United Presbyterian Home News

Jane Vetter celebrated her 87th birthday last Monday, Jan. 25. Carol Enfield graciously helped Jane serve coffee and cupcakes to residents in the Health Center. Jane?s daughter-in-law, Jan Vetter of Columbus Junction, furnished the delicious cupcakes made to Jane?s request. Jane shared extras with staff and friends.

Lucy Landon and Betty Flynn provided treats in the Town Center on Monday morning, each celebrating birthdays over the weekend.

Residents were generous in collecting Clorox Wipes and Kleenex for the Washington Middle School during the month of January. Fitness Director,Amy Kleese delivered the goods this week to an appreciative group of staff and students. These items are needed constantly during the winter months in the fight against germs.

United Presbyterian Church Circle 3 held a Hymn Sing in the Brownlee Health Center on Tuesday afternoon. Jerry King led residents in song while Julia Gamon accompanied him on the piano. Marilyn Johnston gave the scripture readings.

The Longest Day-NuStepping to End Alzheimer?s group held a fundraiser at a local restaurant Tuesday evening. Captains Pat Jenkins, Melva Mineart, Lois Swank and Dorothy White wore purple T-shirts in recognition of the efforts to end Alzheimer?s. Table tents in the center of each table advertised the Longest Day event in June when they invite people to keep Nu-Step exercise machines in use continually on the longest day of the year to bring awareness to the long fight against Alzheimer?s.

Washington Middle School?s sixth-grade choir entertained residents prior to the Campus Council gathering on Wednesday morning. The choir was directed by John Runaas and accompanied by Mike Jewell on the piano. Students selected a portion of their concert from the previous night to present to UPH residents including a cute song entitled Clever Camelain and a melody of tunes from Annie.

The 2015 Be A Star Award winners were announced on Wednesday during the monthly Campus Council meeting. Residents who attend exercise classes or use the Fitness Center 150 or more times per year qualify as an award winner and earn a T-shirt for their efforts toward health and wellness. Residents recognized for this honor include Connie Bauer, Betty Beenblossom, Esther Bordwell, Jackie Bower, Julia Gamon, Dean Garrett, Walt Gowan, Del Henningfield, Richard Henningfield, Birch Holden, Mildred Houseal, Joyce Huff, Pat Jenkins, Kathy Knutson, Dorothy Koehler, Lucy Landon, Jeanette Miksch, Dorothy Miller, Melva Mineart, Rachel Pollock, Myron Shields, Wanda Skubal, Ted Stewart, Mary Temple, Betty Thompson, Charlie Thompson, Elna Tompkins, Hank Tompkins, Marion Turnipseed, Phyllis VanGerpen, Dorothy White, Gwen Ying and Herb Yoder.

Jeanine Dusenbery invited friends and neighbors to the Town Center on Thursday morning where she shared birthday treats with them.

Fred and JoAnn Zehr of Cedar Rapids treated his mother, Ruth Zehr to an early birthday lunch in Iowa City on Thursday. Following lunch they did a little shopping and spent the day together. Ruth will celebrate her birthday on Sunday.

If the gray, cold weather has you down, stop by the UPH Gallery outside the Art Room. You will find a celebration of color! Landscapes from Italy to the American Southwest done from students? travel photographs and memories, a WWII fighter plane, still-lifes, flowers and birds are the subjects of recent work. Acrylics, water colors and colored pencils were used to create these bright works of art. We think you will feel warmer and more cheerful when standing by the work in the gallery. The show will be up throughout the month of February.

Classics Et Cetera for Feb. 4 included the overture to ?Out of This World? by Cole Porter; ?Cantique de Jean Racine? by Gabriel Fauré; ?The Dying Poet? by Louis Moreau Gottschalk; ?Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5? by Heitor Villa-Lobos; ?Over There? performed by Enrico Caruso; Finale of ?Pineapple Poll,? music of Sir Arthur Sullivan, chosen and arranged by Sir Charles Mackerras; ?Coronation March? from ?Le prophète? by Giacomo Meyerbeer

The best known and most important Latin American composer to date is probably Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959). Villa-Lobos wrote over 2,000 works of nearly every genré, all of them influenced by Brazilian folk music as he developed a Brazilian national style. His best-known composition is No. 5 in a series of nine ?Bachianas Brasileiras? (?Brazilian Bachian-pieces?) which blend Brazilian folk tunes with the style of J. S. Bach. It is written for eight cellos and solo soprano.