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Branching Out
Sharing Stories and Information through Outstretched Arms
February 2023
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A new year, a new dawn. Can you feel the energy, growth and promise on the horizon for Arbor West Neighbors and its members? We're excited about the activities planned for first-quarter 2023, and we look forward to others you will suggest.
But first, we're happy to share this announcement from Don Burk: Our contributions have not gone unnoticed.
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Green Awards honor community members and organizations, that demonstrate leadership in advancing equity-centered climate action, climate resilience, and sustainability.
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Our activities relating to social justice, green initiatives and sustainability:
- We advocate, providing input to the Oak Park Climate Plan via a multi-month small group process representing the needs of elders.
- We lead, educate and innovate, leading a housing forum related to Aging in Our Communities and the importance of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU's); supporting energy efficient and socially beneficial cohousing; and showcasing initiatives to promote Aging in Place.
- We enjoy nature, creating a walking group (AWN Ramblers) to explore and support local forest preserves.
- We think about the future, hosting educational events related to reducing plastic use.
- We volunteer, organizing clean-ups in public parks.
Congratulations to our volunteers, advocates, activists, environmentalists and Ramblers. We have been recognized by the Village of Oak Park for making a difference! Well done, AWN!
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Congratulations to Joyce Porter on the publication of her book Mastering Senior Life: Thriving and Surviving. This book should be of interest to all members. It is partly memoir, and primarily an easy-to-read guidebook to the joys, challenges and sad events we will inevitably encounter as seniors.
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End of Life Programs:
Making Legal Decisions
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Arbor West Neighbors' terrific three-part series about end-of-life issues concluded November 29 with a program at the Oak Park Main Library, about legal decisions that are critically important for carrying out a person's wishes. Elder Law Attorney Ben Neiburger shared his extensive knowledge of the challenges and pitfalls that come with writing a will, assigning beneficiaries, an executor and/or Powers of Attorney for Healthcare and Finances and other legal matters to an audience of 35 members and guests.
Pamela Mahn, Director of Senior Services for the Township of Oak Park, explained the services available through the township, such as writing a simple will and referrals to resources that can ease the burden on seniors.
Currently a Video of Session Two, Making Choices, is available on our Website, arborwestneighbors.org, under the Events tab.
A Video of Session Three, Making Legal Decisions, will be available at a future date to be announced.
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The November ramble was well-attended on a snowy but comfortable day to follow two of the trails around the Fullersburg Preserve. Conversation and river views were most enjoyable.
A chilly, intermittently rainy day for the December ramble did not prevent leader Peter Notier and Don Burk from enjoying one of the longer trails at the Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center in Willow Springs.
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Phyllis Rubin and Ruth Reko arranged for a cozy indoor Meetup at the River Forest Library.
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Arbor West Neighbors Initiatives
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Aging in Place Commission
Did you know…. that in 2018 the Arbor West Neighbors Advocacy Working Group encouraged the Oak Park Village Board to create its Aging in Place Commission? This agency’s mission is to advise the Board in its efforts to facilitate full participation in community activities by its senior residents. Recently AWN member, Sandra Sokol, has been instrumental in reviving interest in the commission’s activities. The current commission includes AWN members Susan Stall and Marc Blesoff, who was appointed as Chairperson by Village President Vicki Scaman.
The Aging in Place Commission, which meets at 6 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month in Village Hall, encourages public input regarding all aspects of aging in Oak Park.
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Asset Mapping Project 2.0
In addition to Community and Advocacy, promoting awareness of local Resources is a pillar of Arbor West Neighbors’ mission. In 2018 AWN assembled a group of 17 local organizations to collectively discern what services are offered, and which are lacking, for older adults in the Oak Park/River Forest/Forest Park area. Libraries, park districts, townships, schools, and social service groups participated. This type of “asset mapping” is intended to identify and document existing community resources and to provide information on where and how to access them. In March, AWN will host another session with additional participants, including some health services, churches and synagogues that serve older adults, to update the “asset map”. AWN members Judy Smith, Angela Skalla, Lissa Schwartz, Jane Wood and Phyllis Rubin will participate in this important project. Watch future issues of “Branching Out” for reports on their progress.
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Upcoming Arbor West Neighbors Events
for Members and Guests
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Arbor West Neighbors Programs
Exposure, Education, Engagement
Arbor West Neighbors programs offer opportunities to increase awareness, learning and connections among seniors. Our newly re-organized Programs Group will assist in implementation of member-initiated programs. If you have a program idea, this group will help you make it happen! Reach out to Gil and Meg Herman, Paul Sakol, Hilda Schlatter, Louise Corzine, Margaret Burk, Hinda Blum, Iris Yipp, Marie Kruse, or Catherine Marienau. You can find their contact information in our membership directory.
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Fun Collaborative Challenges
Want to be part of a play group? Gil Herman will lead a variety of team building activities to work collaboratively through a number of group challenges such as solving a murder mystery, crossing a magic carpet, completing a survival simulation, and more. Each of four sessions will challenge your thinking skills and promote teamwork. Join us to experience the thrill of successfully working with your peers!
Thursdays, Feb. 2, 9, 16 and 23
10:30 am to 12:30 pm
Second-floor meeting room, just off the Art Gallery.
Oak Park Main Library, 834 Lake Street, Oak Park
Each week will be different. Pre-registration for each is required, for a minimum of 6, maximum 20 participants. For more information or to register, contact the facilitator, Gil Herman, gil@ManagingHorizons.com |
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Membership Chair, Val Lester, has arranged to have our February Arbor West Neighbors Members Meetup at
American House Senior Living Community
703 Madison, Oak Park
Tuesday, February 28, 2023
4:00 - 5:30 pm
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In addition to hosting our gathering, the American House staff has offered to lead a short tour of this new facility at 3:30 pm.
We ask that you please RSVP to Val, vlester987@yahoo.com, by February 20, and indicate whether you wish to arrive early for the tour.
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The March AWN Members Meetup
will be
Tuesday, March 28, 2023
10:00 - 11:30 am
Veterans Room
Oak Park Main Library
834 Lake Street, Oak Park
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The Fiber Arts Group welcomes members who like to knit, crochet, embroider, applique or who enjoy any other fiber arts. The group meets from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm on the first and third Fridays of the month, usually in members’ homes, but have also met in the Oak Park Library. For more information, please contact Denise Poncher, dponcher@gmail.com, or Bonnie Jordan jordan-bonnie@hotmail.com. |
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Marion Sirefman, www.SirefmanArt.com, hosts sessions to help small groups (4 maximum) of Arbor West Neighbors Members explore various media such as watercolor or decorative paper collage cards. The art supplies are provided.
To learn about upcoming events, contact Marion ( msirefman@hotmail.com) to be included on her mailing list.
Watch for sessions this Spring! |
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Mix of Minds Discussion Group
The group meets the second Monday of each month, 3:00 - 4:30 pm, to discuss thought-provoking articles chosen by group members on a rotating basis.
Upcoming Discussions
February 13, 2023
Peter Notier will facilitate
Three-Dimensional Mess
by Jeffrey Sconce, in The Baffler, July 2022
March 14, 2023
Hinda Blum will facilitate
How Germany Remembers the Holocaust: And What America Can Learn About Atonement
by Clint Smith, in The Atlantic, December 2022
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Oak Park Village Trustee Candidate Forum
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As in two previous elections, Arbor West Neighbors' Advocacy Working Group will host a forum for voters to meet and question Oak Park Village Trustee candidates.
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7:00 pm Tuesday, March 7, 2023 via Zoom
The forum will last approximately 1.5 hours. Each candidate will be given two minutes to introduce themself at the beginning of the forum and two minutes at the end to make a closing statement. The majority of the forum will focus on public policy issues of interest to older people in our community.
Arbor West Neighbors Member, Ed Solan, will moderate and serve as contact person. To submit questions for candidates, contact him, edsolan@gmail.com. Pre-registration is not required. The Zoom link for this meeting is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86299955563.
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Meet Your Arbor West Neighbors Members
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Lissa Schwartz - Board Member. Lissa is a longtime Oak Park resident, having moved here in 1985. Her career path was unusual: she worked both in clinical social work and computer programming, which culminated in helping to implement medical records for Chicago's Metropolitan Family Services.
In addition to serving as Secretary of the Arbor West Neighbors Board, she volunteers on a team that modifies and maintains the organization's website.
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She enjoys reading, seeing plays, getting together with friends and visiting her three children and four grandchildren. She describes herself as an "avid" knitter, and she also loves painting with watercolors and working with various media such as wood-block prints and mosaics. In fact, she says she's willing to try anything!
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Diane Pingle. Born in Toledo, Ohio in 1941, Diane Pingle spent her childhood in show business as a singer/dancer. A vivacious bundle of energy, she even tap-danced on roller skates on the Ted Mack Amateur Hour.
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After college she traveled to 63 countries, including spending eight months in the Middle East and six months in Africa. After many adventures and learning experiences, she was married in India to a gentleman from Hyderabad. They moved to Oak Park with their two children in 1980. Diane lost her husband, Ajith, in October of this year and has just returned from placing his ashes in a river in India.
Diane is a retired English and drama teacher from the former Emerson School, now Brooks Middle School. Always active, she went back on stage at the Open Door Repertory Theater, Madison Street Theater, Chicago Cultural Center, Dominican University, and Triton College. She then wrote a one woman show called “Marigolds, Mangos, and Marriages” about her life and finding an identity in another culture--India.
Now Diane practices Reiki, a form of energy healing, and loves to visit her thirteen-year-old twin grandchildren in Denver.
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Arbor West Neighbors Members Volunteer
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AWN member, Margie Rudnik, volunteers for Intercultural Immigration Ministry (IIM) which includes members of the Oak Park Catholic Parishes and is involved in resettlement of refugees.
They are currently seeking local housing for a Venezuelan family of 3 and anticipate this need to find housing will continue as additional refugees arrive.
The refugees receive some benefits to assist with the cost of housing.
The organization is seeking an available apartment to rent and would consider a basement apartment.
Contact:
immigrantministry@gmail.com
Margie Rudnik margaretrudnik@gmail.com
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Arbor West Neighbors Board of Directors
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Phyllis Rubin, President
Judy Smith, Vice-President
Lissa Schwartz, Secretary
Don Burk, Treasurer
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Henry Kranz
Ralph Lee
Cecily Mango
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Branching Out will appear bimonthly in your inbox.
Member submissions to arborwestneighbors@gmail.com for the April edition are due by Friday, March 16, 2023. Please add NEWSLETTER in the email subject line.
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