News Archive 2010 / 2011

On December 9, a formal blessing ceremony took place for the residents and Villa St. Benedict staff. Two new gathering rooms and 4 new apartments were completed in Benedale Center after a six month long construction project. The gathering rooms provide residents and their families with comfortable space to sit and visit. One of the rooms has a beautiful sitting area with a fireplace and wall-mounted flat screen TV. The TV was donated by JMK of IL, Inc., the company who performed the work. Present for the event was JMK owner, Joe Kellogg, who was given a huge thank you card from the Benedale residents. The new apartments bring the assisted living spaces up to a total of 51. Framed pictures describing the 4 Benedictine core values of Hospitality, Stewardship, Respect and Justice were hung on each floor in Benedale by longtime staff members and residents. A champagne reception followed the blessing. Benedale Center for Assisted Living on the Villa St. Benedict campus provides 4 levels of assisted care and includes a secure memory care neighborhood with 14 rooms.

On December 8, the residents of Benedale Assisted Living on the campus of Villa St Benedict had a special holiday treat during lunch time. A group of children, along with their parents came for a visit. Some of the parents were on staff at PTC, a software company located in Lisle. They wanted to spend some time this season doing some outreach, so a senior retirement community was a perfect choice. The children greeted everyone and passed out candy canes and some colored pictures that they had made. The spirit of Christmas was in the air and the residents had a bright spot added to their day during this intergenerational event. A big thank you to PTC for sharing their time to bring such happiness to others.

On November 19, magnolia and ninebark trees were dedicated during a ceremony to honor Memory Care residents who had passed away. VSB Director of Nursing, Lori D’Auben, Assistant Director Kathy Brashler and other members of the Memory Care staff participated in the event. The trees were donated by the VSB Memory Care unit and Lori D’Auben. Sr. Mary Bratrsovsky, Director of Mission Integration at VSB, led the program of prayers and blessing of the trees. The VSB Benedale Center for Assisted Living has a specialized neighborhood to accommodate residents living with mild to moderate cognitive impairments.

 

On November 5, the Villa Center dining room was the place to be for loads of fun and prizes. The Villa St. Benedict Foundation hosted its third annual card party fund-raiser. The room was full of 50+ people playing their favorite game whether it was Euchre, Mahjong, Bridge, Left-Right-Center or Rummikub to name a few. Snacks and beverages were enjoyed by all, but the highlight of the afternoon was most definitely the door prizes. Over 20 items were donated by staff, local vendors and the VSB gift shop. It was a wonderful way to spend an afternoon and raise money. The Villa St. Benedict Foundation supports personal financial assistance through philanthropy, education relating to seniors, and an enhanced senior living environment. Within the Foundation are committees for Major Gifts, Community Relations, Annual Support and Employee Giving. Villa St. Benedict is a recognized 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.

On Sunday, October 3, Villa St. Benedict commemorated the 5 year anniversary of the opening of the Villa Center. Residents, VSB staff and their families celebrated with a champagne reception and ribbon-cutting. Special guests from the local business community included State Rep. Michael Connelly, Village of Lisle Trustee Lee LaFond and Lisle Chamber President Tom Althoff. Other guests in attendance represented the Villa St. Benedict Board of Directors and St. Procopius Abbey. 
The afternoon program featured speeches from Sister Judith Ann Heble, OSB, Prioress of Sacred Heart Monastery and founder/visionary of the current campus at VSB; Glenn Trembley, CEO/Administrator at VSB; and Gael Hanauer, Development Chair for the Villa St. Benedict Foundation.  The invocation was written and delivered by Sister Mary Bratrsovsky, OSB, Director of Mission Integration at VSB and the final blessing was given by The Rev. T. Becket Franks, OSB, and chaplain of VSB/Sacred Heart Monastery from St. Procopius Abbey. The toast was proposed by Donna Tarnowski, VSB Resident Council President.  John Vidmar,Chair of the VSB Board of Directors, drew the ticket for a 32” TV that was won by one lucky resident, Joan Maloney.
Everyone enjoyed great food, music and a warm sense of hospitality, one of the Benedictine core values.  In the words of Sister Judith Ann,

“This 5 year anniversary celebrates the result of long and careful, strategic planning…When we began this development, it was our hope and dream that the folks who come to live here not only find a new and beautiful home, but an extraordinary space where they could come together to share their lives and experiences…where friendship, security and happiness are fostered and treasured…I must admit that Villa St. Benedict has turned out more magnificently than I ever dreamed…”

It was truly a day of celebration and thankfulness.  This special event was made possible by donations from 22 business partners of Villa St. Benedict.

On October 18 & 25, the residents of Villa St. Benedict were able to attend a college course right on their own campus. Associate Professor Jane Boumgarden of Benedictine University taught the class on the Social, Psychological and Cultural Aspects of Aging to her 30 students along with 23 VSB residents. Jane has taught this class for the last 15 years at BU. It looks at issues such as retirement, cultural differences in the aging experience, historical factors that shape the aging process in the US, religion and aging and appropriate care in the medical system. Professor Boumgarden and her students will be coming to Villa St. Benedict for the next 6 weeks. The residents are very excited to have this opportunity and are already asking what other classes will be coming their way. This is “positive aging” at its best.

Fall is officially in full swing. The leaves are falling, there’s a nip in the air and it must be time for Oktoberfest! For the last 4 years, Villa St. Benedict has held this fun event for its residents. On October 13, The Happy Wanderers, who came dressed in authentic Lederhosen attire, provided the traditional musical entertainment.  Everyone was treated to root beer floats and pretzels. Students from Benet Academy came to help with passing out the tasty treats. A bit of Bavarian culture was truly enjoyed by all!

On September 28, Villa St. Benedict hosted a celebratory banquet for 7 retirement communities for the Wii Bowling Tournament that took place over the summer. Each community sent over their teams for lunch in the VSB formal dining room. A tasty meal was prepared with dessert cupcakes decorated like the “Mii” characters. Entertainment was provided by Alan Gresik. CEO Glenn Trembley of Villa St. Benedict gave the welcome, Sr. Mary Bratrsovsky offered a prayer and the VSB Directors served during lunch. Sharon Christenson from the Programs Department and creator/coordinator of the idea for the tournament presented the awards.

Individual “Certificates of Participation” were given to everyone and each coach received a Wii “Klik-on” candy dispenser in the shape of a Wii remote control. The first place trophy went to Peggy Beideman, Sonia Koslowski, Doris Pierce, Rita Skowronski and Donna Tarnowski from Villa St. Benedict. The second place trophy went to the team from Beacon Hill in Lombard and the third place trophy was awarded to the team from Spring Meadows of Naperville.

Villa St. Benedict participated in the 2010 Alzheimer’s Memory Walk on September 26. It was held at the Naperville Riverwalk. Team VSB had 43 participants, including residents, staff and family members. Even though the morning was chilly, everyone proudly wore a turquoise team shirt.  Donations from VSB totaled $2000.00, towards Alzheimer’s research. This is the third year that the retirement community has been a part of the Memory Walk. A specialized neighborhood for memory support is a level of care on its campus.  Villa St. Benedict is dedicated to the cause of eliminating this terrible disease.

Earlier this year, Villa St. Benedict organized a summer Wii bowling tournament between 8 local retirement communities. On August 27, the final championship game was played between the team from Beacon Hill in Lombard and the team from Villa St. Benedict. It was a very close match, but Team VSB walked away victorious! The winner’s trophy will be presented on September 28. Villa St. Benedict will host a celebratory banquet that day with all the 8 communities sending their teams to join the festivities.

A total of 41 residents from Villa St. Benedict and Independence Village of Naperville enjoyed a luncheon paddleboat cruise down the Fox River on July 29. The weather was great and sightseeing of the beautiful river views was done from the open air decks on the boat. A buffet was served featuring homemade Southern fried chicken with side dishes that included coleslaw and potato salad. Assorted cakes were the dessert. Everyone was entertained by organ music as they floated along for the hour and ½ journey. It was a wonderful summer afternoon event!

Villa St. Benedict residents enjoyed an outing on Monday evening, June 28 to Ravinia Festival. This annual trek was opening night for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.The evening featured “Enchanting Chopin” which was a program celebrating the 200th birthday of Frederic Chopin. The CSO was conducted by James Conton with Garrick Ohlsson on piano. Ohlsson was the first American ever to win the coveted Chopin Prize. The event included both concertos and various famous solo works.
Our residents had a section on the lawn and feasted on a first course of wine, cheese and fruit, followed by mini-sandwiches and ending with gourmet cookies. Winnifred Chardonnay was the preferred beverage that night. The traffic and weather cooperated to make it a great time with everyone back home by the stroke of midnight.

On Wednesday, June 16, an interactive workshop was held at VSB that was sponsored by State Rep. Michael Connelly and the Arthritis Foundation of Greater Chicago.  The program was presented as follows:  Dr. Elaine Adams, Rheumatologist gave an overview of arthritis, signs and symptoms; Heather Paulis, Physical Therapist from AthletiCo discussed joint protection, footwear, precautions and stress; Dolly McCartan, Arthritis Foundation Exercise Instructor talked about the importance of exercise and gave an actual demonstration; and, Marge Marcus from the Arthritis Foundation relayed information about programs and services.  Ryan Tozur from Mike Connelly’s office served as coordinator for the event.  Door prizes of exercise videos and a book signed by Rep. Connelly were won by some lucky residents.  Everyone came away more knowledgeable about how to live with and manage this condition which strikes millions of Americans.

On Sunday, June 13, an ice cream social was held at Benedale Center of Villa St. Benedict to celebrate the third anniversary of the Memory Care unit. Everyone had a great time creating their own tasty sundaes with a choice of three flavors of ice cream and all the usual toppings.
During the event, Sr. Mary Bratrsovsky gave a brief history lesson about what was previously in the space now occupied by Memory Care, back when the sisters occupied that part of the building. She also talked about the bonds that have been built between the staff and family members to create the wonderful atmosphere in the specialized neighborhood for memory support.
It was a fun event for residents, their families and the staff members of Memory Care.

The top four bowlers (Betty Roman, Mary Kay Polvika, George Kilanski and Mercedes Vance) from Independence Village in Naperville bowled against the top four ( Rita Skowronski, Doris Pierce, Sonia Kozlowski and Donna Tarnowski) from Villa St. Benedict during a final re-match at VSB on Thursday, June 3. A cheering section from both communities kept spirits high throughout the event. Refreshments included punch, cookies and cupcakes decorated like the “Mii” characters from the Wii. The trophy “left the house” and was taken by the team from Independence Village. The final team score was 1440 for Independence Village vs. 1396 for VSB. George from Independence had the highest average of 190 and Sonia from VSB finished with 202. As a remembrance, each attendee from Independence Village was given an official Wii “Klik-On” candy dispenser in the shape of a Wii remote control. So cute! These games will resume on a larger scale throughout the summer when multiple senior communities come together for a Wii tournament organized by Villa St. Benedict. Let the games continue!

A banquet was held on Thursday, May 27 for the Villa St. Benedict Wii Bowling League. Members from the 4 teams-- The Turkeys, Spare Us, Holy Rollers and Ten Pins were present for the celebration. Lunch was served and awards were passed out. Each bowler received a monetary gift based on their score. The top spot for the entire league was claimed by The Turkeys’ bowler, Donna Tarnowski, with an average score of 217. Second, third and fourth place winners were Sonia Kozlowski, Doris Pierce and Rita Skowronski, respectively. These top four bowlers will go up against the best from Independence Village in Naperville on June 3. The group also surprised Mary Phillips with a cake to celebrate her birthday that same day. VSB is in the process of organizing an inter-community Wii bowling tournament that will take place this summer. Up to 8 retirement communities in the area will be participating. The big winners will be recognized at a celebration party at Villa St. Benedict where a trophy will be awarded. The VSB teams are excited to participate and wear their new red logo shirts.

There was a taste-testing this past week at Villa St. Benedict.  Lisa Reid, Director of Culinary Services from Morrison Senior Living had announced earlier in the month that there would be a contest to create a signature sandwich for the on-site Bistro restaurant. Both residents and staff submitted entries.  Their recipes were followed by Morrison Regional Executive Chef, Chris Moore, along with the VSB cooks and eight sandwiches became part of the judging.  They included a ground sirloin burger with blue cheese and aioli dressing on a pretzel roll; smoked salmon, beets and  cole slaw with aioli dressing on marbled rye; ham and cheddar with mustard/poppy seed on a potato roll; and, turkey, bacon, swiss and pineapple with mayo on multi-grain bread, to name a few.  Scott Kern, Regional Director of Operations from Morrison came by for the final judging, along with VSB Assistant Administrator, Kathy DiCristina.  The winner, named “The Benedict Tuscan Sandwich” was a rustic roast beef offered on chipotle bread accompanied by red pepper, provolone cheese and red onion, spread with mayonnaise infused with diced artichoke hearts.  Top honors go to Shelly McDaniels for her tasty creation!  Shelly was awarded a $50 VISA gift card.  Way to go, Shelly!!

Villa St. Benedict hosted an ice cream social as the perfect ending to its Pen Pal Program between the residents and the children from Spring Brook Elementary School (District 204) in Naperville. The second graders and their families came to the Villa Center for the festive event. Earlier this month, the VSB residents met their pen pals for the first time when they were invited to a party at the school. What a wonderful and fun way to keep the art of letter writing alive and well through this inter-generational way of communication.

Villa St. Benedict honored nurses by hosting a special luncheon on May 13 for all residents who had nursing careers. The celebration was by invitation only and included VSB staff nurses, as well. Many stories came from the residents in regard to their life’s work. One nurse was on the first transplant team, another worked in anesthesiology and there was even a former Commander from the US Naval Nurse Corp! Lots of interesting conversation took place over lunch.
The theme for this year’s week was “Nursing: You Can’t Live Without It”. We are grateful to all those caring individuals who chose such a dedicated profession.

The Villa Center dining room of Villa St. Benedict was the site of a special Mother’s Day Tea for all residents of the community, both in independent and assisted living. This was the 4th year that the Resident Services Dept. sponsored this beautiful event, which also included family members. A blue and white motif was chosen for the place settings. The prayer before lunch was said by Sr. Regina Ann. The menu featured fresh fruit, the “Villa” salad of apples, strawberries, candied walnuts over mixed greens with raspberry vinaigrette and a delicious croissant filled with chicken salad. The dessert tray offered cream puffs, éclairs and chocolates. Of course, a myriad of teas were available. The residents were waited on by managers and staff members from various areas. Entertainment was provided by harpist, Laura Utley. Everyone left with a unique gift and a wonderful memory.

Gardening is a hobby for many people and residents of Villa St. Benedict are no exception. This year an official Garden Club has been formed. Seven residents and a current Morton Arboretum volunteer are the club’s charter members. The volunteer has already lent her experience by helping to lay out the large plot where fruits and vegetables will be grown for use in the VSB kitchen. 
One group of gardeners will focus on the veggies, while another will plant and tend to an area of raised garden beds and containers that will include herbs.  Two large pots were donated for in front of the Villa Center. The club members will adorn them with summer annuals. Green thumbs unite to keep the community looking beautiful! 

In this age of high tech, sitting down to write a letter is probably a lost art. Not so at Villa St. Benedict in Lisle.  This senior retirement community is on its second year of having a Pen Pal Program.  Currently, twenty-eight residents participate in corresponding with students at Spring Brook Elementary School (District 204) in Naperville. This intergenerational method of communication has provided an easy and fun way for everyone to get to know each other via letter writing.
The VSB residents really enjoy the children, since many of them don’t always have a chance to interact with their own grandchildren, theirs may already be grown up or maybe they don’t have any extended family. 
Rapport is developed through asking and answering personal questions in the letters.  Drawings are often included in the letters to the seniors.  Reading the letters gives a glimpse into the children’s lives.  Many write about their love of sports and their pets.
On May 10, Spring Brook will have a party for the Villa residents and everyone will get to meet their pen pal face-to-face.  On May 17, Villa St. Benedict will host an ice cream social for the children and their families will also be included. 

Ask any resident what they enjoy most about living at Villa St. Benedict and chances are they will say the fine dining experience.  Morrison Senior Living provides the culinary services at the community, headed up by Director Lisa Reid and Regional Executive Chef Chris Moore.  Last week, Chef Chris decided to challenge the VSB cooks to an Iron Chef competition.  He was looking to provide a training tool for recommending areas of improvement, a way to see individual capabilities and, of course, to have a fun time in the process.
Judges for the challenge were Chef Chris, Culinary Services Director Lisa Reid and VSB Assistant Administrator Kathy DiCristina. Each cook was judged on technique, presentation, taste and skill.  Everyone was given a specific list of ingredients to create a salad, an appetizer and an entrée within a two hour timeframe.  There were 100 possible points for each course.  The top three contenders were awarded knives, with the winner receiving a 5 piece set.
Congratulations to our big winner, Frankie Abundes, for his culinary supremacy!  Second place was taken by Marcus Galli and third place was claimed by Dan Vogel.  A big thank you to all of our participants for getting those creative juices flowing.  You make us all proud!

Villa St. Benedict resident, Betty Cutilletta celebrates her 95th birthday on Friday, April 23. She has lived at VSB for the last 3 years and is formerly from Downers Grove.  In honor of her special day, three of her granddaughters sent her a delivery of 95 fresh tulips.

Betty said she never thought she would live to such a ripe old age and have such a wonderful family.  She raised two successful sons, has 5 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. She is a retired seamstress. She was still driving until age 92. Betty continues to enjoy a very active lifestyle keeping busy with the many activities offered at the community and, of course, the fine dining which she shares each evening with her six tablemates. Betty attributes her long life to working out 5 days a week in the VSB health center. She is truly an inspiration to all.

She is looking forward to a large family gathering on May 2 where she will be the special guest.  A very Happy Birthday to Betty from everyone at Villa St. Benedict!

On April 21, Villa St. Benedict held a Spring Fling for its residents and staff members. The goal was to raise money for the Employee Foundation which funds internal projects to beautify the community.
It was a great event with many fun-filled activities for all. Raffle tickets could be purchased for gift baskets, gift certificates and other prizes contributed in large part from local businesses. There was a White Elephant raffle with many amusing “treasures”. One could buy a ticket to challenge the CEO to a putting contest. Homemade bakery/craft items and plants were all for sale. Entertainment included a resident sing-a-long, music from our staff pianist and hilarious skits from Flash Gordon and “The Old Maid and the Burglar”.
The Fling was definitely a big hit for a worthwhile cause.

In honor of National Volunteer Week, Villa St. Benedict, a not-for-profit senior living community in Lisle, will be treating over 100 volunteers to a special luncheon on April 19. The theme for that day will be “Thanks for your Commit Mint”. Everyone will also receive a sweet treat and handwritten thank you note.

Volunteers come in all shapes and sizes, as well as different age groups. They may be high school or college students, retired folks who are eager to support others or even VSB residents. Their reasons for volunteering might be educational, a community service requirement or simply a desire to assist others in a health care setting.

Volunteers attend resident activities like bingo/crafts, as well as escorting residents to and from these functions. Others may go to help on outing or special events throughout the year. Of course, various departments like housekeeping, maintenance and dining services can always use an extra hand. During the course of last year, the total number of volunteer hours at VSB was 4080.

Villa St. Benedict is grateful to all the volunteers who help promote their holistic approach to Positive Aging built on the 4 core values of Hospitality, Stewardship, Respect and Justice. April 19 will certainly be a day to honor those willing to give of their time without asking for anything in return.

State Representative, Michael Connelly (R) from the 48th district visited with the VSB residents on Friday, April 16 for coffee and conversation. Although he was born in Chicago, he is no stranger to the western suburbs. He grew up in LaGrange, attended Loyola University and graduated from John Marshall Law School. He lives in Lisle with his wife, Lisa, and their three children.

Before being elected in 2008, Michael served on the Village of Lisle Board of Trustees. He also represented Naperville, Lisle and Aurora as a Commissioner on the DuPage County Board. He talked at great length about how different it is to work in state government, compared to his experiences at the local level. He is still getting used to the “process” in Springfield.

He feels that his job is to help make Illinois more attractive to businesses. In turn, that will keep the state a viable place to raise a family and he is eager to enjoy seeing his grandchildren grow up here. Michael views our state as having an unlimited potential. It is easy to understand why he admits that it is a great honor for him to serve the citizens of Illinois.

All in all, Representative Connelly is a big supporter of Villa St. Benedict and credits our community with being a great addition to the Village of Lisle.

Today is the feast of St. Joseph and honors all fathers. Villa St. Benedict is celebrating with a traditional St. Joseph’s Day Table. It features an altar with a statue and picture of St. Joseph, along with a place setting for him. A lace tablecloth and votive candles in a red and white theme are used as decorations.

Since it is Lent, a meatless meal will be featured with staff members contributing some of their favorites. Residents brought their appetites and looked great dressed in something red for the occasion. St. Joseph is the patron of all workers and those in need of work. A prayer for the unemployed will be included in this traditional commemoration.

Ken and Polly Peters have lived in a villa home at Villa St. Benedict in Lisle for almost a year and a half. They had barely reached the age of 70, when they decided that a move to a retirement community was their best lifestyle choice. Like most senior professionals, they had worked hard, raised their family and were now ready to enjoy the good life. Polly still continues to work her business doing estate/moving sales. So how did this couple decide to make such a major change at such a young age?



According to Ken, they began to face the reality of growing older with health issues and the concerns that one thinks about when it comes to giving up the family home. They really were not interested in continuing to update or redecorate their house. They wanted to be able to come and go as they pleased without always having to deal with maintenance or security issues. The prospect of moving and downsizing a household was hard enough to envision let alone waiting another 10 years. So they began the process by going out to look at everything from apartments, to condos, to cottages and so on. They discovered what they liked or disliked, what was available or where there was a waiting list. They knew that they were not interested in making multiple moves and they needed a community that could provide what they would require for the rest of their lives. As it turned out, all their current and future needs matched what Villa St. Benedict had to offer. Even though they were not Catholic, the community had a feeling and spirit that appealed to them. Ken laughs when he says that he’s one step closer to being Catholic, since he has started playing bingo with the other residents.

Now, Ken will tell you that life is so much simpler and he has much less to think about than before. Things like real estate taxes, utility bills and home maintenance to name a few. He and Polly can decide on a moment’s notice to pick up and go wherever, whenever without having to think about the house. As role models for other young seniors faced with the same decisions, Ken’s advice is to sit down with pen and paper and do the comparisons first. As a former banking executive, he knows how essential it is to consider the financials. But he said one may be surprised by what the numbers actually reveal about staying in one’s home vs. going into a well-appointed senior community. Their entire family supported their move wholeheartedly and everyone actually breathed a sigh of relief when it was all done.

So take the Peters’ advice and don’t wait any longer to enjoy those golden years. What you think you are giving up is probably about 75 boxes of Christmas decorations in the basement, like Ken and Polly. What you will gain is far greater and you just can’t put a price tag on peace of mind.

Villa St. Benedict recognized National Nutrition Month with a presentation to the residents by Kati Thompson. Kati is a registered dietician who works for Morrison Senior Living, provider of culinary services for the community.

Her topic was “Spices From the Ground Up”. She highlighted the health benefits associated with using spices such as turmeric and cinnamon. Once a quarter, she will be stopping by for these educational talks. On a monthly basis, Kati will be available to both residents and staff for private one-on-one consultations.

She will also be involved in supporting both Assisted Living and Memory Care to offer suggestions to improve the overall dining experience. She will definitely be welcome with her ideas for additional healthy options on the menu.