THE HELP

I am sure many of you have read, or at least heard about the current bestseller, "The Help." This is a story of maids and housewives in the sixties in the South. Their relationship was not happy. The housewives treated the maids unkindly and thought the maids less than equal human beings. The maids in turn had no respect for their bosses and did not trust them.

Please let me tell you a story about the "the help" at Kendal. Last night we had a forecast of freezing rain, ice, and snow. Many of the staff live some distance from Kendal and were worried about being able to get here in the morning. They worried about who would cook our meals and do other important tasks. So on their own, six staff people, including the chef, dining room manager, and housekeeping manager, volunteered to stay over night in an unoccupied residence. They had a sleepover for our benefit! Early this morning I heard the maintenance staff plowing and salting sidewalks. They will be vigilant all day. I know from experience that tonight, if we have more ice and snow, the dining and kitchen staff will call and ask if we would like our meals delivered.

We in turn are grateful, and try to express our appreciation and gratitude by being respectful in our interactions. Please and thank you are important as well as acknowledging that the staff cannot work miracles, even though I have seen them try. We have mutual respect. Part of this comes from the orientation we residents had when we first learned about Kendal. The new staff is given orientation classes on the "Kendal Way." Kendal, as a Quaker Community, is ultimately responsible for this way of life. In our booklet "Values and Practices", I quote : In all matters involving staff and community members, we strive for open communication and seek to preserve a sense of community." I am grateful for our community.