St. Stephen's Episcopal Church
On a cold Monday afternoon at Jacob’s Village, Wanda prepared a special Chili to warm the residents Debbie, Mike, Michael, and Scott, home coordinators Carol, Halleck, and Barry in the Women’s home. Wanda’s special recipe, her Mother’s, consisted of Chili beans, ground beef, and alphabet pasta, side dishes of shredded cheese, diced onions and crackers. The special blended Chili hit the spot and was a perfect meal. After the clean-up on this Monday evening at 6:30, February 05, 2007, Rev. Martha Honaker, Rector of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in New Harmony, visited Jacob’s Village for an Evening Prayer Service and scripture reading. Introductions were made; a prayer followed, and Rev. Martha put a cassette in her player to play some music. Although this was Rev. Martha’s second visit to Jacob’s Village, her first, was in the men’s home accompanied with a guitarist to strum a few chords. She was by herself on this visit, due to prior commitments, so she brought her own cassette player for this Evening Prayer service to provide a little music. Rev. Martha began sharing a lullaby with the residents to gear down, calm down and relax while giving everyone a couple of handouts for the evening. Psalm 134 was read followed by a reading from the Book of Jeremiah, Chapter 14: verses 9 and 22 stating: Lord, you are in the midst of us and we are called by your Name: Do not forsake us O Lord, our Savior. Prayers of thanksgiving for the blessings of ourselves; others and the day were made. One of the handouts was a picture of two hands molding a piece of clay. She related scripture from the Book of Isaiah, Chapter 45: and verse 9-12 and finished with Chapter 64: verse 9 that states ‘We are the clay, and you are our potter, we are all the work of your hand O Lord’. Rev. Martha and the residents ended with reciting ‘The Lord’s Prayer’, and listening to and singing along with a few favorite songs she had on tape. Jacob’s Village sends a Big Heart Thank You out to Rev. Martha Honaker for coming out on a very cold night for a blessing. All of the residents enjoyed Rev. Martha’s Evening Prayer Service and look forward to a return visit sometime towards the end of Summer 2007. Depending on the weather, maybe a picnic to dedicate the opening of the Jacob’s Village Nature Trail Walk .
Donkey Baskietball II
Groundhog’s Day, 2007, February 02, The Ribeyre Gymnasium Restoration Group (RGRG) of New Harmony sponsored their second annual exhibition showing of the World Famous Buckeye Donkey Ball Donkeys from Columbus, Ohio. This fund raiser, in part of the continuing build-up of funds for, is nearing it’s completion for the renovation of the RGRG approved plan to become a community/activity center in New Harmony. The past few years have not been kind to the seldom used old gym, built in 1924, and is not an accommodating, functional facility of what it could be. Wanda, Debbie, Mike, Michael, Scott, and home coordinator’s Carol, Halleck, and Barry arrived early for the games hoping to get some pictures with the Donkey’s, but it didn’t work out. The Donkey games began at 7:00pm, in the New Harmony High School (NHHS) gym. Unlike like last year’s show when it was held April 01 and it was still light outside, this night was cold, dark and wet. It was not a fan friendly night to meet and greet the ten Donkey’s outside in the parking lot while they were getting prepped. Previously, all Donkeys had been groomed and special fitted with rubber shoes on their hooves so they wouldn’t damage the gym floor. Charles Huck, Treasurer of RGRG and chairman of the game directed the Jacob’s Village bunch to their reserved two front row bleacher seats. The rules of the games were as such; riders had to be on their Donkey to score a basket or to pass the basketball, but they could get off their Donkey to move him in place or at least close enough to make a basket. There were four teams sharing ten Donkey’s; five riders and five Donkeys’ per team. The four teams were: Los Burros, NHHS Faculty/Staff; Walker Texas Rangers, NHHS graduates & community members; Posey County Young Life, a group from Mt. Vernon & Poseyville; and the Rappite Rowdies, NHHS Students. The first game had the Walker Texas Rangers over the Los Burros, the second game had the Rappite Rowdies over the Posey County Young Life. After the first two games, a rider brought the smallest Donkey named Killer over for Wanda to pet and to have a picture taken. Wanda remembered the little Donkey from last year; fell in love with Killer all over again and wanted to bring him home. So naturally, Killer was the one to cheer for, and for a little Donkey, he had a lot of kick to his buck. He did buck some riders off and would drop his head to the floor forcing the rider to slide down his neck. Fortunately, no one was severely injured, although a bit sore. So the losers played the third game with Los Burros going down to the PC Young Life and the final championship game had the Rappite Rowdies winning over the Walker Texas Rangers. A fun and good time was had by all. The Jacob’s Village bunch really gets a kick out of watching the little Donkey’s be little Donkey’s and to see how the riders handle their stubbornness.
Christmas 2006 Revisited with Ann
Tuesday evening, January 30, 2007, Ann Coy came out to Jacob’s Village for her last Tuesday of the month activity/visit in the women’s home. The residents had just finished eaten in both of their homes when Ann arrived parking her car near the carport. It was a cold and blustery night and Gloria, the women’s home coordinator, was helping her bring in all kinds of props for the evening’s activity. Mike, Michael, Scott, and home coordinator Joe entered the women’s home where Wanda and Debbie were awaiting the good times to start. Again on this visit, Donna Kay was missing because of continuing rehab to recover and improve on her leg injury. Always looking forward to a good time when Ann visits, the residents all gathered in the living room noticing all the props sitting on a table and bookshelf. The theme Ann wanted for her January activity was to ‘Revisit Christmas 2006’. Through the years since Ann and her husband Jim have been married, just under 50 years, she has collected many novelty Christmas music boxes and singing toys. From a variety of Santa Claus’s to a menagerie of Holiday animal creations, some 3’ tall, she has enough to play a different one everyday in the month of December. Before boxing them all up for another year, Ann wanted to show them off to the residents of Jacob’s Village. So she thought, let’s just have 365 day’s of Christmas this year, or at least ‘Revisit Christmas 2006’ before they’re put-away for the year. Everyone was singing and swinging along to the tunes of the dressed up toys as they were playing all the popular Christmas carols. Ann read specific scriptures that related different song items to verses in the Bible. For example, there was a verse in relation for each gift in the song ‘The twelve Day’s of Christmas’. She also had a handout for everyone that described ‘The 5 Finger Prayers’. Each finger on your hand represents a special prayer. Beginning with your thumb; being nearest to you, is for loved ones close to your heart. The next finger is the pointing finger, for anyone who is a teacher or mentor who points others in the right direction. The middle and tallest finger is for leaders who shape the World around us. The fourth finger, ring finger, the weakest finger of all is for those who are weak, ill, in trouble or pain. The little finger, smallest finger, should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put in proper perspective. Appropriately, Ann had the old Santa Claus snack of milk & cookies for the treat. Ann told a story for an activity in which the residents could follow along by folding a piece of construction paper one fold at a time. - Once upon a time there was a man searching for happiness and the meaning of life. He thought by having a boat would answer his dilemma. It didn’t help, so he built a house. He found out that didn’t help either. Then, he got an airplane and again that didn’t help. He ran out of ideas; in disgust he undid everything he tried. What he was looking for was in front of him all along, a cross. The moral is, what you think your needs are, are usually just temporary fixes, follow and live by the cross.
U.S. Flag Presentation
Saturday morning 9:00am, January 27, 2007, Indiana State Senator Bob Deig, and Indiana State Representative Trent VanHaften held a public forum at New Harmony, IN, in the Historic Opera House. There were 25 residents, including former State Senator Larry Lutz, in attendance for this first of three Legislative Forums sponsored by the Southwestern Indiana Chamber of Commerce. Jack Higgins, former Mayor of Mt. Vernon, was the rally’s moderator. The remaining two events are scheduled in Posey County at later dates in Poseyville and in Mt. Vernon. The forum had the two public servants, Sen. Deig and Rep. VanHaften discussing issues that are on the floor in their respected houses. After a brief description of the State’s current order of business, they answered questions concerning and directly pertaining to issues that affect Posey County residents. This Saturday morning function in New Harmony lasted one and a half hours. Following the program, greetings and acknowledgements were expressed with many handshakes. Sen. Deig presented Scott Huck, resident of and representing Jacob’s Village, an American Flag and an Indiana State Flag. Arrangements for the two flags were made prior to this event because after a year and a half of weathering the elements, the Jacob’s Village flags on their flagpole were beginning to tatter and fray. Along with Scott on this morning were his parents Charles and Sally Huck, and Vickie Harris who were capturing photos of the flag presentation. Jacob’s Village sends a big heart thank you to Sen. Deig for his patriotic donation. The American Flag which is authenticated and marked had been flying on top of the Indiana State Capitol in Indianapolis recently. These two flags plus a Jacob’s Village flag will be raised and flown on the flagpole proudly at 7400 Vienna Road over the landscaped entrance into Jacob’s Village.
