Each March, the Tel Hai retirement community in conjunction with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, encourages consumers to return to the basics of healthy eating by observing National Nutrition Month. Initiated in 1973 as “National Nutrition Week” it became a month-long event in 1980 in response to the public’s growing interest in nutrition. This year’s theme emphasizes flavorful eating—“Enjoy the Taste of Eating Right” by experimenting with new flavors and flavor combinations. “According to consumer research, taste tops nutrition as the main reason why consumers buy one food over another. The foods we most commonly eat are often those we enjoy the most,” according to registered dietitian and Academy spokesperson Joy Dubost. “So make taste a priority when preparing nutritious meals.”

As part of this education campaign, Tel Hai’s Dining and Nutrition Services Department provides a variety of helpful tips, games, promotional tools and nutrition education resources, all designed to raise awareness of the importance of good nutrition every day. The information provided throughout the month will help everyone make informed food choices that taste good.

Tel Hai is again sponsoring a food drive during the month of March to benefit the Twin Valley Food Pantry.  Tel Hai’s dietitian, Sybil Oswalt, reminds us that hunger knows no color, gender or age.  One in six Americans find it difficult physically and financially to access the food and supplies needed to nourish their body and keep them healthy. The Twin Valley Food Pantry has documented service to well over 100 families—an estimated 150 persons. Items needed include sugar, cereal, pasta, rice, canned tuna, peanut butter, canned fruits and vegetables, toilet paper, paper towels, laundry detergent, as well as dish and bar soap. Donations sites will be located on campus in the Garrett Community Center, Chapel Lobby and the Lakeview Personal Care entrance. Questions regarding the food drive can be directed to Sybil Oswalt, RD, CSG, LDN, Tel Hai’s Clinical Dietitian at 610-273-9333, extension 2067.

PHOTO: Sybil Oswalt, Tel Hai’s Clinical Dietitian, serves as the coordinator for the annual food drive during March—National Nutrition Month.  Donations will benefit the Twin Valley Food Pantry which has been serving over 100 families in the region.

The Honey Brook Historical Society will offer an informational program presented by Civil War re-enactor, Marc Benedict on Tuesday, March 25 at 2:00pm. The presentation “Inside a Union Soldier’s Pockets” is open to the public and offered free of charge at the Tel Hai retirement community’s campus located off Beaver Dam Road, east of Route 10 in the community’s Auditorium/Chapel.

The presenter, Marc Benedict of Terre Hill (Lancaster County), will visit in uniform, equipped with various artifacts of the period—authentic and reproduction. Mr. Benedict has worked as a living historian of the Civil War for over 30 years and has appeared as a Civil War re-enactor in films, commercials and on television. He also served as a Park Ranger in the National Park Service for ten years. His presentation will include a question and answer period welcoming the audience’s participation, as well.

Directions to the Tel Hai campus can be found on their website: www.telhai.org under the “Contact Us” tab; with your GPS please use the 1200 Tel Hai Circle physical address.

PHOTO: “Inside a Union Soldier’s Pockets” will be presented by the Honey Brook Historical Society on March 25 at 2:00pm in the Tel Hai Auditorium/Chapel off Beaver Dam Road.

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) of Widener University will offer a five-session course at Tel Hai exploring the circumstances giving rise to the 1830 law entitled “The Indian Removal Act” and its aftermath. Historians refer to the forced removal of the “Five Civilized Tribes” from the southeastern United States to areas west of the Mississippi River as “The Trail of Tears.” Instructor, Dick Calef will explore this dark chapter in our nation’s history during the presidency of Andrew Jackson.

The course will begin on Friday, March 28 at 1:00pm in the Gathering Room in the Garrett Community Center on Tel Hai’s campus and continue on April 4, 11, 25 and conclude on Friday, May 2, 2014. The course fee of $40 is due and payable to Widener University at the first class session. To pre-register, please contact Bill Morling, Tel Hai’s Life Enrichment Committee member, at 610-273-4165.

Instructor, Dick Calef, holds a BS degree from the University of New Hampshire and has proven to be a dedicated student of history. He has been a popular presenter at the OLLI Wednesday Speaker Series. Prior to retirement, Mr. Calef worked in marketing and sales management with General Electric and Hughes Aircraft Company, serving the electric power and aerospace industries. He previously taught “Reign of the Czars,” “Stalin,” “Hitler,” and is also leading a spring course at the Exton center entitled “The Defining Struggle of Native Americans.”

Directions to Tel Hai can be found on the website: www.telhai.org under the “Contact Us” tab; with GPS please use the 1200 Tel Hai Circle, Honey Brook physical address. The Tel Hai community has served seniors since 1956 offering an active, worry-free lifestyle and a variety of housing options, personal and health care, rehabilitation and .

PHOTO: Road signs mark the “Trail of Tears”—the route taken by Native Americans in the 1830s as they were “resettled” west of the Mississippi River.

Tel Hai’s 18^th Annual High School Student Art Show attracted a faithful crowd of over 200 persons who enjoyed the exhibition of 110 works by area youth. Artistic creations by students from five local high schools were on display Friday and Saturday, February 7 and 8, 2014 to the delight of the guests. With power restored on Tel Hai’s campus by Thursday, residents and community members seeking a pleasant diversion were rewarded with fine art works in various mediums. Juried local artists, Velma and Renny Magill applied Scholastic Art Award Categories to award 35 first and second place ribbons and numerous “honorable mentions” for the students’ fine work. Art instructors and participating students were celebrated at the Friday evening reception with musical accompaniment provided by David Hicks, a Tel Hai chaplain, on piano. The traditional “People’s Choice” winners were determined by the close of the event on Saturday afternoon by popular vote of attending guests.

Event coordinator, Tammy Jacobs, Director at Tel Hai, presented the People’s Choice awards on February 27 at Coatesville Area Senior High (CASH) and the Twin Valley High School (TVHS). First prize winner, Colin Geary of Birdsboro, is a junior and student of Ms. Samantha Rowlands at TVHS. Winning with his self portrait in graphite, Colin has enjoyed drawing from life since art classes began in Middle School. Colin carries a heavy academic course load but like his twin brother, Colby, also participates in cross country and track. With a strong interest in engineering and biology he will start looking at in-state colleges in the coming months. Colin also received a 1^st place award for his drawing by the juried judges.

Second prize went to CASH senior, Alexis Harvey-White for her acrylic painting, “Fearless.” This Chester County native has enjoyed art classes throughout her school years—exhibiting for the first time in 4^th grade. Alexis first realized she had a real gift for art in high school. “I’ve always enjoyed art classes and loved drawing.” Her favorite subjects are animals and to date she’s enjoyed creating a leopard, a parrot, a whale and penguins in earlier assignments. Future plans include majoring in Criminal Justice at Shippensburg University…but she will continue working in art adding, “You can use art in criminal justice work, too.” Alexis’s acrylic painting received a 1^st place ribbon in the juried judging of the painting category.

CASH senior, Lydia Ritter of Pomeroy, admits to engaging in art as a form of competition with her older sister who Lydia described as “a born artist.” She added, “I like to chase the impossible.” Wining the 3^rd place award this year for her acrylic, “St. Malachi Church,” confirmed her sense of accomplishment. Lydia prefers watercolor and pastels and has seen her skills grow in Carolyn Worth’s AP course this year. She is looking for an apprenticeship opportunity that will allow her to continue in the art field after graduation. The juried judges awarded Lydia with 2^nd place ribbons in the drawing and painting categories.

Winners of 1^st and 2^nd place honors in defined categories selected by judges, Velma and Renny Magill of Lancaster County, included the following students. An additional 14 “honorable mention” awards were also granted. An asterisk * denotes 1^st place winner:

Tel Hai is honored to have this opportunity to showcase the artistic talents of local young people and offers thanks the art instructors for their support of the annual exhibit and their encouragement of students in the arts.

PHOTO 1: (From left) Tammy Jacobs, Tel Hai Director and Student Art Show Coordinator, congratulates Colin Geary, first place winner of the People’s Choice Awards. Tel Hai’s 18^th annual student art show was held February 7 & 8, 2014. They are joined by Colin’s instructor at Twin Valley High School, Ms. Samantha Rowlands.

Tel Hai’s concert series continues on Saturday, March 22, 2014 at 7:30pm with the Pennsylvania Flute Choir performing from their classical repertoire. The concert will be held in the Chapel on Tel Hai’s campus located off Beaver Dam Road in Honey Brook Township, east of Route 10.

The Pennsylvania Flute Choir, under the direction of Dr. Debra Torok, was formed in 2002 by Flutist Georgia Dimaano. Dr. Torok, Music Director since 2011, is also a professional recording artist, pianist, composer, conductor and teacher.  Their performance at Tel Hai will include classical works by Mendelssohn, Haydn, and Mozart.  A special slide presentation will also be presented to accompany works by Sonny Burnette entitled “Stained Glass Images” as well as “The Planets” by Gustav Holst. The latter includes beautiful original images by astronomer Juan Carlos Guerra.

The Pennsylvania Flute Choir is an auditioned, community group with more than 20 members from southeastern Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey.  The choir performs throughout the tri-state region for engagements such as community concerts, weddings, religious services, private parties, and special events. It also performs at regional flute fairs and flute society events and conventions.

Admission to the event is free and open to the public. For directions visit the Tel Hai community’s website at www.telhai.org and click on the “Contact Us” tab. With your GPS please use the 1200 Tel Hai Circle, Honey Brook address.

The nationally accredited non-profit Tel Hai community has been serving senior adults since 1956 providing a variety of choices in housing as well as quality care and services.

PHOTO: The Pennsylvania Flute Choir will perform a variety of pieces from their classical repertoire at Tel Hai’s chapel on Saturday, March 22, 2014 at 7:30pm. The concert is open to the public and offered free of charge.

The Pastoral Care Department of Tel Hai invites the public to an informational seminar on Saturday, March 15 at 10:00am in the chapel on the community’s campus. Dr. Kenneth H. Miller, professor from the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Myerstown, will offer a lecture and opportunity for discussion on “Ethical Considerations for End-of-Life Decision Making.”  The presentation will explore the challenges of aging we will all face in our lifetime.

Dr. Miller, a professor of Christian Theology, earned his Ph.D. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Highland Park, IL. He continues to serve in pastoral ministry for several central Pennsylvania congregations and taught at The Evangelical College of Theology in northeast India in 2007. He is heavily involved in his home community and serves as Community Representative to the Ethics Committee of Good Samaritan Hospital in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. He has authored articles in The Evangelical Journaland continues to enjoy his fulltime classroom duties at the seminary. Ken and wife, Julie, are residents of Myerstown.

The workshop is offered free of charge and will surely be of interest to multiple generations of family members. The Chapel at Tel Hai is located off Beaver Dam Road in Honey Brook Township. Directions can be found online at www.telhai.org under the “Contact Us” tab. Using your GPS please refer to the physical address: 1200 Tel Hai Circle. Questions can be directed to Chaplain Tim Herr at 610-273-9333, extension 2009.

PHOTO: The public is invited to attend a seminar led by Professor, Dr. Kenneth H. Miller of the Evangelical Theological Seminary on “Ethical Considerations for End-of-Life Decision Making” at the Tel Hai Chapel on Saturday, March 15, 2014 at 10:00am.

The Tel Hai LEC (Life Enrichment Committee)  is pleased to offer a two-session exploration of Amish and Mennonite traditions on Friday, March 7 and 14, 2014 at 1:00pm in the Gathering Room on Tel Hai’s campus, east of Route 10 off Beaver Dam Road. The lecturer, Kenneth Sensenig, will provide lively sessions exploring the journey of these Anabaptist groups in the United States. Mr. Sensenig has described the sessions as an examination of “the journey from rebel heretics to respectable citizens.” Attendees will explore how faith understandings developed 500 years earlier continue to shape these communities and the larger world beyond.

The presenter, Kenneth Sensenig, is the Assistant Director for the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), East Coast. He brings a keen interest in the work of the church and has spoken extensively about the historical context of Anabaptist churches in a variety of venues. Residents of Ephrata, Lancaster County, Ken and his family have long-served with MCC in Swaziland and Sudan, as well as short term experiences in Central and South America and Europe.

Pre-registration is not required for these sessions. Directions to Tel Hai can be found by GPS using the physical address: 1200 Tel Hai Circle or on the website click on “Contact Us” when visiting www.telhai.org.

PHOTO: Kenneth Sensenig, Assistant Director for the East Coast Mennonite Central Committee, will offer an engaging and informational program on Amish and Mennonite faith traditions and history at Tel Hai on Friday, March 7 and 14 at 1:00pm sponsored by the Life Enrichment Committee and the Pastoral Care Department.

The Tel Hai community’s annual blood drive exceeded their goal on January 30 by collecting 42 whole blood donations—the maximum number possible during the event. For the 58 year old retirement community it was the most successful blood drive to date.

Miller-Keystone Blood Center representatives and volunteers set up their operations on-site at the Tel Hai campus located off Beaver Dam Road, east of Route 10. The organization provides blood products to the Brandywine and Paoli Hospital locally. Donors were provided with a blood pressure check and cholesterol test results were mailed to individual’s homes.

In all, 27 Tel Hai staff members and 13 residents were blood donors. Two persons from the greater community also contributed that day. Miller-Keystone provided refreshments to all blood donors and the Tel Hai Volunteer Services Department had $200 worth of prizes and small token items to offer each participant with a spin of the wheel. Tel Hai also made a $250 cash donation to the American Heart Association on behalf of the donors. During the month of February heart health was also the focus of an educational presentation; healthy eating options are offered on campus daily.

The Tel Hai community was founded in 1956 by two local Mennonite congregations to offer care to area seniors. Begun in a farm house that sheltered 14 residents, the nationally accredited nonprofit community has grown to over 600 residents who enjoy an active lifestyle in a variety of cottage and apartment residences as well as supportive living in personal care and the health care center. The 149 acre campus also offers and Child Day Care, respite and rehabilitation services to the greater community.

PHOTO 1: Volunteer Office Coordinator, Amy Whary welcomed blood donors and encouraged all to spin the prize wheel before getting to the business at hand. The event collected 42 whole blood donations.