The Copeland Experience, October 2017

by Oct 19, 2017The Copeland Experience

Four Copeland Oaks Residents Take Top Awards at the 2017 Ohio LeadingAge Art & Writing Show

Many competed, and Copeland Oaks residents rose to the top! Several seniors competed in this Fall’s LeadingAge Art & Writing Show held in Columbus, Ohio.

“The overall quality of the pieces our residents submitted is so outstanding that the Art & Writing Show judges rave about the craftsmanship and ingenuity,” commented Jackie Palmer, director of campus life, who transports the exhibits to the district and state shows.

All artists and writers entering the state competition earned preliminary awards in the Northeast Ohio District Art & Writing Show held in June in Garfield Heights.

Paulette Roades earned 1st place in the Fine Arts II Division with her Schererschnitte design. Schererschnitte, which means “scissor cuts” in German, is the art of paper cutting. The artwork often has rotational symmetry within the design, and common forms include silhouettes, valentines, and love letters.

Also walking away with 1st place in the woven arts category is Mary Lu Warstler who entered a knitted baby blanket. A buttery yellow, the blanket has an intricate design that was knitted over 3 months in one continuous piece.

A published author, Mary Lu also won 3rd place in the Non-Fiction category for her essay reminiscing about “The Saturday Matinee.”

Don Danford’s intricately carved cane was recognized with a 2nd place award in the Woodworking Category. The design features a bear, a deer and several authentic arrowheads embedded in the wood. He found the arrowheads while farming in the Louisville area.

Presented with an honorable mention in the photography competition is Carol Topping.

LeadingAge Ohio is a nonprofit association that represents approximately 500 long-term care organizations and hospices, as well as those providing ancillary health care and housing services, in more than 150 Ohio towns and cities. One of the goals of Leading is to share the talents of senior residents/patients through the Art & Writing program and give seniors an opportunity to share their gifts with the world.

Recent Events

Crandall Medical Center Memory Lane Earns 2nd Place
at YSU’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s

Held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide, the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research.

The Copeland Oaks Team participated in the walk held at Youngstown State University earlier this October and represented Memory Lane, the memory care unit at Crandall Medical Center on the campus of Copeland Oaks Retirement Community.

Tara Garmier, LPN, Memory Lane Director, and Kim Strabala, LPN, Crandall Transition Nurse, spearheaded projects throughout the summer to raise almost $2,000 to sponsor the team. This earned them 2nd Place in the walk overall. Fundraising projects included a Chinese auction for gift baskets and sales of tee shirts and Gorant candy.

“The annual Walk gives us the opportunity to join the fight against Alzheimer’s which effects over 5 million people in the U.S.  This is a disease that affects the entire family and victim’s loved ones,” said Tara.

The team participated not only to help find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease but also to honor the caregivers of the victims. “There are almost 16 million people throughout the U.S. who have given 18.2 billion hours caring for people with Alzheimer’s.  We see every day how this dread disease changes the lives of many, many people,” said Kim.

Marilyn King, Copeland Oaks resident, walked for a very special reason:  her husband, Dr. Chris King, for whom she cared for several years, was a victim of Alzheimer’s disease.  “It’s so important to raise awareness throughout the community of just how many people are dealing with Alzheimer’s disease and how vital it is to find a cure,” said Marilyn.

Other Crandall Medical Center team members are Darci McIntyre, Candy King, Ruth Agnew, Shawana McCord, Sue Schott, Eva Light and Dee Gattis. Lily Strabala, the youngest member of the team, was thrilled to meet Pete the Penguin, YSU mascot.

2017 Copeland Oaks Golfers of the Year

Copeland Oaks Golfers of the Year for the 2017 season are Niles Betz and Don Swegan.

Niles garnered the most points from a field of 40 golfers in the handicapped league.  Don walked off the course with the lowest score/highest points in the Six-tee Seniors League. Each of the winners was presented with the roaming Copeland Golf Trophy on which their names will be engraved.

This season was the 22nd for the Copeland Oaks Golf League that plays weekly at the Berlin Lake Golf Club. The Six-tee Seniors is a league that plays a round of 6 holes instead of the usual 18.

Receiving the $1 million dollar plaque for the “Golf Widow of the Year” was Sandy Betz.  The “Widow” award was passed on by Gloria Prendergast, wife of last year’s top golfer, Mike Prendergast. The winners were announced at the recent golf league dinner held in the Copeland Oaks main dining room.

Membership in the Berlin Lake Golf Club is open to all Copeland Oaks residents without charge. Use of the golf carts is also free.

NBC Cross Country Meet

Copeland Oaks was proud to host the Northeastern Buckeye Conference (NBC) Cross Country Meet on Saturday, October 14. Blue skies and warm breezes greeted the 800 runners for the final meet of the season.

Copeland Oaks has invited the West Branch Local School District cross-country team to train on the 5K nature trail that winds through part of the 250-acre retirement campus and opens the trail twice a year for the regional cross country competition. The event takes on an intergenerational flavor as Copeland Oaks residents love watching and cheering for the students. Schools participating in the meet included West Branch, Marlington, Alliance, Salem, Louisville, Minerva,  Carrollton, and Canton Faircrest.

Upcoming Events

Fall 2017 Lecture Series

Select Thursdays
10 am – 11:15 am

The mission of Copeland Oaks is to provide a vibrant lifestyle that includes keeping the mind, body, and spirit engaged. Residents are invited to embark on an “Adventure in Learning” during the annual lecture series which is a partnership between Copeland Oaks and the University of Mount Union in Alliance. Speaker for the Fall 2017 series is Dr. Michael Grossman, chair of the University of Mount Union (UMU) Department of Political Science and International Studies.

“Adventures in Learning” will be held on Thursdays from 10 am – 11:15 am in Murphy Auditorium.  Topics will be:

  • Oct, 19 – End of the Cold War and Collapse of Russia
  • Oct, 26 – US to the Rescue?
  • Nov, 2 – The Putin Resurgence
  • Nov, 9 – Cole War 2.0

About Dr. Michael Grossman: After majoring in international affairs at George Washington University, Dr. Grossman earned a master’s in Political Science from Northeastern University and his Doctorate in International Relations at the University of South Carolina. Born in the Soviet Union and living in Israel sparked Dr. Grossman’s interest in international political relations. His recent research has focused on the role of national identity in the foreign policy of post-Soviet Russia and Ukraine.

Trick-or-Treat Night

Monday, October 30
6 pm -7 pm

Halloween celebrations on the Copeland Campus will be a real treat this year! Trick-or-Treat will be held on the Copeland Oaks Campus on Monday, October 30, from 6 pm – 7 pm. Residents are welcome to invite their grandchildren and employees are welcome to bring their children and grandchildren for the scariest evening of the year. Trick-or-Treaters are asked to enter the Beeghly Building through the flagpole entrance or through the main entrance at Crandall Medical Center, and staff will be stationed in the lobby and throughout the complex to direct guests.

Independent living residents who wish to distribute candy to the costumed children should arrive at the front lobby by 5:45pm and bring their candy to distribute. Candy will be provided for residents of Assisted Living and Crandall Medical Center to give away.

A Message from Dave Mannion, CEO

A celebration is good for the soul! And, Fall is a wonderful time for a celebration.

We have been blessed with beautiful weather the last 2 months and a prolific growing season. We are celebrating a bountiful harvest. Our residents have enjoyed baskets of vegetables grown in the Copeland campus community gardens. Assisted Living residents, salt shakers in hand, have “sneaked” off in their golf cart to the gardens for the season’s traditional “tomato raids.” And vendors participating in the monthly Farmers’ Markets have provided residents without “green thumbs” an array of produce, plants, and flowers throughout the Summer and early Fall.

Copeland buses are busy taking residents to enjoy Fall festivals throughout northeastern Ohio, and, of course, to cheer for the Purple Raiders at the University of Mount Union home football games.

Everyone on campus is anticipating Halloween. Jack-o-lanterns, scarecrows, straw bales and corn shocks are appearing all around campus. Employees are filling candy boxes to prepare for “Trick-or-Treat” night.  Monday, Oct. 30, from 6 pm – 7 pm, residents may invite their grandchildren and employees may bring their children and grandchildren in costume for Trick-or-Treat.

Families are making plans for Thanksgiving. We welcome family members to take part of the Thanksgiving celebration on campus. Copeland Food Services has been making preparations and taking reservations for the traditional gourmet feast. Residents are also making travel plans to join children and grandchildren for the Thanksgiving weekend.

One of the best things about living in Ohio is getting to experience the changing seasons. We are proud that the Copeland Oaks community offers so many opportunities for residents to enjoy each season of the year and the wonderful holidays and celebrations that come with tradition. We are also proud that the Copeland Oaks campus offers so many opportunities and choices for a vibrant, carefree, safe and secure lifestyle no matter what the season of life.

 

Meet The Woodsman, Don Danford

Carving out his place at Copeland Oaks:

  • 2-year Copeland Oaks Resident
  • Retired Police Officer and Superintendent of the Louisville Water Plant
  • Facilitator of the Copeland Oaks Carvers
  • First place winner at the 2017 Leading AgeArt Competition
  • Restores old cars in the winter time

Every time Don Danford looks at a piece of wood, he sees an image.

“Carving is the easiest hobby in the world,” says Don who is the facilitator of the Copeland Oaks Carvers.  “All you have to do is whittle away what doesn’t belong there and the image appears.”

His artistic talents are evidenced in a piece of gnarled wood he masterfully turned into a coiled snake. “We were working to repair a broken water line when we dug out a huge tree root.  As soon as I saw it, the snake appeared around the root,” he remembered.

Sounds simple, but many of the images Don sees in a variety of woods are very intricate designs. Currently, his hobby has lead him into making canes and walking sticks, many of which he has presented to friends and family members.

One of his canes won first place in the 2017 Ohio LeadingAge Art Competition held recently in Columbus.

Equally at home with a chainsaw and a knife, the largest creation Don has made from wood was a bigger than life bear that he carved from a tree stump. He donated the bear to the University of Mount Union Nature Center in Alliance where he served as a volunteer for many years.

Always a man close to nature, Don farmed land in the Louisville, Ohio, area for many years.  “The growing season was always very busy, but, during the winters, I enjoyed restoring antique cars and trucks,” he reminisced. A master of many trades, Don was a Louisville police officer for 14 years and superintendent of the Louisville Water Plant for over a decade before retiring. Don’s definition of retirement is a bit unusual as he worked for another 13 years as the custodian at the Union Avenue United Methodist Church.

Among his creations on display at his Copeland Oaks villa is a replica of a 1932 Model A truck. To make the authentic reproduction, Don worked 130 hours and used 8 different kinds of wood. In a tiny crate in the bed of the truck is a pig, one of the animals Don raised on the farm.

Combining his love of nostalgic vehicles and his woodworking talent, Don turned the golf cart he and his wife use for transportation around the Copeland Oaks campus into a replica of a Jeep Wrangler sporting an American eagle on the hood. Don can also be seen cruising around campus on his recombinant bike with Mindy, the couple’s Shitzu puppy in a basket in the back.

Although Don’s hobby has transitioned to making smaller items, he has built many pieces of furniture, several of which the couple is using in their villa. One of the most elegant pieces is a solid cherry hutch and buffet which features pegged joints.

Since moving to Copeland Oaks 2 years ago, Don is spreading his love of woodworking with other Copeland Oaks residents who meet weekly in the Creativity Center to share ideas and techniques and chat while carving.  Don and Carol said they moved to Copeland Oaks because they, “heard such good things about the campus lifestyle from many friends,” says Don. “One of the best things we have ever done.”

Meet Ian Gibbs, Lakeview Terrace Restaurant Employee

Ian Gibbs can be found most days dipping ice cream and smiling…flipping burgers and smiling…making pizza and smiling, or a multitude of other duties at the Lakeview Terrace (LVT) Restaurant on the Copeland Oaks campus.

A favorite with employees and residents alike, Ian is being honored as the Copeland Oaks Employee for October and receives the Oaks Award. A member of the Copeland Food Services Department for over three years, Ian serves as a short-order cook and server at LVT.

In making the nomination, fellow staffers describe Ian as, “a fantastic worker.”

“He is always willing to help out anytime and anywhere he is needed,” said another. All agreed that he is, “a joy to work with.”

After graduating from high school in Niles, Ian worked as a forklift driver but decided that manufacturing and a long commute from Niles to the Cleveland area were not for him. He began his food service career bussing tables at a steakhouse and became a server at Pizza Hut. When an opening in food service at Copeland became available, Ian jumped on the opportunity starting work part-time in the dish room. He moved to Sebring a year ago.

Ian said that he “truly enjoys” his days at LVT. His enjoyment is evidenced daily by his genuine smile and cheerful attitude.

 

We’ll Help With Moving Costs!

Choose a Lakeshore Apartment by the end of December and Copeland Oaks will help with moving costs.

Experience Copeland Oaks by exploring this website or visiting in person. To schedule a friendly, no-pressure tour, call 330-938-6126 or 800-222-4640.