Assisted Living Open House: A New Frasier Door

THE MIRROR
February 2015
Volume 54
February 2015
IN THIS ISSUE:
Open House
Heritage Club
Dining Services
Main Street
Art Class
Happy Days . . .
Reading Buddies
Frasier’s IT System
History Corner
Chicken Coop
Trustee Retreat
Birthdays
AL Rises
Pastoral Care
Art Gallery
Pam Devine
Magnificant Music
Tate Presentation
Thanks-Giving Thanks
Estes Valley History
Healthcare Committee
Wolf: Scholar & Actor
Assisted Living
AL Residents
Pen Pals
Growth in Boulder
Wellness Center
Oppressed Women
Volunteerism
Climate Change
RTD Buses
Movies
Page 1
p. 1
p. 2
p. 3
p. 3
p. 4
p. 4
p. 4
p. 5
p. 6
p. 6
p. 7
p. 8
p. 9
p. 9
p. 10
p. 10
p. 10
p. 11
p. 11
p. 12
p. 12
p. 13
p. 14
p. 14
p. 15
p. 15
p. 16
p. 16
p. 17
p. 17
p. 18
p. 20
Assisted Living Open House:
A New Frasier Door Opens
T
he elevator door slid silently open. The occupants stared in disbelief. Then they stepped into an immense circulating mass of people
such as never before seen at a Frasier event. It seemed as though half of
Boulder had come to experience our new Assisted Living and Memory
Care residences. Publicity, including a full-page advertisement had
done its work. The crowd seemed to be a mix of faces never seen before,
waiting list folks, and Frasier residents.
People gathered most intensely in the semicircular meeting space with
its new free-standing fireplace. There Tim Johnson recognized those
most deeply involved in this new creation—staff, designers, architects,
and the Pickard contractors who did such fine work bringing the project on time to completion.
In the four or five days before the Open House, the whole facility had
been staged with pictures on the walls, furniture in the public areas,
and live plants strategically placed. A large display of cut flowers on a
designer table greeted those arriving at the south entrance. Food tables
laden with sumptuous and hugely varied edibles appeared at every turn.
The crowd thinned out as guests distributed themselves down the halls
where the as yet empty apartments were. Some visitors talking with staff
were heard to say that a few of the apartments seemed quite small. The
answer was that the programs and public areas offered for the AL residents were to be so engaging that few people will want to hole up in
their apartments watching daytime television.
Here are some images encountered during the open house.
 Maggie Vall ensconced by the small fireplace enjoying the fire and
greeting those who passed by.
(Continued on page 2)
THE MIRROR
February 2015
(Continued from page 1)
 Tim Moreau, Supervisor






of Pinkard Construction, wandering unostentatiously through the
crowd, studying his handiwork.
Kym Hensler and Isabelle Kessler, AL leaders, statuesque in unusually stylish dark
dresses, enjoying telling their plans for the
future of Assisted Living.
A decorative silver shoe on a hall table that
one couldn’t resist picking up.
Architects of the project, Paul Trementozzi
and Jami Mohlenkamp, anonymous, standing
in Memory Care, happy with their work and
ready to talk with those interested in their
story. And ready also to assure listeners that
the extensive gardens and walkways that are
planned will be started as soon as springtime
permits.
Barbara Perault of restricted vision and infinite patience, also sitting by the fireplace—
saying that her new life here was going to be
“gorgeous, amazing.” And that it will be good
for her fellow residents to be all together
again.
Bob Ritzen’s dedicatory prayer asking for a
place of strong community—where each resident and family member will feel welcomed
and fulfilled.
Overheard expressions of surprise at how
large, open and bright the common areas
are—that the place is so attractive that the
usual feeling that Assisted Living will be a
step down will be much abated. “This is the
Cadillac,” said one visitor.
Finally, a bit of a surprise. The two architects
told this reporter about a space in Memory Care
that faces south. The outside wall is mostly glass
and the inside wall traditional Colorado sandstone. They call it a Sun Room. I asked if it
would have plants in it. “Yes” was the answer.
“Lots of plants?” I persisted. “Why not,” they
said. And I wondered to myself, “Maybe a potting
table too so Independent Living residents could
volunteer to help the plants thrive.”
Kevin Bunnell
Page 2
Frasier’s Heritage Club
G
iving is part of the heritage of Frasier.
Frasier is always touched by the generosity of our residents and community members.
The Heritage Club was established over 25
years ago to honor those who have taken the
special step of naming Frasier in their estate
plans or who have created other types of gifts
through thoughtful planning (no specific dollar amount is required). In the last few years,
the Heritage Club was expanded to include donors with accumulated gifts of $25,000 or more
and past presidents of the Board of Trustees
because of their gift of time to Frasier.
Through the generosity of our Heritage Club
donors, scholarship programs have been established, funds have been directed to our Resident Assistance Fund, our Chaplaincy Endowment Fund was created, and other significant
improvements have been made possible by these
legacies. During this fiscal year, we have received two unrestricted Charitable Gift Annuities and a distribution from a life insurance
policy. We were informed also that we were
named in a bequest.
We invite you to join Frasier’s Heritage Club
in one of the following ways:
 Make a bequest to Frasier Meadows Retirement Community in your will or revocable
trust;
 Make Frasier Meadows Retirement Community a beneficiary of an IRA or other retirement plan;
 Make Frasier Meadows Retirement Community a remainder beneficiary of a charitable
remainder trust;
 Establish a charitable lead trust designating
the charitable distribution to Frasier Meadows
Retirement Community;
 Make Frasier Meadows Retirement Community the owner of a paid-up life insurance poli-
(Continued on page 7)
THE MIRROR
February 2015
Page 3
The View from
Main (Street)
by Jim Wolf
V
alentine’s Day will come early at Frasier!
Our chefs are planning another gourmet
dinner for us on Friday, Feb. 13 from 5 to 7
p.m. in the dining room. The cost will be $25,
and the special menu is already posted in various places. The next festive meal will be a
Mardi Gras Buffet on Tuesday, Feb. 17, with
very interesting items featured. (The regular
menu will also be available that evening.)
Dining Services will host a Food Forum on
Wednesday, Feb. 18 at 3:00 in the assembly
room. This is a good way to get information,
make your comments known, and sometimes to
sample new food items!
You have probably noticed some new faces in
our wait staff, a turnover that happens regularly with our young employees. They number
about 26 part-time and full-time staff, with
roughly 75 percent enrolled in a college and 25
percent in high school. They work 3 or 3-1/2hour shifts, which allows time for their studies, too. When asked where Frasier finds these
wonderful young people, Mike Lacopo said
that many find out about employment from
others already working here. Did you know
that right now we have two pairs who are
brother and sister? Frasier also advertises on
the notice boards at CU, on Craig’s List, and
with Indeed.
Our four lead servers train the new staff, and
training may take from several days to two
weeks, depending on the person’s previous experience in restaurants. Frasier tries to be
flexible in scheduling work during important
school time, like exams, graduation, or —>>
I
t was difficult to give up our house of 45
years and move to Frasier. Our children
were brought up there, we added a carport, a
solarium, insulated the walls, put in a sprinkler system, and the last thing was to landscape
the front and backyards. But with me almost
80 and my wife almost 75, it was time to follow
through on the deposit we made six years before. So, we did it, and we don’t have to worry
about snow shoveling, grass mowing, Excel,
Comcast and CenturyLink bills.
Frasier takes care of everything: of course it’s
included in the monthly bill. In fact once here
we found a self-contained community; a place
where it is mostly unnecessary to go out, and
that insular environment is both comforting
and discomforting. Comforting for all the
above reasons, but discomforting for the same
reasons. Once here, we have new friends, but
our social world beyond Frasier shrank. The
urge to go to CU or Boulder community functions has been diminished. Going out at night
takes willpower. Our old life is an old life.
Our new life is fulfilling and enjoyable, but I
must admit, there is a void.
prom night, when we have buffet meals in the
dining room. Many of our servers continue to
work on holidays or in the summer, which
provides very nice continuity for our residents.
We are fortunate to have such capable, cheerful, and patient young people to help make our
meals at Frasier so enjoyable!
THE MIRROR
February 2015
February Art Class
A
few years ago Frasier artists enjoyed several clay sculpture classes taught by our
art professor, John Wilson. The good news is
another clay class started on January 27 at
10:00 a.m. in the art room. This time the class
will be taught by Marilyn Russell and Linda
Keschl. Students will be sculpting the head of
a live model using red clay, and the pieces will
later be fired in the Frasier kiln. This will be
a two-hour class and run for ten weeks. People
who wish to paint or draw the model are also
welcome. It should be a delightful experience!
Page 4
Happy Days Are
Here Again……
H
appy Hour is back up and running! The
holidays created a glitch in our smoothrunning operation by falling on Thursdays.
We meet in the club room (opposite the dining
room, next to the stairs ) at 3:45 each Thursday
afternoon.
Janet Grenda
Reading Buddies (ESL)
We usually have music; we often have guests
from various Frasier departments or the administration; we sometimes discuss a topic that
relates to our common experience or to a current hot happening. Bring your libation of
choice and a snack to share (optional). We always have nibbles of some sort on hand.
Alice Cruz gets some help with her English
reading skills from Alicelee Ewan. Alice is
one of half a dozen students at Manhattan
Middle School on the other side of the Foothills Parkway who come to Frasier weekly for
one-on-one coaching and encouragement by
Frasier residents.
We especially invite new people to give us a
try. It’s a great way to get acquainted in an informal, welcoming setting.
Hope to see all of you, oldies and newbies…..
Trish Judd
THE MIRROR
Page 5
February 2015
What Frasier’s IT System Does for Us
I
f you stroll Frasier’s garden level, next door
to the Clothes Closet you’ll discover a sign
that says Bob Avenue, which refers to two
Bobs, Spohn and Lang, who make up twothirds of Frasier’s IT department. The third
man is Jerry Frohlich. Bob Lang deals with
hardware; Jerry Frohlich deals with software;
and Bob Spohn plans and buys. Oh, and he
runs the place.
The three men keep Frasier’s network of computers and software in good shape. The computers track the myriad accounting numbers
necessary to Frasier’s smooth financial operation; they track dining rooms sales; and they
keep up with physical therapy, including electronic medical records. Frasier has twelve
servers to run the software programs, plus
backups that work at night. Other servers store
resident data, and still others control all users
and computers on the Frasier network. Spohn
says their records and services—like the running total of our dining room bills—let each
employee do his or her part in serving Frasier’s
residents. They make our lives easier.
Oddly, Frasier’s IT section is not paid to provide actual resident services. That help is
something the IT people do if and when they
have time after performing their full-time
jobs. They’re paid to keep the internal email
network, our fobs, and the security cameras in
working order. They keep the 25 wireless access points working order so that we can use
our wifi devices such as laptop computers,
smart phone, and tablets in all public spaces.
There are a dozen security cameras and 320
employees in the network plus 120-130 desk
and laptop PCs. The data sent to and from
these PCs goes through 15 network switches
located in eight closets throughout the campus.
—->>
In Loving Memory
Carlen Penfold
Born . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dec. 26, 1916
Entered FMR.C. . . . . . . . . Nov. 06, 2002
Died . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dec. 29, 2014
Bob Kube
Born . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 22, 1919
Entered FMR.C. . . . . . . . . Nov. 07, 2004
Died . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jan. 04, 2015
Angels Explained By Children
Some of the angels are in charge
of helping heal sick animals and pets.
And if they don't make the animals get
better, they help the child get over it.
-Vicki, age 8
The amount of technical data Bob commands
and the number of apparatuses he must keep
in working order are astonishing. Such technical work, I think, must feel a bit robotic.
But when I ask what he likes most about the
job, his voice warms with a new enthusiasm.
“The people,” he says. “Frasier has such great
people.”
Nancy Tilly
THE MIRROR
Page 6
February 2015
Renovating Central II
M
uch of Frasier’s interior that current
residents take for granted stems from the
large-scale make over of Central in the
1990’s. The changes range in scale from the
shelves placed just outside the doors of the
apartments to the repositioning of a number of
resident related facilities from the garden level
to the main floor. They reflected the gradual
concern of Frasier with the amenities of Manor
living as well as the original basics of “room
and board.”
Especially noteworthy was the move to improve
the looks of the public areas in the original
Central building, a concern expressed by both
residents and the marketing office. The Resident Council created a Public Areas Committee
to take up such matters. Of special concern
were interior walls and the art hanging there.
These interior renovations represented a significant phase of Frasier’s history in that the view
of daily life expanded beyond eating and sleeping and religious activities in the Chapel. New
meeting rooms for residential use were added,
and organized space for cars was provided for
the first time. The courtyards, north and
south, came to be thought of as valuable outdoor space that could be used to enrich the lives
of residents.
Frasier Meadows as a community of the elderly
was “growing up.”
Chicken Coop
In the pre-1990 years such decorations
were actually frowned upon and decisions were
made by the residents to prohibit them. By the
1990’s attitudes had changed. New residents
took the initiative and hung pictures on their
own, to which others objected. There was
much debate over just what should be hung
where; themes evolved for different art on different walls. Soon Lynn Foley, who administered the admissions program and was concerned with the appearance with regard to prospective residents, became an advisor to the
committee, and before long no decorations were
made without her consent. Foley took a special
interest in furnishings and combed the secThis chicken coop being built by Charlie Aumiller
ond-hand stores of nearby towns, thereby
in the Frasier workshop will provide a point of
sprucing up Frasier’s interior to a marked
degree. Frasier’s interior decorations are one interest in the Memory Care garden—and perhaps
some eggs for the kitchen as well.
of her legacies to the Manor.
THE MIRROR
February 2015
Page 7
Trustees Annual Retreat
Tim Johnson, CEO
As you may know, the Frasier Board of Trustees held their annual Retreat this past weekend. We accomplished a lot in two very energetic and exciting days. There were several issues that were addressed: the acceptance of the
Frasier Facilities Master Plan, a review of the
current Strategic Plan, and an examination of
the role and function of the Board of Trustees
in a nonprofit organization.
The Board of Trustees accepted the Master
Plan that has been presented to residents and
the public during the past year. The Board
approved moving forward with the development of an architectural design and a market
assessment for a new 72-apartment Independent Living building, an arts and education center, and a wellness center and clinic. The
Board authorized staff to develop a Request for
Proposals (RFP). The proposals will be due by
early summer.
We will be issuing two RFPs—one from architectural firms and one from marketing firms.
The architectural proposals will provide us
with completed designs. The marketing proposals will help us understand the anticipated
wants and needs of future residents through
the use of market assessments and consumer
research. We will also assess the current residents’ thoughts about the building project.
This information will allow us to determine
whether the project is well designed, functional
and attractive to current and future residents.
The Board also reviewed the Strategic Plan Initiatives and Goals that were approved in 2012.
The Board agreed to continue to refine the
Strategic Plan and review several goals and
priorities.
Finally, the Board stepped back to review the
many roles and responsibilities of a nonprofit
Board, including fiscal oversight, regulatory
compliance, accountability and leadership.
The Board members appreciated the opportunity to examine the various components of governance and talk about how to best frame and
address the opportunities and challenges that
organizations face.
I will certainly keep you appraised of the results of the Request for Proposals as we move
forward with the Master Plan. We will be
holding meetings to keep you informed as we
move through this process. In the meantime,
please do not hesitate to contact me if you have
questions.
(Continued from page 2)
cy or the beneficiary of a life insurance policy;
 Make accumulated gifts to Frasier Meadows
Retirement Community of at least $25,000.
If you have named Frasier in your will or made
another planned gift arrangement, please share
this information with me so we can honor your
gift correctly. Our Donor Dinner will be in
March, so we would like to include you in the
event. For more information about the Heritage Club or other opportunities to give, please
call me at 720-562-4322.
Kathy Pollicita
Vice President for Mission Advancement
THE MIRROR
February 2015
Page 8
Biblical information, allegedly written by
schoolchildren on examinations.
David was a hebrew king who was skilled at
playing the liar. he fought the finkelsteins, a
race of people who lived in biblical times.
THE MIRROR Monthly news of Frasier
Meadows Retirement Community, Boulder,
CO, is published by residents to provide
in-house news and general information for
residents and future.
February Birthdays
INDEPENDENT LIVING
Michael Yanowitch ......... 2.01
Margaret Baker ................ 2.07
Ted Walker ........................ 2.08
Joan Peters ......................... 2.14
Joyce Leiper ....................... 2.16
Bill Bradley ....................... 2.22
Janet Klemperer ................ 2.23
Gail Rowe .......................... 2.23
Inge Sargent ....................... 2.23
Anne Fisher ....................... 2.24
Richard Roth ..................... 2.24
ASSISTED LIVING
Marjory Hellebust ............ 2.11
Roberta Nalley ................... 2.17
Lloyd Hansen ................... 2.19
PUBLISHER
CO-EDITOR
CO-EDITOR
PROOF READERS:
John Tracy
REPORTERS:
Louise Bradley
Laura Fischer
Tricia Judd
Margaret Picher
PHOTOGRAPHERS:
Al LeBlang
COLUMNISTS:
DISTRIBUTION:
John Harris
JoAnn Joselyn
Pete Palmer
Phil Waggener
Kevin Bunnell
Ted Grenda
Janet Klemperer
Nancy Tilly
Phil Waggener
THE MIRROR
Page 9
February 2015
Assisted Living Rises!
by Kevin Bunnell
T
he big news for Assisted Living was the
mass gathering for the Grand Opening of
the new quarters and the actual move-in. It
was a heady time for staff, AL residents, and
all of the rest of Frasier folks.
The moving-in skids were greased by assigning
a Concierge to each person transferring to new
AL quarters. The Concierge helped with planning for the move, packing, and coordinating
the actual move. At the other end of the line
were Home Base Teams who helped prepare
the apartments. In addition, to encompass the
new arrivals with open arms.
There was some concern about settling in to
new surroundings. Those who have owned puppies know that before they can jump into a new
bed they have to sniff and turn around five or
six times before settling in comfortably. So
with humans—it takes us a while to find our
way around a new place and to feel this is
where we belong. The AL staff will be on hand
at all times to hear requests for changes or additions or items for greater comfort. Very soon
all the new residents will be strolling the halls
and common areas saying, “This is HOME.”
An impromptu visit to Assisted Living on the
first move-in day revealed a place throbbing
with action. Staff offices were occupied, Volunteer Ed Putzier was at his reception desk by
the east door. Dining room tables were fully
set, and apartments for the first arrivals, Barbara Perrault and Mary Sorgel from Golden
West, were awaiting their imminent presence.
Donna Head stood in the doorway of the kitch-
en, catching her breath from preparing to
serve the first supper in the temporary dining
rooms. She added that she was also preparing
a celebratory supper for eight guests in a separate small dining room.
Donna also clarified how the new kitchen
will function. It is larger and better equipped
than the second floor kitchen by the main
dining room. However, the AL kitchen is
short on smooth areas for cutting, chopping,
and other raw food preparation. Hence, that
work will be done upstairs and all the rest of
food preparation will be done in Assisted Living. All the meals will be served at table.
The next Assisted Living Resident Council
meeting will be on Thursday, February 6th at
10:00 in the AL living room.
Pastoral Care News
Lent begins on Wednesday, February 18th. Lent
is the season of reflection when we examine our
own faith as well as Journey with Jesus to Jerusalem, from the cross to Easter morning.
Here are some important dates for the Lenten
season:
th
 February 18 , Ash Wednesday. Drop-in
times for the Imposition of Ashes: 2:00-2:30
p.m. in the Chapel, 2:40 in Health Care, 3:00
in Assisted Living.
 Five Sundays in Lent: “Things to Let Go.”
Each week will cover a topic, includingDespair, Self-centeredness, Anxiety, Seclusion,
and Impatience. At 3:30 in HCC, 4:30 in the
Chapel beginning Sunday, February 22nd.
THE MIRROR
Y
February 2015
Frasier Art Gallery
ou are in for a surprise when you visit our
art gallery this month. The new show exhibits a series of unique archival digital prints
that are beautifully matted and framed. This
collection of fourteen prints by David Silver is
titled “Intimate Glimpses.” Dr. Silver is a Boulder resident and an Emergency Medicine physician and public health consultant.
The photography reception will be February 1st
from 2-4 in the gallery and club room. Mark
Miller, who plays the saxophone and flute, will
provide special music. Each photograph in the
exhibit appears as a mystical reflection of nature
and a connection with our environment. David
Silver tells us that he enjoys playing hide-andseek in reverse by letting his subjects find him.
Where earth, water and sky meet is a place he
chooses to play the game. Dr. Silver has said that
for him photography is a deeply gratifying and
personal practice that helps bring him into focus. He explains that he looks for the play of
changing reflections and light that reveal the
nature of forms. Silver points out that our perception tends to involve seeing, hearing and feeling but that through these unusual photographs
he hopes we might also experience Being. Every
one of these striking prints truly gives us an intimate glimpse into the mystery of nature. Several
of the prints have been created in Colorado; others originated in California, Utah, Florida and
Vancouver Island in Canada. A lovely version of
Walden Pond called “Formation” hangs next to
“Undercurrent” from Boulder Creek. “Cosmic “1”
and “Gestation” are two interesting abstract compositions from Port Lobos, California.
Enjoy spending extra time relaxing in the gallery as you contemplate this remarkable art. Also remember that Dr. Silver will present an informal discussion in the gallery on February
20th at 3 p.m. The presentation will center
around photography as a contemplative practice,
and practice techniques will be shared.
Janet Grenda
Page 10
Pam Devine retiring as Director
of the Health Care Center
P
am Devine’s final report to the January
Resident Council included the following:
“As I leave Frasier after nearly 14 years, I
thank you all for the opportunity I have had to
serve and contribute. It
has been an amazing experience to be part of such an
incredible team and to be
known in the community
as “The Facility of Choice.”
Thank you.
Pam was honored at a
farewell reception on Friday January 30th.
Music Professors Perform Engaging
Music on Magnificent Instruments
Erika Eckert with her viola made in Rome in
1757 performs at a Sunday evening concert at
Frasier accompanied by Margaret McDonald
on our impeccable 1914 Geneva Percival
Piano.
THE MIRROR
Page 11
February 2015
Penfield Tate’s M.L.K. Day Presentation
O
n the evening of Martin Luther King
Day, Frasierites filled the fourth floor
assembly room to honor Dr. King and hear a
talk by Penfield W.
Tate III. It would
be difficult to think
of a more appropriate speaker than
Penn, a former
elected member
from Denver to the
Colorado House of
Representatives and
the Colorado Senate.
Currently a partner
in the law firm of
Greenberg Tausig,
he has served in many political advisory positions as well as such boards as the State Banking Board, the Housing and Finance Authority, the CSU Board of Governors and the Denver Board of Water Commissioners. Well
known for his participation on the Channel 12
current affairs program “Colorado Inside Out,”
Penn Tate has followed his father, former
Boulder mayor Penfield Tate II into a career
of public and community service. His talk, illustrated by a variety of film clips and pertinent quotations, focused on the accomplishments of President Obama’s first six years. He
commented on the lack of respect for the office
and the man that has surfaced in recent years,
and bemoaned the shift beginning in the
Reagan presidency from a national sense of
community to a centering on the individual.
The second half of his presentation looked at
the current state of race relations with particular emphasis on the Ferguson, Cleveland, and
Staten Island killings of unarmed African
Americans, and the lack of Grand Jury indictments of the relevant police officers. Penn
Tate’s presentation, while not centered on
Martin Luther King’s life, illustrated to the
audience how many more mountains our nation must climb to reach an equitable society.
Jim Wolf
Thanks-Giving Thanks
Accounts receivable administrator Dola Klein presents Dick
Leupold, president of the Resident Council, with a booklet of
notes written by Frasier employees expressing their appreciation for the annual ThanksGiving distribution of cash
gifts from residents. The booklet can be viewed on the counter
at the east end of the library.
THE MIRROR
February 2015
The History of the Estes Valley
In Time: The History of the Estes
T racks
Valley as illustrated and narrated by Derek
Fortini, Director and Curator of The Estes
Park Museum, was the January 8 Kaleidoscope
Program.
Joel Estes, his wife Patsy, and family homesteaded in this beautiful mountain bordered
valley in 1859. Although they stayed only a few
years before moving on to New Mexico, the area
retained the family name, Estes Park. Derek
Fortini’s program touched upon the physical
and natural history of the area, from the mountain foundation 70 million years ago through
fires and flood to the present. He also discussed
the human history of Estes Park: Paleo Indians to current residents and tourists who now
enjoy the valley. By the time Europeans arrived in Estes no mountain buffalo remained
and no Native Americans frequented the park.
Game drive walls, stone chips, tepee rings and,
stone tools provide evidence of earlier Indian
occupation by Arapahoe, Ute and other tribes
who used the park seasonally. Today, contemporary maps carrying Indian names for trails
and mountains honor that history. Trappers,
gold seekers and mappers came and went. Then
more homesteaders, including some adventurous single women, staked claims in the valley. Logging, cattle ranching and crop agriculture were basic, but tourism was also a part of
the Estes Park economy from the very beginning. Outsiders have always been drawn to the
breathtaking beauty and healthful clear air of
this mountain valley. Using tales and images
our speaker introduced us to some of the colorful individuals of Estes Park’s past, including
John Wesley Powell, Isabella Bird, Lord Dunraven, Enos Mills, F.O. Stanley, and Stephen
Long. It is impossible to encapsulate all of Estes Park’s storied history in a single hour, but
Derek did as fine a job as anyone could.
Louise Bradley
Page 12
New Frasier Healthcare
Delivery Committee
I
n the early Fall of 2014 the Frasier Board
voted to initiate a new Board Committee entitled the "Healthcare Delivery Committee."
Beth Fischer Reasoner, Co-Chair of the Board,
has been appointed as the committee chair and
is thrilled to have the opportunity to share her
health care quality experience through collaboration with the extensive Frasier leadership
participating on the committee. Ellen Cotts,
Resident Board Trustee, brings the voice of residents to the committee, and Dr. Bob Mehler,
Board Trustee, brings his valuable clinical
perspective to the committee based on his years
of practice as an internist in Boulder.
The committee charter approved in October
2014, and explains the Healthcare Delivery
Committee's purpose to support Frasier's commitment to providing safe, high-quality
healthcare to all residents throughout the continuum of their residency. The committee will
do this by supporting Board oversight of the
current and ongoing monitoring and improving
of services provided. Ensuring resident health
and wellness while maintaining systems that
prevent harm and/or adverse events is everyone's highest priority.
The initial work of the Board is to understand
the quality measures and improvement efforts
that already exist in Independent Living, Assisted Living, and Healthcare. With time and
the accumulation of shared knowledge the
committee will be working toward setting
benchmarks and goals while using "National
Best Practices" to continue the journey toward
healthcare delivery excellence. Part of this
work will be the establishment of critical
healthcare delivery metrics that can be shared
with the entire Board on a regular basis.
Beth Reasoner
THE MIRROR
February 2015
Page 13
Jim Wolf: Scholar and Actor
H
istorian and occasional actor Jim Wolf
regaled the men’s luncheon last month
with the story of how he came to follow these
disparate paths and the directions they took.
The theatrical urge hit Jim at an early age. In
the 6th grade, for example, as World War II
was raging, he perfected humorous imitations
of the villainous
Axis leaders Hitler, Mussolini,
and Tojo to entertain classmates.
But it was not until he was a junior
at Oberlin College
that he was truly
stage struck. He
got a small part in
the music department’s production
of the comic opera
H.M.S. Pinafore
and, as he put it,
“was hooked for
life.” For the next
two years he took
every acting opportunity he could
find, mostly in
summer stock productions.
work at a radio station and then a small advertising agency in Palo Alto. When that job ended he began frequenting the local library and
reading history once again. History had been a
second choice at Oberlin but he decided the
time had come to put acting aside and prepare
for an academic career as a historian. Beginning with a masters program at San Francisco
State University, he
went on to earn a
Ph.D. at UCLA. In
1968 he joined the
history faculty at
the University of
Colorado Denver
campus. One day
his wife Nurit suggested that he try
out for the Nomad
Theater production
of Fiddler on the
Roof. He did, and to
his surprise and delight got the role of
Tevye. The show
was a success and he
was hooked again,
following it up with
the role of Willie in
Death of a Salesman
on the university
stage in Boulder.
Since then he has
been active in the
After graduating
Boulder
theatrical
Jim (in acting mode) with Rosie Briggs
from Oberlin with a
community and has
in Fiddler On The Roof
degree in history, Jim
appeared in numerous
decided to pursue an
local productions, fortunately including apacting career in earnest. He enrolled in the
pearances in the spring and fall variety shows
Goodman Theatre School in Chicago and conat Frasier since he and Nurit moved in two
tinued to perform in summer theater producyears ago.
tions while supporting himself as a bartender.
Phil Waggener
He moved to San Francisco to act but found
THE MIRROR
Page 14
February 2015
The New Assisted Living
–it belongs to us all
I was recently asked “What is the most important thing you have taken from this last
year and what do you hope to take into the
New Year?” My answer: “In the last year, I
have developed a deeper gratitude for those I
work with (residents, staff, families and volunteers). In the new year, I hope to make sure
they all know it.”
I would like to take this opportunity to
thank everyone who has given his or her
time and their talent to make our house
a home.
Our greeter desk volunteers are intrinsic to
the smooth running of our Assisted Living. Our lobby isn’t bustling just yet, but
they are sticking with us as we gradually pick up steam. Thank you.
Thank you to each person who has donated
materials, including, books, music and
movies. If you have fixed, filed or organized, I thank you. I thank you if you
have kept our residents connected by organizing the delivery of their mail or if
you have donated you time to visiting
members of our displaced Frasier community.
Individuals have shared their skills in cataloging the library, building a chicken
coop and offering to advise us on gardens yet to be. Thank you.
At the risk of omitting any contributor, I
refrain from listing all of your names.
Please know that each of your gifts is
appreciated beyond words. The impact
of all of them taken as a whole is
astounding.
I thank our volunteers from the wider community for their time and talent: the
readers, the artists, and the students.
I thank devoted family members who have
spent enormous amounts of time an-
Assisted Living Residents
Summary of Residents in Assisted Living as
they move into the new facilities (as of
1/23/15). NOTE that the old house A rooms
have been numbered 11xx; house B 12xx;
house C 13xx; and house D 14xx.
Room
1102
1104
1105
1106
1204
1206
1207
1302
1305
1309
Name
Phone
Barbara Perrault
Wil & Lorna Berthal 720-304-3757
Sam Hays
720-562-8066
Robin Powelson
720-562-8147
Mary Sorgel
Len Tulin
Lois Cross
Arik Brissenden
Trudi Pepper
Dulcie Harris
swering my endless questions and helping us to know our new memory care
residents better.
To our Assisted Living staff, thank you all
for you tireless commitment to our residents. I am awed by your commitment to
growth; you are always striving to be the
best you can be.
To Kym Hansler and Jen Turpin, I offer
my deepest gratitude. I have never seen
two people shine by working with their
whole hearts like you. Thank you.
Isabelle Kessler
Assisted Living Enrichment and
Community Life Coordinator
Lexophiles
When the smog lifts in Los Angeles,
U.C.L.A.
THE MIRROR
E
February 2015
Whittier Pen Pals
W.I.S.E. Program
very two weeks letters arrive from Whittier
third graders for Frasier residents Laura
Fisher, Jane Crabtree, Nancy St. Germain, Peg
Skurnik, Betty Hill, Rachel Bender, Jan Pisano, Mary Jane Hall, Louise Bradley, Bruce
Mackenzie, Jan Grenda, Bobbie Harms, Ann
Shaffer, Nancy Nolte, Mary Dickerson, Rose
Rappaport, Lorna Bernthal, Trish Judd, Nancy
Tilly, and Liz Cooper. The letters, carefully
printed into hardback journals, are often accompanied with pencil or crayon illustrations.
We W.I.S.E. partners reply – in our best printing, of course – in the same journals. We answer as best we can questions such as, “What is
it like to be old?” We ask our own questions:
“Do you have pets? Tell me about them.” We
sometimes include a photo.
The W.I.S.E. (Writing Instruction by Seniors
Interested in Education) program is not as
much about instruction by us elders as about
learning together with our pen pals, expanding
our horizons and developing understanding of
another generation. The real goal is to encourage the students to write, to put their thoughts
into words, to think like a writer, and to build
writing stamina.
Craig Yager, a Whittier teacher at the time, initiated the program for his 5th grade students in
1986. This year’s student correspondents are in
3rd grade. All the children in the three third
grades at Whittier and seniors from several
Boulder organizations including Frasier are involved. The hardbound journals, transported by
parent volunteers, are exchanged biweekly. We
look forward to every new letter and anticipate
actually meeting our Pen Pals at their school
next May. Materials from the W.I.S.E. project
will be displayed in Frasier’s display case in
early February.
Louise Bradley
Page 15
The Challenge of Growth in Boulder
On January 21 we had the privilege of a conversation with Jane Brautigan, Boulder City
Manager, at our monthly Lyceum program.
Boulder has a long history of leadership on
growth issues. Beginning in 1928, it was one of
the first cities to apply the idea of zoning to
control development within the city limits. In
the late 1960’s, we were the first city to tax ourselves to purchase and preserve surrounding
open space and to limit sprawl. Now we are
facing the consequences of those actions.
New development of high-density housing, including a serious component of affordable
units, institutions such as re-location of medical facilities, and commercial business buildings such as Google have to be wisely evaluated. Space is limited. Affordable housing for
workers is needed. Fifty-nine percent of our
workforce of slightly more than 100,000 workers are commuters; many are critical to a functioning city such as fire, police and medical
personnel. City ordinances, even with exemptions, restrict building heights to 55 feet.
The city is working toward a goal of 10%
(roughly 4,500) of affordable housing units – a
drop in the bucket, but still important. Funding is obtained from development fees, federal
and state funds and private investors; Boulder
Housing Partners are major players. Major
new buildings, such as the complex at Depot
Square and the former Daily Camera building,
must include affordable housing or space for
entrepreneurial start-ups.
Growth pressures are not going to go away, but
we understand a lot more clearly how the city
staff works to make the best of the conflicting
challenges that Boulder represents.
Pete Palmer
THE MIRROR
T
February 2015
Wellness Center News
he Wellness Center is pleased to introduce
two interns from CU-Boulder. They will
be learning with us for the Spring 2015 semester. They are both majoring in Integrative
Physiology. Julie Compton is a sophomore
from Lakewood, Colorado. She thought that it
would be a great opportunity to explore work-
Julie
Sophia
ing with seniors as a possible career choice.
Currently, she is working Monday, Wednesday
and Friday in the mornings. Sophia Nem is a
senior, originally from Rhode Island, but has
lived in Longmont since she was 10. Sophia
was anxious to try something out of her comfort zone – like teaching the circuit class and
assisting with the balance classes. She wants to
attend graduate school after graduation. She
works with us various hours, Monday - Friday.
The February Wellness events include the
Wellness hikes: Wednesday, February 4th,
Boulder Creek Path and Wednesday, Feb 11th,
a snowshoe trip. On Wednesday, February
11th, Whitney Garcia McCain will be speaking
at the Wellness Bites about muscle loss in the
Grille at 2:30 p.m. The Wellness Movie this
month will be in the Assembly Room at 7:00
p.m. on February 24th: "Still Mine." If you
would like to see the trailer for the movie, you
can access it on www.youtube.com; search on
Still Mine trailer.
Charlotte Baker
Page 16
Raising Awareness of
Oppressed Women
I
n 2009, Jean Gore and a group of Frasier
residents, after reading about the cruel oppression, rape and slavery of women world
wide, weighed what could be done to help.
They started an impressive group, Women to
Women, later changing their name to an appropriate People To People. The mission of
the group was “To unite women at FMRC to
assist women in their struggle to escape oppression and better realize their full potential by
turning oppression into opportunity.” The
February meeting was also a fundraising event
for The Fistula Foundation, enablers of corrective obstetric surgery. In many parts of under-developed countries especially in Africa,
villagers who have been treated by the Fistula
Society have started creative business programs, making and selling beautiful arts and
crafts. Guest speaker Merlyn C. Holmes, who
manages communications for the Graduate
School at CU Boulder, believes dance can
“desist” inhuman treatment. She gracefully
demonstrated an Aikido dance with her son
Landryk at the end of her talk. She is working
with the Boulder Valley Schools, the City of
Boulder, and CU to support a global universal
observance of a peace-making party on February 14th. It will conclude with a free Pearl
Street celebration “Dance Baby Dance.” This
is part of the important One Billion Rising
Revolution for mutilated women and girls.
Unfortunately, statistics show that one in 3
women on the planet are beaten or raped in
their lifetime.
As contributions were collected for the Fistula
Society, we took a deep breath, as we thanked
People to People and thanked Merlyn Holmes
for her fascinating talk and life-long work.
Laura Fischer
THE MIRROR
Page 17
February 2015
A voice for volunteerism
The Joy and Exuberance of the Young Folk
T
he purpose of this column is to celebrate
volunteerism in action throughout our
community both within the walls of Frasier
and beyond. This month I would like to call
attention to the many current youth volunteer
projects going on within Frasier. On the afternoon of Saturday, January 17th, the front lobby of Frasier Central was filled with 11 high
school students from throughout the city of
Boulder who were eager to work with Frasier
residents throughout our campus on service
projects in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.
Day through the Youth Opportunities Advisory Board. After a brief orientation to our community, the students jumped right in to work,
writing letters of gratitude to members of the
armed services; creating bags filled with art
supplies for children living at the local
Safehouse; and assembling sack meals to be delivered by staff and volunteers of the Homeless
Shelter outreach program. All of these projects
involved working side by side with residents,
ensuring that participation by all was meaningful and rich.
Also, every Friday morning since the beginning of October, we have been visited by seventeen 7th and 8th graders from Horizons K-8
School (on the other side of Mtn. View
Church) who walk over and do anything that
needs to be done from leading a Zumba dance
class in HCC, to gathering and cataloging seeds
from the kitchen garden. Their service will
continue until the end of the school year!
Finally, our Frasier residents give back to the
youth in our community through the ESL
(English as a Second Language) reading program in collaboration with children from
Manhattan Middle School on the other side of
Foothills Parkway, as well as the Whittier Elementary School 3rd grade Project WISE
journal exchange (read more about this in
Louise Bradley’s article in this issue). We are
looking forward to the continuation of the
“Music and Me” program with babies and toddlers in our Assisted Living later this winter.
It is wonderful to share our strength and wisdom with the young people in Boulder. Thank
you for making Frasier such an inviting place
to live, work and volunteer.
Molly Briggs
Climate Change at the Forefront
T
he February 28 Sustainability Seminar
and the March 18 Lyceum program will
both be bringing us knowledgeable thinkers
about the issue of climate change. In February, the Sustainability Seminar will be:
“Dealing with the Risks and Uncertainties of
Climate Change” presented by Robert Repetto,
Senior Fellow, Energy and Climate Programs
of the United Nations Foundation, and Robert
Easton, Professor Emeritus from the Department of Applied Mathematics at the University of Colorado. The March program will be
Jim White, Director of the Institute of Arctic
and Alpine Research at the University of Colorado, speaking on “Climate Change and you:
what everyone should know.” By springtime,
we should be well educated about the looming
challenges of our changing climate. Plan
ahead!
Pete Palmer
THE MIRROR
February 2015
Page 18
Oh, The Places You’ll Go
On an RTD Bus
W
inter blahs got you down? Want to
stretch your wings when the snow and
ice end?
street to the gently sloping walkway up to the
traffic light. Cross South Boulder Road to the
Park and Ride and voila!
Did you know that you can step outside Frasier Meadows’ doors and go anywhere in Boulder, and many places beyond, on an RTD bus?
Start here at Frasier Meadows on the #209, or
the #225 at Baseline, and branch out to Boulder high spots. Go way out to Nederland and
Gold Hill, Lyons, Niwot and Longmont, Denver and Denver International Airport. Here
are some suggestions. Call RTD at 303/2996000 to plan your own trip.
You can go from there west to the Table Mesa
Shopping Center on the DASH and east to
Louisville, and up and down Broadway on the
SKIP. Travel east to Denver International
Airport (AB, ABA, ABX) Union Station in
downtown Denver (BF, BMX, BV, BX), and
the veterans’ hospitals at the Anschutz Medical
Campus (DM) and the Denver VA Medical
Center (DD).
Look outside the main door to the bus stop
directly in front of you on Ponca Place. Bus
#209/209G is your magic carpet to the University of Colorado, going north and circling
through the campus on Colorado Ave., Euclid,
Broadway and Regent Drive.
On Broadway a transfer to Bus #225 takes you
north to the Pearl Street Mall and the RTD
Bus Terminal, two blocks east of Broadway on
Walnut. The SKIP can also be boarded here,
or at the Table Mesa Park and Ride, for trips
up and down Broadway to Boulder city limits.
In Boulder we sometimes SKIP, DASH,
BOLT, BOUND, HOP, or STAMPEDE when
we ride the bus. This is to prove that here we
are athletic, but bus drivers can be accommodating and make things easy for you.
Bus #209/209G also goes south to the Table
Mesa Park and Ride. This stop is directly opposite the South Entrance to Frasier on Sioux
Drive. The Park and Ride is only 4 blocks
away, but the bus can take you there quickly
without effort. Get off at the last stop at Thunderbird Circle, walk half a block, cross the
If you go to Union Station, take the 16th St.
Mall bus, which is free, and go up to the end to
see the Civic Center and Capitol Building, the
Denver Art Museum and the Colorado Historical Society. Boulderites can apply for a library
card at the Denver Library there – and return
the books here in Boulder. Look in at the
Western History Collection at the Library.
The Denver Performing Arts Center is close to
the Union Station end of the Mall.
That’s not enough? Try #225 in Boulder. From
the bus stop at the corner of Baseline and Mohawk Drive go crosstown west on the #225 to
Broadway. The bus turns north to cruise past
the University of Colorado campus and the
shops on the Hill, to stop at Arapahoe for the
Boulder Main Public Library and on Canyon
for the Boulder Municipal Building. The bus
ends up at the RTD Bus Terminal on Walnut.
You can transfer there to routes all over Boulder County. And it’s only a block from the
Pearl Street Mall!
If the five blocks walk to Baseline is too much,
(Continued on page 19)
THE MIRROR
February 2015
(Continued from page 18)
take #209 to Baseline, get a transfer, walk
across to the northwest corner and sit down in
the enclosed shelter to wait for the #225.
There’s something else to do with the #225. Get
off at 30th Street (that’s at the tall CU dormitories called Williams Village). Transfer to the
BOUND going north. At Canyon, just beyond
Home Depot on the west and King Soopers on
the east, get off, cross 30th Street, and there you
are at the Century Theater for a great afternoon at the movies. Don’t forget that the 29th
Street Mall is there, in case you need some retail therapy, to buy some necessary thing, or
have a restaurant meal.
From the Walnut Street Bus Terminal you
can ride up Boulder Canyon to Nederland (N)
to enjoy the mountains and ride the Carousel
of Happiness. Good shops and restaurants too.
In the wintertime the bus travels on to the ski
slopes at Eldora. Schedules allow for wholeday or half-day skiing.
Another trip, not for the faint or the weak of
heart, is the RTD ride up to Gold Hill. Gold
Hill is at 8,300 feet at the top of Left Hand
Canyon. 230 people live in the funky, old town.
Nothing to do or buy, just gorgeous scenery
close at hand. Pack a picnic lunch if you go.
Buses also go to Lyons, Longmont and Niwot.
All interesting spots – bluegrass music in the
summer, book stores, shops and great restaurants. Longmont is big; the other two are very
small, but fun to visit.
Just reverse for the return trips. On the #209
you will want to get off on Sioux Drive and
use the south entrance to Frasier.
What will it cost you? Senior prices each way
are $1.10 for local rides, $2.00 for express
rides to outlying places, and $2.50 for regional
trips, such as to Anschutz and Denver. You
will need exact change for each ride; the bus
Page 19
driver has no change. If you want to transfer,
ask for the transfer when you get on the bus
and make sure that it is punched for the final
stop you want. You may use it for up to three
hours after your first purchase, but not for
your return trip. The cost for the trip to Denver International Airport is $6.50 for seniors
each way. Exact change, please.
You may need identification to prove that you
are a senior. How long is it since you have had
to show your ID? Enjoy the moment!
If you leave your car at a Park and Ride, the
first 24 hours are free. Thereafter, the charge
is $2 for each 24 hours, up to 30 days.
If you need help or information, call Customer
Care at 303/299-6000, or TTD at 303/299-6089.
If you press 1, they will help you plan your individual trip. The Call Centers are open M-F, 6
a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 9
a.m. to 6 p.m.
There are some bus schedules here at Frasier.
Turn left from the main hall by the Gift Shop.
At the left is a hallway where basic schedules
are on the rack.
The online site for schedules and information
is RTD Boulder. If it is confusing, try it once,
go away and come back another day. It will
begin to make sense.
There are buses too for the Buffs’ games, and
the Broncos. They leave from Boulder High
School on game days, running constantly for
several hours before the start of the games.
Buses also go to Chautauqua in the summertime.
Enjoy!
Margaret Picher
THE MIRROR
Page 20
February 2015
Saturday February Movies (7:00 p.m.)
February 7 The Prizewinner of Defiance, Ohio
(2005)
With 10 children to feed, postwar Ohio housewife Evelyn
Ryan (Julianne Moore) has gotten used to being resourceful,
stretching her husband's meager salary to the limit. But
when clipping coupons won't cut it, she's forced to rely on
her creativity. Woody Harrelson and Laura Dern co-star in
this uncommon comedy-drama based on a heartwarming
memoir by Ryan's daughter, Terry, who recounts her mother's knack for winning contests. (Netflix)
February 14
Snow Falling on Cedars
(1999)
When a fisherman is found drowned, suspicion falls on Japanese-American Kazou Miyamoto. Local reporter Ishmael
Chambers may hold the key to proving Miyamoto's innocence, but there's a problem: Chambers is also in love with
Miyamoto's wife. (Netflix)
February 21
Chasing Ice
(2012)
Environmental photographer James Balog deploys timelapse cameras to capture a record of the world's changing
glaciers, compressing years into seconds to illustrate how
these ice mountains are disappearing at a breathtaking rate.
February 28
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Framed for murder, upstanding banker Andy Dufresne begins a new life at Shawshank prison, where he comes to be
admired by the other inmates — including an older prisoner
named Red — for his integrity and unquenchable sense of
hope. (Netflix)