Dr. Beth Morling, named the 2014 Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation, will be the featured speaker on Thursday, January 29, 2015 in the Auditorium/Chapel on Tel Hai’s campus located off Beaver Dam Road in the township, east of route 10. Dr. Morling’s topic The Psychology of Food, will offer a fascinating view into our own eating habits and those of other cultures. Her program, coming on the heels of a very food-rich holiday season when culture and food become hard-wired in memory is timely.

Learning about the psychology of food can enlighten us about what, why and how much we eat. It can also teach us some basic lessons about psychology in general. The presentation will survey some basic questions about the human eating experience. Are sweet and bitter foods the same sweetness or bitterness to you and me? How can we tell? Why might we eat more than we intend to? How can small changes to our eating environment cause us to eat more of the good stuff and less of the “bad?”

Beth Morling is a social and cultural psychologist and Professor at the University of Delaware’s Department of Psychology and Brain Sciences. She regularly teaches courses on research methods, cultural psychology and the self-concept. Dr. Morling’s course on the Psychology of Food was developed as a special course offering for 2015. Her scholarly research has focused on the ways culture shapes our motivation and social lives—as well where cultural differences are identified and measured. She is a Fulbright scholar and had lectured and conducted research in Kyoto, Japan during 2010-2011.

The general public is encouraged to attend this fascinating program presented in Dr. Morling’s engaging style on Thursday, January 29 at 1:00pm at Tel Hai. Directions can be found on the website: www.telhai.org under “Contact Us;” with GPS please us the physical address—1200 Tel Hai Circle in Honey Brook.

PHOTO: Dr. Beth Morling, Professor of Social and Cultural Psychology at the University of Delaware, returns to Tel Hai to present a fascinating program on The Psychology of Food on Thursday, January 29, 2015 art 1:00pm in the campus chapel.

The StoneCroft neighborhood, currently under construction on Tel Hai’s campus in Honey Brook Township, reached a dramatic milestone on Wednesday, December 17 with the “topping off” ceremony held at 4:00pm. The final truss was hoisted on the southeastern corner of the Greystone wing—complete with American flag, signatures of residents, future residents and staff affixed to the unit, and an evergreen tree at the peak.

The “topping off” ceremony has a long history in the construction trades. Typically this occurs when the highest beam or truss is placed on a building’s framing. Its ancient origins are traced to the Vikings (who introduced the addition of the tree on top of the building to celebrate their progress and a wish for good luck.)

Wohlsen Construction representatives welcomed the crowd which numbered over 100 and handled the job expertly. Construction completion is anticipated for early summer 2015. The complex includes 105 apartment homes in two wings which are joined by a new community center rich in amenities including dining venues, a competition-sized pool, art studio and gallery, fitness room and exercise studio as well as a fine arts and worship center able to accommodate over 400 persons.

PHOTO: The “topping off” ceremony was held at Tel Hai on December 17 to mark the installation of the last truss to be added to the StoneCroft structure. This new neighborhood of 105 apartment homes will welcome new residents in summer 2015.

In 2015 Dr. Tom Ellis’ lecture series will explore the dynamic nation of China. The four-week course sponsored by Tel Hai residents’ Life Enrichment Committee (LEC) will be held Fridays in January from the 9^ththrough the 30^th from 1:00 to 3:00 PM.  This engaging instructor’s style will attract great interest; please pre-register at your earliest opportunity to avoid disappointment. Dr. Ellis has offered numerous popular seminars on world cultures at Tel Hai since 2003.

Class sessions will be held in the Garrett Community Center’s first floor Gathering Room on the Tel Hai campus located off Beaver Dam Road, east of Route 10. The course will explore the social, political and economic factors influencing China today. Dr. Ellis has spent over 40 years studying world cultures and traveling around the world and has made four trips to China alone. The course will ask and answer a series of questions regarding this nation’s 3,000 year-long history and take a look into its future as well: How does geography impact the lives of the Chinese people? What is the Chinese view of life? How is their history influenced by the two major religions of the region? How and why did China turn to Communism? What has been the impact of post-1980 reforms in China? What is their current world view?

The public is welcome to take part in this interesting educational series. A $35 fee (check payable to Tel Hai) is requested at the first session; pre-registration is required. To join the course, please contact Judy Schweitzer, Wellness Supervisor at 610-273-9333, extension 2154 on or before January 5, 2015. Directions to the community can be found on the website: www.telhai.org by clicking on the “Visit/Contact Us” link or using your GPS with the 1200 Tel Hai Circle address.

PHOTO: Dr. Tom Ellis returns to Tel Hai on January 9, 2015 offering a four-week series on Chinese history, culture and its view of the future. The general public is invited to attend; the class fee of $35, payable to Tel Hai, will be collected at the first class session. Pre-registration is requested.

Tel Hai’s concert series continues on Thursday, December 18, 2014 as The Mainliners male chorus returns to the stage. This Christmas-themed concert will begin at 7:30 PM in the Chapel on Tel Hai’s campus located off Beaver Dam Road in Honey Brook Township, east of Route 10.

With more than 40 active members ranging widely in age, the chorus performs a variety of songs in four-part a capella style. Formed in Bryn Mawr in 1963, the group now holds rehearsals each Monday evening at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Old Lancaster Pike (Business Route 30) in Exton. Singing in the barbershop style, the group is celebrating their 51^st anniversary this year.

Their musical style had its roots in the 1870s and flourished into the 1920s. This popular genre has mushroomed since 1938 into the Barbershop Harmony Society—the world’s largest men’s singing organization. Including enthusiastic renditions of sentimental ballads, snappy rhythm tunes inspirational songs, classic standards and rousing patriotic numbers; they are guaranteed to please a variety of audiences.

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.

The nationally accredited non-profit Tel Hai community has been serving senior adults for over 58 years providing a variety of housing options as well as quality care and services.

PHOTO: The Mainliners Men’s A Cappella Chorus will perform a rousing collection of songs in four-part harmony at Tel Hai’s chapel on Thursday, December 18, 2014 at 7:30pm.

The Tel Hai Life Enrichment Committee (LEC) invites community members to the first of a series of lectures on the rich history of ancient Egypt on Monday, December 15 at 1:00pm in the Chapel located on the Tel Hai campus off Beaver Dam Road, east of Route 10.

Dr. Stephen Phillips, Curatorial Research Coordinator of the Egyptian Section at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in Philadelphia will be the series lecturer. “Dr. Steve” has been engaged as a teacher, lecturer and featured speaker across eastern Pennsylvania and NJ. He has also served as a professional tour guide in Egypt and conducted extensive field and laboratory research as well.

The first session will offer a brief history and chronology of ancient Egypt by traveling the Nile River—home to literally hundreds of magnificent archaeological sites representing more than 5,0000 years of Egyptian civilization. The “journey” will travel from Abu Simbel to Alexandria with stops at famous sites in the Nile Delta, the Pyramids of the Giza Plateau, Abu Sir and Saqqara, and the famed Valley of the Kings. Discussion will also include the ancient cities of Memphis, Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel. Actual archaeological excavations not generally known by the public will also be “explored.” A program fee of $5 will be collected at the event.

Residents of LEC encourage their neighbors to take part in this exceptional series on Egyptian civilization. Directions to Tel Hai can be found on the community’s website: www.telhai.org under the “Contact us” tab on the home page. When using GPS please use the physical address—1200 Tel Hai Circle, Honey Brook.

PHOTO: Dr. Steve Phillips will offer his first lecture in a series on ancient Egypt at the Tel Hai Chapel on Monday, December 15 at 1:00pm. Join us for a fascinating trip down the Nile!

Photo credit: Maryanne Barcellona

The Tel Hai community located off Beaver Dam Road is offering two new reasons to visit campus in early December—the Wood Craft Shop’s Open House and the return of the popular Holiday Bazaar!

On Wednesday, December 3 from 1:00 to 5:00pm the members of the Wood Craft Shop will hold an open house and invites their neighbors in the greater community to come and see “where the guys hang out on campus.” Shop foreman, Rod Muthard, and the 30 members of the club are eager to show off their updated wood shop and will be offering light refreshments as well as handcrafted items for sale. Pens of common and exotic woods will be offered along with a variety of wooden toys and other décor items at reasonable prices. Those planning to stop by will surely find great bargains for persons on their holiday gift list.

The popular Holiday Bazaar will be held on Thursday, December 4 from 9:00am to 3:00pm in the Tel Hai Chapel. Longer hours this year will allow for leisurely shopping on one floor. Twenty vendors will be participating and offering books, artwork, framed photography, jewelry, candles, hand-woven items, small antiques, a variety of tote bags, as well as skin care products and handcrafted pottery.

Tel Hai is located off Beaver Dam Road, east of Route 10. Directions and the campus map can be found on the website: www.telhai.org under the “Contact Us” tab on the home page. The Tel Hai is a nationally accredited not-for-profit community that has served senior adults since 1956 with a variety of housing choices, personal and nursing care, and Child Day Care as well as respite and rehabilitation services.

PHOTOS: 

Club members Gayle Kerr & Rich Toscano invite you to the Woodcraft Shop’s Open House on Wednesday, December 3 from 1:00 til 5:00pm to do some holiday shopping among wonderful handcrafted gifts created on Tel Hai’s campus.

Gil and Ellen Pyle will be participating in Tel Hai’s Holiday Bazaar scheduled for Thursday, December 4 from 9:00am til 3:00pm in the Chapel on campus located off Beaver Dam Road in Honey Brook Township.

Tel Hai’s Life Enrichment Committee welcomes the public to a presentation by Canine Partners for Life on Monday, November 24 at 2:00pm in the campus chapel.

Canine Partners for Life (CPL), located in Cochranville, Chester County, is a non-profit organization dedicated to training service dogs, home companion and residential companion dogs to assist individuals who have a wide range of physical and cognitive disabilities. To date, CPL has placed more than 600 service and companion dogs in 43 states throughout the country. As a leader in the assistance dog industry, CPL was one of the first organizations in the world to be accredited by Assistance Dogs International. They are one of only a few service dog organizations nationwide to train, support and sustain seizure and cardiac alert service dogs.

Recipients of CPL service dogs come from all walks of life and face a variety of challenges in daily living. The total cost to raise, train, place and provide lifetime support for each CPL dog is estimated to exceed $29,000. CPL uses a sliding scale based on recipient income to determine the requested donation; this typically ranges between $1,000 and $3,000. No one is denied a canine partner because of their inability to pay, however.

Learn more about this organization and their life-changing work by attending their presentation at Tel Hai on Monday, November 24. Directions to Tel Hai can be found on the website: www.telhai.org; using your GPS please utilize the physical address—1200 Tel Hai Circle in Honey Brook.

PHOTO: Canine Partners for Life of Cochranville, PA will present a program on their services at Tel Hai on Monday, November 24 at 2:00pm in the campus chapel. The public is welcome to attend and learn more about the life-changing work of this organization.

Appliqué, Blind stitch, Calico…and so it goes. The Tel Hai Quilters meet one day a week to do what it is they do so well, and they know the A, B, Cs of quilting and so very much more.

The Tel Hai Quilters love to gather in friendship and commitment. The friendship they share is their love of quilting. The commitment they share is quilting to spread love to others. This group loves to quilt, which, to them means quilting the right way…the old-fashioned way…the painstaking time-consuming way of push down, rock, push up, rock and push down until four or five stitches are gathered on the needle to end up with no fewer than 7 tiny stitches to every inch of fabric! This, to the experienced quilters, is the regular rocking stitch, but they also know all about the hide-and-seek, stitches in the ditch and so many others.

Hand quilting is a true labor of love, and the Tel Hai quilters love the work they do. Meeting almost since the very first days of Tel Hai—way back in the ‘70s or possibly even earlier—the Tel Hai quilters have always worked for charity. No one kept a journal or log book, so much of their work in the past is lost to history; however, we honor this dedicated group of ladies for the ongoing work they do today.

Originally, the groups that benefited from their work were neighboring charities outside our community; however, as Tel Hai grew, they started focusing their efforts to benefit the Care Assurance Fund. To this end, they accept quilt tops and hand quilt an heirloom-quality finished quilt for anyone who seeks them out. Each quilt requires hours of finger-bending, knuckle-stiffening, back-aching work, but these ladies gather every week for three hours to enjoy their fellowship and the work they love compounded by the gratification they are benefiting the Care Assurance Fund.

When asked about their most ambitious quilt, Joanne Belson recalled the king-sized hand-quilted piece they did for one of the Fallowfield Township schools. She believes they raffled the quilt and made over $2,500 for their fundraiser. Our quilting group no longer works on king-size quilts because their room and quilting rack cannot accommodate that size. At one time, this group purchased their quilt tops and worked their magic to make pieces sold in the Garden Boutique gift shop on campus. Since the renovation of the Garret Community Center they accept new projects in a different way—by request only. Their work can be done for anyone who has a quilt top and a willingness to donate $150-$300 to the Tel Hai Care Assurance Fund.

Who are these quilters? Mildred Yoder, Joanne Belson, Jane Kerr, Gladys Mosteller, Pat Purdy, Sue Stauffer, Chris Tabb, and Waneta Zimmerman.

For their Adoring, Big-heated, Concern and for spreading care and love to others through their love of quilting, we thank the Tel Hai Quilters and we highlight them in the Volunteer Spotlight.

PHOTO: Tel Hai’s Quilting Group—standing from left: Sue Stauffer, Chris Tabb, Pat Purdy, Jane Kerr & Waneta Zimmerman. Seated: Joanne Belson, Gladys Mosteller and Mildred Yoder

Sponsored by:  Tel Hai Retirement Community

WHEN: Friday, October 17^th, 2014  10:00am-1:00pm

WHERE: Tel Hai Retirement Community 1200 Tel Hai Circle, Honey Brook, PA 19344

WHAT: AAA, AARP, and the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) have developed an educational program called CarFit that offers senior drivers the opportunity to check out how well their cars “fit” them and to become aware of community specific resources and activities that could make the fit better.

COST: CarFit is a FREE, individualized safety check to help you increase vehicle control and comfort as a driver. Discover easy adjustments that may protect you behind the wheel.

If you have any questions or are interested in scheduling an appointment, please contact Chasity Brown at 610-273-9333 x. 2129 or  cbrown@telhai.org. Space is limited so call today.