Meadowlark is alive. That was obvious from the moment we walked in the door.
Outdoor Encounters: Pebble & Pond
April 22, 2025
Blog
Question: Annie, can you tell us more about the Eden Alternative Program that Lonnie mentioned at Town Meeting? He said you had attended this program.
Question: Why have employees been wearing jeans to work, outside of Fridays?
Answer: I am glad you asked! This idea was a result of brainstorming ways to give back to the community. Twice a month, employees have the opportunity to donate a dollar to wear jeans on specified days. The money raised will benefit various causes.
Back in January of 2009, I was still working as the Director of Spiritual Care at Mercy Regional here in Manhattan, KS. Mercy and Via Christi were very supportive of me becoming a Board Certified Chaplain with the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC). After two and a half years of certification process, I went to Orlando, FL for the annual APC conference at Lake Buena Vista (a.k.a., Walt Disney World Resort). I was ready for my oral defense of all my written materials. Everything went well and I was certified, while some would say I was always "certifiable" in other ways.
Forget the usual Friday afternoon of nodding off on the couch. On Friday, Nov. 2, two Meadowlark Hills residents took a special trip around town. Or should I say, above town?
Thanks to Sherry Smith and her husband Gordon Smith, owner of Heartland Aviation, residents of Lyle and Sloan Houses found themselves aboard a small aircraft for an afternoon getaway. Merle Schmidt and Bea Mullin both seemed pleased to have had this opportunity.
Quilts are part of many cultures and found in households across the country. They are often made by hand using familiar materials such as scraps of clothing, grandpa’s old coveralls, or delicate lace from a wedding dress. Quilting continues to be a form of artistic expression.
Quilts can be works of art, as well as stories through pictures and memories. They tell a story about their creator. The story of my great-aunt’s quilt is remarkable. I find perseverance in my great-aunt and the journey of her quilt.
Becoming a good listener is not something that is highly valued in our society. I am not aware of any events centered on how well a person is able to listen to another, or of any awards that are presented to those who are exceptionally skilled listeners. We certainly have these events and awards for speaking. As the presidential election nears, Americans listen to debates and speeches given by the candidates and judge for themselves the information that is being presented and how it is delivered. Most of us are not thinking about the candidates’ listening skills.
The Meadowlark Hills Market raised $2,700 on Friday, Sept. 14, and Saturday, Sept. 15! That's almost $300 more than last year.
A big thank you to all of the residents and employees who helped make the Market a success! It could not have been done without your help. All of the hours you gave and how generous you were with your time is truly appreciated.
All of the money you helped raise will benefit the Meadowlark Hills Sidewalk Project.
Meadowlark Hills will host a Community Wellness Fair on Thursday, Sept. 27. This event is open to all Meadowlark Hills residents and staff, as well as the Manhattan community. Attendees are welcome to visit the fair any time between 1 and 4:30 p.m. Businesses and service providers related to wellness from Meadowlark Hills campus and the surrounding community will gather to educate and raise awareness in the community about healthy aging and making healthy choices.
One of the greatest strengths of Meadowlark Hills is the warm community that exists here. I believe that a healthy community is able to gain information about relevant issues, respond to change, and act in a way reflective of the values it holds. Earlier this month, I attended a training session about Alzheimer’s disease and want to share some of the information I learned with you, so that we can better care for each other and be an even stronger community.
Congratulations to the Meadowlark Hills Employee Softball team! They finished regular season play with a record of 5-2. The staff team members are: Matt Ruhnke, Food and Beverage Leader; Chris Nelson, Controller; Katie Wilcox, Tinklin Pointe Household Coordinator; Mike Musselman, Transportation and Purchasing Leader; Ebonie Christion, Miller Place Household Coordinator; Ashley Green, Operations Executive Assistant; Jeff Heidbreder, Fitness Coordinator; Will Augustyn, Cook; Skylar Odgers, Maintenance; and Tracy Musselman, Executive Assistant.