Search Results for: Madeline

The Mansion sent me this poem this afternoon, it was written by Nancy, Claudia, Madeline, and Julia:

“Confined in bed,

have a turtle instead

the perfect pet for the Carona Virus,

we could name him Sirus

Two turtles in the room

but only one has a shell

both of them are bored as hell.

Slow as lead

My attention fled

And so did the turtle right out of his bed.

I miss that little guy

if only I could get out and fly

Though my turtle has fled

Wish it were me instead

Maybe somebody when COVID -19 has ended

Sirus the turtle will again be befriended.”

The residents much appreciate the Pen Pal Program, you are invited to write to them or e-mail them your letters and photos and cards. You can e-mail [email protected] if you wish to send digital messages, or send s-mail to The Mansion, Pen Pal Program, 11 S.Union Avenue,  Cambridge, N.Y., 12816.

The residents who wish to receive mail are Edith, Dale, Gary, Ellen, Matt, Gerry, Sylvie, Joanne, Madeline, Brother Peter, Helen, Georgianna, Georgiann, barbara, Alanna, Linda, Nancy, Annette, Peggie, Becky, Jean, Roberta (Bert), Ben, John, Jim, Claudia, Ruth.

Thanks so much.

Peggie has had some back and heart trouble lately, she can’t move around quite as freely as before, she pends a lot of time on the laptop we got her last year. Last week, she asked me to get some computer speakers for her, her hearing has been fading as well.

I met with Nathan McKenzie outside of the Mansion and he brought them to her room at lunchtime and set up the speakers. She just messaged me that they work beautifully and she wanted to thank me and the Army Of Good.

I’ve learned in this work that the small things, the small comforts – shoes, books, letters, sweaters – mean a great deal. Peggie can stay in touch with her family and the wider world now, thanks to your support.

The Pen Pal program is very popular and much appreciated. The residents are cut off from their families and the world. They love realizing that they are not forgotten.

If you wish to participate, you can choose a Pen Pal from the list below. You can send messages and letters to Mansion Activity Director Julia Harlin – [email protected] – or letters and cards and photos by mail, The Mansion, 11 S.Union Avenue, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816.

The list of Pen Pals is: Edith, Dale, Gary, Ellen, Matt, Gerry, Sylvie, Joanne, Madeline, Brother Peter, Helen, Georgianna, Georgiann, Barbara, Alanna, Linda, Nancy, Annette, Peggie, Becky, Jean, Roberta (bert), Ben, John, Jim, Claudia, Ruth.

Thank you for supporting these good people, they are in great need right now.

Chris, a secretary who works in the office of Bishop Maginn High School, created a graphic for every one of the Mansion residents, something they will love, something that affirms their identities graphically and colorfully.

I bet these will end up on the doors to their rooms. It was a beautiful thing for Chris to do. I’ve also continued my hunt for masks for the Mansion aides, I’ve tracked down another 30 tonight.

One of the most challenging things about living in the Mansion is the loneliness inherent in losing most of the things in one’s life – friends,  home, pets, belongings, partners, and spouses.

It’s worse when the residents are cut off from their families, as they are now.

Something like these graphics reminds them that they are not alone and not forgotten. Thanks, Chris.

Friday, Jean’s Place will cater to another Mansion lunch, their Mac N’Cheese last week was so popular we’re doing it again Friday along with five pies – including Chocolate Cream, Strawberry Rhubarb, Apple and Lemon and Strawberry. Kelly makes some amazing pies.

Meals mean everything in the Mansion at a time like this, meals are the structure to the day, along with the constant activities heroically present by Julie Harlin, the Mansion Activities Director.

I’m continuing the pizza deliveries to the aides, many of whom are sick (not with the coronavirus, but with colds and infections.)

The aides are tired, working hard. But the Mansion is doing well, the residents are all healthy, and they sure are eating well.

Thanks for participating in the new Pen Pal program we started to remind the residents that they are not forgotten. They love your messages, cards, photos, and letters.  They read them all day, to their friends and themselves.

We are asking people to choose a Pen Pal from the following list:

Edith, Dale, Gary, Ellen, Matt, Gerry, Sylvie, Joanne, Madeline, Brother Peter, Helen, Georgianna, Georgiann, Barbara, Alanna, Linda, Nancy, Annette, Peggie, Becky, Jean, Roberta (Bert), Tim, Ben, John, Jim, Claudia, Ruth.

E-mail messages are welcome and can be sent to [email protected].

The Mansion address is The Mansion, 11 S. Union Avenue, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816.

Please don’t expect a reply or acknowledgment. The residents will write when they can; many can’t. But they love getting the letters, this is a critical time to reach out to them.

Thanks for supporting my work at the Mansion, and the work of the wonderful Army Of Good. You can contribute to me via Paypal, [email protected], or by check, Jon Katz, Mansion Fund, P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816.

I’m continuing to collect a list of toys the children and grandchildren of the aides would like while they are home sheltering in place.

I imagine it will be months before Zinnia and I can return to the Mansion to continue our therapy work. I am committed to continuing my support for them. They must not be forgotten.

I got two gratitude messages today, one is a card from the Mansion residents, the other is a picture of the Price Chopper Gift Cards that went out today to some of the refugee families who need food. Because of you, more than 30 families will not go hungry tonight, or anytime in the next few days.

I want to thank the Army Of Good, the true benefactors behind these gifts, which one mother called a “miracle.” I hope we can keep the gift cards coming, I could cry when I think of the difference they have made.

“I spent the morning sending out gift cards. So many, thanks,” wrote Sue Silverstein of Bishop Maginn this morning. “There is no way I could do this without your help.”

The gift card program continues.

If you wish to participate, we could still use some help. These refugee family providers could be out of work for a while. You can buy gift cards in any amount. If your purchase is greater than $300, you may need to activate the card, if so, you will be notified by e-mail.

The cards need to be sent to my address, the school is closed and gift cards can’t be sent to a post office box. So please send them to Jon Katz, 2502 State Route 22, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816. This crisis has taken these poor refugee families to the brink, your cards have brought them back. Thank you. You can see and purchase the gift cards here.

If you would rather not purchase things online, or don’t know how you can send a check to me, and  I’ll buy the gift cards for you:

Jon Katz, P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816, or at 2502 State Route 22, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816

I also got a beautiful signed card from the Mansion today, the card is really for you good people. The most impactful things we have been doing for the Mansion residents – they have been in lockdown for a month – have been daily pizza deliveries for the aides and wonderful lunches for the residents – Lasagna, Mac N’Chees, subs, pies and cupcakes from Jean’s Place.

I’ve purchased masks for the aides, painting easels for the residents, and art supplies, books, and movies. I’m gathering money to buy toys for the children of the aides and staff while the kids are at home without friends or school (you can contribute via Paypal, [email protected] or by check, Jon Katz, Mansion Fund, P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816. I can’t do a Wish List because Amazon is a bit of mess these days, they are out of most toys.)

The residents love the food and look forward to it all day. It is delicious but also breaks up the monotony. The residents have been inside the Mansion for a month now, it’s getting to them.

We’ve re-started the Pen Pal program, if you wish, please adopt one of the residents and write to them. They are loving the messages they are getting, and thanks.: julia@the If they can, they will write back.

You can also send a message by e-mail through Julia Harlin, the Mansion Activities Director:[email protected]. Or by letter, photo or postcard to The Mansion, 11 S. Union Avenue, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816.

The resident Pen Pals are Edith, Dale and Gary,  Ellen, Matt, Gerry, Sylvie, Joanne, Madeline, Brother Peter, Helen, Georgianna, Georgiann, Barbara, Alanna, Linda, Annette, Peggie, Becky, Jean, Roberta (Bert), Ben, John, Jim, Claudia, Ruth.

Thanks for your support. If you wish to support the Mansion/Refugee work, you can do so via Paypal, [email protected], or by check, Jon Katz, Mansion/Refugee Fund, P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816.

We are doing some eye-popping good, and thanks.

This morning, Julia Harlin, the Mansion Activities Director, send me this poem, which was written by a group of Mansion residents for us.

I loved this poem and the lonely, hopeful message that flows from it.

It is not easy or simple to live in an assisted care facility. And harder yet to be cut off from friends and family and visitors and to be deprived of the outings and walks that mean so much to people confined to institutional living.

This poem is a cry out to the outside world, a reaching out to life, a message of freedom, which has temporarily been taken from them.

A resident once told me that you can never really understand the importance of freedom until it is taken away.

I am grateful to the residents for writing it and sending it to me. This is a difficult time for them. In normal times, they feel cut off from the world and forgotten. These are not normal times.

I’ve written a bunch of poems with the residents, it’s strange to be on the other side.

The Birds In Spring

“Think of the fearless blue jay with gay color dressing up the fence.

Think of the eagle swiftly flying on strong wings, beautiful and free.

Think of the cardinal bravely, a brave and ruby red bird, it looks like Christmas,

but reminds us of Spring.

Think of the Sparrow whose happy song is like seeing the beauty of a dandelion in the

garden grass.

Thinking of all of them is a gift to me because they make me feel joyous and free.”

– Love, Madeline, Carol, Nancy, Claudia, and Dale.

During the lockdown of the Mansion and perhaps beyond, we have revived the Pen Pal program. Any of us can choose a resident to write to them either by e-mail ([email protected]) or by letter or card or photo, Pen Pals, The Mansion, 11 S.  Union Avenue, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816.

The Pen Pals at the Mansion are Dale and Gary, (Lois and Bill in Memory Care), Ellen, Matt, Gerry, Sylvie, Joanne, Madeline, Brother Peter, Georgianna, Georgiann, Barbara, Alanna, Linda, Nancy, Annette, Peggie, Becky, Jean, Roberta (Bert), Tim, Ben, John, Jim, Claudia, Ruth.

Thanks for writing to them. Today, as we have all week, we sent two medium pizzas over for the aides for their dinner. They appreciate a break from institutional food. Tomorrow Jean’s Place is catering a Mac N Cheese lunch with five different kinds of pie for the residents and the aides.

If you wish to contribute to the Mansion Support program, you can do so via Paypal, [email protected], or by check, Jon Katz, Mansion Support, P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816.