United Presbyterian Home News

Mary Escher and Donna Moeller visited Brownlee Health Center on Thursday afternoon and entertained residents with accordion music. Mary and Donna, also known as the Friese Sisters, grew up playing the accordion from an early age. The audience loved the lively Christmas Polka music and tapped their toes to the rhythm.

Christmas carols can be heard all over as groups are bringing their talents to the UPH Campus to share seasonal music with residents. A group of fourth- and fifth-grade students from Lincoln School known as the Sunrise Singers sang Christmas carols for residents on Tuesday. Bella Lujan and Rita Du are members of the Sunrise Singers and well known to UPH residents. Bella attended day care at the UP Home and Rita has performed for residents in the past as a music student of Gwen Ying.

Following the Sunrise Singers, health center residents participated in a Sing-a-long led by Doris Slocombe of Fairfield. Doris engaged the audience in carols that they were familiar with. Up With Day Care children arrived to sing the last three songs with everyone and spread their enthusiasm for the season.

The Washington Chamber of Commerce Leadership Washington group visited the United Presbyterian Home on Wednesday as part of their Health and Wellness Day featuring wellness opportunities in the Washington community. Amy Kleese and Diana Rich were glad for the opportunity to explain services offered at the Home and show them the facility. Leadership Washington is a group of civic minded individuals within the community eager to learn more about Washington County and promote the area with their knowledge.

Ariel Mills used her Wednesday afternoon to decorate the Christmas tree in the Main Dining Room. The tree looks very festive with brightly colored lights, yards of ribbon and shiny decorations surrounding it. Ariel is the daughter of Rebecca Mills and a member of the Girl Scout troop 9638 and she will earn a badge for her community service project. Many thanks, Ariel, for helping us out with such a large tree.

Train whistles can be heard each Monday, Wednesday and Friday as Jim Bennett conducts the model train display in the Stewart Hall Lobby. Jim sets up his private collection of model trains, miles of track and the numerous village pieces to complete a 10-by-5-foot village scene. At any given time, kids of all ages can be seen around the train display with visions of Christmases past running through their heads as they are in awe at the working train display.

Reid Orris has been sporting his red plaid fedora, as sure sign that Christmas is just around the corner. Reid says that he gets numerous compliments on his hat each time he wears it.

Classics Et Cetera for Dec. 15, included the ?Miniature Overture? to ?The Nutcracker? by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky; ?Personent hodie? performed by the Boni Pueri Czech Boys? Choir; ?The Ice Skaters,? waltz by Émile Waldteufel; ?A Christmas Festival? by Leroy Anderson; 1st Movement of Wind Quintet in A Minor by Franz Danzi; 2nd Movement of Symphony No. 3 (?Scottish?) by Felix Mendelssohn; ?March of the Toys? from ?Babes in Toyland? by Victor Herbert.

Irish-born and German-educated Victor Herbert (1859-1924) became an American cellist, conductor and composer. The surprising success of a musical based on L. Frank Baum?s ?Wizard of Oz? prompted Herbert in 1903 to write ?Babes in Toyland? about two children who escape from a miserly uncle to the garden of Contrary Mary and then to the enchantments of Toyland. The plot was flimsy, but it suited the public taste at the time. Other characters, drawn from Mother Goose and such sources, were all applauded rapturously.