UP Home Welcomes 30 new members

New residents to the United Presbyterian Home were honored guests at the Campus Council meeting this week. Thirty new members since January of 2018 were recognized and introduced to the community. Staff members introduced themselves and explained their role at the UPH offering their assistance and support. Dietary staff served coffee and cake to all residents as a welcoming gesture.

Also recognized at the council meeting were Power Up Residents (PWRUP). This elite group was recognized for their commitment to physical well-being by attending exercise class a minimum of 150 times in the past year. PWR, Power, Wellness and Recovery members posed for a picture in their purple shirts signifying their dedication to exercise and the active role they live by.

Myron Shields visited his son and family in the St. Paul, Minnesota, area as he has done for many years at this time. Ruth Shield's birthday was Feb. 21 and the family would gather in St. Paul at the home of John Shields to celebrate her birthday. Since her death they continue to celebrate at this time of year and relive fond memories while creating new ones. Myron's trip was extended by a couple of days when a snowstorm came in to close down the roads in northern Iowa.

Jim Lloyd welcomed a three-day visit from his daughter Jennifer Hanssen of Cave Creek, Arizona. Jennifer had a reprieve in her work schedule allowing her to once again experience an Iowa winter.

Dave Draheim and Linda Boston returned to frigid temperatures this week following a 10-day cruise of the Panama Cancel with a side trip to Costa Rica boating up a cancal to see monkeys and a sloth. Linda reports that the warm temperatures and sunshine were a welcomed change from our Iowa winter and a favorite part of the trip. Dave was excited to visit the canal for the first time and learn of its history, construction and existence. Some label the Panama Canal as one of the Seven Wonders of the World, others rank it number eight. Either way the 82 km waterway connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans is an amazing engineering project to benefit the maritime trade.

Carol Thornton was vacationing in Florida during the Polar Vortex in Iowa and missed the ice storm. Carol and her daughter, Judy Lesiak of St. Joseph, Missouri, flew to Panama Beach, Florida, to visit daughter, LaDonna Hartsock at her winter condominium. Carol was able to enjoy a few nice beach days and a good time with family. They enjoyed the festivities of the Panama City Mardi Gras Parade before returning home.

Fat Tuesday was observed by third floor residents of Kerr Hall Tuesday afternoon. Willa, the Mardi Gras Queen, flew in from New Orleans for the Iowa celebration. Dressed in her beads and headgear, Willa stood in the hallway as the Mardi Gras Ambassador and welcomed neighbors to the Fat Tuesday party at the home of Donna Proudfit. Donna served colorful King Cakes to her guests on a table of beads and coins. It was a joyous occasion before the beginning of the Lenten season.

Classic Et Cetera for March 7, 2019 included the overture to 'The Caliph of Baghdad” by François-Adrien Boieldieu; Concert Fantasy for Violin and Piano from Verdi's 'La Forza del Destino;” 'I Love thee” by Edvard Grieg; 'Turkish March” by Michael Haydn; Medley of four pieces arranged for Jack Daniel's Original Silver Cornet Band; Transcription for Piano by Franz Liszt of the Third Movement of Beethoven's Symphony No. 5; Incidental Music to Shakespeare's play 'Henry VIII” by Sir Arthur Sullivan; 'Živio!” march by Johann Strauss, Jr.

In 1867 Sir Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900), the composer of the Gilbert & Sullivan duo, was commissioned to write incidental music for William Shakespeare's (1564-1616) play 'Henry VIII.” Sullivan accepted, but, as so often happened with him, he dallied and was late. He wrote his mother 12 days before the opening date: 'I do nothing but write, write, write. I think I shall get it finished by Saturday. I hope so - if not I must work all Sunday at it.” It turned out that the opening had to be postponed for two days because the music was not ready in time. However, the Manchester Guardian described Sullivan's music as 'exquisite.”