Read our community newsletter to discover the latest news and activities at Park Place of Elmhurst Retirement and Assisted Living!
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Life at Park Place of Elmhurst Christmas Memories
an aluminum star. Something happened – something that only happens at Christmas, and only in a house crowded with love and chaos. The tree looked perfect. Clay Klein Growing up on a farm did not lend itself to Christmas department store visits, tours of decorated neighborhoods, and caroling in the streets. My parents operated on a slim budget, while my mom’s homemade bread, sweet rolls, and cookies were without peer. Even our school friends with teenaged appetites had an acute awareness of Mom's baking prowess. Marilyn Wood Christmas Eve in our house always began with Oyster Stew. It was quite a tradition, one that set the tone for the night ahead. After dinner, we bundled up and headed to Church for the nine o’clock service. The world always seemed softer then – the snow muffling our footsteps, the stars sharp and clear above. When we returned home, my brother and I went straight to bed, while my parents stayed up, quietly transforming the house for Christmas morning. That was when the magic happened. Sally Jones I remember waiting for my parents to come take me downstairs to Grandma’s house Christmas morning. I soon heard the music of Christmas and they were there, beside me. Together we went down. I was surprised to see a tall, decorated Christmas Tree that Santa Claus brought with him, and it was lit, and presents were under it! My Christmas stocking had an orange at its toe and candy cane above small, wrapped presents. I was amazed at the brightness and festivity of that morning.
Joe X. Christmas time is a period that so many of our most positive memories are made. I had asked Melissa to contact Mike Harrington and our Resident Writer’s Group to share a few of their favorite memories of Christmas time. We hope you
enjoy these and we look forward to the many new and wonderful Christmas memories we experience here together this year at Park Place of Elmhurst. Lee Schacht When I was young, six years old, I loved Christmas Eve. We would go to church for a special family service. My dad would say, “We’re going to be LATE for Church!!! WHAT is keeping your MOTHER??? Finally, she’d come and we’d get to church on time. When we got home, there was a surprise waiting for us. Under the Christmas Tree were presents that Santa brought, while we were in church! ( I wish I could share this memory with my Mom.) Joanne Blackford “Tree’s not going to cut itself!” Grandpa announced grabbing his old jacket. Four of the grandchildren piled into his rusty truck. In the woods, he hacked down a cedar that managed to look smaller, sadder, and scragglier with every step they carried it. The children set to work…with paper chains, bent ornaments and
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Spotlight Events at Park Place The Giving Tree December 1-26
Maintenance Committee Meeting
It is time once again to hang your new (or gently used) hats, gloves, mittens, or scarves on the Giving Tree. The tree will remain up until December 26, and at the end of the holiday season, Park Place will donate
Wednesday, December 3 1:00 p.m., Creation Studio
The Maintenance Committee will be meeting this afternoon. If you have any questions or comments you would like to address with the committee, please reach out to Mary Corbett, the Committee Chair.
all the items to the Elmhurst Community Clothing Center. Make it easy on yourself— purchase your Giving Tree gifts from The Park Place Shoppe.
A Classical Christmas Concert with Devin Starr
Together in Prayer: Conversational Prayer Every Monday 3:00 p.m., Community Room Together in Prayer
Thursday, December 4 11:00 a.m., Living Room
The best of both worlds combined as Christmas meets Classical! From the First Noel in the style of Tchaikovsky’s Bb minor Piano Concert to Beethoven’s Fur Elise with We Three Kings , some of the greatest Christmas tunes of all time will be re-envisioned in a masterful classical setting with arrangements by Carolyn Taylor and Jan Sanborn. Park Place is blessed this holiday season to have Devin back for another concert. Enjoy!
(Conversational Prayer) is a group that meets every Monday at 3:00 pm in the Community Room. All are welcome.
Giving Tuesday with Timothy Christian Angels
Tuesday, December 2 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Advent Communion Service Thursday, December 4 2:00 p.m., Community Room
We welcome students from the National Arts Honor Society at Timothy Christian Schools to work with Park Place Residents with decorating for Christmas in the lead-up to our Park Place Family Day. Giving Tuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Since then, it has grown into a year-round global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity. Park Place is truly blessed to have TC Angels each holiday season. Please sign up with the Concierge if you would like help from a TC Angel with your door decorations or the Door Decorating Contest.
A great way to begin your December is to come to our annual Advent Communion Service on December 4 in the Community Room. Chaplain Gerry’s message is “Waiting for Christmas”.
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y Begin and Sadat announce the Camp David Peace Agreement y Three Mile Island nuclear meltdown y The Iran hostage crisis *Please note the date for this program.
Welcome Committee Meeting Thursday, December 4 3:00 p.m., Private Dining Room The Welcome Committee will meet this
afternoon. If you are interested in joining the committee or serving as a “Welcomer” to greet and assist new residents during their first weeks at Park Place, please get in touch with the Welcome Committee Chair, Jimmie Falconer.
Quiet Candlelight Service Thursday, December 11 2:00 p.m., Community Room
Christmas Family Day Saturday, December 6 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM,
Sometimes, the holiday season can be difficult for many. This week’s worship service will be a Quiet Christmas Service, especially for those facing challenging times this Christmas.
Today, bring your family and enjoy all that Park Place has to offer! You will enjoy a buffet arranged by Chef Pearse and the Dining Service Team, a meet-and-greet with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and the opportunity to vote on some of our resident door decorations. Our second-floor common rooms will also be open for games and arts and crafts for all. There will also be a showing of the Taylor Swift Eras Tour for all those ‘Swifties’ to enjoy in the Community Room at your leisure. Dining Committee Meeting Tuesday, December 9 2:00 p.m., Providence Dining Room The Dining Committee will be meeting this afternoon. If you have any questions or comments you would like to address with the committee, please reach out to Mary Baas, the Committee Chair. Gary Midkiff: The 70’s—Part 6 Wednesday, December 10 2:00 p.m., Community Room Join Gary for the final session of his 6-part series on the 70s. Spanning from May 1978 through December 1979. Today's session will feature the following; y More on President Jimmy Carter
Residents Council Friday, December 12 2:00 p.m., Community Room
Come learn how your Park Place Residents Council Committees are working for you. All residents are encouraged to attend.
Welcome Reception Friday, December 12 3:00 p.m., Bistro
Please join us in welcoming the new residents of Park Place! Wine, soft drinks, and appetizers will be served.
Magical Strings of Youth Saturday, December 13 2:00 p.m., Living Room
Join fellow residents for a special musical
performance featuring the Magical Strings of Youth. Betty Haag-Kuhnke, founder and director of the Academy, has traveled the globe with her student musicians to national and international acclaim. Violinists from the ages of three to sixteen will perform a selection of classical pieces and Christmas favorites.
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Brooke Schrager’s Student Showcase
Christmas Worship Service Followed by Cookie Share Thursday, December 18 1:30 p.m., Dining Room/Bistro This year, we celebrate our Christmas Worship Service in the Dining Room on December 18 at 1:30 p.m., featuring Daniel Ziesemer on the violin, Lisa Targonski-Ciseros on the flute, and Chaplain Gerry on the
Sunday, December 14 3:00 p.m., Living Room
Brooke Schrager began her teaching career in 2010 at Suburban Music in Wheaton, Illinois, where she taught private piano, voice, and voice acting lessons. In January of 2016, her love of teaching in the private setting led her to start Lessons by Brooke & Company, and the rest is history! Brooke currently manages the studio while continuing to teach her own piano and voice students of various ages and ability levels. Today, we welcome a selection of students from Brooke Schrager’s studio. We are very excited that they will be sharing their many talents with us.
keyboard. Join us in singing the Carols of Christmas, and bring your cookies for the celebration in the bistro afterwards.
Birthday Luncheon Friday, December 19 12:00 p.m., Dining Room
Christmas House Walk Wednesday, December 17
Today, you deserve a celebration for all the joy you bring to the world. There are many precious things in life, but few are as special as you. We invite those with a December birthday to join us for lunch in our Dining Room as we celebrate and wish you a happy birthday. If you receive an invitation, kindly RSVP to the concierge by December 12.
Resident Apartments 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m.
Several residents have graciously offered to open their homes for the annual Christmas House Walk. We sincerely thank our House Walk hosts and look forward to enjoying your special Christmas décor. Pick up a list of participating residences at the concierge desk at 9:30 a.m. on the day of the Christmas Walk. Then, take your time visiting your neighbors and wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. In addition to visiting the residences, a small break is planned for lunch before continuing the second half of our house walk. Once the House Walk has wrapped up for the day, come down to the Bistro for our Holiday Social! Share your favorite Christmas traditions with your neighbors as you enjoy a holiday cocktail, non-alcoholic beverages, and cookies.
Curiosity University: Christmas at the Movies Friday, December 19 1:00 p.m., Community Room
Join Michael Harrington as he presents a lecture by Marc Lapadula, Senior Lecturer in the Film Studies Program at Yale University. Lapadula has given highly acclaimed classic film lectures on a wide range of cinema topics across the country at notable venues, such as The National Press Club, The Smithsonian Institution, The Commonwealth Club, The Cleveland Museum of Art, and The New York Historical Society. From the many incarnations of the Charles Dickens classic, A Christmas Carol, to Frank Capra’s perennially televised It’s a Wonderful Life, these beloved stories remind us (or at least
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try to) that there is much more to Christmas than over-commercialization and extravagant gift-giving. Sort of an ironic message, as the Christmas-themed films rolled out each year by the major studios the day after Thanksgiving have the sole mission of selling as many tickets as they can, while fiercely competing against other holiday films with a vengeance! But irony and sarcasm aside, feel-good movies that remind us that our families and loved ones are the greatest gift of all do serve a purpose. Christmas is ultimately a time to think beyond personal needs and go out of our way to think about others.
Million Dollar Quartet Christmas Tuesday, December 30 12:00 p.m., Main Entrance
From the creators of Million Dollar Quartet, your favorite Rock ‘n’ Roll legends return this Christmas for a brand-new holiday musical experience. Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Elvis Presley come together again to celebrate the holidays at Sun Records Studio, filled to the brim with Christmas cheer and enough music talent to power a city grid. Jam-packed with the sounds of the season and the chart toppers that made the “Million Dollar Quartet" famous. The gang is up to their usual antics as we journey through stories of Christmas past, present, and future. Join us for a live performance at the Marriott Theatre. No stairs at this venue. The show begins at 1:00 pm and has a run time of an hour and a half. Front Row Tickets are $75, and we have 12 available tickets. Please fill out an RSVP found at the front desk and return it to the Concierge by Monday, December 22. Remembrance Worship Service
Opera at the Met: The Magic Flute Saturday, December 20 1:00 p.m., Community Room
Come discover The Magic Flute. One of the greatest operas ever written. Mozart's timeless classic explores the search for truth and reason, love and enlightenment. It follows the adventures of Prince Tamino and the bird-catcher Papageno on their quest to rescue Pamina.
Wednesday, December 31 2:00 p.m., Community Room
This is an annual worship service led by Chaplain Gerry as we remember and honor those who have passed this year. A card will be placed in your mail slot a few days before the service. Use this card to write down the names of loved ones you wish to honor, and please bring it with you to the Remembrance Service. New Year’s Eve Party Wednesday, December 31 7:00 p.m., Bistro Save the date for the Park Place New Year’s Eve Party! Join your fellow residents for champagne, punch, party favors, fellowship, and music by the ever-popular Edizon Dayao. Cheers! This party is for residents only.
Christmas Day Brunch Thursday, December 25
y 11:00 a.m. y 11:30 a.m.
y 12:15 p.m. y 12:45 p.m.
The maximum seating reservation is up to 10 people per table. To make reservations, call the reservation line at 10010 or inform a hostess.
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Park Place Announcements A Message from
A Message from Chaplain Gerry Bible Study
George Carasquilla Christmas Eve & New Year's Eve Dining Hours
Park Place Reviews Do you follow Park Place of Elmhurst? You and your family can find us on Facebook and Google to see pictures from recent events or calendar reminders of upcoming events. You can also share your positive experiences with others and help spread the word about Park Place! Tuesdays: Community Room at 10:45 a.m. December 2: The 6 Seals of Revelation 6 December 9: Revelation 7: Home at Last December 16: Revelation 8: The 7 Trumpets December 23: Revelation 9: The Bottomless Pit December 30: Revelation 10: The Bittersweet Scroll Worship Services Thursdays: Community Room at 2:00 p.m. December 4: Advent Communion Service Waiting for Christmas December 11: Quiet Candlelight Service December 18: Christmas Worship & Cookie Share In the Dining Room/Bistro December 25: No Service on Christmas Day December 31: Remembrance Worship Service Please note the date.
Please note the hours of operation for our Bistro and Dining Room on both Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, which fall on Wednesday, December 24 and Wednesday, December 31. Those times are as follows; Bistro Hours Breakfast: 7:00 a.m.- 9:30 am Lunch: 11:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m. Dining Hours Beginning at 3:15 p.m., with the last seating at 5:00 p.m. *The Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve dinners are reserved for our Park Place Residents. Please watch channel 1902 for notice on when the Dining Room will be accepting reservations.
A Message from Life Enrichment
There will be no transportation services on Wednesday, December 24, and Thursday, December 25. We are grateful to our team of drivers (Jim, Mike, Bob, Tim, and Glen) who answer the call to serve our residents by getting them to their destinations. Transportation will resume on Friday, December 26, with a shopping trip to Walmart for those after-holiday deals!
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GOOD FRIENDS
The Park Place family extends its heartfelt December birthday greetings to all of our residents who are celebrating in December!
WeCare Connect Survey Please watch for your WeCare Connect customer satisfaction survey via email, text, or phone. We are grateful that you chose Park Place and we wish to ensure your satisfaction so we need to hear from you. We love welcoming friends who feel like family. If you know someone who would enjoy our community, please contact a member of our Sales Team. What better way to feel at home than to have your friends as your neighbors. Many residents move to our community because they know someone here, someone like you! For every friend or family member you refer, you and the person you referred will receive a credit equal to one month’s service fee after 90 days of residency at Park Place. REFER & EARN one month’s service fee!
MERRY
and HAPPY NEW YEAR
Follow Us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/ ParkPlaceofElmhurst/
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PARK PLACE
OF ELMHURST
The Park Place of Elmhurst Foundation exists to enhance the living experience of Park Place residents by improving facilities and amenities for the community. It expands, enhances, and improves on the experiences available to the community in a broad variety of ways. At the same time, the Foundation provides the opportunity to preserve the memory of a loved one, as well as to recognize milestones for those who are celebrating special events in their lives. Are you interested in learning about end of year giving opportunities? Please call me to talk about ways you can make a difference! Thank you for your support!
Beth McGowan Welch, ext. 11214 Park Place of Elmhurst Foundation Director
1050 S. Euclid Ave, Elmhurst, IL 60126
(630) 936-4447
bethw@ppoefoundation.org
ParkPlaceElmhurstFoundation.org
Park Place of Elmhurst is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization
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