In This Issue:

• Residents Happenings
• Healthy Habits
• October Activities
• Festival of Trees 2023 ~ Save the Date
• Staff Birthdays and Work Anniversaries
• The Pastor's Corner with Reverend Cathy Kolwey
• Family Council Meetings

Fishing With Friends sunset cruise on Lake Minnetonka.

The residents enjoyed rooting for the home team at the Minnesota Twins Game.

Creating mosaics with instructor Linda Mader Reinart, owner of Mosaics at the Farm.

Healthy Habits to Help Protect Against Illness

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.
• Stay home when you are sick. This will help prevent spreading your illness to others.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick.
• Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.

The 12th Annual Festival of Trees date is set for this November 16th and will once again be held at the beautiful Bavaria Downs in Chaska, MN. Mark your calendars and plan on joining us for an enchanting evening of fun, giving and fellowship. Money raised goes to enriching the lives of our residents. We hope to see you on the 16th!

Get more info >

Thank you to our dedicated and hard working staff for their years of service!

Jennifer Wulf, CORP – 5 years

Krista Buesgens, CORP – 11 years

Matthew Strickler, CORP – 1 year

Elizabeth Meza Hernandez, COURTS - 3 years

Gabriela Alatorre-Robles, COURTS – 1 Year

Leah Saina, COURTS – 7 Years

Merarie Cedergren, COURTS – 10 Years

Yuliia Burdeina, COURTS – 1 Year

Margo McClellan, HOME- 18 Years

Michael Green, HOME – 2 Years

Sophia Koehnen, HOME – 11 Years

Ana Vences Alpizar, MANOR – 1 Year

Dane Lim, MANOR – 6 Years

Fartun Abdullahi, MANOR – 4 Years

Fathi Osman, MANOR – 5 Years

Mary Traxler, MANOR – 1 Year

Morgan Anderson, MANOR – 2 Years

Nam Dang, MANOR – 1 Year

Yana Meng, MANOR – 19 Years

Yoselin Guzman Martinez, MANOR – 1 Year

Henry Kauphusman, MEADOWS – 3 Years

Jeanika Lewis, MEADOWS – 1 Year

Kory Melchert, MEADOWS – 9 Years

Linda Broeker, MEADOWS – 1 Year

Nathan Greenwald, MEADOWS – 2 Years

Nicholas Kauphusman, MEADOWS – 7 Years

Nicole Dressel, MEADOWS – 9 Years

Shelly Stubbs, MEADOWS – 1 Year

Sydney Kienholz, MEADOWS – 2 Years

Patrick Chan, TALHEIM – 17 Years

Happy Birthday to the following staff members!

Joan Wiese - 19th

Julia Sarcletti - 18th

Shirley Keller – 27th

Abby Fischer – 14th

Annika Melluma – 16th

Cheryl Haas – 18th

Elyse Renodin – 15th

Eric Perucho-Sanchez – 21st

Gabrielle Wichmann – 8th

Jessica Rubert – 2nd

Jessica Nepomuceno – 4th

Joetta Teckmeyer – 6th

Kendra Borodich – 31st

Kyrah Clark – 2nd

Yabsera Yidnekachew – 16th

Anna Remer – 20th

Cassidy Hughes – 15th

Karen Arneson – 19th

Kathleen Steinhagen – 19th

Kelsey – Luepke – 19th

Margaret Wickenhauser – 10th

Miranda Manthey – 6th

Nancy Dussl – 10th

Alysha Grow – 13th

Braelyn Marlin – 12th

Cora Stumpf – 26th

Dayanara Pedreguera Maldonado – 25th

Janet Soderberg – 12th

Jennifer Lenzen – 25th

Joshua Litsey – 4th

Kimberly Koblas – 4th

Maria Campos-Franco – 11th

Marian Mohamed – 14th

Stephanie Mornson – 26th

Abigail Leukuma – 8th

Emily Stieve – 26th

Haley McDannold – 18th

Jennifer McCabe – 30th

Jennifer Mader – 22nd

Kari Erickson – 25th

Kayla Hoernemann – 10th

Lisa Panning – 26th

Silke Castillo – 18th

Susan Henrich – 2nd

When I was in my twenties, I had a close friend named Stacie. We both worked in the fashion industry and went to the same church, and were nearly inseparable. I even gave the homily at her wedding. Two days after her 30th birthday, Stacie passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. Stacie’s death changed my life forever. And even though it’s been more than 15 years, every Fall when the air cools, grief hits me again and it feels as if my friend died just yesterday. Grief is funny like that… it changes you, and you never really “get over” it. And it hits when you least expect it.

If we are honest with ourselves, we have to admit our culture does not grieve well. We want to pretend like everything is okay, or “gets back to normal” a couple of weeks after we lose a loved one. But that is really not the case. Those of us that know what it’s like to lose a loved one know, grief stays around forever.

This is why the Chaplaincy department at Auburn is partnering with The Lodge at Chaska Community Center to offer a month long series on Conversations about Grief. In these one hour sessions, we will be creating space where we can have honest conversations about grief. Because let’s be real – grief is not just something that happens when someone dies. There are lots of life events that trigger our grief – retirement, divorce, empty nests, a move, or the loss of a pet can all cause grief in our lives. Even COVID has cause a collective grief as we mourn the loss of the world as we knew it.

If you or someone you love is in the midst of a time of grief, I would invite you to join us for these important conversations. Often, it helps to know others are experiencing the same kinds of feelings that we are. To register for our Grief 101 program or to find out more details, you can contact Joan Seedorf at The Lodge, jseedorf@chaskamn.com or call 952-227-7760.

Blessings and peace,

Rev. Cathy M. Kolwey

“Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning. You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy”

Psalm 30: 5, 11

Family Council Meetings

If you are a family member of Auburn Home in Waconia and are interested in forming a family council, please reach out to Ashley Seaver at 952.442.6702. If you are a family member of Auburn Manor in Chaska and are interested in forming a family council, please reach out to Peggy Sullivan at 952.361.0312. These meetings are family led groups that provide support with the goal of improving communication, quality of care and supporting one another.

As the season changes so will our newsletter. We will now be sending out our newsletter quarterly: Fall, Winter Spring and Summer.

Auburn Homes & Services  |  501 N. Oak Street, Chaska MN

952-448-9303 | AUBURNHOMES.ORG