Saturday, December 25, 2010

The Christmas Season at Granville

Part of the fun of living at Kendal is participating in the celebrations of the holidays that enliven our annual calendar. We have Valentine's Day, when hearts proliferate on campus. We have the Fourth of July, with its cookout and barbecue, and with flags and bunting springing up everywhere. We have Halloween, bringing its annual infusion of small but fearful monsters - actually the children of staff members and the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of residents - to share an evening meal with adult friends, to get one more chance at tricking-or-treating, and to enjoy an evening jounce on a horse-drawn hay wagon. And on any Saturday in the fall the scarlet and gray colors of Ohio State are suddenly on display - on banners, apparel, doors, and candies - to remind us that the Buckeyes are playing football that afternoon.

But the fullest season of celebration is Christmas - and in part because it encompasses several weeks. The first sign that something noel-ish is afoot comes soon after Thanksgiving, when decorations begin to appear, not only at the doorways of the residences but also, thanks to the work and planning of resident decorating committees, in various community gathering places. At the heart of all these decking activities is the annual greening of the lobby. Meanwhile, across the campus various trees, both outside and inside, slowly and magically begin to spring to light.

At the same time musical events begin to fill the calendar. The local high school choir comes to share its gifts with us. Various smaller ensembles perform on weekday evenings. Children provide musical entertainment. Buses transport residents to concerts on the Denison campus. Finally, as Christmas Day draws near, we have a community carol sing, which includes the additional and happy opportunity for us to hear the solo voice of a very talented member of our health service staff.

Seasonal parties, small and large, begin to appear on residents' schedules. Among them, the most joyous is the annual staff appreciation event, which brings residents and employees together and allows the residents to let it be known to those who keep the operations of Kendal running so smoothly just how grateful we all are for their friendly and invaluable efforts.

Christmas Eve brings one of the happiest developments, with the sudden appearance of gifts of candy and cakes on the doorsteps of many residents - all anonymously provided, of course. We can only conclude that Santa Claus has put Kendal on his itinerary.

Christmas Day itself finds the Kendal dining experience transformed. It goes without saying that the staff provides splendid holiday fare - ham and bass and beef were laid on this year, with pastries to delight almost any tongue. But the assemblage of diners is different. On the one hand, many regulars are not present, for they are off spending the day with friends and family. And on the other hand, many unfamiliar faces, some quite young and rambunctious, have arrived to celebrate the holiday with a parent or grandparent whom they love.

Not everyone at Kendal holds to the belief system that gives Christmas the special meaning that church-goers ascribe to it. That's why we make a point of celebrating Hannukah, recognizing Kwanzaa, and acknowledging that some of our friends are simply not into religion at all. But the season manages to catch just about everyone up in its warm spiritedness, and it becomes, for believers and unbelievers alike, a moment to celebrate community, friendship, and fellow-feeling.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Life at Kendal as Exemplified by the Woodworking Shop







This is a picture of our Display Cabinet made by the men in our Woodworking Shop.The story behind it tells a great deal about life at Kendal at Granville.





The story begins during the early days of our history when Founders Meetings were being held. Even as the community was being built these meetings were held with those persons who were signed up to live here. Those who could attended regular meetings in order to get to know one another and to plan for their lives at Kendal.



Among the topics discussed at these gatherings were ideas regarding what they would like to see incorporated into the plans for life at Kendal. One of the notions that grew from an idea to a dream to a vision to a reality was the notion of a woodworking shop. Interested members got together to discuss what form this shop might take. As things moved forward space was set aside in the lower level of the community building for a shop. In keeping with Kendal values and principles the setting up and running of this shop was left in the hands of the residents as they moved in.



As a selfgoverning group within a few weeks of their arrival the first residents established a Residents Council and from that came the Kendal at Granville Residents Association (KAGRA). A variety of committees came into being rather quickly to meet the varied interests of our membership. Some of the first ones to emerge were the Woodworking Committee, the Fiber Arts Group, and the Pool Committee.






The projects of the Woodworking Committee typically illustrate how members of this community work together for the welfare of each other and the community as a whole. For example among other projects they have created a much needed display area for magazines in the library, made a beautifully crafted wooden suggestion box for use in the dining room, as well as repaired chairs and done other minor repair jobs for individuals. I understand that some of the repairs have been as challenging and intricate as building new items. Their charges include the cost of materials and a set fee for the time. The fee for time goes into the KAGRA treasury where it is earmarked for the use of the Shop Committee in maintaining and improving the shop. No one personally receives any money for work done in the shop.




The Display Cabinet came into being at the request of the Gallery Committee. The Gallery Committee is one of our newer committees established to take over the responsibility of maintaining art exhibits in the hall designated as our Gallery. Almost from the time it was established this Committee felt the need for a place where three dimensional items could be displayed safely. The need was presented to the Woodworking group who produced this beautiful cabinet. One man designed it with the help of another and then they built it together from cherry wood which another man in their group donated for the job.




The items on display are loaned by members of our community who very generously have offered to share some of their treasures with everyone. The current display fits the season and is made up of diverse Nativity sets. Already the Gallery Committee has a long list of items which residents have graciously offered to share. This further exemplifies the willingness of our residents to work together and share with one another.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Virtually Competitive

Last year when visiting our children, I was introduced to the Wii game from Nintendo. For those not up on tech games, this is the game where players wave controllers around, the game box follows them somehow and the results show up on the TV screen. It is a bit of mystery to me how it works but it does. Using this system, you can see the bowling ball you “threw” go down the alley and strike - or not- the pins. One can play tennis, baseball, golf and many other games. Some are very very hard.

But bowling isn’t too hard and it has become popular with old folks. We obtained a Wii set from Kendal last March and have been steadily engaged since. Every Friday afternoon we set up the “machine” in one of the activity rooms and everyone is welcome. We usually get 6 to 10 players a week. There is a faithful core of 6 or 7 and others come in on occasion to try their luck- or skill.

It may seem silly for a bunch of octogenarians to be playing like this. But it is fun. We are not very competitive but tend toward supporting each other. After all that is what we do all the time at Kendal. One 93 year old brought his grandkids to watch. They said they could NOT believe Grandpa was doing this. One upper 80-’s woman said after a strike, “You know, it really feels good.”

One actually can bowl sitting down, on even in a wheel chair but so far no one wants to. The game brings out the old competitive juices. When someone gets 7 strikes in a row or scores 250 or so, we put it in the newsletter. After all the bridge players publish their scores. Our game isn’t aerobic, but it does at least get some joints moving.

Now as to the other games. Several are talking about trying golf. The problem with golf is it takes as long as a real game, so they will have to find their own time. We tried baseball and tennis but the degree of difficulty goes way up. But Bowling seems just right.