I ran across a good article from IAHSA today about how Japan has responded to helping its older population during this crisis.

from: Japan: Earthquake and Tsunami Likely to Have Overwhelmingly Affected Older Adults

These sad events in Japan accentuate the importance of planning for proper elder care and rescue in emergency situations.  As the world ages over the coming decades, such planning will  become increasingly important.

You can find the entire article here.

Two people from our community here at Messiah Village, Mel Miller (Construction Services) and Carl Ginder (VP of Planning) spend some time away from work volunteering with LightShine Ministries. Over the past couple of years they have been going to Alaska to do some of their work. Their work has been highlighted in the Mount Joy – Elizabethtown Merchandiser. Below is the article or you can check it out here.

Organization’s Efforts Shine To Alaska And Minnesota

By Krista Hurley July 28th 2010

Each year, LightShine Ministries provides a number of volunteer opportunities to individuals of various ages and skill levels. The organization, which is based in Mount Joy, focuses on meeting a host of different needs in Alaskan towns while also working, at times, with ministries in the contiguous states.

Recently, four teams of volunteers did their parts to make a difference in the areas of Eagle, Seldovia, and Globe Creek Camp in Alaska. Volunteers also offered their services at a retreat center in Minnesota. All who take part in LightShine’s trips are responsible for funding their own trip, and recent trip participants noted that they are thankful for the generous support they received.

Larry Newell helped to lead a five-member team as it worked in Eagle as a follow-up to last year’s disaster relief team. In four days, they helped to construct a church by building the walls and setting the roof trusses. “It was great,” Newell recalled. “We worked our tails off, but we had a great time.”

A six-member team, led by Mel Miller, traveled to Globe Creek Camp to provide their services. “It’s a Christian camp that’s being built for summer and winter camp activity,” Miller explained. Three years ago, the only structure at the camp was a partially finished lodge. Since then, teams from LightShine and other ministries have helped to build two cabins, finish the lodge, and more. The recent team met its goal of constructing a utility building, complete with fresh water tanks, water heaters, a generator, and a furnace.

Mel and Carl in Alaska - Photo by Krista Hurley

The Globe Creek and Eagle teams then united for the final week of their respective trips, during which they helped out at a retreat center in Seldovia. Last year, a team had started to construct a lodge. This year, the group continued this work by finishing the roof, building a loft and a stairway, closing the gable ends, and more.

With the number of trips that LightShine plans to Alaska each year, it is no secret that the teams make a difference in the towns in which they work. While the organization was able to make a difference without a van of its own, director Tom Denlinger knew that a vehicle would be helpful for the transportation of teams and materials.

Recently, Lancaster County resident George Calder donated a van, and a local repair shop performed maintenance on the vehicle. A team from LCBC volunteered to drive the van, a trailer, and a donated sound system from Lancaster County to Alaska. According to team member Bob Bender, the nearly 5,000-mile trip spanned four days filled with spectacular sights. “My favorite part was probably going through British Columbia through the Rockies,” Bender said. “We saw nine black bear in British Columbia. We saw elk, caribou, moose, (and) mountain sheep,” he recalled.

The fourth team stayed a bit closer to home, working at a retreat center in Minnesota. According to team member Jerry Polizzi, the center will eventually be available to host pastoral retreats. Last year, LightShine’s father-son team cleared land on the property, and this year’s four-man team built a chapel at the retreat center.

“There are still a few more trips coming up this year,” Polizzi noted, explaining that anyone who is willing to work, regardless of age or skill level, is welcome to sign up. He explained that participants do more than physical labor, as they also build relationships with residents of Alaska by encouraging them, listening to their stories, and more.

More information about the upcoming trips or about LightShine Ministries may be found at www.lightshineministries.org.

Photo By Krista Hurley

My husband and I are committed to “greening” our household in many ways. We recycle all of our paper, glass, cardboard and plastic. We started composting a few years ago. I also use the water from our dehumidifier to water my flowers. Some things seem less practical for us; converting to geothermal energy, and installing solar panels are a few examples of things we decided are not appropriate for us at this time.

Similarly, Messiah Village has committed to going “green”. Under the leadership of our “Green Team,” we have expanded our recycling efforts, installed a green roof and converted many lighting fixtures to more energy efficient bulbs. One area where we have opportunities to improve is in our use of styrofoam. Styrofoam is used heavily in our dining areas for take-out and for other purposes.

One way to be greener is to use compostable cups and plates. This option, however, would increase the cost of supplies by about $17,000 per year. We are also exploring styrofoam recycling. There is a community in the area that is doing this. A volunteer rinses all the styrofoam and then drops it off at the recycling center.
The desire to go green is often tempered by the constraints of convenience or cost, or both. How has the green movement affected decisions in your household? Are you willing to spend money to be green?

The Connections campaign spaghetti dinner raised $1,200 and lots of fun! Here’s a shot of our youngest patron…what do you think?

Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about who we are as an organization and what sets us apart from other organizations. Over the last year, I have seen a huge shift in thinking for our organization. We no longer view Messiah Village as just a one-campus CCRC (continuing care retirement community) we are an organization that provides living options, support services and enrichment opportunities to older adults in South Central PA.

In the past year, the Messiah Village team of 600 employees worked to enhance the lives of 1,375 older adults!  700 of these adults lived on the Messiah Village campus and 50 lived at Mount Joy Country Homes. The other 625 individuals who are part of our community live elsewhere, but enjoy many services that continue to enhance their lives.

What really stands out in my mind is our desire to offer age-well services and experiences that support older adults living enriched, engaged and empowered lives.

One way that Messiah Village annually promotes and inspires 55 and better adults to live with purpose and zest is through the SAGE Awards. Each year we honor Savvy, Active, Growing, Enlightened adults who are 55+ and are currently making a difference in the community.

Past winners include a diverse group of men and women from the Harrisburg region who are active in some meaningful or unexpected ways…they give in unique ways to the community, they may still work, they may be known to take on new assignments or try new things.

 Each year the winners are featured in Harrisburg Magazine and honored at an awards celebration, which will be held this year on November 4 at Messiah Village.

If you know someone who is 55+ and is living life to the fullest and making a difference in this world, we want to hear from you! Nominations are due June 1, 2010 and should be 150-200 words. We are looking for heartfelt stories about this person and what they are doing today to make a difference!

For more information, contact Karin Bisbee at kbisbee@messiahvillage.orgor call (717) 591-7201 or mail your nomination to SAGE Awards, 100 Mt Allen Drive, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055.

Who comes to your mind when you hear Savvy, Active, Growing, Enlightened? Their story may just inspire others to keep pushing those boundaries of what’s possible. I hope you will begin to share with others reading this blog by commenting below…