As our Angel Tree campaign kicks into full gear, one resident decided to use her talent to contribute.
ViAnn Abel lives in independent living at Lawrence Presbyterian Manor. She’s been a talented jewelry maker for almost 20 years and has always made holiday earrings. This year, an idea sparked.
“While I was putting the wings on an angel, I thought my angels just might help raise money for the angel fund,” ViAnn says. “As luck would have it, I had appointments and errands to run. When I left, I took my bag of completed angels with me. The next thing I knew, I was standing outside on the sidewalk of a strip mall, telling people why they need to buy my angel earrings.”
ViAnn says she explained what the Angel Tree campaign is and how it benefits Lawrence Presbyterian Manor’s Good Samaritan program which provides financial assistance for residents who have outlived their resources.
“I told them at $10, the earrings were a bargain, and that $5 would go directly to the fund. The rest is history. I sold just enough to get encouraged to continue,” she says.
Almost 400 residents benefit from the Good Sam program across all the PMMA (Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America®) communities. The program benefits, on average, 21 residents at Lawrence Presbyterian Manor.
“More and more of us live longer than our savings can last,” says ViAnn. “We can work our whole adult life, have a savings plan, only to find out that our money can’t last as long as we planned. The cost of medical care and inflation use up our resources.”
ViAnn says while presenting her jewelry trunk show in other senior living communities, she’s seen what happens when people can no longer afford to stay in their home.
The next thing I knew, I was standing outside on the sidewalk of a strip mall, telling people why they need to buy my angel earrings.
“The same group usually comes to see my show and I remember asking where one of the regular attendees was and if she was okay, because she hadn’t come,” ViAnn recounts. “The group grew quiet, and one told me that she couldn’t live in the community anymore and had to move.
“It’s reassuring to know that as a resident of LPM and PMMA I will not be forced to leave when my resources are exhausted. During the drive home, I realized the value of the Good Samaritan program.”
Thanks to this program, PMMA® is proud to say that no resident has ever been asked to leave one of our communities based on their inability to pay.
Besides room and board, the program provides funds to buy clothes, toiletries, even medical supplies like hearing aids for residents who qualify.
“People who donate to the Good Sam program can be sure their money aids seniors at one of the most frightening times for them – when they have outlived their resources,” says ViAnn.
ViAnn, who’s lived at Lawrence Presbyterian Manor for three and half years says she loves the friendships she made with other residents.
One of them is Mary Lou Wright, who told us that ViAnn’s talent with jewelry-making goes beyond the Angel Tree campaign.
Earrings and other colorful jewelry designed and created by ViAnn
“Something else ViAnn does for the residents is put on new, easier to use clasps on the jewelry,” Mary Lou says. “It makes a difference in our jewelry wardrobe. She charges for the magnetic clasps but not for her time ‘installing’ them which takes a lot of hand-eye coordination. There are a number of us here that so appreciate her taking the time for us.”
ViAnn says – taking care of each other is what this community is all about.
“We look out for reach other, we check on our neighbors, and we laugh and cry together – we don’t cry very often,” she adds.
