
friends, our health and well-being, our
spiritual life, the air we breathe and the
sunshine that warms the earth. It is these
simple things that we should be the most
grateful for as we celebrate the holiday
season. These simple things give us
comfort and strength, fill our hearts with
gladness and make each day meaningful.
As we gather to celebrate Thanksgiving
and Christmas, my wish is that we will
remember to be thankful for the simple
blessings we receive everyday.
Wishing each of you a beautiful and
blessed Holiday Season!
Mike
Interested in a campus tour?
Give us a call at 319.653.5473 or email
[email protected] to schedule a tour. We
would love to show you around campus!
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Retirement Living with a Family Atmosphere
New Faces at the UP Home
Happenings at the
Here is a glimpse of what’s been
happening at the United Presbyterian
Home since you heard from us last:
Senior Prom
An Evening in Italy was this year’s theme for the
annual Senior Prom which was held May 23rd
on campus. The Main Dining Room looked as
if it was right on Tiber River in Italy complete
with gondolas and hanging decorations in
shades of blue. Residents and staff enjoyed a
make-believe evening in Italy complete with
music, dancing and Italian hors d’oeuvres. The
Ken Paulsen Orchestra entertained a packed
room full of residents. Residents dressed for
the occasion and many had their picture taken
outside beside the fragrant lilac bushes and
three-wheeled bicycle filled with bouquets of
flowers.
Fourth of July Parade & Picnic
The United Presbyterian Home held their
annual Independence Day parade on Tuesday,
July 2, with a two block long procession of
vintage cars, tractors, persons on foot, carts
and cycles. Many UPH resident veterans
participated in the parade with a prestigious
ride in a vintage car. Lawrence Whisler dressed
in his original military uniform and rode with
CEO Mike Moore in the lead car behind the
American Legion.
Oktoberfest Celebration
Oktoberfest was celebrated on Wednesday,
October 24, with music, dancing, beverages
and pretzels. The musical duo known as Keyz
and Squeeze featured Jackie Peck on the keyboard
and Robbie Sims on the accordion playing festive
Polka music for the afternoon dancing and toe
tapping crowd.
Healthy Holiday Cooking Class
Over 40 men and women enjoyed the 12th Annual
Healthy Holiday Cooking Class in mid-November
hosted by the Health and Wellness Team. The
objective each year is to improve the eating habits
of residents through the holidays by teaching them
how to modify traditional holiday recipes and
inspire them to try something new with unique and
healthy food options.
Cardiovascular Excercise Versus Weight Lifting
Physical Wellness with Amy Kleese, Director of Health & Wellness
Many people ask the Wellness and Fitness
Center staff “which is better for me,
cardiovascular excercise such as walking and
using the NuStep or lifting weights?”
Calorie for calorie, cardiovascular excercise
has a slight, imediate advantage. However,
lifting weights gives you a metabolic spike for
an hour after a workout becuase your body
is trying hard to help your muscles recover.
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According to Wayne Westcott, PH.D., Director
of Research at the South Shore YMCA in
Quincy , Massachusetts, “That means you’ll
fry an additional 25 percent of the calories you
just scorched during your stength session.”
Westcott adds, “For every three pounds of
muscle you build, you’ll burn an extra 120
calories a day- just vegging because muscle
takes more energy to sustain. Over the course
of a year, that’s about 10 pounds of fat without
changing your diet.” Cardiovascular excercise still
has a leg to stand on with benefits in reducing the
risk of obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure,
type 2 diabetes and even certain types of cancer. A
stronger heart pumps more blood with each beat,
circulating oxygen more efficiently throughout
your body.
Who wins? Let’s call it a draw and put both in
your workout routine for a healthy 2014.
Cory
Evans
has
joined the United
Presbyterian
Home
as Head Chef through
Morrison
Senior
Dining.
Cory grew
up in Preston, Iowa,
and attended culinary
school at the Le Cordon Bleu in
Minneapolis, Minnesota, graduating in
2006. Since that time Cory has worked
in the restaurant and dining services
near the Dubuque area, sometimes
holding down two jobs at once. Cory says
that his decision to move to Washington
and work for Morrison is a career
opportunity and he has enjoyed meeting
the residents at the United Presbyterian
Home.
Diana (Mullins) Rich
has joined the United
Presbyterian
Home
as the Director of
Marketing and Human
Resources. Diana grew
up in Washington,
Iowa, and graduated
from Wartburg College with a Bachelor’s
Degree in Communications Arts with
an emphasis in Public Relations and
minors in Business and Leadership.
She started in the management program
at Target out of college but most recently
worked at CIVCO Medical Solutions
as the Marketing Communications
Manager. While at CIVCO, Diana
obtained a Professional Development
Certificate for Applied Marketing from
the University of Wisconsin School
of Business’s Executive Education
program. Diana and her husband,
Darin, reside in Washington and have
one son, Dalton.
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Retirement Living with a Family Atmosphere
Kitch’s Korner
Spirtual Wellness with Rev. Kitch
Immanuel – God is with us. That
is what the Christmas holidays
are really all about. Presence, not
presents. God coming to us because
we weren’t going to God, because we
were missing the point.
Presence is also a large part of what
the UP Home is about – a solid,
respected institution that also
gives a lot to the community. The
security of someone being there for
our residents at whatever level of
service is required – an emergency
call system, a helping hand, a time
of caring, an interesting program or
activity, the provision of support in
a time of crisis or loss. It’s not only
what we do, but who we are. It’s not
only the staff and employees, but
also the residents who reach out to
each other and are there for each
other.
Presence is also a present – a precious
gift, given not only from God to each
of us, but one we can offer each other
during this wonderful season. God’s
gift of presence to us in the form of
his son Jesus carried a huge cost.
Isn’t it wonderful that our presence
to each other costs us nothing?
Be present to someone you
love this season.
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Resident to Become Moderator
of the Presbytery of East Iowa
The United Presbyterian Home has
been blessed with individuals who
are able to share their gifts with the
community and Mary Atwood is one
of those people.
Mary was born and raised in a
Presbyterian church in Birmingham,
Iowa. After attending college at Iowa State University, Mary
moved to Washington, Iowa, to teach Home Economics.
Early on, she got involved with volunteering at the UP Home
Health Center and becoming an active member of the United
Presbyterian Church. Most recently, Mary’s volunteer work
in the church was becoming the Vice Moderator for the
Presbytery of East Iowa in early 2013.
The Presbytery is the governing body for the Presbyterian
church in this part of Iowa made up of about 75 churches
that meets three times a year. Each church sends a
representative and the pastors also attend this meeting of
around 150 people. “It’s really quite an honor to have Mary
in this position and having her represent the Washington
Community,” said Reverend Linda “Kitch” Shatzer.
Mary was nominated for this three-year, volunteer position
with the Presbytery. She has served her first year as a Vice
Moderator and will become the Moderator for her second year
at the Installation Ceremony which will be held February 15
at St. Andrews Church in Iowa City, Iowa. Finally, her third
year will be served as an Advisory Committee member.
“I am excited to serve the church in this way and to hopefully
be a positive influence to others,” Mary said, speaking about
her upcoming term as Moderator. Being an active part of
this committee has been a big committment and involves
countless hours with three big meetings every four months
and lots of committee meetings throughout the year to keep
things running smoothly. “This has been a great experience
for me as I continue to learn and grow in my faith,” Mary
added with a smile, “Pastor Bob Wollenberg and Rev. Kitch
have been strong influencers and support along the way.”
Meet the United Presbyterian Home Board of Directors
The United Presbyterian Home Board of Directors
is composed of 16 voting members each serving
three-year terms. The Southeast Iowa Presbytery
serves as the Synod Representative and plays an
advisory role on the Board. Members ensure the
UP Home is living its mission and their primary
duties include promoting the Home, monitoring
operations, approving yearly budgets and making
policies. Board members meet for four regularly
scheduled meetings each year and workprimarily
by five committees.
The most active committee is the Finance and
Audit Committee which reviews the financial
information of the Home. The Building and
Grounds Committee makes decisions on requests
from cottagers on cottage additions and overall
Home Campus appearance. They also make
recommendations to the Board for major capital
expenditures. The Membership Committee’s
primary job is to review prospective member
information.
The committee recommends
acceptance of the new member if they feel the Home
can adequately meet the needs of the applicant
for membership and that the prospective member
would be a positive addition for the Home. The
(Back Row, from Left to Right) James Lloyd, Bill Stewart, Rev.
Forrest Krummel, Bruce Walker, Jim Cuddeback, John Thorne,
JoAnn Torpey. (Front Row, from Left to Right) Jean Robertson,
Nancy Ross, Deborah Schoenfelder and Richard Schmidt. Not
pictured is Sandy Dunlap, Robert Huber, David Maupin, John
Staley, Ph. D.
Personnel Committee decides personnel matters
that cannot be resolved at the administrative level.
The Decorating Committee works with architects
during times of construction to coordinate
cohesive design. During times of renovation, they
will recommend to the Board décor ideas for the
refurbishing of areas of the Home, always keeping
the residents’ best interest in mind.
United Presbyterian Home Staff Win Quality Award at LeadingAge Banquet
United Presbyterian Home Activities Director Carol Enfield
and UP with Kids Day Care Director Lisa Clark recently received
the Leading Edge Care and Services Award from LeadingAge
Iowa during the long-term care association’s awards banquet
this fall.
Carol Enfield (left) and Lisa Clark (right)
pictured with their Leading Edge Care and
Service Awards.
The award is given in recognition of creative new care and
services that have dramatically impacted resident care.Enfield
and Clark received the award based on their combined efforts
with the Intergenerational Program, where students from area
schools come to UPH to interact with the Home’s residents,
often reading to each other and participating in plays and
other interactive programs.
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1203 E. Washington Street
Washington, Iowa 52353
Mrs. Diana J. Rich
2727 Trio Court
Washington, IA 52353
Retirement Living with a Family Atmosphere
319.653.5473 l [email protected] l www.uphome.org
In
Loving
Memory
Robert Toland
Anna Gonzalez
James Pollock
Norma Hall
Harold Gamon
Emily Kolosiek
Beth Toland
Glenn Ladehoff
Marie Malichky
We are honored to share in the lives of United Presbyterian Home residents.
We feel blessed to have gotten to know them and to have our lives touched
by them. As 2013 comes to a close, we take time to remember those who
have passed, treasuring the memories made with these residents, their
families and friends and holding that remembrance close to our hearts.
April 4, 2013
April 12, 2013
April 14, 2013
April 29, 2013
May 10, 2013
June 8, 2013
June 26, 2013
June 30, 2013
July 14, 2013
Ray Carter
Helen Graf
Betty Fenn
Gene Anderson
Wilma Jarvis
Phyllis Patricia McGraw
Mel Jaspering
Virgina Booth
July 24, 2013
August 9, 2013
September 2, 2013
September 22, 2013
October 13, 2013
October 26, 2013
November 8, 2013
November 14, 2013
Wish List for Improvements on the United Presbyterian Home Campus
Once a year, we quietly mention our need for gifts and prayers for specific improvements on
campus and for helping us continue to offer financial assistance through the Benevolent Fund
to those Home members in need. You may send a general contribution or designate your gift
for a specific use. Please know all gifts and contributions are greatly appreciated and allow the
United Prebyterian Home to serve residents’ needs, continue to offer extraordinary care and
maintain our committment to Quality First. You may call the Main Office for a list of needed
items, current projects and/or suggestions. Thank you!
1203 East Washington Street, Washington, IA 52353 l [email protected] l 319.653.5473
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