october runner October 2020
“This tree must be falling for me, as soon as I sat under it, it dropped its leaves.” ~ Charmaine J. Forde
Tree of the Month – Olive The olive tree is part of Special Days the plant family Oleaceae, World Smile Day which also includes lilacs and jasmine. The primarily short, October 2 squat evergreen trees have Simchat Torah twisted, gnarled trunks, silvery Begins at Sundown green oblong leaves, and small, feathery white flowers. October 10 And its fruit is the resplendent Columbus Day (U.S.) & olive, which along with its oil, is a prominent food staple Africa and Southern Europe. In Thanksgiving (Canada) worldwide—in fact, the word this region, the olive tree stands October 12 oil is derived from olive. as a potent symbol of abundance, power, wisdom, and peace. Sweetest Day The trees are grown all over Hence, the phrase to extend an October 17 olive branch means "to make the world, from the United Halloween States to New Zealand to South peace.” In ancient times, crowns Africa but are ubiquitous across made from olive branches were October 31 countries in the Mediterranean given to victors in battle and basin, including most of North sporting events.
Birthstone – Opal Flower – Calendula The opal, October’s birthstone, The calendula is a fall-blooming gets its name from the Latin annual that produces a yellow to deep word opalus, which means orange flower with edible petals. Also “precious stone.” Opals are known as the “pot marigold,” this very soft and easily altered by flower gets its name from the Latin heat and pressure. An opal is calens, or first day of the month. formed in near-surface volcanic Ancient Greeks and Romans wore rocks. Although the principal source of opals crowns and garlands of the flowers, and they is Australia, they can also be found in Mexico, have long been sacred in India, where the Brazil, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, flowers are used to decorate statues of Hindu Japan, and Ireland. In the United States, deities. The head of these flowers follow the sun beautiful black opals are often found in as it moves through the sky. Calendula Nevada. symbolize happiness. Monthly Gazette October 2020
Costume Timeline Delicious Dressing up for Halloween 1940s: Brooms & Black Hats Forget the candy and or All Hallows’ Eve hasbeen Witches, spooky ghosts, and costumes on Halloween— popular for centuries. The black cats bewitched trick-or- October should be known original purpose of wearing treaters in the 1940s. as the month for foodies. costumes was to ward off evil 1950s: Aloha Buckaroo Not only is it the time of brats spirits. Today, it’s more about Hawaiian apparel (grass skirts, and sauerkraut galore, but October is also the official candy and fun. Let’s review leis, and floral shirts) anddressing the most popular outfits month of pork, pizza, up like cowboys were popular in through the decades. sausage, and popcorn. the 1950s. Davy Crockett and 1920s: Clowns Tarzan were also common. The Pierrot clown was all the 1960s: Superheroes rage in the 1920s. Simple witch, October Zodiacs Kids and adults channeled their farmer, and gypsy costumes favorite superheroes, such as Libra (The Scales) were also popular. Superman, Batman, Catwoman, October 1–22 1930s: Disney Spiderman, and Batgirl. Dennis Mass-produced costumes and the Menace was also a hit. Scorpio (The Scorpion) rubber masks hit the market October 23–31 with Mickey and Minnie Mouse ruling Halloween in the 1930s.
October is the tenth month of the year on the Gregorian calendar and one of seven months with 31 days. October’s name, containing the Latin word octo, refers to its ancient place as the eighth month in the Roman calendar, before January and February were added to fill out the winter period. October is usually considered to be the height of autumn; the Slavic people call it “yellow month,” referring to the fading colors of the leaves.
The First Winter Moon October Birthdays In the Old English or Anglo-Saxon calendar, Donna Karan (designer) – October 2, 1948 the year was split into two seasons rather than Chubby Checker (singer) – October 3, 1941 four. They simply divided the year between Susan Sarandon (actress) – October 4, 1946 the months with days that were longer than Kate Winslet (actress) – October 5, 1975 the nights (summer) and those with less daylight (winter). In this tradition, October Elisabeth Shue (actress) – October 6, 1963 was designated the first month of winter and Simon Cowell (TV host) – October 7, 1959 was called Winterfylleth or “fullness of winter,” John Lennon (musician) – October 9, 1940 as it also had the first winter full moon. Marie Osmond (entertainer) – October 13,1959 Emeril Lagasse (chef) – October 15, 1959 What’s Lucky in October? Angela Lansbury (actress) – October 16, 1925 Lucky Color: Yellow Evel Knievel (daredevil) – October 17, 1938 Lucky Animal: Tiger Deepak Chopra (author) – October 22, 1947 Lucky Letters: W and G Lucky Day: Wednesday Michael Crichton (author) – October 23, 1942 Lucky Plant: Pumpkin Jane Pauley (journalist) – October 31, 1950
Page 2 OCTOBER BIRTHDAYS October 2020
10/6 Dorothy Keller 10/18 Ann Kientzy 10/6 Rosella Smutnik 10/19 Mary Iaconianni 10/9 Patricia Bane 10/20 Samuel Kelly 10/9 Anne Kelly 10/20 Adella Kulas 10/11 Regina Douglass 10/21 Edith Dunn 10/11 Else Liebermann 10/23 Bella Magerman 10/13 Alice Laurito 10/24 Morton Shapiro 10/14 Joanne Bauer 10/26 Barbara Gottesman 10/14 Anne Wetzel 10/27 Thomas Ferry 10/15 Valerie Lopez 10/28 Pearline Pearlman 10/15 Pompilio Pasquini 10/30 Frances Berkowitz 10/16 Anna Kirch 10/30 Edith Meltz 10/16 Margarita Yannuzzi
Page 3 EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS EDITION October 2020
Dear Residents and Families,
I know it has been a long and frustrating Six plus months and we are all looking forward to when things can return to the way they were, but in the meantime, we remind you that as a vulnerable age group, please continue to wear a mask (properly), social distance (6 Ft) use proper hand hygiene, and be aware of your surroundings.
Please do not let your guard down, as more people are out and about. Your goal and ours for you, is to stay in optimal health!
You can continue to get the latest FAQ at this link: https://www.paulsrun.org/covid-19-faqs
Check-out our Facebook page for highlights of what has been going on throughout the Paul’s Run community. www.facebook.com/paulsrunretirementcommunity
Thank you for your continued cooperation,
William R. Hines Executive Director
Page 4 COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS October 2020
PAUL’S RUN GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGES THE FOLLOWING TRIBUTE GIFTS
IN MEMORY OF:
Florence Milewski From: Ms. Rita M. McMonagle
IN CELEBRATION OF:
Sylvia Weinfeld By Mr. Ari Katz
Page 5 MUSIC THERAPY NOTES October 2020
Technology has the power to both bring us together and drive us further apart. In a time when we are more separated than ever before from our loved ones and friends, technology often serves as the tool that brings us together. Using Zoom and other video conferencing platforms, we have been able to attend weddings, bat mitzvahs, graduations and other important life milestones from the safety of our homes.
I am proud to serve a clinical training site for music therapy students from Temple and Drexel University. Working within our community, students have the opportunity to share their talents, grow their clinical skills, and develop relationships with residents. However, with COVID-19 and visitor restrictions, clinical training has had to adapt. Instead of in person, students will be joining our community virtually this semester. I am excited to introduce two Temple music therapy students: Lauren Carter and Jingxiang (Shawn) Yi.
Lauren Carter Jingxiang (Shawn) Yi
Lauren is an undergraduate student, while Shawn is a graduate student. If you attend Music & Memories on Wednesdays at 1:15pm, you may notice them on the big screen in the auditorium and have the opportunity to introduce yourself.
Technology is a marvel. I’m beyond excited to explore all the ways it can be creatively incorporated to expand/improve programming.
I am thinking of each of you. Wear your mask. Wash your hands. Social distance. Stay well. I wish you the best!
Musically,
Molly
Page 6 RESIDENT MONTHLY ARTICLES October 2020
WHAT KIND OF WORLD DO WE WANT TO LEAVE BEHIND? From: Sr. Franceline Malone
I have recently been rereading Laudato Si by Pope Francis. "Why are you here?" kept coming to me in prayer. In Chapter 4, Pope Francis poses the questions, "When we ask ourselves what kind of world we want to leave behind, we think in the first place of its general direction, its meaning and its values..... Why are we here………………What need does the earth have of us?"
Pope Francis reminds us, "Leaving an inhabitable planet to future generations is, first and foremost, up to us." He reflects on the problems of our postmodern world that often connect to individualism, wasteful consumption, and lack of concern for those excluded from development.
"The world is a gift which we have freely received and must share with others." In justice, "the world we received also belongs to those who will follow us."
What are some of the problem facing today's world? Climate change causing fires, floods, destroyed homes; lack of affordable housing; traffic congestion in our cities; pollution; stress leading to violence; extreme poverty in some parts of our planet, even in our U.S.A.; pandemics flaring up every couple of years; distrust....
What can we at Pauls Run do about those problems, we who are blessed by having comfortable apartments, nourishing meals, friendly neighbors, medical care, our religious, cultural and racial identities respected?
Page 7 RESIDENT MONTHLY ARTICLES October 2020
What Kind of World Do We Want To Leave Behind? continued
Thinking about "Human Ecology" may help us to focus. "The acceptance of our bodies as God's gift is vital to accepting the entire world as gift." Learning to care for and to accept and respect our own body in its femininity or masculinity and in its ethnic and racial heritage is essential to finding mutual enrichment in someone who is different. Together we can bring about social peace.
What would you say? Do we in our Covid-19 protected little world of Pauls Run experience social peace with each other? Are we wearing masks? Are we greeting each other with a smile when we pass in the hall ways? Are we letting our loved ones know how we are doing? Do we ask how they are doing? If we believe in God's love for his creation, his people, the world, do we pray for each?
"What kind of world are we leaving, am I leaving for future generations?"
Page 8 RESIDENT MONTHLY ARTICLES October 2020
IN ANOTHER DIRECTION By Sister Dorothy Dowd
We are now approaching a major decision in the 2020 election: A former vice-president who is worn out and a president whose boundaries are weak. In our lifetimes we have seen many displeasing events. We witnessed and heard a candidate for the Supreme Court have his college life splattered across the television screen. The Anarchists told the people of Central America that they could just march into our country. We have seen Americans, not other nations, malign our Presidents. And we have witnessed other disasters. We have survived six months of ongoing shutdown caused by the China virus. All of our relatives and friends who are no longer with us we shall miss. Through it all we have seen some women and men of valor, employees and volunteers who have overcome many obstacles. We shall ARISE sometime in the future, hopefully to happier days. In the words of America the Beautiful:
“O beautiful for Pilgrim feet Whose stern impassioned stress A thoroughfare of freedom beat Across the wilderness!
America! America! God shed His grace on thee Till paths be wrought Through wilds of thought By Pilgrim foot and knee!” Page 9 RESIDENT MONTHLY ARTICLES October 2020
About life and living by Jack Birnbaum
I just returned to my apartment from eating breakfast and found myself not vaguely discontented not anxious as I began the third month of my ninety fifth year sans signs of long-range problems are absented My physical aspects had some blood pressure highs, hearing loss, my locomotion slowed OK, gets me by My memory and my emotional state having bridged the years of living through events of life’s lows and highs I have a great family and have been a part of the Pauls Run community for some eleven great years I ran a movie program (eight years) write for the Runner (ten years) and a magazine My Way (this year)
My parents immigrated looking for hope and opportunity, found each other and installed the word hope in our ears. Depression was in our nation but, their faith and hope led us to adapt our lives and to focus and then banish the fear
We, my sister and I, saw education and equality not just keys, but more, it was the learning of the American way Education teaches to think; experience teaches what others may take it to mean or think or do and or say And so, we began our lives (my sister 2 years later) student citizens, at home in Brooklyn N Y, USA Some seven years later my dad with the help of family made the purchase of a hand laundry store
Page 10 RESIDENT MONTHLY ARTICLES October 2020
About Life & Living continued
It was across the river in Manhattan and we found ourselves in a new world, another land Streets wide with larger vehicles, lots of pedestrians of different colors and languages, so many at hand Mom and dad ran the store, we helped our jobs included play, always learning, not just now and then There was no end of learning in a school taking children of migration amidst children of longshore men The broadbands of cultural experiences and expectations made communications a big issue at this local store
While this school experience impacted me, it was not the only reason I chose social work as my life’s chore We learned together to read and write, to spell and so much more, as playmates in games and becoming mature We learned how people lived together, while different, yet get along, or settle spats and still stay friends We learned to sing, dance, to play games, to care for each other, to respect, and cherish, groups and their ends We were growing up, preparing for a new stage the world of work. or attending a high school at a teen age A N.Y. city option an exam for high I.Q. boys was given and I passed and was accepted at Stuyvesant High
My passion for learning was now sated with classes of advanced Math and science at the High School The schools regs were if a student combined grade level drops to B or less he is dropped that, was Cool I played in the school orchestra and band, loved Bach and Mozart; T. and J. Dorsey are A OK; Page 11 RESIDENT MONTHLY ARTICLES October 2020 About Life & Living continued
We knew about Pearl Harbor in all probability without a miracle we will go, none will stay So, we continued our studies and living our lives with hopes and anxiety as a part of each day Each day some eight of us would meet and walk across the waist of Manhattan to the school From eighth ave. to first ave. it was like an extra period as we walked, and talked of wit, it was never cruel When after four years we graduated and I stood ready to serve my country, scary but cool
I didn’t care much for basic training I was learning but not to do good but it was to meet a need The next thing I knew I was aboard the Queen Mary headed for Bremerhaven on a ship with speed Once we got to Europe, I was assigned to an anti-tank unit mopping up the battle of the bulge operation I found their personnel were mainly Japanese Americans (Neisse) great soldiers, loyal to our nation We shared duty with the 81 airborne who called them “Japs”, and enemy with discrimination On occupation based in Rudeshiem am Rhine in a junction with the French and English While there for two years I learned to speak German and studied which Rhine wine to drink with fish We were ordered to Japan, but a second A-bomb ended the war. after a good cry, we left for home In Europe I became sure that my function in life was to help the world to become a better place to do this we need persons to inspire others to bring to the table the skills to set the pace Page 12 RESIDENT MONTHLY ARTICLES October 2020 About Life & Living continued
I believe I’m that type of person and I felt my problem was the matching up the skills to the need I played trombone ((5 years) and singing in ensemble and solo thought it might be a musical lead A Julliard audition led to admission, my yen to compose might yet be realized and might yet ensue I set to work with vigor. music being more than a career but became a passion, a dream to come true Fate had other plans as even with a singular vision I met a young lady, we married so now I had a new dream After two monastic years at Julliard it was clear to me that my composition talents were no threat to Mozart’s pith If the composer did not fit, would my being an educator or social worker, affect others, to lose vim, vigor and wit? We, my new wife and I, changed our lives first she took a job, me at teacher’s college on a G.I. grant A new family in John Dewey’s education plant allows my part-time work to anticipate birth an infant Upon graduation I began teaching in NYC, and my wife surprised her doctor giving birth to a child. Things were OK at home but my academic curriculum was only to keep good records, it was wild Upon leaving this school to work in suburban school I found the district had changed the words of its mission its objectives were the same as the NY City board of Ed While teaching I worked part-time at a community center, they assigned difficult youngsters to me before I knew it, an entire street gang was not supervised by anyone else in the entire agency
Page 13 October 2020
About life & living continued
When I raised this issue, I was told the agency staff except senior staff and me were over 23 The Supervisor of the agency advised Columbia of the need and their recommendation of me After a conversation with my wife and my problems with education I felt I had to agree supervisors spoke to me about social work school and scholarships. When I had problems in education my wife, and I decided to accept and enroll at the Columbia school next semester. Talk about manna in heaven the last forty years I have worked at camps, agencies, Factories, Prisons, hospitals among others with the blind, orthopedically handicapped, cerebral Palsied, Schizophrenics, Prisoners, among others I have worked with other groups on training. Community organization, organizational development, program development, communications, support systems and many activities in the field of systems management I don’t, in all honesty, know how much better the world is now since I committed myself to helping it get better at the close of World War II. I do however, know how much better I have become since I met all of you
Page 14 RESIDENT MONTHLY ARTICLES October 2020 Man, An Actor on Times Stage By Jack Birnbaum
Time measurements are absolute yet there’s no surprise enjoyment makes time fly Conversely when under duress the time drags on till one thinks they soon will die Even in the most elegant society there is seldom concern about people, killing time And lastly you seldom if ever see wringing hands on announcing they have no time Truth is time doesn’t change speeds though when fun, it then it only ends too soon When something is annoying, you’d rather be somewhere else, like, on the moon I don’t hold to killing time and I feel rebuke as no time says, I don’t like this tune
Perception of the pace of time is varied as one passes amongst the levels of aging During infancy a lot of sleep, not aware of calander or clock, time.is not your thing Grade school and homework, if loved it’s fast, not, it lags, afterschool is very fast High School reflects either mood learning slow or fast, socially its a drag, or a blast College and Grad school admixture of social is for most, rapid, to some, it is vapid
Page 15 RESIDENT MONTHLY ARTICLES October 2020
Man, An Actor on Times Stage continued By Jack Birnbaum
Young adulthood, mating, career, a time of discovery, era of ego, super ego, and id Middle age for most family, friends, career respected, growth, for a few frustration Senior citizenry an age for reflection, fraternity as time is significant at this station Into this stage of wisdom and empathy time becomes a thief amongst the functions It removes partial abilities of speech, hearing and sight as tariffs without unction’s It steals ability to ambulate, affects memory to some impairs reason, time and date These impediments limit not our ability or commitment to adjusting to such a state Imbibe the milk of human kindness, care for each other yet, do we master our fate
Page 16 RESIDENT MONTHLY ARTICLES October 2020
Abe Lincoln – A House Divided – The Glory, The Misery By: Jack Birnbaum
Life began on earth with the strong and cunning hunting, the puny and weak to then, flourish and grow Ere long, victims gathered for protection finding space in areas, in which predators found it hard to go Some creatures fed on flora. some on grain, some winged hunters used the air, some fish fed by tide As the eons slid by, humans arrived, bringing imagination and communications to join that earthly ride These two gifts and use of implements, made man a dominant force in our home planets rotation Communication birthed history, made it a ledger of time it harbored both Abe Lincoln and this nation Abe Lincoln born in Sinking Spring KY 1809 learned some men were hunters, other men being the hunted Men were divided, one side Slavery is right, extend it; other side its wrong, extend not; peace was stunted Abe said we’ve been friends, war talk must be blunted
In 1835 Abe met Ann Rutlege she contracted typhus and Lincoln felt abandoned when his one true love died In 1833 Lincoln met Mary Owens and they agreed on a courtship on her next visit but he was as yet, untied In 1831 he met Mary Todd a marriage was in their plans for January 1841, abandoned by mutual consent In 1841 Lincoln courted Sarah Rickard whom he knew since1837, warmth was there, love was absent
Page 17 RESIDENT MONTHLY ARTICLES October 2020 Abe Lincoln continued By Jack Birnbaum
Lincoln renewed the courtship of Mary Todd they married on November 4,1842 and bred four male heirs All save Robert died in youth or teens and left Lincoln to bewail the fates of life and its multiple snares Sorrow stayed with the Lincoln’s as Mary with war and death of her sons became, mentally impaired
Abe practiced law and chose notorious cases whose decisions were registered in the public eye He joined the Whig political party and the Lincoln-Douglass debates raised his assets to the sky He was rated wise and efficient in matters of law, with humor, a scholar of a compassionate nature His spoke in opposition to slavery it became an issue when nominated for President it came into the picture
North Carolina seceded opening fire on Fort Sumpter, as Abe Lincoln was elected as the 16th President Seven more southern states, days later, seceded into a new Confederation, seen as illegal sans a precedent President Lincoln called up troops to reimpose the union of states, consistent with our Constitutional intent Igniting a four-year Civil War some 700,000 deaths, social and political scars bequeathed by this event Lincoln left a legacy of commitment, integrity, empathy and words and have since calmed some woes This Lincoln legacy which flows from his funeral is in a spirit of equality and, its promise to make it so
Page 18 RESIDENT MONTHLY ARTICLES October 2020
Abe Lincoln continued By Jack Birnbaum
As the war ended the President was assassinated by John Wilks Booth an actor filled with a venom of hate Leaving a grieving nation reeling with conflicted states of anger and grief to decide its actions and its fate As the plans took shape it soon became clear that funeral was a process to re-define united for this warring state The funeral began April 28 to May 8, 1856 visiting 11 cities in 7 states a sad caravan gained character on its way The format had the body de-trained escorted by local officials, for services, lay in state returning each night As the train moved each day people on two sides with mourning signs with fires day and night were in sight It was clear that millions of citizens shared the grief and signaled agreement with his hopes for our bereft nation as the messenger moved into the final Springfield station That this nation as constituted should &will long endure That his message echoes & re-echoes our nation is secure With charity for all, malice toward none, it will procure
Page 19 RESIDENT MONTHLY ARTICLES October 2020
Our Tomorrows By: Arnold Escourt
Can our dreams be gone, irretrievably lost Down payments for those foolish past efforts futile cost? Let us try to decide from this day hence To offer only smiles and pleasure instead of offence.
To offer love and friendship without reluctance To try to raise a new generation of excellence To always try to do the right thing; to honestly win And respect our neighbors for what is under their skin.
Perhaps we should try to forget the wrongs done in the past And live each day as though it were to be our last. We should forget the painful stories of yesterday Unless they enrich our lives in some new, good way.
Let us forget the deceit and disregard the nasty word Or make believe it was the wind we heard. Sadly, too many are thoughtless and foolish; we have to break the mold! But our tomorrows are full of wondrous mysteries as yet untold.
We need to pull out of the shadows of strife With yesterday’s grievances dictating life? Fortunately, we have flowers and rainbows on a sunny day And those of us with eternal youth can still love and play.
Page 20 RESIDENT MONTHLY ARTICLES October 2020
The Has-Been By Arnold Escourt
Yea, I’m a has-been, that’s for sure. I’ve been all over, now I’m here. Yup, I got rich, made more and more. Well, now it’s all gone, should I care?
I suppose I’m in a special category. To have slipped and fallen so very low. Oh, I'm sure you heard my gruesome story. But the real facts you don’t really want to know!
Sometimes I think about how important I was. When I concentrate, I remember the fall. I think about my good old friends, my favorite cuz. Those nice memories I like to recall.
My friends and family did pretty well. I wonder if they ever think of me. When I was up, they were swell. Do they care at all, where I could be?
Some brag, they say they might have been. I can honestly say, “I was.” I really did. It was a struggle, sometimes good, sometimes a sin. It took many years; I was no longer a kid.
Lost years, memories of pain and scorn. I’ve only myself to blame! My spirit and my fingers are tired and worn. I wonder if any of them remember my name. Could I still be a winner, If I lost it all? Will you always call me a sinner, If I can still stand tall?
Page 21 RESIDENT MONTHLY ARTICLES October 2020
October 2020 By Ed Scully
Another month of 2020 has gone by with nearly all taken up with concern and almost daily attention to the ever-lingering COVID-19 illness that could be a cause of our being sickened by it. Living here at Paul's Run has been a great shelter from its snare with all the proper restrictions that keep it away from us.
After a few months of our adhering to the appropriate ways of certainly limiting our exposure to its contagion, our Executive Director Bill Hines has opened our doors to family and good friends to visit all of us in Independent Living. To have two of them at a time to visit with us in our very own apartments is pretty great. We now have the opportunity to see them in person, to talk with them about just anything, together for a first time in a seemingly bit of for-everness. What a wonderful way to spend a day!
The benefits and advantages of having visitors are even much greater than those that were presented above. The leavening of the needed preventive restrictions has brought us residents to a little bit of a semblance of the normal way of living and interacting with those whom we love but were shielded from for a time that was rather difficult to endure. The most difficult time that had to be was that of the many mothers in residence without any personal togetherness with their sons or daughters. What had to be overcome was the unrelenting loneliness and being away from them with no idea when such a situation would end. Thanks be to God there is now a realization of person to person togetherness that was missing before.
This togetherness is undoubtedly a cause of great joy for the many mothers living here at Paul's Run that can never be adequately expressed in mere words. Their children being here is a happy contrast probably with the many days during which they experienced the discomfort of being alone and to some extent very alone. By the way, there are fathers living here who also share the good feelings of visitors to their residence here. In most articles like this, mothers are highlighted. OK?
Page 22 RESIDENT MONTHLY ARTICLES October 2020 Ed Scully October 2020 continued
In closing this page, here is a reminder that there is still a risk of being infected. Even with the greatest care that is taken here at Paul's Run, all of us are still at risk of COVID-19. Despite the temperature taking of anyone coming past our portals there are people out there who may be infected but do not show any of the symptoms. As last words that you have so often heard: Wear your mask when in the company of others (correctly); keep away from others at least six feet; wash both of your hands often.
I've been a subscriber to the delivery of THE INQUIRER for over 70 years and in that time I have known the phone number to call when a paper is not on my doorstep. There have been many occasions to my too often annoyance but in the almost eight months that I have been a Paul's Run resident, not once has a paper not been om my doorknob before 5:00 A.M. any morning. Accordingly, I extend my thanks and appreciation to the Inquires delivery person and the Paul's Run security personnel who so faithfully make sure that I may read the paper every morning. Again, thanks so much!
Writing about THE INQUIRER caused me to think about its "Letter to the Editor" section on its Opinion page. Here are a few of mine that did not fit the criteria for being published or other letters could appeal more to its readers : **************** The Inquirer should receive a Pulitzer Prize for the June 12 story highlighted that "A women's body was found in a suitcase" citing that "Police called the death suspicious". **************** About eighty years ago I saw Wally Moses of the Philadelphia Athletics steal home in the ninth inning of a tied game to defeat the St. Louis Browns, 9 to 8. This year I attended the last Spring training game when the Phillies defeated the. New York Yankees 3 to 1. As a lifelong baseball fan I feel compelled to state that a complete season will never happen. The current worsening of COVID-19 will require only one person to cause infection among other players totally ending any semblance of a complete team and unfortunately a 2020 season, I hope the next season works out. (I HOPE THAT I'M VERY WRONG ABOUT 2020)
Page 23 RESIDENT MONTHLY ARTICLES October 2020 Ed Scully October 2020 continued
I wonder if my fellow readers ever endure a recorded voice answering your phone call about an order or a questionable charge. A voice often states: "Your call is important to us but we are experiencing an unusual extreme number of calls and we thank you for staying on hold until a customer service representative is very shortly available. "Very shortly" could very easily turn into thirty minutes if one is willing to tolerate such extremely inadequate customer service.
I again wonder that the real reason for such delays can't always be an unusual number of calls. Still wondering, could the lingering cause really be that there are just too few workers to handle the calls. One or two additional could be the answer and it may make us callers a little more happy after making a call.
Have you residents noticed how well (under normal circumstances) you view all the wonderful and pleasant activities that take place at Paul's Run every day? Well, it is suggested that when you travel down the first floor main corridor that you stop into the office of Erin Samsel, Community Life Director for the last five years as of the 24th of this month ---and thank her for really doing a great job !!!
When I was in her office for a few minutes, she was busily preparing bags of freshly baked cookies that were distributed to the residents' apartments that afternoon. This is similar to the distribution of ice cream one afternoon and on another wine, beer and cheese. Erin's responsibilities includes practically all the extracurricular activities that revolve around relaxation, entertainment, gym exercises, and anything to help our residents enjoy ourselves.
Erin has been married to Dane for 14 years who is an auto technician, an expert in auto body and, if needed, arrangements can be made to take care of whatever. They have an eight year old daughter, who loves the Phillies and etc. Erin is a Temple graduate who majored in Sports and Recreation Management, and has worked with both young and older persons as far away as Arizona. She loves being here at Paul's Run with a dedicated staff of ten. Erin, keep it up!!!
Page 24 RESIDENT MONTHLY ARTICLES October 2020 October 2020 By Ed Scully continued
My Saturday evenings with my wife of sixty years were usually set aside for a date and going out on the town. Now living at Paul's Run has trans/morphed Saturday into a few hours of watching television as I've worked as follows: At 6:00 P.M. I watch the Lawrence Welk Show. Although the pioneering solid star of the show, Mr. Welk died in 1992 the show still continues as vibrant as ever.
How many orchestras featured an accordion as he did so well and endearingly for so many years with lots of polka music gently interwoven into most shows? Bubble music was also a constant presentation in his shows that also included lots of step dancing, harmonizing, and the introduction of melodies that became part of the songs being sung and aired throughout the nation. His show has been often parodied in this current time and it will certainly be a hit for decades to come. (The same show can also be seen at 7:00 P.M. On Channel 12).
On Channel 39, the 7:00 P.M. show is about an eccentric and snobbish lower class social climber named Hyacinth Bicket insisting that her surname be pronounced "bouquet". Much of the humor comes from the conflict between herself and her vision of herself and the reality of her underclass background in each of her five series and 44 episodes. Watch the show and you are guaranteed to chuckle. (Later I settle in to watch our Phillies baseball team hoping they end up in the playoffs).
If you happen to see a gentleman garbed in white bearing a three inch goatee, you may think he's a surgeon, but he isn't. Look more closely and you may see that he is carrying a pail of paint. To your possible amazement, he is surprisingly the Alpha building painter and he's just about painted every wall there during the almost five years he has been with us at Paul's Run. He is none other than Mike Jorgennson Novak, the near 60 year old offspring of a U.S. Navy Captain who met with an Icelandic nurse there, and they married; and they relocated to Philadelphia where Mike was raised on nearby Verree Road. Mike mastered several offerings at Embrey Aviation Institute located in Daytona Beach,Florida with a focus on repair and maintenance of airplanes. His courses led to employment for 35 years at American Airlines, in the painting the insides and the outsides of airplanes that have logged over 10,000 miles. Anyone of us who has been on an American Airlines trip has probably been aboard a plane that Mike has serviced. By the way, an airplane generally took 600 gallons of paint.
Page 25 RESIDENT MONTHLY ARTICLES October 2020
October 2020 by Ed Scully continued
It's very obvious that Mike is a loving person, for about five years he was a caregiver for his late wife, Elysee. And that's not all. His goatee that he describes as "a beard in progress" will be sometime soon donated to "Locks for Love", an organization dedicated to helping cancer survivors who have lost their hair while being treated. Enough said!
Is there anyone who hasn't noticed that there is a U.S. President election to be held on November 3, 2020? One cannot read a newspaper, view television or listen to the radio without being bombarded with a campaign message to vote for one of the candidates, whom I will not mention at this time. For your information, the slurs and slanderous remarks that you constantly see and hear are not at all new to us. For example, here are two of what was hurled in prior campaigns:
In 1828, Andrew Jackson and John Q. Adams brought their rivalry publicly. In doing so, Adams' supporters accused Jackson of murdering six of his own men. Jackson's supporters accused Adams of using public funds to buy a pool table and in return Jackson's wife was accused of sinful adultery. But Jackson won.
In 1912, William Taft and Theodore Roosevelt, who were close friends and even partners, entered a brutal battle for the Republican nomination and attacked each other ruthlessly calling each other vile names. Roosevelt won out.
Page 26 CROSSWORD OF THE MONTH October 2020
Page 27 SEPTEMBER CROSSWORD SOLUTION October 2020
Autumn Harvest (solution)
Page 28 THE CLASSIFIEDS October 2020 MAIL ISSUES Like Us On RESIDENTS ARE ASKED TO RETURN TO THE Facebook RECEPTIONISTS ANY MISDIRECTED DELIVERY FROM PAUL’S THE UNITED STATES POST OFFICE. THE RECEPTIONISTS WILL ASSURE IT IS RETURNED TO RUN THE POSTAL WORKER FOR DELIVERY TO THE CORRECT RECIPIENT FRIENDLY REMINDER
THE GENERAL STORE Our lobby is so beautiful. Please be HOURS OF OPERATION careful when eating PAUL’S RUN (During COVID-19) or drinking in that area. MONDAY Beauty Shop Thank You. By Appointment Only 10:30AM-3:30PM No Walk-Ins TUESDAY Call Anne Amato 10:30AM-3:30PM HOUSE KEEPING 215-934-3055 WEDNESDAY 10:30AM-3:30PM THE HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT IS ASKING A Request from THURSDAY FOR YOUR COOPERATION IN MAINTAINING A Maintenance: As much 10:30AM-3:30PM SANITARY ENVIRONMENT as we like to hear from FOR ALL OF OUR you about repairs you FRIDAY RESIDENTS. need, we ask that you 10:30AM-3:30PM REMEMBER TO WASH contact the front desk YOUR HANDS and put in a work order SATURDAY 11AM-1PM FREQUENTLY WITH SOAP so the repair request AND WATER OR WITH HAND SANITIZER WHEN gets recorded and not SUNDAY 11AM-1PM AWAY FROM SOAP AND forgotten about. WATER.
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