'42nd Street'
As it has been noted in previous writings, Sunday afternoon is a good day for the residents of Jacob’s Village to participate in activities. Although a bit hectic, everyone is available. The pace of operation is cranked up usually into a higher gear to accommodate an early afternoon appointment. Take for instance Sunday, July 15, 2007. When everyone returns home from church, freshens up, and has a quick lunch, it’s time to get back on the road again. Sherry May, a school teacher and FOJV, donated tickets for the residents and staff of Jacob’s Village to see “42nd Street”. This marks the 19th year the Evansville-Vanderburgh School Corporation and the Public Education Foundation has sponsored a series of Summer Musical’s for Evansville, IN. Their production this year was being held downtown at the Center, Thursday, July 12 through Sunday July 15. Sherry has volunteered to provide tickets for the finale matinee at 2:00pm on Sunday, for the second year in a row. The Jacob’s Village bunch of Wanda, Debbie, Donna Kay, Mike, Scott, home coordinators Gloria and Angel found reasonable parking places in the Center’s parking lot about 1:30 pm. Michael was missing from the bunch but planned on having his sister drop him off and meet the others in the lobby after celebrating his mother’s birthday. Everyone located a seat in the handicap area, including Michael, and good seats they were in the 3,000 seat auditorium. The Jacob’s Village bunch is no stranger to the accommodations having been in the same area on different occasions to see shows before. “42nd Street” has a large cast ensemble for their many song and dance numbers. It is based upon an unglamorized look at the tough realities of backstage life, giving many references to the Depression Era behind the footlights of a ‘putting-on-a-show’ type of play. A charismatic and talented young woman in singing and dancing from Allentown, PA, dreams of performing on Broadway. She auditions tirelessly for leading roles in many of the day’s musicals but never gets the part. Just by chance, while an ensemble member of a new musical ‘Pretty Lady’, the star leading lady of the production breaks her leg a couple of days before the opening. She is offered the role, accepts, and becomes a star. So, the phrase used to wish someone luck before a performance, ‘Break a Leg’, found its origin. In the same tradition and stemming from MGM’s first sound film in 1929, The Broadway Melody, it is another backstage musical. Nominated for best picture in 1933, it was the first of three landmark musical films by Warner Bros. to revitalize the musical film genre. “42nd Street” is the second longest running musical in Broadway history behind A Chorus Line. The Jacob’s Village bunch sends a Big Heart Thank You to Sherry May for providing the tickets for them.
Movie Time with Ann Coy
Saturday afternoon, June 30, 2007, for Ann Coy’s monthly activity time, Ann treated the residents of Jacob’s Village to a day at the movies. She wanted them to meet her at Showplace East in Evansville, IN. around 3:00pm. Ann figured that about a half-n-hour before the show started would allow everyone enough time to snap a couple group photos, grab some popcorn, drinks, and locate their seats. The movie she had tickets for, courtesy of an anonymous donor, were for the 3:30pm showing of ‘Evan Almighty’. That particular time usually works out best for the residents because Mike doesn’t get off from work until 2:00pm. Ann always wants to have all the residents to be included, but on this day, there were two missing. Michael and Debbie were unable to join the rest of the bunch on this movie day. Debbie always spends weekends with her mother, Mary, and Michael was picked up earlier in the day by his sister from Indianapolis, IN. He spends the 4th of July week with Jane and Joe Weis and they usually have their time filled with an assortment of activities. The Jacob’s Village residents available were: Wanda, Donna Kay, Mike, Scott, and Home Coordinators Gloria and Joe. They all left Jacob’s Village to pick Mike up from work with a clean shirt for him to change into. They arrived at Showplace East and were greeted by Ann waiting in the lobby. It’s a big lobby they have there and it sets 3 or 4 steps above the front entrance doors and parking lot. They have many doors to choose from in the front, but only two that are not exiting doors. Once inside, one must arrange for an attendant to operate an elevator for wheelchair bound individuals. Jacob’s Village has two wheelchairs and as with many facilities, it’s always an adventure to get where you want to go. They made it to the main floor and were amazed with the large refreshment station, as well as with the large arcade-game room that had all kinds of video displays sounding off with bells and whistles. A couple of photos were taken to have proof they were there and the refreshments were passed out. The correct theatre and screen were found; there’s about ten or twelve of’em, and the Jacob’s Village bunch were the first ones in, so a choice of seat location was theirs. Upcoming attractions were viewed, popcorn and drinks were being consumed and Ann had a bonus for the bunch; a small zip-lock bag full of goodies for each resident. ‘Evan Almighty’ was a feel-good, Disney, current day Noah and the Ark story with many Biblical references scattered throughout the movie. For instance, Ark was an acronym for an Act of Random Kindness. A lot of them were entwined and well written into the script that was easily overlooked, but it was a comedy and everyone laughed out loud a time or two. A good time was had by all and the Jacob’s Village bunch sends a big heart thank you to Ann for a delightful Saturday afternoon at the movies.
30th Annual 'Drums on the Ohio'
Thursday, June 28, 2007, the Downtown Civitan Club of Evansville, IN, sponsored their 30th Annual ‘Drums on the Ohio’ at Central High School. The ‘Drums on the Ohio’ is a Drum and Bugle Corps competition sanctioned by Drum Corps International (DCI). The Evansville Downtown Civitan Club - Civitans Serving Drums and Our Community - has sponsored this fund raising event for Evansville since they began in order to benefit the disabled community and specifically children’s groups. The proceeds from this year’s event along with others will be distributed out to The Advertising Club of Evansville and Jacob’s Village - Dedicated to Enriching the Lives of Adults with Developmental Disabilities. The Downtown Civitan Club arranged for the Jacob’s Village residents of Wanda, Debbie, Donna Kay, Mike, Michael, Scott, Home Coordinators Janice and Barry to attend ‘Drums on the Ohio’ for their second year. This year for scheduling reasons, they were unable to have it in the Reitz Bowl overlooking the Ohio River, so it was held in Central Stadium. When the Jacob’s Village bunch arrived at the Stadium parking lot it was already beginning to fill up. Needing handicap-accessible parking, they were directed to the access drive inside the fence, beneath the bleachers. The Civitan personnel, all volunteers, taking tickets were expecting the Jacob’s Village bunch and ushered them in to their reserved seats on the bottom 1st row of the bleachers, behind the fence on the 40 yd. line. They were good seats, but lacking a good view of the designs and patterns that were being created and formed by the marching, competing teams. For this, one needed an Eagle-eye view high in the stands looking down on the field instead of seeing it at eye-level. The Reitz Bowl, unlike Central Stadium, has their handicap seating up at the top of their concrete bleachers. The Boom Squad from the New Hope Music Academy in Evansville, IN. was providing the introductory and entertaining preview for the night’s entertainment at 5:45pm with their usual choreographed routine of marching and drumming. Although the Boom Squad does not compete against the night’s featured Drum Corps teams, they provide a professional type of warm-up for the audience of what can be expected. Following the Boom Squad, Civitan club member, ‘Drums on the Ohio’ staff and advisory member Ron Faust, welcomed everyone and addressed VIP guests from the 50 yd. line. Current Downtown Civitan President Martin Fraering acknowledged other businesses, dignitaries and groups responsible for the evening’s event and expressed gratitude and Thank You’s while giving the signal for the Drum Corps teams to begin the contest. Performing first in the competition were two Div. III teams, the Revolutions of San Antonio, Texas and the winner of the division Memphis Sound of Collierville, TN. Followed by four Div. I teams: the Troopers out of Casper, WY, Blue Stars from Lacrosse, WI, Spirit of JSU from Jacksonville, AL, and the overall winner of the event, the Blue Devils of Concord, CA. Members of these Corps must be 14-22 years of age. All competing unit teams fit into one of three divisions: A Division I Corps has 90 to 128 members, a Division II Corps has 30 to 128 members, and Division III Corps must have between 30 and 60 members. Each Drum Corps team was performing to perfection and with each one; the choreographed routine and required skill levels were increasing, saving the best for last. There are three sections to the Drum Corps: Brass, Percussion, and Color Guard. Teams perform to a 15 minute production. Each competing unit within their division is judged on a different scale of achievement, creativity, and content. In the categories: general effect in Visual by performance, ensemble, and color guard and in Music with the brass, ensemble, and percussion units.
DCI is headquartered in Addison, IL, and was founded in the Winter of 1971“To promote, develop and preserve the operational and artistic standards of the competitive musical sport and to provide organization and leadership for the activity and to develop and successfully operate musical events for the participating drum corps community. DCI has no affiliation with any school or university, although, they were originally part of a VFW and/or an American Legion Post. After WW I, veterans organized Drum and Bugle Corps to perform in parades to display the “Stars and Stripes”. In the 1960’s, Drum Corps began to grow musically, it became more competitive and many started to associate with the local Boy Scout troops or other local youth organizations. Drum Corps repertoires also began to integrate jazz, classical, pop, and Broadway music. Through the 1960’s, 70’s, and 80’s they evolved from quasi-military units to competitive marching and music units. Today, DCI is a cross between a Broadway musical and a marching band show, a modern day junior Drum and Bugle Corps. There is more than 250 corps operating in the U.S. and Canada, with an additional 100+ around the World. Of the 250 North American corps more than 80 regularly participate in DCI’s Summer Music Games Tour. DCI produces The Summer Music Games Tour and it consists of over 150 events in 39 states and 2 Canadian provinces. A competing corps’ season begins in November when they line up a teams placement. The teams have up to six weeks of rehearsal that includes marching practice on a football field. The rehearsals end up with an eight-week North American city-bus tour that prepares them for the DCI Championships that are held in Pasadena, CA, this year August 7-11, 2007. All the residents of Jacob’s Village send a ‘Big Heart’ Thank You to the Downtown Civitan Club for their generosity.
Zoar's UCC picnic
Members of the Zoar’s United Church of Christ’s congregation had made arrangements to have a Jacob’s Village Day, Sunday, June 24, 2007. The day’s agenda included having the Jacob’s Village residents attend the Church’s season ending Softball games and a picnic out at Jacob’s Village for the residents. On the grounds of Zoar’s U.C.C. at 4600 Church Rd. right off Harmony Way on the Westside of Evansville, they have a regulation size softball field with bleachers. The Spring of 2007, Zoar’s U.C.C. began a Church co-ed Softball League. The newly formed co-ed league was established for both men and women to play on the same teams, although the men are required to bat opposite their good hand to level the playing field with the women when it comes time to bat. Many of the tri-state area’s local Church’s participated in this inaugural first year as all the games were played at Zoar’s UCC field on Sunday afternoons. They had a good response and everyone is eager to pick up where they left off for next year’s scheduled games that begin in April. The Jacob’s Village residents: Wanda, Donna Kay, Debbie, Mike, Michael, Scott and Home Coordinators Janice and Barry also look forward to, and enjoy outdoor events. Although on this Sunday in June, similar to a few days leading up to it, the weather conditions were favorable for a thundershower at any time. And, after being dry, without rain for some time, there had been much rain in this short period causing the softball field to be wet, muddy, and the grassy areas to be slick. The final softball Sunday had to be canceled due to poor field conditions. It was disappointing to hear Shirley Johan relay the bad news to the residents when she stopped by to inform the residents, but the remainder of day went on as planned. Sunday evening, June 24, 2007, about 3:30pm, 16 members from Zoar’s UCC congregation led by Rev. John & Cindy Motz, started arriving for a picnic at Jacob’s Village. The Zoar’s UCC members providing the picnic included: Elmer and Ellen Berberich, Ray and daughter Andrea Pritchart, Don & Shirley Johann, Don & Dorothy Sander, Ray & Jean Schroeder, Frank & Pat Stewart, Margaret Clem, and Pat Seipert. The automobiles parked in under the Jacob’s Village carport, in between the men’s and women’s homes, had been moved out and the pavement swept in preparation of tables and chairs to be set up for the pitch-in picnic. The VIP guests from Zoar’s UCC began unloading their dishes of goodies, an assortment of drinks and organizing them on the tables. After the precious cargo of goods were put in place, everyone on the premises gathered in the women’s home for a little music and prayer. A full house it was but a seat was found for everyone. Elmer Berberich pulled his harmonica out of its case and started the music portion of their time by playing a few popular harmonica pieces. Also, there is an electric piano on a stand that is kept in the women’s home for occasions such as this. So, Ray Pritchart found his spot behind the piano and he accompanied his daughter Andrea, who played the violin very well everyone agreed, and Elmer on harmonica, play a few appropriate selections for the day. One tune that stood out from the rest was a John Denver composition of ‘Annie’s Song’. Ellen Berberich took over as the piano player, keyed out some gospel tunes and ‘Edelweiss’ from the popular Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Academy Award winning ‘Best Picture’ show of 1965 ‘The Sound of Music’. Hearing that good rendition of ‘Edelweiss’, Scott had something he wanted to show off to the guests. Just by coincidence, Scott’s daughter Britini had just recently returned from a two-week German-Austrian trip with the North Posey German Club. Britini had picked up an authentic German hat with several pins on it from the places the group visited for her Dad. One in particular was a pin of the Edelweis flower from the site where ’The Sound of Music’ was filmed in Salzburg, Austria. A conversation item it is with the German heritage that is so prevalent in Southern Indiana and especially on the Westside of Evansville. Being so close to the 4th of July, Ellen had an American Flag to pass out to each Jacob’s Village resident, a collection of patriotic songs were played and sung along to. Since the softball game was cancelled, a suggestion was made and everyone joined in to sing ‘Take Me Out to the Ballgame’ a couple of times. The VIP guests from Zoar’s UCC provided outstanding entertainment with a variety of talents, the residents of Jacob’s Village really appreciated their time, but the feast had not yet begun. Camaraderie spirit was in the room and it was taken out to the carport where the grilled burgers were just coming off the grill. A blessing of the food and fellowship was given by Rev. John Motz and it was time to form lines for the filling of plates. There were all kinds of goodies to choose from: burgers, dogs, vegetable condiments, salads, casseroles, an assortment of potato dishes, bean dishes, deserts of cakes and pies. Some individuals took up residency to eat in the gazebo and the umbrella picnic tables in the courtyard. It was a very nice evening to have a picnic and spread good cheer. The residents really like Church functions of pitch-in dinners, it’s a shame there’s not one everyday. It could go without saying, but it didn’t matter what was available on the tables, there wasn’t a bad dish in sight. And…if not mistaken, what was left…stayed at Jacob’s Village to satisfy another day or days however long it would last. After the feast, a good time of fellowship and new friends were being made. Tours of the homes were given and a walk along the new work-in-progress Jacob’s Village attraction, ‘The Nature Trail Walk and Meditation Area’ was explored. It’s easy to become a FOJV, and Zoar’s UCC made all the right moves to become one. The new friends and good times disbanded about 7:00pm and the residents of Jacob’s Village want to send a big heart Thank You to Zoar’s United Church of Christ.
