Recently, Villa St. Benedict in Lisle received an urgent call from Holly Anderson, Program Director for Camp Fire USA. This organization provides informal education to build today's youth into confident, future leaders. For the last 25 years, Camp Fire USA brought gifts to the students at Edna Rollins Elementary School in Aurora East District 131. This year, the group that was going to wrap the 200+ gifts had a lay-off, so Holly called on VSB for help. On December 7, bags full of toys and games were brought over to Villa St. Benedict and Santa's helpers went to work. While Christmas music played in the background, VSB Directors, staff members, and Sisters from Sacred Heart Monastery joined together to wrap each and every one of them. All the wrapping supplies were donated by Party City and Osco. These goodies will arrive at Rollins Elementary on December 9, so that all the students will have a present to open for Christmas.

Today's senior may remember the song from the 1960's musical, Oliver, where the cast proclaimed, "Food, glorious food… that's all that we live for!" Yes, food is a big part of our day and moving to a retirement community can help one to continue to eat well. Check out luxury senior living at Villa St. Benedict in Lisle, where the residents have a great dining experience every evening in the Villa Center. Culinary services provided by Morrison Senior Living are under the watchful eye of Director Lisa Reid and creativity of Regional Executive Chef Chris Moore.

Earlier this summer, a bi-monthly event appropriately named the "Taste" was initiated by Chef Chris to give a small intimate group of residents a chance to interact with him and try something new. Guests of Chef Chris are made to feel like they are in the audience of a typical Food Network TV show. During the taste, everyone is invited to step over to watch as each item is prepared and then plated at an action station. The experience tantalizes all of the senses as you see each dish come to life, along with an element of surprise since the group never knows what the chef has in store for them.

There is a different theme each time to showcase the menu. The most recent theme was "Fusion of Flavor". The event began with "Hillbilly Sangria", a blending of Tennessee red wine, orange juice, Sprite and Absolut Orient Apple Vodka. The starter was a Hawaiian fish (Wahoo) encrusted in sesame seeds and called "French-Polynesian". The entrée, "The Crabby Cow", was a filet placed over sauce made from fresh corn and topped with a crab claw. The "Green Goddess" dessert included avocado ice cream, triple berry mousse, oranges sections in pickled ginger juice and wonton wraps with white chocolate and cream cheese filling. Chef Chris has definitely added another dimension to dining at Villa St. Benedict and offered some really glorious food!

Fred and Dorothy Fencl, residents of Villa St. Benedict in Lisle, celebrated their 72nd wedding anniversary on October 7. The couple met at Trinity Evangelical Church in Oak Park and married in 1939. For awhile, they worked together in their own dry cleaning business in Oak Park. Then in 1943 during World War II, Fred joined the Coast Guard and was stationed in New Jersey. Dorothy moved out East to be with her husband and they lived in Brooklyn. After the war, they came back and settled in Villa Park for 58 years. The Fencls raised their family of 3 children and also have 7 grandchildren. Fred was a plant manager for Magikist Carpet & Rug Cleaners for 38 years. Dorothy was a homemaker until her youngest went off to college and then she joined Fred at Magikist. They both love sports and Fred remarked that he can talk to Dorothy about sports just like he would to any man. Dorothy said their secret to a happy marriage was that they like a lot of the same things and never argue. Six years ago, they moved to a lovely villa home at VSB. Best wishes to the Fencls on their special day!

On Sunday, September 25, a group of almost 50 people from Villa St. Benedict in Lisle participated in the annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s held in downtown Naperville at the Riverwalk. Walkers included VSB staff, their family members and residents and their families. Every team member wore a blue tee shirt with the Villa St. Benedict logo. Many well-behaved dogs came along for the exercise that day.
This year the Alzheimer’s Association handed out different colored flowers to signify if you support their effort, you were afflicted with the disease or you had a family member who had died from Alzheimer’s.
Villa St. Benedict is a senior retirement community that has a special memory care unit that continues to remain full. Staff members who care with those residents have received specialized training through a partnership between VSB and Rush Medical Center. Donations collected of nearly $2000 will go towards research for this disease that affects so many.

On September 16, Benedale Center on the campus of Villa St. Benedict hosted a barbeque for the residents, their families, staff members and sisters from Sacred Heart Monastery. It was a chilly day, but warm caring smiles were everywhere. Hotdogs, brats and burgers with all the trimmings were on the menu, along with cupcakes and ice cream bars for dessert. Everyone was there for the food, fun and fellowship. Staff members gathered in their Benedale logo shirts for a group photo. A launch sent up sixty balloons, each with a message asking recipients to let us know where the balloons might have ended up. So far, responses have been received from as far away as Michigan! National Assisted Living Week certainly ended on a high note and created some great memories for all.

On September 15, a special ceremony took place in front of the Villa Center to honor residents who had served our country in one of the branches of service. The program included a welcome, prayer, pledge of allegiance and singing of America the Beautiful. A memorial stone with the inscription, “In Honor of Villa St. Benedict Veterans” was then blessed and members of American Legion Post 187 THB performed a dedication. The names of 73 VSB veteran residents, both living and deceased, were read aloud and Taps was played. God Bless America was sung as the perfect ending to this touching event. The memorial stone was placed under the flagpole that was dedicated to VSB veterans back in 2009.

Sunday, September 11 was Grandparents Day and the first official day of National Assisted Living Week. Benedale Center held an afternoon ice cream social for residents and their families. Staff members donned festive burgundy shirts with the Benedale Center logo on the front and the patriotic theme, “Forever Proud of our Residents”, on the back. Sweet treats included sundaes, root beer floats and Good Humor bars.  It was a wonderful day for everyone that attended. The rest of the week will continue with other special activities for the residents.

In observation of National Assisted Living Week, September 11-17, Benedale Center will host a series of events developed as a special opportunity to bring together residents, families, employees and the surrounding community to celebrate “Forever Proud”. Celebrations will begin on Grandparent’s Day, Sunday September 11 with an ice cream social for residents and their families and a barbeque will end the week. Special activities including crafts, sing-a-longs, baking and happy hour have been planned for the residents during that week. Starting on Monday, September 12 and continuing through September 15, Benedale Center will host an educational presentation each evening. These events which are open to the public will be held from 5-7pm and include refreshments.

Featured topics include:

Monday, September 12
“Is Assisted Living the Right Choice for Your Loved One”

Tuesday, September 13
“Mediation: Great Results Through Shared Family Decision-Making”

Wednesday, September 14
“Assisted Living: Investigating This Important Lifestyle Option and Its Costs”

Thursday, September 15
“A Family’s Guide to Understanding Memory Loss Behaviors”

National Assisted Living Week is an annual celebration sponsored by the National Center for Assisted Living, Washington, D.C. This year’s patriotic theme,” Forever Proud”, was chosen because the first day begins on the tenth anniversary of 9/11. Benedale Center invites the community to come and experience the commitment that assisted living professionals feel when providing care and services to their residents. Please call 630-852-0345 by September 9 to sign up to attend the evening presentations of your choice.

Benedale Center for Assisted Living & Memory Care is located on the beautiful 47-acre campus of Villa St. Benedict 1920 Maple Avenue in Lisle, IL 60532. For additional information about Benedale Center, please call Sister Joanne at 630-725-7022.

Villa St. Benedict resident, Joseph Ryan, never dreamt of being recognized as a hero. But on August 10, the former WWII platoon leader and Marine Lieutenant received an honor not bestowed upon many people—he participated in an “Honor Flight”. The Honor Flight program was created to give veterans an opportunity to go to see “their” memorial in Washington D.C. Since most of these veterans are now in their 80’s or older, it was not always possible to take a long trip on their own or their families could not afford the time or expense to take them. Southwest Airlines became the official commercial carrier of the Honor Flight Network after the company donated thousands of free tickets to this program.

Joe, along with a group of veterans and their volunteer companions, flew from Midway Airport in Chicago to Washington D.C. It was an all-expense paid trip to the nation’s capital to see the monuments and Arlington Cemetery. Special emphasis was on the National WWII Memorial, built to reflect the spirit, sacrifice and commitment of the 16 million who served in the armed forces during WWII. Joe was also eager to see the US Marine Corps Iwo Jima Memorial. There was a bittersweet moment when Joe held a flag and a picture of his wife, Marie, during a ceremony to honor the deceased. Marie, who was also a Marine, met her husband during the war. They moved to VSB in 2007.

On his return to Midway, he was welcomed back by not only thousands of people, but a special group of VSB residents and three staff members who drove the bus to the airport for the homecoming celebration. Joe said, “The experience was totally overwhelming, extraordinary and something that I will never forget. It is very difficult to put into words.” All in all, it was an exciting day. Thank you, Joe; you make everyone at Villa St. Benedict proud to be an American!

If the idea of staying mentally fit after you retire sounds appealing, than look no further than Villa St. Benedict in Lisle. For the past 6 years, this faith-based retirement community has enticed seniors to move to a place where they can experience “Positive Aging”. A major part of this philosophy is made possible by a unique partnership that VSB has with Benedictine University, its neighbor just across the street.
Imagine being a co-ed again, but this time around there are no tests to take or homework to worry about! The residents at Villa St. Benedict are certainly excited about this new way of learning. They are invited to audit classes for free, take credit courses at a reduced rate or participate in the new Center for Lifelong Learning, with small fees for attending single or multiple sessions. If they choose to go to the BU campus, they just hop on the VSB bus for the daytime sessions. Car pooling to an evening class is just a 5 minute ride across the road. There are also professors who bring their students and hold classes at Villa St. Benedict. Some of the course topics that have been offered include Social Psychology, Health Aspects of Aging, American History in Film and The Civil War in General. There are additional privileges at the university’s library, special events and lectures.
Having the university as an academic partner has increased campus diversity for both Villa St. Benedict and Benedictine U. The college students have an opportunity to experience life at a senior community, while the VSB residents become young again on the BU campus. The inter-generational connection seems to add just another dimension to the active, vibrant lifestyle that is a trademark at Villa St. Benedict.

Villa St. Benedict in the Naperville Sun
(A CHICAGO SUN-TIMES Publication)

On Sunday, June 26, the Memory Care unit at Benedale Center celebrated its fourth anniversary by having an ice cream social for residents and their family members. Everyone was treated to the summertime favorite, along with cookies and lemonade. Sr. Mary Bratrsovsky, Prioress of Sacred Heart Monastery, was on hand to deliver a blessing and short history about when the sisters occupied the part of the building now dedicated to caring for residents with cognitive impairment. She recognized the Memory Care nursing staff for being constant advocates for the residents and for developing an excellent rapport with the families. In addition, Kathy DiCristina, CEO of Villa St. Benedict, was also present to thank everyone for being a part of this special event.

On June 15, Villa St. Benedict held a fund-raising carnival for its staff, residents and their families. It was quite an extravaganza that included games, a bake and sidewalk sale, raffle prizes and a farm stand. Everyone bought tickets and then used them to enter the raffles, buy bakery goods and enjoyed corn dogs, popcorn and lemonade. The majority of all the prizes and other items were donations from various local businesses that were showcased at this event. It was a great way to raise dollars to benefit the Villa St. Benedict Foundation. The VSB Foundation funds are for assisting residents in financial need, providing wellness initiatives and a variety of campus projects. The proceeds from the carnival will be used to purchase outdoor seating for a new patio area that will be used by the residents. It was definitely a fun-filled afternoon for a great cause.

On June 6, Villa St. Benedict hosted an ice cream social with the second graders and their families from Spring Brook Elementary School (District 204) in Naperville. The event was to celebrate another year of a successful pen pal program between the children and the seniors.
Technology may have replaced the art of writing letters for most of us, but that didn’t stop this program from going forward for its third year. All the participants enjoyed getting to know each other through their letters. Each child would initiate a letter and then the senior would write one back. It was certainly a way for the children to learn both reading and writing skills. A few weeks ago, Spring Brook invited the Villa St. Benedict residents to come by and visit their pen pals for the first time. The ice cream social was another way to continue the inter-generational relationships that had been built through the letters. It was definitely a fun time for everyone.

Mark Wierdak is a new addition to the staff working in the Villa Center’s Bistro restaurant. He lives in Darien and graduated from Downers South. He comes to VSB as a student with disabilities in the Transition 99 program sponsored by Downers Grove North and South High Schools. The program helps former students ages 18-22, once they have left traditional high school, by focusing on independent living skills. Those skills will be learning about things like banking and money, budgeting, transportation, cooking, reading and cleaning.
Each student’s schedule is flexible and activities are individualized to that particular person. The program finds businesses that will act as partners to offer work training experiences to these students. The students are not actual employees of the partner organizations, but will learn skills and tasks with the same expectations as an employee. They work alongside company staff and have the benefit of a job coach provided by the Transition program.
Mark trains 2-3 hours a day, Monday through Friday for a typical 16 week semester. If the setting is a good match, the goal would be to eventually be hired on. When asked what he likes best at VSB, Mark said, “It’s like one big happy family here. Everyone is so nice.” Mark is certainly enjoying his work at Villa St. Benedict and is looking forward to becoming a regular as time goes on.

On May 17, the ladies of VSB were treated to an annual afternoon high tea. In keeping with the American tradition, this type of tea features fancy pastries and cakes on delicate china.
The menu was simple—sweets, sweets and more sweets. Cherry and blueberry cheesecake, chocolate cake with strawberries, apple strudel and carrot cake were among the choices. Along with a variety of teas, Mimosas were also offered. Entertainment was provided by violinist, Mihai Vlad. This lovely event took place in the Villa Center formal dining room and was definitely the highlight of the month for all who attended.

On April 21st, U.S. Representative Judy Biggert (R.-IL-13th) spoke to the residents of Villa St. Benedict in the format of a town hall meeting. The budget resolution (The Path to Prosperity) for the fiscal year 2012 was the main topic with specific references to Medicare.

On April 14, Villa St. Benedict promoted a Health & Nutrition Fair to its residents and the general public in the surrounding suburbs. Using its unique partnership with Benedictine University, undergraduate students studying nutrition with Professor Jane Maxwell and students in the Master of Science in Clinical Exercise Physiology program came together to create the fair. Two dietetic interns from Benedictine, working on their Masters of Science in Nutrition and Wellness, coordinated the entire effort under the watchful eye of Regina Schurman, MS who acted as their preceptor. Regina is a Certified Fallproof Instructor and heads up the Performance Enhancement Center at VSB. Interns Amanda Fox and Kelli Knopf reviewed all of the students’ work, weeks beforehand. The goal was to offer a professional, interactive approach that also educated the audience. Students set up their booths highlighting a variety of topics such as atherosclerosis, healthy eating for diabetes, artificial sweeteners, fad diets and hypertension. Giveaways were plentiful, especially food-related items.
There were additional opportunities to receive a blood pressure check, cholesterol screening and a BMI (Body Mass Index) test. Dr. Sheri Billing, audiologist and owner of The Hearing Doctors, was on hand to do hearing aid cleaning. The Doctors of Physical Therapy who provide onsite therapy services to VSB residents were represented by Tracy Camaj, PT, CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist). Lesley Connors, R.N. and a member of her staff from CNS Home Health & Hospice pampered everyone with reflexology hand massages.
The day would not have been complete without a good raffle and this fair was no exception. Donations came from numerous vendors, as well as gift cards donated by some of the students. Three grand prize raffle tickets for gift baskets were given to each person who filled out a survey for the dietetic interns who were collecting data for their theses. The fair was a big success and plans are in the works to make it an annual event.

On April 11 in honor of National Volunteer Week, Villa St. Benedict hosted an appreciation luncheon for 98 volunteers from the past year. The total number of volunteer hours accounted for was 4400. That was an impressive number and quite a savings for this not for profit organization. The celebration was called “Our Volunteers Are Out-of-this World”. Of those attending, 65 were actual VSB residents. Everyone was treated to a tasty luncheon in the Villa Center dining room and the food was served up by management, including CEO Kathy DiCristina and Prioress Sister Mary Bratrsovsky. Kathy thanked the group for all their hard work, while Sister Mary gave the invocation. The volunteers also received a handwritten thank you note and a chocolate treat.

There are always opportunities to help out in this vibrant senior living community. The day before the lunch, 17 volunteers wheel barreled and spread 40 yards of mulch around the grounds. That’s half a semi-truck load! It is so gratifying to know there are those who will give of their time without expecting anything in return. A big pat on the back to all of our deserving volunteers!

Villa St. Benedict residents, Betty and Ron Krupp, have been a part of Operation Support Our Troops, Illinois for the last five years. As a VP of OSOT, Betty volunteers her time and is involved in many of their projects. One of the organization’s main responsibilities is putting together care packages and sending them to the US troops serving in harm’s way. Since 2003, over 22,000 boxes have been sent to Iraq and Afghanistan. The group also sponsors a summer fund-raiser featuring Gary Sinise, called “Rockin’ for the Troops”.

Recently, Betty gave a presentation to the VSB residents about her experience of making a parachute jump as part of a “Leap of Faith” program that was sponsored by OSOT. The organization decided to partner with the U.S. Army Parachute Team (Golden Knights) and offer family members of loved ones who had died in combat, a chance to make a tandem jump with a Golden Knight. Betty showed a DVD of her adventure that was captured by another Golden Knight who jumped alongside to do the filming. This “Go for the Gold” program included twenty family members who flew to a destination near Miami, FL to take part in this event. They participated in a life enrichment seminar that was developed by McKinley Leadership of Naperville. It featured a day and a half class that was built around the jump. All of the trip expenses for the families were paid for by Operation Support Our Troops. Sixteen people, including Betty, made the decision to do the actual jump. Betty shared that it was an experience of a lifetime and, if given another chance, she would do it all over again, but only with a Golden Knight!

On March 11, the residents of Villa St. Benedict honored the feast of St. Joseph. A traditional table, showcasing a statue of St. Joseph, was set covered with a lace cloth and flowers. A meatless meal was served to observe Lent and homemade desserts were plentiful. Many dressed in red for the occasion. Sister Mary Bratrsovsky, Prioress of Sacred Heart Monastery, gave the opening prayer and reminded everyone that St. Joseph is the patron of a happy death. The VSB residents raised their glasses in a toast and enjoyed a hearty meal to celebrate the day.

The second Iron Chef competition was held between the cooks and Sous-Chefs at VSB to see who could be the most creative using specific ingredients within a given timeframe. Regional Executive Chef Chris Moore of Morrison Senior Living, the provider of culinary services at Villa, said the following:

“The purpose of the contest is to ignite culinary passion in our cooks and give them an opportunity to think outside the box and showcase their individual talents. This contest is held every six months, but the overall criteria and themes change each time. I called this one the Far East Edition, because of the required ingredients which made everything even more interesting. We will hold another competition during the summer, since it is well received and great for overall team morale.”

The rules specified 2 hours to prepare three courses using ingredients such as shrimp, pickled ginger, wasabi and coconut milk. Of course, the benefactors of these games are ultimately the residents of Villa St. Benedict who enjoy the finest in gourmet dining each evening at the Villa Center.

On February 28, Villa St. Benedict hosted a fun and informal reception to honor the new CEO/Administrator, Kathy DiCristina. VSB residents, staff and many of the Sacred Heart Sisters attended the celebration. Sister Mary Bratrsovsky, also new in her position as the Prioress of Sacred Heart Monastery, recognized Kathy for her previous 10 year tenure at VSB and applauded her as the very best choice to lead the community. Donna Tarnowski, President of the VSB Resident Council, also complimented Kathy on her commitment and passion to her job. Everyone enjoyed punch and appetizers as they honored Kathy on her special day.

On February 22, the residents of Villa St. Benedict were treated to a culinary delight, compliments of Morrison Senior Living who provides food services to VSB. Five guest chefs were brought in from other Morrison-serviced communities from around the Chicagoland area to create an extraordinary array of appetizers for the residents to sample.
The menu showcased beef tenderloin and fig skewers, roasted chestnut soup, marinated goat cheese stuffed tomato salad, sushi roll and rum torte. Each chef prepared their specialty in front of the audience. The residents were definitely exposed to the philosophy of Morrison to create flavorful, colorful and nutritious food offerings. Recipes were also available. Morrison’s Regional Executive Chef Chris Moore at VSB coordinated the event and helped to make it a wonderful experience for the entire Villa St. Benedict community.

On January 26, Villa St. Benedict held an Appreciation Luncheon for all of its 130 employees. The theme was “Our Employees are Out of This World”. A spaceship and planets from the solar system decorated the dining room where the event was held. The new prioress, Sister Mary Bratrsovsky, began by thanking everyone, followed by a blessing of all of the awards. Two employees were recognized for 10+ years of service with a special St. Benedict medallion and other gifts. There were also 30 employees awarded for at least 5 years of service. Bonus checks, made possible by generous donations from the VSB residents, were given out as part of the celebration. Representing the residents was the Resident Council President, Donna Tarnowski, who extended appreciation to the staff for their ongoing commitment to upholding the Benedictine core values of the community. Interim CEO, Kathy DiCristina, led the awards ceremony and presentation to each employee. It was a fun time with pizza, door prizes and a true sense of camaraderie.