Mesa Vista News

March 2017 Battlement Mesa, Colorado What a Difference a Year Makes February 2016 February 2017

Despite reports of above average to snowpack measurements throughout the Colorado mountains, including McClure Pass at 130%, Grand Mesa at 135% and Schofield pass at a whopping 172%, we have been enjoying a very mild winter here at Mesa Vista and the surrounding area. That seems to be just fine with most of our residents.

Introducing . . .

Brad was born in Carmel, California. He moved to Rifle at age 6, where he attended school from first to eighth grade. “It was great. I played baseball, golf, rode my bike. We’d go to the Hot Springs Pool in Glenwood. I worked in my grandparents’ hydro- ponic tomato sheds. Sometimes I’d also work at local farms. It was a fun place to grow up. We knew everybody and everybody knew us. I started skiing in sixth grade,” he said. The moved to Aspen in 1968, where Brad attended Aspen High. “My first year I was in a ski race at Snowmass and broke my humerus. By that summer I was able to play baseball. I was a catcher for the high school team, but would play other posi- tions if needed. We had a lot of fun. We thought we owned the town. I worked as a hod carrier from my sophomore year until 1976, then also part time as a mason,” he said. Brad ski-raced throughout high school, also playing baseball, football and was on the track team. He went to State in track. “We won State in baseball my senior year,” he said. Brad graduated from Aspen High in 1973. After that he played Rugby competitively with the Gentlemen of As- pen team for 22 years. They toured the British Isles in 1976 and 1982. He also played on the Santa Monica team from 1982 to 1984, and coached and played Rugby at Southwest Texas University from 1986 through 1988. “We won Ruggerfest 6 times when I was on the Gentlemen of Aspen team,” he said. After Brad retired he Page 2 Mesa Vista News

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was asked to play in the Rugby National Tourna- Tradition of the Tree ment, which they won. During Winterfests of 1976 through 1979 Brad also skied on the Coors Pro Tour. All of the rugby and skiing began to take a toll over time. Brad has had 3 major knee surgeries and one minor knee surgery. Aspen was a fun place to live, but by the 1990’s Brad felt that it had changed. “The billionaires were buy- ing out the millionaires,” he said. Until this time he had worked as a waiter at the Charthouse, and then with his father’s plumbing business. His dad retired and Brad moved back to Rifle. He started working part time as a skycap at the Eagle/Vail Airport during the season, golfing in the summers and traveling the world on free airline flights he received as a benefit from his job. In 2001 he got a job as a Fueling Line Service Tech, fueling airplanes at Grand Junction Airport. “We had the Pictured above, from left to right: tree-tenders military contract so we got to work with all of the Allison, Mitzi, Marcelle and Agnes. military planes coming through,” he said. After that No one is sure exactly when it got started, but the he returned to Rifle where he delivered water for the tradition of decorating the tree in the activities room is Clear Mountain Water Company. He eventually had alive and well at Mesa Vista. Each month the tree is to retire when he developed Peripheral Neuropathy decorated by residents to reflect a current theme: in his legs and feet. Halloween, Forth of July, Christmas, or in this case In retirement, he took care of his mom for the next 4 St. Patrick’s Day. years, until she moved into a nursing home. Shortly “We had the bare tree and it needed something to bring thereafter he fell backwards and split his head open. it alive. I thought it would be a nice idea to decorate it After a month stay in the hospital, Brad had to un- differently each month. The first time we decorated it dergo 14 months of rehab in a skilled nursing center. all in flowers,” Marcelle remembered. The current shamrock idea came from Allison. “She had the idea and Brad moved into Mesa Vista in January of this year. did most of the work making them.” “I like it. I’m looking forward to the warmer weather when I can get outside more and exercise, ride my bike and fly a kite,” he laughed. “The staff is profes- Wellspring of Life Church to visit sional and friendly. The food is very good. The other Mesa Vista on second Sundays residents are nice, I just hope they like my sense of humor!” We are blessed to have the Grace Bible Church service, The Lighthouse Church service and the Gethsemani Youth group visits to Mesa Vista on Adult Day Program Sundays each month. Thank you all very much for The Mesa Vista Adult Day Program is now your dedication to our residents! certified to accept Medicaid As many of you know, Father EJ from All Saints Open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, from 10 Episcopal Church retired at the end of the year. am until 4:30 pm. Members participate in a full schedule Father EJ generously conducted a service at Mesa of activities, with snacks, soft drinks and coffee always Vista for our residents on the second Sunday of each

available. A hot lunch is served daily. month. Starting this month, Pastor Dave from the For further information call 970-285-1844 Wellspring of Life Church has graciously volun- teered to take over this monthly Sunday service. “Try to be a in someone’s cloud” Pastor Dave’s first visit will be Sunday, March 12th at - Maya Angelou 1 pm. Please give him a warm welcome! Page 3 Mesa Vista News Happy Birthday! Crossing the Divide

Migrating animals – bison, elk, deer, bighorn sheep – first established the trails across the Continental Divide at Independence Pass. Stone Age hunters may have followed, though their crossings are lost to the shadows of prehistory. Millennia passed before men crossed the Pass in hobnail boots, dragging sleds, shouldering loads, Evie Kriz - March 7th laboring mightily in the thin air [12,100 feet]. Georgianna - March 8th These seekers were often hungry, thirsty, hot, wet and cold. They endured sun, rain, hail and snow. They were Bev Williamson - March 8th struck by lightning, cowed by thunder, blasted by wind, imperiled by avalanches, harassed by insects, chased by Ernestine Adams - March 8th bears, benighted and lost. They were blinded by winter white, dazzled by autumn gold, welcomed by spring Kathy Germano - March 19th green and warmed by summer verdure. Jeff McFadden - March 23rd Prospectors crossing the Pass in the late 1870’s reported seeing blazes on trees they guessed were from the Al Kulisan - March 28th 1860’s. There was one earlier claim by a man thought to have been one of the first white men to cross Independ- Fred Fiereck - March 30th ence Pass. He was known simply as the Old Pioneer. According to an article in the Aspen Daily Times, September 1885, he was “a poor, old, dilapidated-looking specimen of humanity, with tattered clothes that had seen a good many summers and several winters.” He was noticed sitting on a beer keg in front of a Cooper Street saloon. “His hair was uncombed, his beard long and shaggy. He looked, indeed, like Rip Van Winkle. His friendless look of desolate demeanor was such as to soften a newspaperman’s heart.” The curious reporter began his interview with the usual Mesa Vista Assisted Living question: “Who are you?” “My name is Henry Gleason,” 72 Sipprelle Drive, Parachute Colorado replied the Old Pioneer, “and I am the first man to ever (970) 285-1844 fax 970-285-6351 put a foot in the valley of the Roaring Fork. I passed [email protected] down this valley in the summer of 1850, and I feel http://seniorhousingoptions.org/properties/ confident that no white man had ever been here before.” mesa-vista/ If the pioneer’s words were true, he made the crossing 20 Kathy Germano, Administrator years before the Hayden Survey team, when the Utes Tami Hammond, Resident Services Director were still supreme in Colorado, when the land west of Michael Farrell, Activities Director, Adult Day the Divide was pure wilderness. Stunned by his claim, Program Director, Editor the reporter asked about the old man’s origins. “I was born in Spencer County, Kentucky, but I left home young and have been a wanderer ever since. I have no

______———————————————————————--—____—______—-______kindred ties in the world that I know of, and I reckon if I Mesa Vista News has received special permission to had, they would not be very proud of me because I ain’t reprint stories from the books written by author Paul no beauty, to say the least of it.” Andersen. Mr. Andersen’s engaging books provide a Onlookers had gathered to listen to the aged relic, and wealth of information about the history and ecology someone invited him to take a drink, as the reporter of Colorado. The following essay was taken from noted: “He rose from his seat on the beer keg and sham- his book, The High Road To Aspen. Mr. Andersen is bled into the bar, where he swallowed a glassful of whis- also the author of Aspen’s Rugged Splendor and Elk key.” “Ah, that makes one almost feel young again,” mut- Mountain Odyssey. tered the old man. March 2017

SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 Salon is Open Salon is Open Salon is Open 10:00

10:00 10:00 Morning Walk 10:00 Coffee Klatch Vitals Clinic and Exercises Bible Reading 11:00 10:30 11:00 Skin Care and Paws to Love Crafts Workshop Make-up with 2:00 Bingo 11:00 Morning Brenda Walk & Exercises 2:00 1:30 Bingo with Shopping Walmart Grace 1:30 Bingo with 3:30 History of the Grace 6:00 3:30 Rummy West with Al Roundtable 3:30 with Fred 6:30 Bible Study 6:00 Coloring with Baking 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 1:00 Coloring 10:00 10:00 Salon is Open Salon is Open Salon is Open 10:00 with Diane Horseshoes Art Workshop 10:00 10:00 Morning Walk 10:30 Coffee Klatch

Paws to Love 11:15 Crafts with and Exercises 2:00 Bingo 2:30 11:00 Exercise Wii Bowling Penelope 11:00 Skin Care and 11:00 Morning Fun with Grace Make-up with Grace Bible 1:30 Brenda Walk & Exercises 6:00 3:30 Dealer’s Service Bingo with June 1:30 Bingo with Roundtable 2:00 Choice 1:30 Bingo with Popcorn Classic: 3:30 Grace Grace with Fred

6:30 Bible Study The Secret Life of Word Search 3:30 History of the 3:30 4:00 Club Suzie Walter Mitty with Marie Daylight savings West with Al Ice Cream Social time: Turn clocks 6:00 Poker Night Happy Birthday Happy Birthday Georgianna, Bev & 6:00 Coloring with 6:00 Poker Night ahead one hour 4:30 Jenga Evie! Ernestine!!! Allison at bedtime 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 10:00 10:00 Salon is Open Salon is Open Salon is Open 10:00 1:00 Horseshoes Assisted Living 10:00 10:00 Morning Walk 10:00 Coffee Klatch Wellspring of Food & Resident Art Workshop and Exercises Bible Reading Life Church 11:00 Morning Council 11:00 Skin Care and 10:30 11:00 Crafts with Service Walk & Exercise 11:15 Make-up with Paws to Love Penelope 11:00 Morning 2:00 Bingo Brenda

Wii Bowling Walk & Exercises 2:30 Coloring 2:00 2:00 1:30 Bingo with With Diane Travelogue: 1:30 Shopping Walmart 1:30 Bingo with Grace Bingo with June Grace Alaska 3:30 3:30 History of the 6:00 4:00 Club Suzie 3:30 Rummy West with Al 3:30 Roundtable

3:30 Wits End St. Patrick’s Day with Fred Full Moon Hangman 6:30 Bible Study 6:00 Coloring with Party with live Tonight 6:00 Poker Night with Marie Allison Irish 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 1:00 Coloring 10:00 10:00 The Good Salon is Open Salon is Open Salon is Open 10:00 with Diane Horseshoes Old Days with 10:00 10:00 Morning Walk 10:00 Coffee Klatch Charlotte & Crafts with Penelope and Exercises Bible Reading 11:00 Morning Michelle 10:30 2:30 Walk & Exercise 11:00 Skin Care and Gethsemani 11:15 11:00 Lunch at the Make-up with Paws to Love Senior Center 2:00 Bingo Youth Group 2:00 Popcorn Wii Bowling Brenda 11:00 Morning 2:00 1:30 Bingo with Visit Classic: 1:30 Walk & Exercises Shopping local Grace 1:30 Bingo with Bingo with June 4:00 Club Suzie 3:30 3:30 3:30 History of the Grace 6:00 3:30 West with Al Roundtable Word Search Dealer’s Choice 3:30 Wits End 6:00 Coloring with Table Topics with Fred

Happy Birthday Spring Equinox 6:30 Bible Study Allison Kathy! 6:00 Poker Night with Marie Happy Birthday Jeff! 6:00 Poker Night 26 27 28 29 30 31 1:00 Coloring 10:00 10:00 Salon is Open Salon is Open Salon is Open with Diane Horseshoes Art Workshop 10:00 10:00 Morning Walk 10:00 Resident and Exercises Boards and Tree Schedule 11:15 Crafts with 2:30 11:00 Morning Wii Bowling Penelope 11:00 Skin Care and 10:30 is Lighthouse Walk & Exercise Make-up with Paws to Love subject Church Service 1:30 2:00 Brenda 11:00 Morning 2:00 Bingo with June 1:30 Bingo with Walk & Exercises to Shopping Walmart Grace Hangman 3:30 3:30 History of the 1:30 Bingo with Change 3:30 4:00 Club Suzie Wits End West with Al Grace Rummy 3:30 6:00 Coloring with 3:30 Travelogue: Brazil 6:00 Poker Night 6:30 Bible Study Allison Ice Cream Social Happy Birthday Al! with Marie Happy Birthday Fred! 6:00 Poker Night