Kendal at Oberlin

11/04/2025

Veterans Day, a federal holiday when the U.S. president and other leaders gather at Arlington National Cemetery and thousands march in New York City, Cleveland and other cities, is not just a special day for veterans and their loved ones to observe.

November 11 is a day for all Americans to pay tribute to the millions of men and women, alive and deceased, for “their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good,” according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

One way is to fly the U.S. flag, but make sure you do it properly, according to Military.com Never drag a U.S. flag on the ground or let it touch the ground; don’t drape it over the hood, top, sides or back of a vehicle; don't display a tattered or torn flag.

Here are four more ways to observe Veterans Day.

Organize a tribute at your church or synagogue, city or community. For instance, at Kendal residents and staff will gather on Veterans Day for an evening tribute to all those who have served in the Armed Services.

Visit or write a thank you note to a veteran. Senior centers, assisted living facilities and veterans organizations can put you in touch with a veteran who might enjoy a visit or a handwritten letter.

Donate to a veterans organization but make sure it’s reputable. CharityWatchs top-rated charities include Hope For The Warriors, National Military Family Association and Semper Fi & America’s Fund.

Read a book. West Point’s Modern War Institute compiled a reading list for Veterans Day that includes “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien, “Tribe” by Sebastian Junger and “The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War” by Michael Shaara.

Check out Cleveland Veterans Day Parade for next week's parade details.

11/03/2025

When Charlotte Patrick-Dooling arrived at Oberlin College four years ago, the Washington D.C. freshmen wanted to find an off-campus job at a place that cared about people and community.

Kendal at Oberlin was just that place, and since then Charlotte has worked with its Creative Arts Therapy department. Now four years later she discovered she shares another bond with a dozen Kendal residents: Peace Corps volunteer.

“It is really, really empowering to be surrounded by former Peace Corps volunteers,” says Charlotte, 21, who heads to Nepal in January for a 27-month commitment teaching middle school students.

The dozen Kendal residents who served in the Peace Corps includes Nan Holben, who two years ago gathered residents together for a dinner to share stories about their time in the Corps, which ranged from 1963 to 2012.

This fall an Oberlin College administrator contacted Nan about Charlotte’s upcoming Peace Corps tour and Nan arranged a luncheon with Charlotte, not knowing initially that she was a Kendal employee.

“I said to her at the luncheon that in 50 years, we hope she’ll be having lunch with a fledgling Peace Corps volunteer, just as we shared our experiences with her,” Nan says.

Charlotte grew up hearing about the Peace Corps from her grandparents, who met while serving in Peru, and she has traveled extensively throughout Central America and Southeast Asia. She’s studying politics and history and plans to go to graduate school but first wanted to have a meaningful cross-cultural adventure.

After three-months of training in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, Charlotte will be assigned to a Nepal school, paired with a Nepali teacher who is learning to speak English and live with a local family.

Lots of unknowns, but Charlotte is more excited than anxious. “Honestly talking to Nan and the other residents has eased my worries a bit,” Charlotte says, adding “The Peace Corps has clearly impacted their lives.”

She’ll have internet access at the school and plans to say in touch with her Kendal friends, both co-workers and residents, while she’s away.

Says Charlotte, “Kendal has been a very big part of my Oberlin experience to say the least.”

Photographed below: Charlotte and Nan standing outside of Kendal at Oberlin.

10/30/2025

Of course, children love dressing up and celebrating Halloween, but “adults embrace the spooky season” too, says the Halloween & Costume Association.

Among findings from a recent survey:
51% of adults who celebrate Halloween plan to dress in costume this year, with
32% dressing their pets in costume;
6% of adults Halloween costume wearers plan to throw or attend a Halloween
party, while 54% plan to decorate their homes or yards.

With Halloween on a Friday this year, expect the celebration to be even bigger.

Couple things to keep in mind:

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, followed by Peanut M&Ms, regular M&Ms, and Kit Kats were the most popular candies ordered last year, according to “Food & Wine.” with “candy corn divisive but still popular” in a few states. Bottom line, buy candy popular for leftovers with family and friends.

When it comes to costumes Halloween superstore Spirit Halloween recently issued a press release “relaying its top trend predictions for the season based on sales so far, and included on that list are "K Pop Demon Hunters"-inspired getups, Glinda and Elphaba of "Wicked" fame, as well as other "Wizard of Oz" picks, "Fantastic Four" superhero looks, and pink, sparkly looks that play on the pastel Halloween trend of the past few years.”

As for classic costumes that never seem to go out of style are scarecrow, princess, bat, mummy, black cat and witch.

And speaking of classics, IMDb says some of the movies that best embody the spirit of Halloween are “Night of the Living Dead” (1968), “Beetlejuice” (1988), “House on Haunted Hill” (1959) and “Friday the 13th” (1980).

At Kendal, residents and staff will be the celebrating Halloween with a “feast for the imagination” dinner on Oct. 31 (costumers optional) and a Jack-O-Lantern contest (check out some of the submissions for this year), while Early Learning Center preschoolers will gather for a costume party.

10/30/2025

Most Americans – 54% - want to say “good riddance” to daylight savings time (DST), according to a 2025 Gallup Poll. The mood has changed dramatically since 1999, the last time Gallup surveyed Americans on this topic, when only 27% were in favoring of ditching the time change.

Our elected leaders have heard us, according to The Hill, and “there are bills in Congress that could put the U.S. on permanent daylight saving time, one of which has received bipartisan support. All four were referred to committees, but they don’t seem any closer to passing, especially in light of the current government shutdown.”

So come Sunday you’ll be turning non-digital clocks back an hour and dealing with grogginess and sleep disruption.

“The end of DST in November provides an extra hour for sleep, but it can still interfere with your schedule, sleep habits, and daylight exposure. As a result, getting one hour more to sleep may not actually contribute to better rest,” according to the sleepfoundation.org

Here are tips to handle the change to standard time in the fall, according to Indiana University School of Medicine:
• Try to make gradual changes in your bedtime and wake time at least a few days prior to the time change, if possible, by going to bed and waking up about 10-15 minutes later each day.
• Head outdoors in the evening for the few days before and after the time change. The light exposure in the evening can help delay the internal body clock.
• If you are waking up earlier than desired, avoid looking at screens until your intended wake up time.

But the best remedy would be to ditch DST, says Stephanie M. Stahl, MD, associate professor of clinical medicine at Indiana University. “Permanent standard time is better for sleep and overall health,” she says.

10/24/2025

When weather turns chilly it’s time to turn our attention to engaging indoor activities like visiting area museums. Northeast Ohio is home to a variety of excellent museums. Here are four to consider.

1. Maltz Museum, Respect for All Humanity in Beachwood is home to 566 works of art, ceremonial objects, and media, including 166 artifacts in the Museum’s Temple-Tifereth Israel Gallery. The mission of the museum, which was founded 20 years ago is to “build bridges of tolerance and understanding by sharing Jewish heritage through the lens of the American experience.”

Its current special exhibition is “El Sueño Americano / The American Dream,” a traveling exhibition documenting the migrant experience at the U.S./Mexican border through the lens of photographer Tom Kiefer and the eyes of filmmaker and Mexican American artist Elizabeth Z. Pineda. The exhibit runs through Feb. 16.

2. “Hollywood on the Cuyahoga: Northeast Ohio and the Movies” opened last month at Cleveland History Center and runs through October 2026.
“Hollywood on the Cuyahoga is a first for our community,” said Kelly Falcone-Hall, WRHS president & CEO. “While people are becoming more aware that movies are made in Northeast Ohio, there has never been a comprehensive look at how this industry has, over the years, blossomed into a major part of our cultural landscape and an economic engine for the region, and all of Ohio.”

3. Opening Nov. 9 at The Cleveland Museum of Art is “Renaissance to Runway: The Enduring Italian Houses.” The exhibit spans 500 years and covers powerful families who used fashion as a form of power and influence to today’s designers like Versace and Ferragamo who continue to enhance the international fashion landscape.

Another special exhibition, open until Jan. 11, 2026, is “In Vino Veritas (In Wine, Truth),” which celebrates the presence and meaning of wine in prints, drawings, textiles, and objects made in Europe between 1450 and 1800.

4. Allen Memorial Art Museum in Oberlin is currently exhibiting “Picturing Paris: Monet and the Modern City,” which brings together three of Monet’s cityscapes of Paris, all painted from an elevated viewpoint inside the Louvre in 1867. The exhibit ends Dec. 23.

Founded in 1917 on the campus of Oberlin College, the Allen Memorial Art Museum is recognized as one of the best academic art museums in the nation.

10/17/2025

Bravo Kendal at Oberlin Grounds Crew!

10/16/2025

Every October the Kendal community comes together to celebrate Kendal staff members celebrating a milestone anniversary, and this month two dozen are honored, including five with 30 years of service.

“One of the secrets to our success is the strength and longevity of our staff. It is important to be able to recognize these people and their amazing contributions every October,” says Seth Vilensky, Chief Executive Officer of Kendal at Oberlin, which opened in October 1993.

The 24 staff members enjoyed a special anniversary luncheon on Oct. 15th, followed by a program and reception.

The 2025 honorees are:

30 YEARS
Lisa Blackford – Dining Services
Sandi Bockmore – Stephens Care Center
Janice Hedrick – Stephens Care Center
Kathy Helke – Stephens Care Center
Terry Kovach – Marketing

25 YEARS
JoDee Palmer – Marketing
Kim Preston – Outreach
Sue Rogers – Stephens Care Center

20 YEARS
Karen Moore – Early Learning Center

15 YEARS
Maureen Bailey – Housekeeping
Maribelle Holly – Stephens Care Center
Ken Menefee – Facility Services
Deshell Penny – Stephens Care Center
Kim Peters – Social Services

10 YEARS
Emily Hoffman – Early Learning Center
Will Thompson - Facility Services
Christopher Twymon – Creative Arts Therapy
Donna Weber – Finance

5 YEARS
Ally Armstrong – Stephens Care Center
Nandi Cruz – Facility Services
Avery Harssema – Dining Services
Donna Morris – Housekeeping
Chrystn Petsas – Health & Wellness
Judy Smith – Housekeeping

Eight of the honorees are what Kendal calls “homegrown tomatoes,” which means they have advanced in their professional careers at Kendal. They are: Sandi Bockmore, Terry Kovach, JoDee Palmer, Kim Preston, Ken Menefee, Kim Peters, Emily Hoffman and Christopher Twymon.

10/10/2025

Pumpkin pie is on the menu next month, but in October it’s everything else pumpkin: Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Bread & Muffin Mix, Mitchell’s Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream, Oreo Pumpkin Spice Sandwich Cookies, Great Lakes Pumpkin Ale, Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte, Panera Autumn Squash Soup to name just a few.

Pumpkins and its cousin gourds come in assorted shapes and colors, perfect for porch decorations, dining room centerpieces and Halloween decorations. And for the diehard pumpkin-scent lovers, there’s candles, soaps, room fresheners, body washes, shampoos and more for the fall season.

For all things pumpkin, from pie and donuts to burgers and fudge, to huge pumpkins (last year’s biggest weighed 2,226 pounds), head to the annual Circleville Pumpkin Show, Inc. Oct. 15-18.

Here’s some fun facts from the Farmers’ Almanac about the plant that is really a fruit:

The ‘Pumpkin Capital of the World’ is Morton, Illinois, home of Libby’s pumpkin industry, and Illinois grows the most pumpkins of any state;
Pumpkin seeds taste great roasted and contain medicinal properties and the yellow-orange flowers that bloom on the pumpkin vine are edible;

Early settlers dried pumpkins shells, cut it into strips and wove it into mats;

The earliest pumpkin pie made in America was quite different than the pumpkin pie of today. Pilgrims and early settlers made pumpkin pie by hollowing out a pumpkin, filling the shell with milk, honey and spices and baking it.

And let’s not overlook autumn’s apple season. Northern Ohio is home to many apple orchards, so it’s super easy to find this healthy fruit in a couple dozen varieties. Popular shopping and pick-your-own destinations include: Quarry Hill Orchards and Burnham Orchards in Berlin Heights, Miller's Apple Hill Ltd. and Dodd's Hillcrest Orchards in Amherst and Grobe Fruit Farm in Elyria. (You can also pick up a pumpkin or gourd.)

And not only are apples easy to eat but they’re also full of healthy nutrients. According to Healthline apples are:
Rich in simple sugars with a low glycemic index (GI);
High in fiber, including soluble fiber that helps control blood sugar and cholesterol.
Good source of Vitamin C and potassium.
Have high fiber and low-calorie content that makes them a weight-loss friendly food.
And several studies have found that apples may help protect against diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

10/07/2025

Round of applause for the Kendal at Oberlin group that participated in the 2025 Walk to End Alzheimer's at Lorain County Community College last weekend. Let's keep walking, sharing, and supporting this cause

10/07/2025

Six years ago this month Alissa Painter joined Kendal’s Dining Services staff as a server. She has continually moved up the ranks in the department and last year was named manager of the Friends Corner Dining Room in the Stephens Care Center.

“She has been there serving the care center residents since then, learning about their special food needs and always watching to assure their requests are always being given priority,” says Toni Merleno, Human Resources Director.

Alissa says she has high regard for both staff and residents.

“Two things I love about working at Kendal are the friendships I’ve made with my coworkers and the long-term relationships we’ve built. The residents are also incredibly welcoming, and they’ve become like my own family, always cheering me on. I’ve always had a special fondness for the elderly population because I grew up with my grandparents, and working here has only deepened my love for them,” she says.

When away from her job, she’s busy finishing up a degree in Business Administration with a minor in Management and spending time with family and friends.

“I enjoy working out, riding four-wheelers, and talking to my long-distance boyfriend, Nicholas, who is serving in the Army. I also have a couple of pets - a cat named Ravioli and two dogs named Roscoe and Duke,” she says.

She currently lives with her grandfather in nearby North Ridgeville.

10/03/2025

Fall is in the air, which in Northeast Ohio means pumpkins, clambakes and apples are around every corner. Here’s a guide to some popular autumn spots.

Fall is in the air, which in Northeast Ohio means pumpkins, clambakes and apples are around every corner. Here’s a guide to some popular autumn spots.

10/02/2025

Kendal residents and staff showed their team pride Wednesday and will be back today to cheer on the Guardians. On the line is a trip to Seattle to play the resting Mariners in an AL Division Series that begins Saturday at T-Mobile Park. Go Guards!