Highlights NEWS ABOUT LUTHERAN HOMES OF MICHIGAN AND RELATED SERVICES Articles in the above issue of Highlights (click on the article or scroll through to read all the articles): LHM Annual Meeting Changes are Part of God's Plan (from LHM's Pres. & CEO) Home Care has Spring Celebrations Home Care helps with Junior Achievement Frankenmuth Resident Spotlight: Winnie Klaus Wedding Bells Ring in Livonia Volunteer Spotlight: Shirley Liedel Makes Monroe Brighter LHM Annual Meeting The Board of Directors, staff, volunteers, delegates, pastors and special guests of Lutheran Homes of Michigan gathered at the DoubleTree Hotel in Novi on May 3, 2003 to celebrate the blessings of the past year and plan for the future. More than 150 people attended the event, representing 24 member congregations and volunteer service organizations that support our caring ministry. The evening was an exciting celebration, and President Hoesman of the Michigan District-LCMS commented on the "family atmosphere" as we gathered for the evening. Unity of Vision Award Winner: Bob Krueger In 2002, Lutheran Homes proudly bestowed the first ever Unity of Vision Award to Bob Krueger (left) of Monroe. Bob has been on LHM's Board of Directors for 24 years, serving four different six-year terms since 1996. LHM President and CEO David Gehm presented Bob with the Unity Award during this year's Annual Meeting. We are especially proud, as we enter our 110th year of service, to recognize the following people for their dedication to our mission: Employee Recognition: Lutheran Home Care Agency & Hospice of Hope Lucille Brooks - 5 years Amelia Gunnell - 5 years Betty Kern - 5 years Tammy McPhee - 5 years David Somerville - 5 years Mattie Thompson - 5 years Vicki Karr - 10 years Joan O'Brien - 10 years Judy Ziegler - 11 years Lutheran Home Monroe Karen Beyer - 15 years Liane DeLong - 20 years Inis Sharpe - 20 years Margaret Beckwith - 25 years Lutheran Home Livonia Lori Bryant - 5 years Paulette Garbacz - 5 years Willie Jackson - 5 years Lori Jung - 5 years Sue Kamin - 5 years Diane Klosterman - 5 years Sue Kucharski - 5 years Renee Lamar - 5 years Linda Lupescu - 5 years Rose Mattox - 5 years Paula Maxwell - 5 years Kathleen McFall - 5 years Quintella Parnell - 5 years Hilda Schmoll - 5 years Mary Ann Shaffer - 5 years Bettie Tucker - 5 years Lutheran Home Frankenmuth Julie Carlton - 15 years Maryann Cartwright - 15 years Connie Ross - 15 years Cathy Stavely - 15 years Shirley Wilber - 20 years Karen Zwack - 20 years Rose Foster - 25 years Debra Ostrander - 25 years Lutheran Home Corporate Staff Brenda L. Lawrence - 20 years Volunteers of the Year Lutheran Home Care Agency & Hospice of Hope - Bernice Curtis Lutheran Home Monroe - Ann Stanifer Lutheran Home Livonia - Wanda Corey Lutheran Home Frankenmuth - Bob Schroeder Retiring Board Member - Oakley Lutes Thank you all for your dedication and giving hearts. <Back to Top> Changes are Part of God's Plan We have all heard the old adage that "the only thing constant in life is change". The longer I live, the more I understand the truth behind that truism. Whether thinking about individuals, families, congregations, or organizations, change is indeed constant. This can be a good thing; this can be a source of frustration. Often, change is forced upon us by circumstances outside of our control, and as a result is hard to accept, adapt to, and embrace. I think about our many residents and clients who find themselves in need of our nursing, rehab, home care, or hospice services as having experienced this kind of change in their lives. Never thinking it would "happen to them", they and their families must adapt, sometimes very quickly, to a change in health, physical, or mental status that changes their entire world. Change also can occur because of a plan, carried out and implemented as a result of a vision for a new and different future. These tend to be the joyous events in life; the engagement ends with the wedding, the birth of the long awaited child, the graduation from high school that leads to new and greater learning. Perhaps, unwittingly, we tend to think of these changes, of these life events, as available to only the "young"; that our seniors have lived beyond the time when planned, exciting, pro-active change is past. But this need not be so. Within the strategic plan of Lutheran Homes of Michigan, you will find a vision for the future of this organization that describes new, integrated services and programs for seniors we call the "continuum of care". In this envisioned future, seniors and their families will be able to enter a system of care that has within it every level of care and lifestyle that a senior could want - from wellness programming to rehab services, from nursing home care to independent senior housing, from at-home care to campus based apartment living, from curative healthcare to hospice and palliative care. In this system, seniors can make proactive choices about their living options, based on their own desires for the future. Care venues are changing to allow much more care to be delivered at "home", be it a private residence, an apartment or townhouse, or a campus based living arrangement. Lutheran Homes has envisioned this future, and has begun making progress towards building the continuum of care that seniors and their families will benefit from for years to come. Lutheran Homes' 2003 Annual Report shares this vision of the future. If you would like a copy for yourself, please call or contact us through our website at www.lhminc.org. We would love to share our vision with you, identify the changes underway, and help create the future where seniors can embrace change as yet another exciting adventure in their lives. In His service, David M. Gehm, President & CEO Lutheran Homes of Michigan, Inc. <Back to Top> Home Care Has Spring Celebrations April and May were celebration months at the Lutheran Home Care Agency. On April 22 we hosted a luncheon to honor our Administrative Professionals and our Occupational Therapists. There are 9 administrative professionals on our team. They are vital to keeping the office running smoothly and do a fabulous job. Our four Occupational Therapists play a key role in assisting our clients to become independent after an illness or injury. They also fulfill the important role of assessing adaptive equipment needs. During the celebrations, therapists received a crystal candleholder and office support employees received a crystal vase in thanks for their service. April 29 was Volunteer Appreciation day and a dinner was served for our volunteers. We have 37 volunteers at the agency and they do everything from office work to visiting with Hospice clients in their homes. We couldn't do what we do without them. They were presented with personalized key chains, velvet "bags of gold", and a collection of inspirational quotations. May brought Nurses week and a breakfast celebration for the dedicated, caring nurses we have on staff. These 17 RN's and LPN's are instrumental in setting up and managing the care that is given through Certified, Hospice, and Private Duty. Each nurse received a picture frame with a springtime theme. <Back to Top> Home Care Helps with Junior Achievement The Lutheran Home Care Agency now has something in common with first grade at List Elementary. Both are participating together, for the first time, in Junior Achievement. Junior Achievement Inc. is a not-for-profit organization financed by businesses, foundations, and individuals. Its purpose is to educate and inspire young people to value free enterprise, business, and economics to improve the quality of their lives. Since its founding in 1919, Junior Achievement has contributed to the business and economics education of young people in the United States and throughout the world. The Elementary School Program shows elementary school students the relevance of education to the workplace through a sequential business and economics curriculum. The Lutheran Home Care Agency introduces itself as a place of future employment, introduces the types of jobs people work in at the agency and how we help people in our community. <Back to Top> Frankenmuth Resident Spotlight: Winnie Klaus Winifred (Winnie) Klaus was born in 1908 and raised on a farm in Sanilac County, Michigan along with one brother and one sister. She attended Central Michigan University, where she met her future husband, Fred. They married in 1929. After graduation from CMU in 1930 the couple moved to Minden City, where they accepted teaching positions. Winnie taught until her first daughter was born. In 1941, they moved to Midland, Michigan where Fred accepted a position with Michigan Bean Company. Winnie was busy raising her two daughters and also acted as a substitute teacher when needed. In 1953, a promotion in Fred's job took the family to Sandusky, Michigan. Once again, Winnie acted as a substitute teacher when needed. The family enjoyed summers at their cottage in Forestville. After retirement, Winnie enjoyed a variety of activities including oil painting, water color, ceramics, stamp and coin collecting. She and Fred enjoyed traveling and playing cards, especially bridge and pinochle. Winnie and Fred moved to Independence Village in 1982 and she then came to the Lutheran Home in 1994. They joined in membership with St. Lorenz Lutheran Church in Frankenmuth. Her faith is important to her and she confesses a very strong belief in God. Winnie continues to be very active in Lutheran Home activities and has served as the secretary of the Resident's Council. She has been a true joy to us at the Lutheran Home. We wish God's continued blessing of health and happiness to Winnie. <Back to Top> Wedding Bells Ring in Livonia David Irvine was trying to learn Chinese from some of his co-workers and was not doing very well. Alice Wang was new to the country and knew little English. A mutual friend thought the two might be able to help each other, so she arranged an intorduction. The result was wedding bells at the Lutheran Home - Livonia, when David and Alice tied the knot in the presence of David's mother, Beulah Irvine. David and Alice were married February 1, 2003 in the Livonia Chapel, a location specifically chosen because Beulah can no longer travel, even short distances. The Lutheran Home - Livonia was pleased to host this event, affirming Lutheran Homes' belief that family events, relationships, and celebration occur in life throughout every stage and at every age. Congratulations to David, Alice and Beulah. Everyone at Lutheran Homes of Michigan wishes you every happiness. <Back to Top>

Volunteer Spotlight: Shirley Liedel Makes Monroe Brighter Shirley Liedel has had three great reasons to be a volunteer at the Lutheran Home in Monroe. For 14 years, three relatives have been residents in Monroe at one time or another. Shirley began volunteering when her mother, Emma Ruettinger, became a resident. Shirley's aunt, Hazel Buck, also lived at the Lutheran Home at the same time. The two ladies passed away in 1993 and 1999. In December 1999, Shirley's mother-in-law, Anne Liedel also moved into the Home, in the Home for the Aged area. Shirley states, "I have truly enjoyed all the years I have volunteered at the Lutheran Home. I know it has enriched my life and I'm glad I can help the residents attend chapel and to know that God is always there for them." Shirley is also a member of the Lutheran Home - Ladies Guild and helps with special parties and celebrations at the Lutheran Home. She has been married to her husband, David, for 39 years this August and they have a son, Donald and daughter-in-law, Christa. They have attended Good Shepherd Lutheran Church for 38 years. Shirley loves to keep busy with her quilting, embroidery, crocheting and reading. She has received many blessings from her family and friends and plans to continue volunteering at the Lutheran Home as long as she can. <Back to Top> [Home] [About Us] [Contact Info] [Our Homes] [Senior Housing] [Home Care] [Hospice] [Newsletters] [Volunteers] [Employment] [Donations] [FAQ's] [Links][Privacy Notice]