Shenandoah Place December 2018 Newsletter

New Market News

Winter in the Shenandoah Valley truly is what you make of it. If you crave quiet time indoors during the colder months, our region’s cozy restaurants, shops, and more have you covered. If, on the other hand, outdoor adventure is more your speed, you can find that here, too! As we prepare for the holidays at Shenandoah Place, we’d like to share with you a few of our recommendations for wintering in and around New Market.

Our historic downtown is just minutes away from our facility. There, duck into the Jon Henry General Store for quality goods and treats, or have breakfast at the famous Southern Kitchen. Looking to venture a bit further? Another lovely and historic downtown is just up the road in Mount Jackson, Virginia. Its main street is always decorated for the holiday season, and features a coffee shop café, boutiques, and even an art gallery.

Shenandoah National Park remains open for hiking, backcountry camping, and sightseeing during the winter. In fact, if you’re hoping to spot animals like deer, turkeys and foxes, it can be one of the best times to visit. Stay up to date on park closures and advisories by visiting www.nps.gov/shen. Alternatively, you could plan a trip to Massanutten Resort, another favorite for outdoor recreation. Their sprawling facility just down I-81 offers skiing, snow tubing, walking trails, and other fun indoor and outdoor activities. In March, they also hold a Snow Moon Fest with fireworks, a torchlight parade, and more!

No matter where you spend it, we wish you a warm holiday season and start to 2019. Thanks for being part of our Shenandoah Place community!

---

Christmas Salutations

We would like to express our sincerest appreciation for the trust you have placed in us.
Best wishes for the holidays!

---

Volunteer Opportunity: Join Us at Shenandoah Place

We are eager to add volunteers to our community. If you have a special skill or talent you could share with our residents, or even if you’d just like to call Bingo, please give Melissa a call. You can reach her at 740-4300.

---

A warm welcome to our newest resident, Jean Link!

---

This month, we’re shining a spotlight on the newest member of our Shenandoah Place community. Jean Link joined us in November after moving from her home in nearby Forestville. We spoke with Jean in her new room, where she sat with a beautiful, crocheted blanket that her daughter-in-law gave her.

Jean grew up in Forestville and never lived far from her childhood home. When she married her first husband – named Gene! – they took up residence at his family’s farm, a mere 3 miles from her own parents’ house. Jean’s life on the farm was busy. Though she didn’t work with the crops or the dairy cows they later acquired, she “did everything” as a housewife.

Jean and Gene had two children within a two-year period. Their daughter, Ramona, was followed by a son, Gerald. When Ramona was 3 years old, Jean’s mother-in-law passed away. In addition to caring for her children and household, Jean took on the responsibility of cooking supper for her husband’s father and brother. Sadly, Jean’s mother had a stroke just a few years later. She also assisted with her care.

Jean worked hard over the years, raising her children and caring for other family members. When she was 47 years old, though, she experienced a tragedy. Gene died suddenly of a heart attack at age 50. His death changed Jean’s life in many ways. Her brother-in-law took over the operation of the family farm. Since her children were grown, she spent several years on her own. But, she says with a smile: “Then, I married a friend.”

Jean had known John Link, who became her second husband, for most of her life. He was 7 years older, but also lived in Forestville and had attended her church. John had never married. He invited Jean to a high school reunion and, as she says, “that was that!” After their marriage, she moved to his home.

John owned a small farm, but his main occupation was the management of a small grocery store in Forestville. He opened it in the 1950’s, and it remains in business today! Jean wasn’t much interested in working at the store, but did pitch in when farm tasks like hay-making required John’s attention. She liked to crochet and sew.

Together, Jean and John enjoyed going to auctions for fun. During their free time and after John’s retirement, they visited the local favorites Green Valley, Old School, and more. John collected Depression glass and tools, while Jean liked to buy baskets, music boxes, and figurines. They even picked up some antique furnishings; Jean recalls bringing home a couple of antique Victrola record players. She had fun with her auction bounty, but laughs now when she says “I bought a lot of junk that now needs to be sold.”

Sadly, John passed away after an aneurysm in 1998. He and Jean were married for 14 happy years. She says that he was “a good man,” and misses him still. But, Jean smiles when she talks about the family she helped create. Both of her children live in the Valley, and she now counts 5 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren among her descendants.

Jean continued to live at the farm until her move to Shenandoah Place in November, which she finds “very nice” so far. As she adjusts to her new home, she’s considering whether to bring more items from her house on the farm, which is being rented for now, to her room here. One of Jean’s first weeks at Shenandoah Place was Thanksgiving week. She told us about sharing the holiday meal in the dining room, and how she liked all the Thanksgiving classics – turkey, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie.

In January, Jean will celebrate her 84th birthday. If you see her around Shenandoah Place, please help welcome her to our community. We’re glad to have her here!

---

Festive Days at Shenandoah Place

It’s been a season of celebration already at Shenandoah Place. On October 22nd, resident Rosalie Sellers turned 100 years old! She marked the occasion with cake and friends. Next up is our annual Family Christmas Dinner on Sunday, December 9th at 5:30 PM. We’re including some pictures of last year’s wonderful feast, along with one of Rose on her big day. Please enjoy!

---

Activity Spotlight: Celebrating Chocolate Day with New Century Hospice

Did you know that there is a National Chocolate Day? This year, we celebrated the occasion with help from our friends at New Century Hospice. It was a big hit! With a great resident turnout, we sampled chocolate in several of its different forms. From chocolate milk and chocolate frosted doughnuts to Hershey kisses and candy bars, everyone enjoyed sharing yummy treats. Take a look at these photos of our celebration, but be warned: they may make you hungry!

---

You may be gone from my sight, but you are never gone from my heart.
In Memory of Longtime Shenandoah Place resident
Dottie Edmonson

---

Shenandoah Place September 2018 Newsletter

New Market News

When Fall arrives in the Shenandoah Valley, it brings along a full slate of fun outdoor events. In September, for instance, you can check out the 13th annual Fall Fling at the New Market Fire and Rescue Department, or take your pooch swimming at the Summer’s End Pup Pool Party. The Town of New Market’s website has helpful information about those events and others on the schedule for the rest of 2018.

Since we’ve covered some of those September events in the past, we’d like to catch you up on what goes on here in October. First up in the Fairway 5K, which takes place at the Shenvalee Golf Resort on Saturday, October 20th . The race is in its 3rd year, and is open to walkers and runners alike. Whether you’re feeling competitive or seeking a casual stroll, the resort will be a beautiful place to spend a Fall morning.

Later in October, the Town of New Market and its Merchants Committee will host a Trick or Treat on Congress Street. Held on the 31st , the community event runs from 5-7 PM. According to the town, businesses with their lights on will welcome “all dressed up trick or treaters” to come in for special treats. Many businesses will also be open for shopping during the Halloween fun. We hope you enjoy the Fall holidays, whenever and however you choose to celebrate.

---

Book Donations and Free Pickup

Our residents enjoy reading books from our collection at Shenandoah Place. To make this resource even better, we are trying to replace many of the regular-print books with large-print books. These books are much easier for our residents and volunteers to read! We appreciate any large-print books you may be able to donate to our residents. You could also help with this project by taking some regular-print books off our hands. Please take them for yourself, or donate them to a good organization or home. Thanks, as always, for your consideration.

---

Welcoming New Administrator Tammy Legg

In July, Shenandoah Place welcomed Tammy Legg to our staff as an administrator. Tammy is new to her role, but not new to our community. For the past four years, she worked as a hospice nurse who sometimes assisted Shenandoah Place residents. That familiarity has helped to make her transition to an administrative role here a smooth one.

Tammy began her nursing career as a hospital nurse after working for a time in the book manufacturing industry. She treated a wide range of patients, helping them recover from broken bones and other injuries. It was there that Tammy realized how much she enjoyed working with the geriatric population. She appreciates their polite manners, interesting stories, and the gratitude they show their caregivers.

Tammy grew up in Port Republic and still lives there today. But, her work as a hospice nurse has taken her up and down the Shenandoah Valley, where she has helped patients from Front Royal down to Staunton. She was committed to carrying some of the burden of families in crisis, and considers reassurance one of the most important parts of a hospice nurse’s work.

Leaving hospice was a difficult choice. Tammy formed bonds with patients and families, and it was hard to tell many of them goodbye. But, she’s excited to be at Shenandoah Place. She calls her new position her a real blessing, “or maybe even an answer to a prayer.” Some of her favorite things here are hearing the stories our residents tell and working with Andra, Melissa, and the rest of our amazing staff.

While she pursued her nursing degree, Tammy was raising her own family with her husband. She attended college as an older student, and would do homework alongside her children. Now, her son is 27 and serving in the U.S. Army. He’s stationed in South Korea, but video chats daily with his wife and two children in Georgia. Her daughter, 23, works in customer service at a nearby hotel. Tammy says she’s always knowledgeable about local events because of her job, and is also a talented artist.

If you see Tammy around Shenandoah Place, please say hello and help welcome her to our community! We’re thrilled that she has joined us.

---

Activity Spotlight: Bingo

In our community, Bingo remains one of our most popular activities. We had a big turnout for the game on a recent Thursday in July. Take a look inside the action, and contact Melissa if you’d like to call numbers sometime!

---

A Chance to Contribute to Our Community

Do you or someone you know have time to spend with our residents? We are looking for volunteers! Whether you can teach a skill, share a talent, or call Bingo on a Thursday afternoon, we’d love to have you visit. Please call Melissa at 540-740-4300 if you are able to contribute.

---

You may be gone from my sight, but you are never gone from my heart.
In Memory of Longtime Shenandoah Place residents
Anna Coffman and Annie Snell

Shenandoah Place May 2018 Newsletter

New Market News

One of the best things about New Market is our thriving small business community. We’re grateful for the mix of long-established shops and new additions that help keep our town energized. If you’re in the neighborhood, you can browse The Home Store or Simple Times, or go for lunch at Jalisco Mexican Restaurant.

Starting this spring, you can also stop by a brand new business, The Jon Henry General Store. The store is right on North Congress St., so it’s convenient to other downtown mainstays. If you’re familiar with New Market, you may recognize its location as the stately old BB&T bank building.

On its website – jonhenrygeneralstore.com – the shop says it “features an eclectic mix of local, American, and Fair Trade goods, snacks, provisions, toys, and gifts.” We’ve seen everything from Melissa and Doug puzzles to vintage sodas and honey straight from Singer’s Glen on their page. They even sell old-fashioned candies.

If you have a favorite New Market restaurant, shop, or event, mention it to us when you stop by Shenandoah Place. We hope to share some of your favorite recommendations in a future newsletter.

---

Activity Spotlight: Licorice Day

Did you know that there’s a National Licorice Day? It’s on April 12th, and this year we celebrated it at Shenandoah Place! To mark the occasion, we had a short discussion of why and how the holiday came to be observed. Our residents were able to taste black licorice – which many of them remembered from their own grandmother’s houses – as well as other flavors. We talked about the candy’s health benefits and history, too.

Since our residents love activities involving food and drink, we hold lots of celebrations like this one. One recent success was a jelly bean tasting for Jelly Bean Month. Many of the residents got to try flavors they’d never encountered. Buttered popcorn, for instance, was a big surprise, and a big hit!

In the coming weeks, we plan to celebrate Pretzel Day, Hoagie Day, Grape Popsicle Day, and Macaroon Day. Though these activities are educational, the best thing about them is the opportunity to gather our residents and let them enjoy refreshments together.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

---

Resident Spotlight: Fran Minnich

Ever since she was a girl, Fran Minnich has thrived on good company. Growing up as an only child in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, she mostly stayed with her great-grandmother, Sarah. That was partly because she was “the best great-grandmother in the whole wide world!” but also because there were more kids to play with near her house. Fran thought of her parents’ home as “in the country,” though she laughs now because it really wasn’t far from town.

Fran was born in 1935. Her mother stayed home and her father was a printer for the Sentinel newspaper. He began working there when he was just 16 years old. Fran sometimes liked to visit her father at work and see the next day’s paper all laid out on printing plates. She also recalls practicing reading with him by using the Dick and Jane books. She didn’t like that quite as much, and has never been a big reader.

For first and second grade, Fran attended the one-room school near her parents’ home. There were eight grades together with one teacher. She remembers the potbellied stove that warmed the room, and that her teacher was a nice man. Still, Fran was glad to move to the school in town as a third grader. She could play jacks, softball, and other games with friends, and spend time with Sarah. Fran’s grandmother, Florence, also lived in the town house, though she was often busy working at the shoe factory across the street.

When she was in 6th grade, Fran began to care for younger children. She babysat for neighbors that year, and by 7th grade she was taking jobs at the nearby Carslile Barracks (part of the local military base). Fran would stay overnight with the families she worked for and leave for school in the morning. Around this time, she also experienced two life-changing events. Fran lost her great-grandmother when Sarah died. But, she also met the man she would marry, Robert Monroe Minnich.

“Monie,” as they called him, was the son of friends of Fran’s parents. The grownups would go dancing together in Hershey on Saturday nights. When Monie and Fran met, she was in 7th grade and they, too, were just friends. She went on dates with a couple of other boys. But, one evening he walked her home, and it took off from there. They dated until Fran was in 11th grade, when they briefly broke up at the insistence of Monie’s mother, who thought they were too young to be serious. Fran thinks of the Nat King Cole song “Too Young” when retelling this part of her story.

Just before her high school graduation, Fran let Monie walk her home from the restaurant where she was working. She had been dating a little bit and attending dances with some of the college students who came to the restaurant, but when Monie asked her to be his girlfriend again she was thrilled. There was just one issue: Fran was already planning to attend the graduation dance with a friend and didn’t want to upset him! Once the festivities were finished, she reunited with Monie and they were engaged soon after.

Early in their marriage, Monie joined the Marine reserves. He eventually became a fully enlisted Marine, and attended training in South Carolina. After a stint in North Carolina, he moved to Arlington, Virgina, where Fran joined him. They had four children – Randy, Rick, Rusty, and Anita – whom Fran raised. She also continued to babysit and sewed. Monie became a police officer in Arlington after he left the Marines.

When her youngest, Anita, was in 7th grade, Fran took a job outside of the home. Her friend had opened a Carvel shop, and asked her to come make ice cream, decorate cakes, and more. After discussing the idea with Monie, Fran decided to take the job. She worked there for 14 years and had a blast! They worked hard, but had fun, too. In the meantime, her children grew up. Rick, Randy, and Anita now live in Virginia, while Rusty is in Colorado Springs. Fran also has 7 grandchildren, with 4 born in a 5-year span.

In 2014, Fran suddenly lost her sight. She’d never worn prescription glasses, but one morning she woke up and could not see out of one eye. Her daughter came to help her visit the doctor’s, where it was determined that she’d had a stroke of the optic nerve. Unfortunately, she lost vision in her other eye soon, too. Fran is still adjusting. She has learned to get around well by feeling her way, but misses seeing her kids’ faces.

Fran misses Monie, whom she calls “tall and thin with curly hair and the answers to everything.” She also has recently lost dear friends, Ingrid Middleton and “Rich” Proctor, much loved residents of Shenandoah Place. But, she enjoys being around people here and compares her friendships to a sisterhood. When she’s not sure about the color of her shirt, for instance, she just pops out into the hallway: “Hey girls, what color is this?” We’re glad this social butterfly found her way to our community!

---

Volunteer Opportunity: Join Us at Shenandoah Place

We are eager to add volunteers to our community. If you have a special skill or talent you could share with our residents, or even if you’d just like to call Bingo, please give Melissa a call. You can reach her at 740-4300.

---

Please welcome our newest employee, Ashland Fulk.
She’s a DCA, which means she specializes in Direct Care for adults. We’re glad she’s joined us!

---

You may be gone from my sight,
but you are never gone from my heart.
In Memory of
Longtime Shenandoah Place resident Ingrid Middleton

February 2018 Newsletter

New Market News

All year ‘round, we’re glad to count the Virginia Museum of the Civil War as a neighbor here in New Market. But, we especially appreciate some of the events they put on in the spring. This year, for instance, they’ll be hosting Family History Day on Saturday, March 24.

The event runs from 10 AM to 4 PM and only costs $3 with pre-registration. Some of its highlights include 19th-century games and crafts, Virginia Reel dancing, and guided battlefield tours. Door prizes and souvenirs will also be available. As the museum says on its website, the event is always “a day of fun, exploration, and learning.”

We think History Day is a perfect way to kick off spring in the Valley. For more information, or to register, visit vmi.edu/vmcw. It’s easy to sign up on the website or via a printed form. Though you may also see the event called “Homeschool Day” online, don’t worry – it’s open to all!

---

Activity Spotlight: Meet Zoey the Therapy Dog

In late January, Shenandoah Place had an extra special visitor. Zoey the therapy dog stopped by in her cheerful red bandana to spend some time with our residents. Zoey has been trained to provide affection and comfort to just about anyone she encounters, and our residents loved having her visit along with her owner.

Zoey has a close connection to our community. Before she became a therapy dog, she was the pet of our very own resident, Gerry! Zoey moved in with a friend when Gerry moved to Shenandoah Place, and began her training soon after. She learned to be comfortable around many types of people and objects, and to react calmly to noises and other stimuli.

Pet therapy sessions have been a big hit here, and we hope to continue them. Though this type of therapy is a relatively new tool, even the Mayo Clinic has noted its positive resuilts. Pet therapy can “significantly reduce pain, anxiety, depression, and fatigue,” and is a low-risk option in most settings. If you have questions or want to learn more about Zoey and her visits, please get in touch.

---

Resident Spotlight: Maxine Wine

We interviewed this month’s featured resident, Maxine, in late January of this year. But, we weren’t the first audience to hear a piece of her life story. About eight years ago, Maxine wrote and submitted recollections of her early years for a published collection. You can find her piece, “One Pair of Shoes a Year,” in the book A Living History of Northwestern Virginia: Paper Dolls and Homemade Comforts. It’s available for sale on Amazon and made us eager to know more about her life.

Maxine was born in 1933 in Page County, and was the youngest of twelve children in the Alger family. She lived with her parents, four sisters, and seven brothers in a five-room house her father had built near Battle Creek. Though it was technically part of Stanley, Virginia, Maxine remembers that their home was really “out there in the boonies!” There was no electricity at the home until Maxine was sixteen, and it was never updated with running water. Maxine and her sisters would use the lack of light to play pranks on their brothers. One that she remembers involved moving the boys’ furniture around in their room so they’d be disoriented when they came in for bed in the dark!

Because she was born during the Great Depression, Maxine’s family was very poor. Her father did not have a job, but was talented and worked hard to make a living from the land. Mr. Alger bought some mountain acres and harvested timber and firewood from them. He’d haul it down with horses and a wagon, and then process it in the sawmill he set up. Maxine thinks firewood sold for about $5/load. The horses also plowed the family’s garden, where they grew green beans, corn, and other crops for food.

Looking back, Maxine marvels at how plentiful their meals always were. Her brothers fished in the nearby river, hunted squirrel and wild rabbit, and helped raise the family’s hogs. Her mother was also a hard worker, serving three big meals a day on the family’s enormous dining table. She baked bread three times a week, and taught Maxine how to do that once she began having pain in her hands. Mrs. Alger was also a great baker of pies. The family gathered walnuts, apples, plums, and cherries from trees on their land, and usually dried the fruit to preserve it. Maxine was especially fond of her mother’s Apple Snit pie. “You have never eaten a good apple pie,” she says, “until you’ve had a dried snit pie!”

In general, Maxine thinks she got off a little easy because she was the “baby” of the family. She’d help skin the hogs or bake bread, but believes her siblings carried a larger share of the workload. When they grew older and got jobs, they would bring her small store-bought treats, which were a rarity in the Alger household. Maxine was used to the feed sack dresses and curtains her mother made. Even at age fifteen, Maxine recalls, her siblings would take her to town and say “this is our baby.” Once they had moved out – most stayed nearby – they returned home for Sunday dinners, taking turns around the table.

When she was a teenager, Maxine lied about her age to get a job working in a New Market coffee shop. She’d stay overnight in town with a married sister to get to work. She met her first husband, William, at the shop, and married him when she was seventeen. He was “a good man,” and “could do most anything,” but the couple divorced after thirteen years because of his alcoholism. To support the five children they’d had, Maxine began working as a waitress after their divorce. “I was shy,” she says, but “the hustle and bustle” helped her learn to enjoy being more sociable. She came to love the work, and eventually became a line cook at New Market’s Southern Kitchen.

For six years after her divorce, Maxine was a single parent. But then, a figure from her girlhood came back into her life. Truman “Marky” Wine was Maxine’s first boyfriend, back when she was only twelve years old. She’d met him while visiting a sister “on the other side of the mountain” from the Alger home. Marky was her brother in law’s nephew. They went to the movies together and liked one another a lot, but were very young; they lost touch while he served in the army and she married William.

Once Marky was back in Maxine’s life, though, they quickly realized that they wanted to marry. The couple wed after five months of dating and remained together for 35 years until Marky died from colon cancer in 2006. Though they had no children of their own, he was a caring stepfather to Maxine’s five children. They also adopted Jeff, a boy in need whom they loved as their own. Sadly, Jeff and his own child, a son, were recently killed in a fire. They often visited Maxine for breakfast, and she misses them very much.

As her own children grew older, Maxine developed a real passion for caring for others. With Marky often on the road as a long-haul truck driver, she decided to open a daycare in her home. Maxine ran the daycare for twenty-two years! She calls it the best job she ever had, despite charging parents as little as $1/day. The kids “were so much fun!” she says. Since she knew what it was like to grow up without much money, Maxine loved treating her relatively poor charges to books and treats she found at yard sales. She took great joy in cleaning the babies and dressing them up in adorable outfits with even the shoelaces freshly washed. “They were always good,” she says. “Of course, I kept the babies dry and fed with nothing to cry about!” With the help of her daughter, Maxine sometimes watched as many as fourteen children.

When she and Marky had the chance to travel, her daughter and daughter-in-law would run the daycare. The couple had a timeshare in Florida that they visited every July. They also made trips to the Smokey Mountains, and liked Grandfather Mountain, too. Maxine still owns the timeshare and her house in New Market, which her children take good care of for her. They tend the lawn and the furnace, and visit Shenandoah Place when they can. In fact, her oldest daughter stops by every morning to make Maxine’s bed!

Maxine misses many of her family members. She is the last of her siblings, and lost her parents years ago after they’d both lived long lives. Her son Gerald is deceased, but her youngest daughter has recovered remarkably after Maxine helped her recuperate from a stroke she had at age 37. Still, she takes joy in visits from her children, from her niece in Timberville, and from little things like a cheerful Christmas tree and colorful clothing. She thinks Zoey the therapy dog is cute, too! We’re glad to have Maxine at Shenandoah Place, and hope you’ve enjoyed learning more about her interesting life!

View fullsize

---

We would like to welcome Irma barnes to Shenandoah Place.

---

You may be gone from my sight,
but you are never gone from my heart.
In Memory of
Cornelia “Rich” Proctor

November 2017 Newsletter

New Market News

Whether you live in the Shenandoah Valley or visit one of our residents here, we hope you’ve been able to enjoy some of our beautiful autumn scenery. We’ll miss the leaves when they fall, but look forward to some great winter happenings around the area. The local ski slopes will be open soon, and New Market’s annual ‘Tis the Season Celebration is coming up on December 2nd.

Since we’ve previewed ‘Tis the Season in past newsletters – available under the “Newsletters” tab on ShenandoahPlace.com – we thought we’d switch things up this year and give you a rundown of local options for your holiday shopping in New Market. There are too many good choices to list! What follows are a few of our favorites, but you can find a larger selection on NewMarketVirginia.com, the town’s excellent and informative website.

To get in a festive spirit, start with a visit to The Christmas Gallery. Located right on Congress Street, this shop offers ornaments, décor, and unique gift ideas. Chickadees Studio and Artist Gallery is just down the road. This pottery shop sells goods made right on site, as well as work from local artisans. Quilts, blown glass, and soy candles are a few of their offerings.

If you’ve worked up an appetite after browsing, head for Jackson’s Corner Café, which is also on Congress St. You’ll find coffee and tea, as well as local pastries, soups, and sandwiches. Short Stop Market and Wine Shop over on Old Cross Rd. is another good choice for refreshments and shopping. In addition to sandwiches and beverages, they have a selection of fantastic gifts in the wine and gourmet foods section.

---

Volunteering at Shenandoah Place

While winter is a picturesque season in the Valley, we like to offer plenty of indoor activities for our residents during the colder months. If you have a talent or skill to share at Shenandoah Place, we would welcome you as a volunteer now, or any time of the year.
Volunteering with seniors is so rewarding, and does not take a large time commitment. Even one hour a month is enough to bring some fun into our community. And, we don’t need anything fancy. Activities can be informal and simple.

If you’d like to volunteer, please contact Melissa at 540-740-4300. She can work with you to set up individual volunteering, or to organize something up for a group that has time and kindness to share! Volunteering at Shenandoah Place would be a great opportunity for your church or community group to make a positive impact.

We look forward to expanding our volunteer network, and are grateful to the people and organizations that already enhance the lives of our residents! Janice and Zoey, Marvel, Suzanne and Christal (New Century Hospice), and Robert Reedy and the Ol’ Tyme Pickers do a wonderful job with their monthly volunteering. A big thanks to you all!

---

Resident Spotlight: Jean Gay

When we spoke with Jean Gay for this profile, she was sitting on her bed in her lovely room with a box of photographs and mementos beside her. It made for a wonderful conversation. As Jean sifted through the box and chose photos to show us, she reminisced about the 92 years she has lived so far.

Jean was born Jean Dilley in Pocahontas County, West Virginia. She lived on her father’s farm with her brother and her twin sister, Jane. The girls looked just alike and were often confused for one another. Jean recalls feeling sheltered by her strict father, who discouraged her and her sister from helping with farm chores such as milking cows. She laughs when she recalls their shared decision to leave home just after high school: “two country girls going to the big city!” As you can see in our photograph, they were beautiful.

With her sister, Jean moved to Baltimore. A representative of the Social Security Administration had come to her high school to recruit students to work in the city. “We learned a lot, believe me!” Jean says. The twins stayed for three years, until the second World War was finished. As Jean remembers, men returned from serving in the war and wanted their jobs back. “So, we had to go!”

After a short time back home on the farm, Jean and Jane left again, this time for Fairmont, West Virginia. They worked in a Westinghouse factory there, but only stayed a year. The summer heat was so intense in the factory that the twins decided to quit. They were slender to begin with, but Jean is sure they both lost weight in the sweltering environment.

During another two years back home, Jean dated Dale Gay, who was known around the community for attending college on a football scholarship. Shortly before Jane married a beau of her own, Jean and Dale married and moved to Timberville, Virginia, where Dale had a job as a herdsman. Jane and her husband remained in another West Virginia town.

Dale and Jean’s first child, a son, was born two years after their 1949 marriage. His delivery was difficult, so Jean waited five years before welcoming her second child, a girl. She now has grandchildren – “they’re my angels,” she says – and a beloved niece who is Jane’s daughter. As they built their life together, Dale asked Jean if she wanted to work, and she told him that she did not. Instead, she enjoyed raising their children.

Dale was a hard worker and was “very dedicated” to his cows. Jean marvels, looking back, at how he passed up other careers to do the work that he loved. He was qualified in many fields by his college degree, but truly enjoyed the life of a herdsman. “He would get up at 3:30 in the morning to go tend to those cows!” she says. Dale worked for CC Turner, a well-known Valley cattleowner.
Despite Dale’s demanding job, the couple did enjoy traveling together. Jean especially enjoyed a trip out West. The Gays went with their neice, “and we did have the time of our life!” That niece still visits her today. “She brings me parfaits” Jean says, and tells Jean how much she loves her.

Jean suspects that her niece is so loving in part because of Jane’s passing over a decade ago at age 81. Jean was present when her sister passed, and is obviously moved thinking about her much-loved twin.  “Twins are like that,” she says, holding up two entwined fingers. They never fought and were close as could be. “I miss her,” she says, discussing the loneliness that comes from being a twin without her sister.

We loved talking to Jean and sharing a piece of her life story. She’s lively and an engaging conversationalist so say hello if you see her around Shenandoah Place!

---

Important Reminders for Flu Season

As flu season approaches, we ask that you take some simple precautions, especially when visiting. Thanks for your cooperation and help in keeping our community as healthy as possible. Our requests are:
1. If you have or have recently had a fever, cough, running nose, or any other flu-like symptoms, please reschedule your Shenandoah Place visit.
2. Please practice good hand washing at all times. Hand sanitizer is readily available throughout our facility.
3. Sneeze and cough into your elbow.
In the event that an outbreak of the flu occurs, the facility could be quarantined at the discretion of Dr. Lovelace, VDH, and our nursing staff. We will notify families and post signs at the front of the facility if this happens. Please respect our request to avoid visiting during quarantine.
Above all, we ask that you err on the side of caution when it comes to the flu. Even if you feel fine and are symptom free, you may still carry the germs. Let’s work together for the healthiest winter possible.

---

Activity Spotlight: October Jack O’Lanterns

Before we say farewell to Fall at Shenandoah Place, we wanted to share a recent craft project with you. Our residents got together in October for a festive pumpkin activity. They enjoyed painting rows of popsicle sticks orange and decorating them with “cutout” stickers to create jack o’lanterns. This was a simple activity, but it brought a bit of Halloween fun into our community!

---

Personal Histories with Teresa Townsend

This month, Shenandoah Place residents will be treated to a one-of-a-kind workshop with Teresa Townsend. Teresa is a personal historian who specializes in helping people organize and tell the stories of their lives. Using clients’ photographs, interviews, writing, and other resources, she guides them through the process of preserving their own histories.

Teresa turned her interest in stories and photographs into a career about three and a half years ago. Through her small business, Tapestry, she offers digital recording, life story workshops and coaching, and photo organizing sessions. “Everyone has a story,” she writes on her website, “and I believe in the power of sharing….It is a priceless treasure and legacy that connects generations.”

Though Teresa’s workshop next month will be her first at Shenandoah Place, she’s already part of our community. Teresa’s mother, Treva, was a resident here before her passing earlier this year. We are grateful to Teresa for offering this unique opportunity to our residents, and look forward to seeing what they discover together! The workshop will take place on November 13th at 2:30 PM.

---

We would like to welcome Doris S. to Shenandoah Place.

Our sincere condolences go out to our resident Tommy and his family for the loss of his wife, Erma.

September 2017 Newsletter

New Market News

Summer may be drawing to a close in New Market, but the town’s event calendar is just heating up. In September alone, a parade, a pool party, and two festivals will take place nearby.
First up is the VMI “Rat Parade,” an annual tradition of the Virginia Military Institute. The parade is held on Saturday, September 3 and is part of an orientation for VMI’s freshman class. Nicknamed “rats,” the freshmen visit New Market Battlefield State Historical Park to learn about the 1864 battle and the role VMI cadets played in it.
On Sunday, September 17, New Market will host a very different sort of gathering at the Summer’s End Pup Pool Party. Attendees can bring their canine friends for a rare swim in the local pool! To register, ask questions, or to volunteer at this fun event, contact a.dennison@newmarketvirginia.com.
Finally, September 23rd will bring two chances to celebrate in New Market. The New Market Fire and Rescue Department’s Fall Fling, which is now in its 12th year, is known for its amazing raffles: over $100,000 in prizes will be given out between 11 AM and 5 PM. The annual New Market Chamber of Commerce Heritage Days festival will also take place on the 23rd. Residents and visitors are invited to enjoy local food, music, and shopping. Whichever event you choose to attend, we imagine you’ll have a great time welcoming Fall to the Valley.

---

Resident Spotlight: Maxine Burkholder

For this month’s spotlight interview, we had the pleasure of talking with Maxine Burkholder and her son, Steven. Maxine has lived at Shenandoah Place for about four years. She moved in after her husband, Bob, passed. We are glad to have her as a part of our community, and excited to share some of her story with you.
Of all the lovely residents who have lived at Shenandoah Place, Maxine probably traveled the shortest distance to move here. In fact, she can see her family’s land just outsider her window! Burkholder Lane, where our facility is located, used to be Maxine’s private driveway. As it saw more traffic and began to need more upkeep, she turned it over to the state, which made maintenance much easier.
The land where Maxine and Bob lived and raised their three children originally belonged to Bob’s father. The couple first lived in an apartment there, and later moved into a house they built. Bob and Maxine raised chickens and hogs on their property, and also purchased the Broadway Supermarket. Bob bought the store, which is just across from the old Broadway High School, in the early 1960’s. When he was ready to retire, Steven, Maxine’s middle son, purchased the store. He continues to run it today. The grocery business is a true family legacy for the Burkholders: Bob’s father also once had a store in New Market!
Before she came to New Market, Maxine lived in Edinburg, Virginia. Her family was very involved in the church there. They founded Wakemans Grove Church of the Brethren, and built much of their social lives around its community. Maxine learned about beekeeping from her father, who was a “jack of all trades.” In addition to raising bees and attending church, he worked as a plumber, farmer, and in other areas. Maxine helped with it all.
She met Bob, who grew up in New Market, as a young woman. They soon married and began a family. Maxine stayed busy with chores in the house and on the farm, but she also worked as a bookkeeper and an RN. Her nursing work often kept her out at night. Steven remembers her father coming in the door as she went out to care for patients. She also cared for her own widowed mother for at least a decade. As Maxine herself puts it: “Let’s just say we all knew how to work!”
Some of Maxine and Bob’s work ethic might come from their family’s experiences with the Great Depression. Steven recalls a grandfather who saved aluminum foil and distrusted banks. He stored silver dollars in buckets in the basement until things turned around. Maxine took a great interest in history, joining the historical society and saving newspaper clippings. Steven is learning about the local past as he goes through the papers his mother saved.
Fortunately, Maxine and Bob were able to enjoy some of the fruits of their hard work. They took their children to Florida, New England, and on camping trips. Later, the couple traveled extensively, visiting China, Russia, and most – perhaps all – of the 50 United States. They spent about two months in Alaska, and saw how differently people live around the world. Closer to home, Bob and Maxine stayed involved in their New Market church and enjoyed the fellowship they had there.
Though Maxine is in relatively good health, Bob passed away four years ago at the age of 87. Steven calls his father a real “cat with nine lives.” He battled liver cancer, colon cancer, had seven heart attacks, and seven stents, along with mini-strokes and other health complications. Still, the couple was able to enjoy over 60 years of marriage. Their three grown children live in Virginia. Steven runs the store in Broadway, his brother is retired from Virginia Power and lives in Timberville, and their sister, a retired teacher, calls Grottoes home.
We like seeing Maxine around Shenandoah Place, and hope you’ve enjoyed this glimpse into her life.

---

Activity Spotlight: You Be the Judge

You may have heard that we have a new administrator at Shenandoah Place. We’re excited to welcome Mr. Ray Boggs, and hope you have the chance to meet him soon if you haven’t already! One way that our residents and Mr. Boggs have been getting to know one another is through activities like “You Be the Judge.”
In late July, Mr. Boggs led a great group of residents through a round of the game. Here’s how it works: after reading aloud a short summery of a real legal case, Mr. Boggs presents our participants with a list of facts about that case. Once they have that information, the real fun begins!
As a group, everyone discusses the case. We often use real life examples and comparisons to help decide what the verdict ought to have been. The discussion can be lively throughout, but it really picks up when the actual verdict is revealed! The decisions of the courts often do not match the ones our residents would have handed down.

---

You may be gone from my sight,
but you are never gone from my heart.
In Memory of
Treva Flory