SYLVAN LAKE STAFF STEPS UP

Winter/Spring 2015
SYLVAN LAKE STAFF STEPS UP
Or is it dives in!
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
TEAM MESSAGE
Page 2
RESIDENT PROFILE
Theresa Biberger
Page 3
VOLUNTEER PROFILE
Lis Parkkari
Page 4
DONOR PROFILE
Gerry Maier
Page 5
BETHANY NEWS
Page 6
SUDOKO
Page 7
Bethany Care Society has amazing
staff! Many of these incredible people
are willing to go above and beyond their
job descriptions in the care and support
of our residents. In Sylvan Lake Karrie
Gauvin, Senior Administration Assistant
extraordinaire, is taking this concept to a
whole other level. Karrie is willing to jump
in a frozen lake for Bethany!
For many of us the thought of plunging
into a frozen lake is a mind-boggling
notion but Karrie has willingly agreed to
participate in Sylvan Lake’s annual Polar
Bear Dip on February 14, 2015; raising
money for Bethany Sylvan Lake in the
process.
What’s even more surprising is… Karrie has done the dip before, so she knows
exactly what she’s signed up for!! The Polar Bear Dip is a highlight of Sylvan
Lake’s Winterfest which takes place every year on Family Day Weekend. Dippers
fundraise for local charities in the weeks leading up to the event then actually
jump in the lake in support of their chosen charity. It’s all great fun… to watch!
From Bethany Care Foundation’s perspective, Karrie is a remarkable woman and
we are lucky to have her as part of the Bethany team in Sylvan Lake. If you are
interested in joining us in our support Karrie’s Polar Bear Dip please contact Kay
Parkkari at [email protected] or click the donate button at
www.bethanycarefoundation.ca.
If you happen to be in the Sylvan Lake area around 2:00 in the afternoon on
February 12 please stop by and join us; we’ll be kicking off Family Day in style
and showing our support for Karrie and her Polar Bear Dip!
TEAM MESSAGE
2
We’re almost there! Through the generosity of donors like you, we are very close to achieving
our fundraising goals for Bethany. Thanks to your support, Bethany centres will be able to…
Airdrie:
We are half way to fundraising for the new resident bus, new resident bathing tub, and new furniture.
This year, the Foundation was tasked with raising almost $80,000 for these items and we have raised
approximately $40,000 to date. Anyone wishing to help can contact Joanne at 403.210.4611 or
[email protected]
Thank
you!
Calgary:
Thanks to two generous families, we are now able to purchase new furniture and a new TV for Bethany
Calgary. The CREB Charitable Foundation also made a new tub and bathing system possible. Donors
contributed almost $65,000 this year!
Cochrane:
The Bethany Cochrane Chapel roof will be replaced and new furniture will be purchased. Not only did
donors step up to make these priorities possible, but the family council raised funds for the purchase of 4
blanket warmers!
CollegeSide:
Bethany CollegeSide was able to take another step towards completing the overall landscaping plan this
year. Autumn of 2014 saw the addition of raised garden beds and accessibility pathways at the CollegeSide
site and residents are looking forward to getting their hands dirty come spring.
Didsbury:
As a new site, fundraising at Bethany Didsbury this year was focused on helping to provide electric beds
and overhead lifts, both of which provide residents with an increased level of comfort and safety.
Harvest Hills:
A special thank you to the individual who made the new tub at Bethany Harvest Hills a reality! A single
donor came forward and gave $30,000 for this project – thank you!
Sylvan Lake:
Thanks to our generous donors and a grant from the Community Facility Enhancement Program we are
able to begin the refurbishment of the tubroom. Residents can look forward to enjoying the new tub and
bathing system in the very near future. We are also at the halfway mark in our fundraising for a canopy on
the upper patio which is sure to be a welcome feature come next summer.
SPIRITUAL THOUGHT...
“Trust in your dreams because dreams are passion and in them it is likely you will find your
purpose.”
Author: Unknown
RESIDENT IN PROFILE
A WANDERING SPIRIT
3
Theresa Biberger
Did you know that “wanderer” could be
a person’s official occupation during the
1930s in Germany? That’s exactly what
Theresa Biberger’s father was as he went
from town to town finding work as he
went. With such a tenuous
existence, one tends to
identify priorities and the
message young Theresa
received was “family is
everything”, which is
a belief she still holds
dear today. With early
memories like celebrating
her 14th birthday in a
bunker with 300 English
planes flying overhead
(birthday cake and all
thanks to her parents),
it’s hardly surprising
that Theresa developed
a wandering spirit of her
own.
In 1951, when Theresa was
21, she and her husband
John embarked on an
adventure and immigrated to Canada.
Eventually they settled in Edmonton where
their family grew to include two children.
Later both Theresa and her husband’s
families moved to Canada. In addition to
focusing on her growing family, Theresa
also worked at Woodward’s and later at
The Bay, while her husband worked as a
bricklayer.
About 25 years ago, John had a heart attack
and was diagnosed with cancer shortly
after. They made the decision that Theresa
would quit working so they could spend the
time they had left travelling, fishing, and
being outdoors. “Kananaskis
was our stomping ground”,
says Theresa. Once again,
wandering was an important
part of her life, as she and her
husband made the most of
their last moments together.
Nine years ago, Theresa’s
health started to decline and
she moved into assisted living
in Edmonton. Theresa’s son
Tom suggested she move to
Cochrane to be near him, her
grandchildren and her great
grandsons. She now lives with
us at Bethany Cochrane.
Today, Theresa still possesses
that wandering spirit. She
enjoys being able to get out
and about in the community
and appreciates the resident bus which is
an integral part of keeping her active in
Cochrane. “I have a lot of pain and being
out in the community gives me a mental
break from it; I am so grateful to all those
people who donated so Bethany could buy
our bus”.
Thank you to all of the Cochrane bus
donors who are helping Theresa’s spririt
continue to wander!
VOLUNTEER IN PROFILE
SEVENTY YEARS WITH BETHANY!
4
Lis Parkkari
The legacy of Bethany is one built on faith, shaped
by love and grown from a passion to serve. It was
the Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church who first
considered the idea of a senior citizens’ home when
they started the Society in 1945, at a time when there
was no social assistance, publicly funded health care
or post-secondary education in the province. The
church purchased the old Riley
Estate at the top of the hill where
Bethany Calgary now stands, and in
June 1946 Bethany home opened its
doors with accommodations for 19
‘guests.’
Lis was only eight years old when
the passion to serve was ignited
in her. Her parents were Danish
immigrants, dairy farmers near
Cochrane, and dedicated members
of the Danish Evangelical Lutheran
Church at Sharon. Her family didn't
have much in the way of material
wealth during those years but they
always had a large garden out on
the farm. Lis has fond memories of
going with her family to bring fresh vegetables to the
seniors at the old Riley House, as well as attending
church picnics on the grounds there.
As a child one of the things Lis always wanted was
grandparents, but hers were on the other side of the
world. This planted a seed of affection for seniors that
has influenced her whole life. It wasn’t surprising that
during the course of her nurses training she would be
drawn to working with the elderly. It was in July of
1965 when she received a call from Bethany that they
needed a nurse to come and work, today! “I got the
call, bought a new pair of shoes and showed up for
work”, she says, which is where she remained working
for 32 years.
That passion to serve has remained a central
motivation throughout her life. After her retirement
she returned to Bethany as a volunteer
doing medical escorts and portering.
As a naturally creative person who
always has numerous projects on the
go, when she was asked to take on the
ceramics program at Bethany Calgary
in 2006 it seemed like it would be a
really good fit. “I was approached
by the recreation therapist and asked
to take over the program. I have a
neighbour, Glenda Lenz, who does
ceramic and porcelain art, and she
encouraged and mentored me. I
couldn’t have done it without her”.
Nine years later, Lis still coordinates
the ceramics program at Bethany
Calgary. “Most of the residents have
never done ceramics before and nowadays, our
residents have greater care needs than they did in
the past. How can I retire from volunteering when
I see the joy and sense of accomplishment that this
program brings?”
Lis has been active in recruiting other volunteers for
Bethany and would like to encourage others to come
forward and serve with her, “ I really believe that we
are here for a purpose and that purpose is to serve
and love each other”.
For further information about how to become a volunteer at any of our Bethany
communities, please phone 403-210-4600, email [email protected]
or visit www.bethanyseniors.com, and register online.
DONOR IN PROFILE
FAITH & PHILANTHROPY
5
Gerald Maier
I recently had the pleasure of chatting with
Gerald (Gerry) Maier who has been a committed
supporter of Bethany for over 20 years. However,
it was in 2006 when Gerry really stepped up for
Bethany. Through a stock transfer to the Bethany
Care Foundation, Gerry was able to make a major
contribution that went a long
way in helping to move the All
Saints Chapel from downtown
Cochrane to its new home at
Bethany Cochrane.
At the Foundation, we
recognize that most of our
donors are motivated by a
genuine sense of caring about
people and this holds true for
Gerry as well. When asked
what inspired him to become
involved with Bethany, Gerry
responded, “I knew a lady, a
sister of a good friend, who
had dementia and came to
live at Bethany. Her husband
had passed away several years
before. She met a man who
also lived at Bethany and the two fell for each
other. He was a big fellow, a rancher, and it was
cute to see them walking hand in hand together,
her tiny little hand in his big rancher hand.”
When the opportunity came up to move a local
historical chapel to the Bethany Site, Gerry saw
a chance to make a difference in his community.
In his words, “I liked the fact that the chapel
would be multi-religious, that a person’s faith
wasn’t important, but what was important was
for people to have a place to worship. It was also
my understanding that the church was not being
used and probably doomed to decay, disrepair, or
destruction. To me that was pitiful because Bethany
residents, staff, and the Cochrane community wanted
and asked for a place to meditate and pray. It is very
heart-warming to now see how well it fits in with the
Care Centre, how extremely well it is kept, and how
important it is in the lives of the Bethany residents.
Gerry’s sense of community and
philanthropy is rooted in his
upbringing. Growing up on a farm
in rural southern Saskatchewan in
the 30s and 40s Gerry experienced
a real sense of community where
it was common for neighbours to
help each other. This generosity was
extended to everyone, including the
drifters who would come by and be
welcomed with food and any help
his parents could provide.
His advice to others about giving
is both heartfelt and pragmatic.
“Bottom line is… ensure that
the funds are used intelligently and
that the money goes to people who
really need it and would otherwise
have a tough time.”
On behalf of all of us at the Bethany Care
Foundation, we thank Gerry for his ongoing
support. Because of the generosity of individuals
such as Gerry, we help Bethany provide the comforts
of home for our residents, which in the case of
Bethany Cochrane, also include a special place to
nurture your spirit.
~ Joanne Toller
BETHANY NEWS
Friends,
In April of this year I became President and CEO
of Bethany. It has been an exciting and humbling
time for me. In a year of transition we celebrated
many successes. The opening of Bethany
Didsbury, the lease up of Mikkelsen House, and
favourable audit results to name a few.
However, as you know, these are challenging
times in continuing and long term care. The
continued delivery of safe and quality services to
residents is becoming more dependent on donors
like you. It is through the thorough commitment
and dedication of people like you that we will be
able to continue to provide treasured services like
pastoral care and specialized end of life care.
Looking forward, we will continue to work with
government, partners and stakeholders to address
the issues in the continuing care system and
work towards the necessary improvements. As
we prepare to celebrate Christmas, we keep those
who may be less fortunate in our prayers. I wish
you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas and
all the blessings of the season.
Jennifer McCue
President & Chief Executive Officer
Bethany Care Society
6
SUDOKO
How to play sudoku.
7
The objective is to fill a 9x9 grid so that each column, each row, and each of the nine 3x3 boxes (also called
blocks or regions) contains the digits from 1 to 9. A cell is the smallest block in the game. A row , column and
region consists of 9 cells and the whole game consists of 81 cells.
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