Last Thursday I spent the afternoon at Mount Joy Country Homes. We were holding an open house at the Design Center. It was fun to meet new people and tell them about the new cottages that will be ready this fall.

John Fry, Director of Construction Services, drove me over to the construction site to walk through a few of the partially completed cottages. With our hard hats on, we walked through the Marietta and Manheim cottages. It was so amazing to see these homes come to life! After two years of staring at floor plans on paper, our dream of offering new green cottages at a moderate price is coming true!

On September 16 and 18, we will be holding a “Dusty Shoe Tour” where the public can get their first glimpse of these new cottages. If you are in Elizabethtown this week, stop by the Elizabethtown Fair. A few of us will be there in Memorial Hall with a hard hat on inviting everyone we meet to the Dusty Shoe Tour in September.

To see what’s happening each week in Mount Joy, visit our facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Messiah-Village/106244876220?v=photos&ref=ts#!/album.php?aid=242370&id=106244876220.

Recently, I enjoyed spending an hour walking through our vegetable gardens with a few of our resident gardeners. Mary Klaus, a reporter from the Patriot News, was here to write a story on community gardening. It was fun to interact with a few of the 25+ vegetable gardeners we have on campus. I enjoyed seeing each person share what they had grown with the reporter as she snapped pictures of each person on a very hot and humid afternoon. There were zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, parsnips, cucumbers, and much more! A few of the gardeners even had grown flowers to help beautify the area for all to enjoy.

 Jerry and Carolyn Rutherford who head up the Garden Committee, invited the group into their home after the tour for some cold water and to continue the conversation. The gardeners told the reporter about the composting that is done and picked up by the grounds crew and how the water that is used to water the gardens is collected from Spring Run into a cistern. We talked about canning, freezing, and storing vegetables to last all winter and even into the next spring. It was obvious from the conversation that each person has enjoyed gardening for most of their life. After moving to Messiah Village they were able to continue that tradition with a little help from the grounds crew who till the ground each fall and spring. The planting, weeding, and watering are the responsibility of each gardener who is given a plot of the garden each spring from the Garden Committee.

 It was really nice to hear about the generosity of our gardeners who share the produce they have grown with other residents. One gardener has a table outside of his apartment that is a “free” table for anyone who passes by. It doesn’t take long for his vegetables to be snatched up by other residents who live in his hallway.

 I have grown in my appreciation for the work and joy of gardening from my husband who has grown a vegetable garden the last three summers. He loves it and enjoys spending many hours caring for it. I can see how it would be hard to give up gardening once it is in your blood. I’m so thankful that at Messiah Village residents do not need to give up gardening of vegetables or flowers after they move-in and make Messiah Village their home!

Gardening is about enjoying the smell of things growing in the soil, getting dirty without feeling guilty, and generally taking the time to soak up a little peace and serenity.  ~Lindley Karstens

In celebration of our nation’s birthday, here is a poem that John McGrath, resident and poetry society member. 

Independence Day

‘Tis  the  fourth  of  July !

A most glorious day

When our country was born

O’er two centuries away.

Then a group of wise men

Bravely met to declare,

We were ready to fight:

Let the British beware.

So they risked all they had

And their very lives too

Because all of them thought

‘Twas  the right thing to do.

I’m sure none of them dreamed

How the land would turn out:

Our bright beacon of light

Turns the whole world about.

Give thanks all you people

For those heroes of  old,

For the lives that we live

And the freedom we hold

~~~John McGrath.

John McGrath’s (left) poem was published in this month’s issue of the 50+Senior News. Leigh Hoffman (right) is president of the Messiah Village Poetry Society.

Food can do so much more than just nourish the body. It can lift our spirits and add pizzazz to our lives.

Last week, my husband and I had a birthday party for our son who just turned 5. The theme was “Star Wars”.  To make the event extra festive, my husband decided to make a cake for my son’s birthday. “Make a cake” seems a bit understated for what he ended up creating. It was a 24-hour labor of love that resulted in gasps, unbelief and a lot of excitement.

At the end of the night, my husband and I both agreed that it was the best party we’ve had. Why? Not much was different from other family birthday parties. That cake not only tasted great, but looked amazing. It set the tone for the party and brought a new energy to the celebration.

Over the last several months, I have also sensed a new sense of energy at the Fireside Grille as new changes are implemented. It is amazing to even see the ambience change as the hearthstone oven was added and as our chefs serve us in their bright white chef attire.

The daily menu specials of salmon, sliders, taco salads, specialty pizzas, paninis and more have also added to the energy. I understand the changes to the Fireside Grille have just begun! I hear we will soon be enjoying made-to-order salads, artisan breads, and new international flavors.

Next Wednesday, June 23 from 11 am to 2 pm there will be a Grand Opening of the NEW Fireside Grille. Many of the local merchants who supply food to the Fireside Grille will be on hand to provide free samples.

If you are around that day, stop by for some free samples of salads, pizzas, cookies, parfaits and more! Everyone is welcome.

What is your favorite new dish at the Fireside Grille? I’m a big fan of the salmon with the orange glaze and the sweet potato fries!

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…

With all the excitement about the announcement that Messiah Village won the WorldBlu Most Democratic Workplace last week, little time was given to the big news that we broke ground in Mount Joy last Tuesday!

It may come as a surprise to some that  Messiah Village manages a small active adult community in Mount Joy called Mount Joy Country Homes. This is home to 50 residents living in 38 cottages.

Over the last year, we have been promoting the news that we are planning to transform the 8-acre retirement community to a 34-acre community with 114 cottages, a community center, assisted living, and commercial space. We are now ready to break ground on the first 10 cottages.

To see the site plan in detail go to: http://www.mjch.org/the-community/master-plan.php

What is so “funny” about this ground breaking is that it rained. I can’t tell you the number of events we have tried to hold a Country Homes this past year that were rained out! It has been a running joke. So, we really should not have been surprised when it rained 4 hours early and just in time for the ceremony.

Thankfully, it didn’t stop more than 50 people from coming out to witness the historic event.

Carl Ginder who is overseeing the expansion spoke a few words and then he was joined by a team representing many different groups who are excited to see this project get started.

Participating in the ground breaking ceremony:(Left to Right) Christine Stoltzfus, Senator Brubaker’s Office; Carl Ginder, Board Chair of Mount Joy Country Homes; Todd Newpher, Mount Joy Chamber President; Ken Barto, Mount Joy Borough; Dr. Emerson Lesher, President of Messiah Village; Alex Piehl, RGS Associates; Joe Wagman, President of Wagman Construction; James Lesher, Resident and Community Manager of Mount Joy Country Homes

It was an exciting day to finally see the project begin. Everyone enjoyed celebrating afterwards.

To learn more about the new cottages that will be ready this fall, visit www.MJCH.org.

When was the last time you played croquet?

I think I was ten years old the last time I played. I remember it was a really hot day. My family had gone to my Great Aunt Odell’s house to visit on a Sunday afternoon. I remember my brother and I played that afternoon in her backyard, while my parents visited with my Great Aunt.

It is funny how we have “light bulb” memories of certain events in our life. Most of the fun things I did with my brother I no longer remember, but this sticks out in my mind. Was it because it was something different to do? Was it because we did it at a distant relative’s home that we rarely visited? I don’t know. I’m just glad I have the fond memory.

These memories have recently come to the surface with the announcement of Wicket on the Green, Messiah Village’s upcoming charity croquet tournament on Saturday, April 24.

When was the last time you played croquet? Is there someone you may wish to play with and create a “light bulb” memory that is hard to forget? I think I will invite my brother to come and play croquet on April 24.

To learn more about Wicket on the Green visit www.WicketOnTheGreen.org.

Thanks for visiting our new Messiah Village Blog. At this point, we are only in the beginning stages of testing this new blog and how it works. We are planning to have all our bloggers (a group of Messiah Village residents and employees) trained and up and running with the blog in late January. Please stay tuned for more info!