St. Luke Living Center
By SUE GUTSCH
St. Luke Living Center reporter
The living center bakers made Best Ever Cookies Friday morning. They were flavorful, but "best ever" may have been an exaggeration. Our experienced bakers and tasters find homemade cookies eaten right from the oven almost always make you think "these are the best ever."
We were happy to have our kolache-making bingo caller Magdalen Dvorak back that afternoon. She had been absent for a couple of months for various reasons.
Polka hour headliners Saturday a.m. were the Vinduskas, Gene and Dr. Eugene. The addition of the "seasoned" trombonist created a different sound to familiar tunes and we really enjoyed their music.
The Sunday afternoon message brought to us by Mike Eurit, pastor of Eastmoor United Methodist Church, was from the book of Matthew. Shirley Bowers, also of that congregation, played the piano for singing hymns.
After lunch Monday, we had a wonderful time looking at and talking about Kay Steele's 15-year collection of bird bells. Kay brought us 21 of them which we attempted to identify and admit we were stumped by one of them.
We shared Miss Ingalls' happiness Tuesday morning at being home with her family and friends in DeSmet after living with the Brewsters for two months. They $40 Laura received for teaching was overwhelming for the 15-year-old, but book-clubbers felt she'd surely earned it.
We spent a lovely afternoon with representatives of St. Luke Auxiliary, Evelyn Bredemeier and Jean Case. These two women brought large homemade heart-shaped decorated cookies, baked chips, a peanut-candy mix, foil-wrapped chocolate hearts, plates, napkins, and valentines, which were used as drawings for door prizes. Winners of soft, plush Care Bears were Veva Navrat, Phyllis Enos, and Amelia Vinduska.
Valentine's Day is traditionally a time to express love and our home certainly experiences this phenomena. Each of our residents received a large handmade valentine greeting from Marion Girl Scout Troop 63. The confirmation class from Holy Family Parish, Marion, and their instructor Teresa Cady brought Valentine's Day door hangings for every room. Debbie Buchholz of Marion Health Mart Pharmacy gave us a stack of new cards for our use, to send or give loved ones.
Dick Pracht was here Wednesday morning to lead prayer group. Shortly after one o'clock, Marion Elementary School kindergartners and their teacher, Mrs. Hancock were here to entertain us. These youngsters also brought valentines which they had colored and included a short, printed message and their names for each resident.
According to schedule, residents who needed the frames of their glasses tightened, filed onto the van. Others who had a little shopping to do rode along and we headed west to Hillsboro by mid-afternoon. It was a busy day but a lot was accomplished.
Thursday morning while Shirley Bowers and many residents congregated in the chapel singing hymns, others of us began setting up tables and chairs for our Valentine's Day family potluck meal. By noon, all the good food was on buffet tables and after singing the doxology, we began emptying all those bowls, pans, and cookers onto our plates. It takes the help of all departments and cooperation of everyone to make this such an enjoyable event. Thanks to all who brought such delicious food.
An additional act of valentine kindness was the large plate of decorated homemade goodies Shirley Bowers brought with her Thursday morning.
The hospital auxiliary brought tray favors of white heart-shaped doilies decorated with little colored hearts and topped with a chocolate heart. So much from so many.
