United Presbyterian Home news

The Book Club met Wednesday in the Campbell Room. Those attending, wearing masks and social distancing, were Marcia Wilson, Mary Temple, Kitch Schatzer, Esther Bordwell, and Carol Ray. The group was saddened by the recent passing of member, Margaret Stangohr. Marcia Wilson was the discussion leader for the book, The Library Book by Susan Orlean. Everyone shared early memories of going to the library - these memories were powerfully clear and fun to hear. The book describes the Los Angeles Public Library in California. It centers around a fire that was deliberately set on April 29, 1986. The arsonist was never prosecuted and the chief suspect is profiled in the book. Orlean goes back and forth in time to describe the early years of the library, the various and very interesting directors, the current building and all the things that go on in libraries today. Though some found this a bit tedious, others found it fascinating. This led to a lively discussion. The next meeting will be November 25; the book is A Warrior for Her People which describes the first Native American doctor who was a woman.

Decorated pumpkins adorned the shelf on the Parlor Porch last week as residents and employees used their creative talents to decorate the squash in Halloween tradition. One squash on top of another squash was sporting a giant spider and snake; another pumpkin was carved in team spirit by an obvious Cubs fan. Still another one was painted with the United Presbyterian Home logo and one was a green monster. What fun.

It was definitely a scary COVID-19 Halloween but that did not stop day care kids from dressing in costume to parade up and down the campus streets on a nice Friday morning. Residents watching from windows were able to see Poppy from the Trolls movie, Woody from Disney's Toy Story, and some of the more traditional Halloween costumes of monsters, witches and fairies. After all, it is more about the costume than the candy.

Many UPH employees and residents got into the spirit of the holiday by participating in a virtual costume contest. Photos were submitted to the United Presbyterian Home Facebook page where 694 people voted with additional votes turned in from the Health Center and Town Center. Everyone received a participation award in the form of Halloween candy. Best Daycare Costume went to Sloan Chloupek for her cute scarecrow costume; Jim and Joy Bennett looked the part of train engineers complete with COVID Halloween masks earning them the Best Resident Costume; Erin Kaufman took the Best Employee Costume with her early morning attire and The Most Creative Costume award went to Herb Yoder and Dorothy Koehler. Dorothy dressed as a black cat accompanied by Herb the Big Baboon. Honorable Mention went to the yellow pineapple aka Blair Roder and Stella Haworth the puppy dog. Audra Williams shared that she wore a T-shirt that she had hand painted some thirty years ago using fabric paint to create pumpkins and ghosts on a black shirt.