Oklahoma
Ann Coy’s monthly activity visit to Jacob’s Village was rearranged for Sunday, March 19. Ann had made arrangements to treat all the residents to the Harrison High School’s Fine Arts Department production of ‘Oklahoma’ at 2:00pm. All six residents, Debbie, Donna Kay, Wanda, Mike, Michael, Scott and home-coordinators Carol and Barry pulled into Harrison High School’s parking lot at 1:30pm Sunday afternoon. Ann was waiting at the entrance of the 750 seat capacity auditorium and greeted us at the door. We had plenty of time to find our seats in the auditorium before the show began and there was not a bad seat in the house. The acting, singing and dancing was outstanding. We knew many of the songs that were performed and enjoyed the 3-hour show very much, yes there was an intermission. This was our first outing with Ann and it went well. We look forward to another outing, maybe in the Summer time, when she decides on something else for us to do.
Beautiful Business Award Winner
Keep Evansville Beautiful (KEB) and the Evansville Business Journal (EBJ),
a product of the Evansville Courier & Press, sponsored the Beautiful Business Awards luncheon/presentation Wednesday, Oct. 12 at the Petroleum Club.
The judges were members of the Southwestern Indiana Master Gardener Association, and in the Nonprofit Facilities category, Jacob’s Village won first place, while placing second was Solarbron Point. The business award was presented to Cheryl Kuchna, Executive Director at Jacob’s Village. Jacob’s Village is honored to have received the award and more pleased with being recognized along with all the other past and present nominees in the greater Evansville area. Only in the second year of operation, everyone involved with Jacob’s Village has worked hard and will continue working hard to make this place the most presentable and best-looking facility it can become. Thanks to all volunteers that have helped and put in hard work for us here, your effort does not go unnoticed, we love you all.
Big Brothers/ Sisters Bowling benefit
The idea of a one-on-one mentoring relationship between an adult and a child is over 100 years old in the form of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America organization. There are currently 477 agencies affiliated with BBBSA in the United States. In 1969 the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ohio Valley was incorporated being responsible for the service to the counties in Southwest Indiana and Henderson, KY. They are also members of the United Ways of Southwestern Indiana. “Bowl for Kids’ Sake” begun in Canada in the late 70’s known as “Bowl for Millions”, it was introduced in the Evansville area in 1983 under the name of “Super Strikes” having it’s name changed again to its present wording in 1990. Big Brothers Big Sisters conducts “Bowl for Kids’ Sake” each year as its biggest fund raising project having all the proceeds benefit and stay in the surrounding Evansville community. On Sunday, March 12, 2006, Jacob’s Village residents Wanda, Donna Kay, Mike, Michael and Scott transported by home coordinator Joe, participated in this years “Bowl for Kids’ Sake” at ARC Lanes in Evansville. We arrived at the Bowling Lanes at 2:15pm for our 2:45pm reservation to bowl our one game. Upon having our time confirmed and checked off, the sponsors of the event gave our group a Big Brothers/Big Sisters t-shirt, who gets it had not yet been decided. All of us were given a complimentary grab bag of coupons, informative literature, and a little stuffed bear. Donna Kay, Mike, and Michael went to try on shoes and to select a bowling ball. ARC Lanes has 60 bowling lanes to choose from and each one of them was occupied with groups and teams supporting the cause. All 60 lanes had games over approximately the same time and switched teams. Wanda and Scott did not enter the staging and scoring area but stayed back at a table and cheered on Donna Kay, Mike, and Michael every time they knocked a pin down or didn’t knock a pin down. Donna Kay had trouble carrying the ball walking up to the release line of the lane so we arranged to have a bowling ball-roll-tray for her to use that Joe set up at the line when it was her time. There were a couple of strikes, a spare or two, a few gutter balls, and a good time was had by all.
Wadesville General Baptist Church
Friday evening at 6:00, November 18, 2005, members of the Wadesville General Baptist Church congregation visited Jacob’s Village. They provided the residents a night of fun and games. They introduced themselves; set up, played Bingo while offering prizes, snacks, a Thanksgiving story-poem, and a Christmas Holiday nic-nac for each resident. A good time was had by all in attendance, a relationship was formed, and a return visit is in the works. The Church members included:
Bob & Linda Schneider
Russel & Mary Whitfield
Paul & Claudia Mlinar
Luke, Olivia, and friend Dylan
Diana Simpkins
Beverly Yancey
Gertie Woolsey
Nancy Nicholson
Friday evening at 6:30, March 10, 2006, members of the Wadesville
General Baptist Church congregation visited Jacob’s Village for the second time. Everybody enjoyed playing Bingo with the winners receiving prizes. We pulled out the Jacob’s Village photo album and scrap book and our guests from the Wadesville Baptist church liked looking at the contents. A good time of fellowship was had by all and we finished off the evening with homemade apple turnovers, courtesy of Gerty Woolsey, and a soft drink. A return visit was discussed later in the Summer or an early Fall evening when it warms up where we could have a picnic and some musical entertainment in the courtyard Gazebo. The Church members present were:
Paul & Claudia Mlinar
Luke, Olivia, and friend Gabe Mayers
Linda Schneider
Beverly Yancey
Gertie Woolsey
Woodbridge Bell Ringers
Monday Jan. 30, 2006, at 9:30am, residents Donna Kay, Mike, Scott, and Program Director, Karin Macke of Jacob’s Village were invited to the Resurrection Catholic School on New Harmony Road to a Bell-Ringing Choir concert. Angela Goedde, Activity Director of Woodbridge Healthcare Care & Rehab, had been working with a group of six residents from Woodbridge on how to chime bells in unison. We met Angela at the door while she was assisting her residents inside the school. Once inside we met Mrs. Angie Johnson, Principle of the Resurrection Catholic School, in the hallway directing her students and us into the gymnasium for the concert. The entire student body of the school sat in the bleachers and on the floor with the Jacob’s Village residents in the front row of the bleachers. The Bell Choir was positioned out in the center of the floor with music behind them. Accompanying them while ringing their bells, one bell in each hand and one higher sounding than the other, was Patriotic and good-time, feel-good music. Angela got everyone on their feet when she had them play the 'Chicken Dance' to end the concert. A good time was had by all in the gymnasium listening to the Bell Choir from Woodbridge.
Mozart's 250th Birthday Party
On Thursday, Jan. 26, 2005, all residents and home-coordinators from Jacob’s Village, Wanda, Donna Kay, Debbie, Elsie, Mike, Michael, Scott, Carol, Halleck, and Barry attended a 250th birthday party. The Evansville-Vanderburgh Public Central Library located downtown at 200 SE Martin Luther King Blvd hosted a celebration for Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in the lobby of the first floor. The Evansville Philharmonic’s Eykamp String Quartet consisting of David Beem playing Cello, John Macfarlane, Dawn P. Ginter, and Christopher McKay all playing a Viola provided the entertainment. The residents were all familiar with this style of music because it is the same quartet that was well received when they visited Jacob’s Village back in October. The Eykamp String Quartet played four 4-piece movements from the music collection of Mozart. After the String Quartet bowed to a standing ovation and a thunderous applause from the audience of about 80 in number, everyone indulged in birthday cake, drink, and fellowship. A good time was had by all while listening to the soothing sounds of the quartet.
Philosophy of Tai Chi
Ron Weatherford, Tai Chi instructor, has been practicing and teaching the philosophy of Tai Chi for over 25 years. Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese exercise art form that can be translated into ‘Supreme Ultimate Force’, channeling inner energy to different parts of the body. Tai Chi is a moving form of yoga with meditation originally derived from the martial arts using the natural movements of animals and birds. The way these exercises are performed for Tai Chi use are slow, soft and graceful movements with smooth and even transitions between them. One aim of Tai Chi is to foster a calm and tranquil mind that will assist a human body in learning balance, alignment and fine tuning ones motor control sensors. Thus the practice of Tai Chi can in some measure assist you in standing, walking and moving better. Ron visits Jacob’s Village once or twice a month and would like to continue teaching this art form to the residents. Everyone enjoys his teaching and company and likes the idea of learning martial arts.
Navy Mother's Visit
6:30 Friday evening, Feb. 17th, the tri-state’s Navy Mother’s Club members consisting of Adjutant Beverly Boehm, Joan Croce, Lois Hardin, and Terri Swain visited Jacob’s Village in the women’s home. The Navy Mother’s Club is for all mothers’ that has a child serving in the military being not just the Navy. This group goes around the area making presentations of the United States Flag, defining each part, the makeup, a brief history and how to honor the Flag. The members set a board on a tri-pod up with attachable stars and stripes telling the story of the first congress approved flag in 1777. That famous first flag was 13 white stars in a circle (representing each colony, the first star is for New Jersey; the second represents Pennsylvania and an additional star was added for each state in the order of its entry into statehood ) set in the upper left corner with a blue background. This represents the blue in the heavens with relevance to God and it signifies vigilance, perseverance & justice. The 13 stripes to the right and below the stars in blue consist of 7 red stripes representing valor, hardiness, and zeal. The 6 white stripes represent the purity and hope of a new nation while all 13 stripes represent the colonies. One piece at a time with a brief explanation for each, the United States Flag came in to shape as we know it. The Navy Mothers put on an interesting, outstanding educational presentation for the residents, home coordinators and guest Charles Huck. Fellowship soon followed and they gave everyone a flag pin to wear on their lapel or hat. A good time was had by all.
Jacob's Village - Introduction to Blog
Jacob's Village
Jacob's Village, a residential community for adults who have developmental disabilities, is located in Evansville, Indiana
About Us
“What will happen to my child when I am gone?” This universal concern of parents with special-needs children is understood first-hand by the family of Andrew Guagenti, who founded Jacob's Village. Located in southwest Indiana and opened in 2004, the Village operates as a nonsectarian, private, not-for-profit residential community for adults with functional disabilities.
The vision for the Village has been inspired by people with special needs. There may come a time when the parents or siblings of those individuals can no longer provide for their care. Family members may reach a point when they must entrust their developmentally disabled loved ones’ nurturing to someone else...to someone who will walk alongside them on life's journey...to someone who will be as committed to their best interests as family would be.
Jacob's Village was established to provide families with just such a trusted partner. Our Village is designed to fulfill the wishes of caring grandparents, parents, and other caregivers all over the nation, by offering a quality choice for the continued support of developmentally disabled adults. The dream and prayer of Jacob’s Village is that everyone living here will enjoy a life rich in experiences and opportunities, in an environment shaped by Christian principles.
The staff-to-resident ratio here at the Village means our residents have the support system they need to lead lives filled with new opportunities and fun. Whether residents are learning tai chi, sharing picnics, going on outings to the zoo or to listen to musical groups, or participating in any other of an array of available activities, they are continually encouraged to expand their boundaries, to grow more self-sufficient and to live joyfully.
Through input provided by our residents and their families, our staff develops a Personal Development Plan for each resident. Those plans help us tailor the best programs possible to maximize the unique abilities, interests and goals of our residents. Thanks to the professional, caring staff we are blessed with, those who live here at Jacob’s Village benefit from an environment that fosters enjoyment, lifelong learning, independence and community involvement.
Jacob’s Village offers adults with special needs all the amenities of home as well as companionship, fun activities, and the support services needed to reach their full potential.
The Village sits on 132 acres of donated land, in a tranquil setting in southwest Indiana. Rolling hills, woods and landscaped areas create an appealing outdoor environment beautiful in all seasons. Our residents and their guests enjoy pleasant, quiet surroundings near downtown Evansville and close to a regional airport and major interstates.
Although walking trails and more landscaping are planned, our current grounds have already earned acclaim. In 2005, Jacob’s Village won first place among nonprofit facilities in Evansville’s annual citywide landscape-judging contest. The Village’s intention is to provide an attractive, inviting home for its residents. Obviously, our efforts toward achieving that objective are well underway!
Jacob’s Village is being established in phases. The initial segment of Phase I opened for occupancy in 2004, when we welcomed our first 5 residents. Currently our community includes 3 buildings, with more to follow as demand warrants and funding allows.
