Grace cares for more than plants. Her young grandson is her frequent sidekick, and she takes good care of Tommy the cat. Tommy is a frequent visitor to our patio, and the unofficial Episcopal Home mascot.
Good neighbors are a blessing, and we're lucky to have a gem living next door.
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If we think of grace as a gift freely given,
then our neighbor, Grace Keiter, lives up to her name. Years ago, when Grace noticed bare spots around our grounds, she decided that those areas needed some color. Since that time, she has voluntarily planted and tended the flowers that have transformed those spots from "blah" to beautiful. A thoughtful gardener, she says, "We have to take care of our pollinators," and she chooses combinations of annuals and perennials with them in mind.
Grace worked as the Shippensburg Borough Secretary for many years. Now retired from that job, she works part time at our local composting facility where she can trade tips with other gardeners.
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“There is nothing more beautiful than someone who goes out of their way to make life beautiful for others."
-
Mandy Hale
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Sharon Alexander always knew she would become a nurse. As a child, she pretended her dolls were her patients as she tended to their imagined maladies. When she earned her LPN degree, she was on her way to a real-life nursing career. She recalls how proud her father was of her becoming a nurse. After his death, she discovered that he had kept the nursing school yearbook she thought she had lost among his treasured possessions.
Resilience is "that ineffable quality that allows some people to be knocked down by life and come back stronger than ever."
No description of Sherry would be complete without including the word “resilient. “ Sherry
has been dealt more than her fair share of setbacks and difficulties. She has weathered her own health problems, sudden widowhood, her son’s debilitating stroke, and her daughter’s heartbreak on a difficult path to motherhood. Sherry withstood it all, bending without breaking, never losing her sense of compassion or pride in her work. She credits the love and support of her immediate family and her job here for helping her through those rough patches.
Sixteen years ago, Sherry’s misfortune became our good fortune. She had been employed at another long-term care facility for 25 years when back problems and subsequent surgery made the physical demands of the job impossible. A friend recommended the Episcopal Home as an option for employment. Sherry was hired on the spot and has been here ever since. She is impressed with the difference between the EH and larger, more impersonal facilities. She describes the atmosphere here as “homey,” and the residents as “family.”
As head nurse, Sherry juggles a mind-boggling number of tasks, reams of paperwork,
and coordinates a myriad of services for our residents and their families. Fortunately,
as a self-described perfectionist, she enjoys organizing, looking for ways to improve procedures, and revising training materials. Her first priority is always our residents and providing the best possible care for them.
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“This is the residents’ home and we are here to provide them with the care they deserve.”
- Sherry Alexander
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B I R T H D A Y S !
This month, we wish our following residents
the happiest of birthdays.
June 5 - Frances
June 24 - Ruthie
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June 7
"Lemonade Stand" sponsored by Grane Hospice
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June 21
Hawaiian party organized
by Vivian
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Our Volunteers Are The Best!
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Our Youngest Friends Return
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We had another fun-filled visit from our young friends at the
Shippensburg Public Library
. They helped us celebrate the upcoming summer season with a beach-themed craft, colorful leis, and a story about sea creatures. They have a busy summer ahead, so we have to say goodbye for now. We look forward to seeing them again in a few months, and we're so grateful for Miss Sysha, Miss Samantha, and the moms who make their visits possible.
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New Friends Arrive On Foot
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The
Girls On The Run
team from the Grace B. Luhrs University Elementary School ran from there to the Home as part of their Community Impact project. This bubbly, high-energy group delighted our residents with their sunny personalities and by helping to create flower arrangements and door hangings. According to one resident, "We had a blast!" We sure hope they come to visit again. They left no doubt in our minds that these amazing girls can not only run, but could someday run the world!
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Lois is cooking enthusiast. Kitchen Manager Effie reports that Lois' ability to cut perfect potato slices is amazing.
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Vivian organized a lovely tea party for our ladies. Everyone present enjoyed the pretty decorations and delicious refreshments. Thanks,Viv, you do so many nice things for us!
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We enjoyed an inside Memorial Day picnic. Residents chose an All-American menu of hot dogs, macaroni salad, baked beans and red, white, and blue cake. Patriotic decorations completed the festive atmosphere. Thanks to Effie and the kitchen crew for providing a nice celebration and a warm welcome to the upcoming summer season.
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Trip for Shippensburg Home Family
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All Saints Episcopal Church
in Hershey hosted a day trip for twelve former Home residents.The month was June, and we're guessing it was in the late 1950s or early 1960s, due to the ladies' attire and the mention of Mrs. Carleton N. Jones, the director of the Home during that time. The women traveled by chartered bus to Hershey. Upon their arrival at All Saints, they were greeted by parishioners and treated to a luncheon at the church. In the afternoon, EH residents toured the Hershey Rose Gardens, which "were in full array providing a lovely sight." According to an article in The Harrisburg Churchman, "entertaining some of the senior residents of the diocese was indeed a real pleasure and privilege." It is heartwarming to know that our predecessors in the diocese considered the EH residents "family," and kept the original vision and dream of the Episcopal Home alive though their kind support.
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Quilters Launch a New Idea
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The dedicated Quilters at St. Andrew’s in Shippensburg have a long
history of supporting the Episcopal Home. They have volunteered
countless hours of their time stitching, selling, and organizing events to benefit our residents.
They are offering handmade quilted items in exchange
for donations to the Home.
Interested?
Send an email to episcopalhome@comcast.net
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Baby Size & Larger Quilts
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Mission Statement
The mission of the Episcopal Home of the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania is to enhance personal care to residents, their families and that community that enhance physical, intellectual, social,
and spiritual wellbeing.
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