millions of people travelling to their
families during this me. Chinese
people make resoluons by
praccing rituals and tradions to
ensure good luck in the New Year.
They can give red envelopes with
money and hold reunion dinners
with family. They also oer
sacrices to ancestors and do a
thorough house cleaning to usher in
a prosperous new year.
SPAIN
The Spanish also kickstart their new
year by eang 12 grapes exactly at
the stroke of midnight. If you can
eat all 12 grapes before the bell
nishes chiming 12 mes (so one
grape every two seconds) you’ll
have a very lucky and prosperous
new year. The catch? You have to
nish all the grapes by the me the
clock nishes striking midnight, or
you’ll have bad luck!
COLOMBIA
In Colombia, people don’t make
resoluons but do make wishes. As
the clock strikes midnight on
January 1, it’s tradion to eat one
grape for each chime of the bell
starng at 12 am. For each grape,
you make a wish – so 12 grapes and
12 wishes in total. These wishes
aren’t like resoluons in the US.
Instead of resolving to eat healthier,
you would wish for good health.
Some people write down their
wishes on a piece of paper at New
Year’s and carry it with them
throughout the year. On December
31 they burn their wish paper and
make a new one.
In the USA about 80% of US cizens
resolve to turn their lives around or
improve themselves. However,
data shows that around 80% of New
Year's resoluons are likely to be
dropped within a month.
Other countries around the world
celebrate New Year’s as well:
BRAZIL
On New Year’s Eve in Brazil, it’s tradion
to go to the beach to make your
resoluons. Aer midnight, you should
go in the ocean and jump seven waves
while making seven wishes. You should
wear all white clothing in the water, as it
represents purity. The tradion pays
tribute to Yemanja, the goddess of
water.
Read more: Culture shock: It’s actually a
really good thing.
ITALY
In Italy, New Year’s resoluons are
called buoni proposi, or “good
intenons.” These resoluons are oen
similar to those made in the US, such as
exercising more or quing smoking.
Some Italians also have luck-bringing
tradions. You can eat fay pork to
faen wallets, or eat black-eyed peas for
good fortune. It’s said that some Italians
also wear red underwear at New Year to
bring good luck in the year ahead.
CHINA
The Chinese New Year is a massive two-
week fesval starng on the rst full
moon of the Lunar calendar. It usually
kicks o between January 21 and
February 20. The celebraons lead to
the spectacular Lantern Fesval, with
Happy New Year!
2024
The very rst New Year’s resoluons
happened more than 4,000 years ago.
The rst recorded people to celebrate
a new year were the ancient
Babylonians. Their new year
celebraon was a 12-day fesval
called Akitu, which began at the start
of the spring planng season in March.
During the celebraons, Babylonians
would make resoluons to their gods.
But they probably didn’t make any
promises to exercise more, save more
money, or start a new hobby. The
Babylonians usually pledged their
loyalty to the king and made promises
to pay their debts and returned
borrowed items to their righul
owners. They believed that if they
kept their resoluons, the gods would
treat them favorably that year. But if
they broke their promises, they would
get on the bad side of the gods.
The modern day Gregorian New Year
began in ancient Rome in 46 B.C. when
Emperor Julius Caesar introduced a
new calendar and declared January 1
as the start of the new year.
New year, new me!
A Publicaon of Westminster Village North December 29, 2023
In Memoriam
Lee Buckley
Susan Bryant
Florence Roberts
Charles Williams
Please keep their families and friends in
your thoughts and prayers.
___________________________
Westminster Village
Foundaon Support
The Westminster Village Foundaon
contributed tens of thousands of dollars
this year to support the needs around
campus. Most recently, they purchased
tables and chairs for the Cappuccino
Lounge. Though the tables, which convert
from round to square, have been in for a
few weeks, the chairs arrived this week.
Residents who have seen and tested the
chairs are very pleased! “It makes the
room look more inving and cozy.”
A huge thank you to the Foundaon for
their generous donaons and overall
support to the Village. It is truly
appreciated by sta and residents alike!
_________________________
Board Game?
Board games challenge our execuve
funconing, according to occupaonal
therapy experts. These skills include
working memory, mental exibility,
emoonal regulaon, organizaon and
more.
Working memory is a type of short-term
memory that is used to solve immediate
problems that present themselves
throughout our day. People frequently
use their working memory while
playing board games by quickly
determining the next move based on a
quick assessment of the available opons
needed to outwit opponents.
Join in the next board game oered by
your acvity sta or group of friends!
Sta Phone Directory
AL/HC Acvies
Jill Armantrout, AL Acvies Mgr. - 5300
Gabby Tijani, AL Acvies Coord. - 3530
Jamie Minder, HC Acvies Mgr. - 4230
Beauty Shops
Tamarack - 1230
Sycamore - 2777
Health Center - 3080
Business Oce
Chuck Gaskins, Dir. Financial Operaons
- 2190
Lang O’Mera, Accounts Payable
Specialist - 2910
Melissa Wya, Resident Accounts Mgr. -
2920
Dawn Marne, Resident Account Asst. -
3450
Campus Environment/Maintenance
Wilson Ojwang, Dir. Campus
Environment - 2260
Sharon Taylor, Secretary/Work Orders -
2200
Chaplain
April Sco, Chaplain - 1410
Dining Rooms
Tamarack, IL - 1034
Sycamore, AL - 2760
Ironwood, AL - 4910
Aspen, HC - 3245
Cedar Commons, HC - 3248
Juniper/Heatherwood, HC - 3451/3542
Willow Commons, HC - 3246
Execuve Leadership
Shelley Rauch, Execuve Director - 3500
Leslie Snyder Execuve Asst. - 3510
Food Services
Dan Armantrout, Dir. Food Services -
3750
Thomas Balser, IL Chef - 3751
Estelana Fairley, AL Dietary Supervisor -
3440
Anita Suon, HC Food Services - 2340
Health Center
Shannon Harris, Dir. HC Operaons - 3570
Tracy Pope, HC Admissions - 2840
Jackie Davidson, Director of Nursing - 2830
Ebony Sims, Assistant Director of Nursing -
4490
Nurses Staons
Aspen -3240, 3241
Cedar Commons - 3295, 3297
Heatherwood - 2330, 2850
Ironwood -2170
Juniper - 2770, 2790
Sycamore - 2820, 2825
Willow Commons - 5320, 5410
Housekeeping
Housekeeping Mgr. - 1060
Housekeeping Requests - 2300
IL/AL Nursing
Jami Blanton, Nurse Mgr. - 2660
Tammy Rogers, Asst. Nurse Mgr. - 2665
Sycamore Nurses Staon - 2820, 2825
Ironwood Nurses Staon - 2170
Markeng
Amy Morgan, Dir. Markeng - 2140
Tracy Pope, HC Admissions - 2840
Laurie Wilson, Leisure Services Coord. - 1053
Kevin Prui, Transion Coord. - 5380
Receponist — 0
Social Services
Jill Armantrout, Social Services Manager -
5300
Gabby Pollock, Social Services Assistant -
2860
Peggy Long, Memory Care Coordinator- 3296
Therapy & Wellness
Stephanie Irvine, Therapy Manager -
4222Wellness Center, Tamarack - 1051
Transportaon
Willa Lawson, FT Driver - 2160
Les McConnell, PT Driver –2161
Gary Roraus, PT driver –2161
WVN Foundaon
Foundaon Coord. - 3460
A Week at a Glance
Health Center
Jamie Minder
We are days away from
2024! Thank you for allowing our
Acvity Team to share the past year
with you. We enjoy spending me
with all of you. If you have any
suggesons for new acvies for
the new year, please share with
Jamie Minder at ext. 4230
Resident Council meeng will be
held Thursday, January 11th in the
Aspen Dining Room at 2:30 pm.
Please join us to hear updates from
our management team. We also
encourage you to share your
quesons at the meeng.
Do you like to read? If so, we are
looking for residents who would
like to read to other residents in
the Health Center. Call Jamie
Minder at 4230 if you are
interested!
We plan to have a New Year’s
Ladies Lunch celebraon on January
18th.
For updates and cancellaons -
please watch the TVs in each
common area or call Jamie Minder
at 4230.
_________________________
Bargain Room
The Bargain Room is closed unl
further noce for modernizing. It is
expected to be closed for a few weeks.
If you would like to purchase furniture,
however, you may call Maria Wasnidge
at extension 1017 to see what is
available and pricing.
A Week at a Glance…
Independent Living
Laurie Wilson
Saturday, December 30
Happy Birthday Larimore Wicke
Sunday, December 31
New Year's Eve
3:00 Vespers (fsh)
Monday, January 1
New Year's day
Laurie PTO
9:30 Monday in Moon (Tsh)
11:00 Bible study (fsh)
11:00 The Climb (Tsh)
1:00 Needlework group (Syc lib)
3:00 Chimes group (2033)
Tuesday, January 2
9:00 Kroger on 79th
9:30 Arms Strong (Tsh)
1:30 News & Views (cc)
1:30 Scrabble (cl)
3:30 Happy Hour (fsh)
Wednesday, January 3
9:30 Men's Morning (cl)
9:30 Quick Stop (Tsh)
10:00 Casino (Anderson)
2:00 Rock Steady exercise class
(Tsh)
3:30 Wii bowling (fsh)
Thursday, January 4
9:30 Golden Glutes (Tsh)
10:30 Resident council meeng
(Tsh)
3:30 Happy Hour (fsh)
Friday, January 6
9:00 Bargain Room CLOSED unl
further noce
9:30 Fun Fitness Friday (Tsh)
1:30 Mahjong (cl)
Independent Living
Notes
Jamie Minder, Health Center Acvies
Manager, is seeking volunteers to read
to our residents. If you are interested ,
please call Jamie Minder at extension
4230.
There will be a new phone directory for
IL published in January. If you have any
changes, please call me at extension
1053.
There will be NO HAPPY HOUR on
Thursday, January 25. Please remove it
from your calendar.
Again, the resident meeng has moved
to January 18, at 2:00 pm, and will
include WVN board members.
The Book Club scheduled on
Wednesday, January 10, is an inial
meeng. This meeng will determine
parcipaon interest, and I will
describe how the book club works at
WVN.
***
Our hearelt thanks
to everyone who
helped make our
65th anniversary a
very special
one. Thank you, chef
Thomas and your
sta, for the
exceponal food
preparaon and
presentaon. We
very much appreciated Laurie and
Marty, who wore many hats and kept
the evening going smoothly. And to
everyone who came to celebrate with
us: You contributed to the evening's
feeling of joy and sense of
community. We are grateful, and we
look forward to celebrang our 70th
with you!
Lawrence and Carolyn Bunng
More photos on the Frameo device located
outside of Tamarack dining room.
A Week at a Glance
Assisted Living
Gabby Tijani
Saturday, December 30
2:00 Traveling acvity cart to your door
3:00 Bingo (Salc)
Sunday, December 31
12:00 New Years Eve Ball Drop
2:00 Traveling acvity cart to your door
3:00 Vespers/Church Service (Fsh)
Monday, January 1
9:15 Morning Chair Yoga (Syc lib)
10:00 Bible study/ devoons (fsh)
1:00 Traveling acvity cart to your door
2:00 Movie manee & caramel apples
(Lcl2)
Tuesday, January 2
10:00 Apartment visits, one-on-one social
10:00 Coee and conversaon—Chaplain
April (SALC)
1:00 Monthly meet & greet and birthday
celebraons. Note day & me change.
Join us to celebrate January birthdays and
any new residents.
3:00 Creave Arts—a variety of projects
4:00 Grocery delivery
5:45 Game night (Salc)
Wednesday, January 3
Happy Birthday Barbara Weber
9:15 Morning walk & stroll (Syc av)
10:00 Cras and cocoa (Syc alc)
1:00 Bingo (Salc)
2:30 Wine & beer tasng (SALC)
4:00 Aviary clean and bird sensory. Enjoy
watching the birds! Watch a bird bathe &
have a discussion about birds.
Thursday, January 4
9:30 Oung: Walmart
Please sign up across from nursing staon
10:15 Men's coee and trivia.
1:00 Group games
2:00 Cooks corner (SAR) Who wants to
make rice krispy treats? We will!
5:45 Bingo (Salc)
Friday, January 5
9:00– 12:00 Catholic Church visits door-to-
door )
9:15 Walk & stroll
10:00 Grocery orders due
1:00 Chair exercise with personal trainer,
Denisse (syc lib). Free and open to all!
2:00 Movie manee & popcorn (SALC)
Peaceful Reecon
Chaplin April Sco
“Do More in 2024”
Friends, in 2024 my new slogan is "I'm
going to love God and my neighbor
more." I plan to start each day by ex-
pressing gratude for at least 3 things in
my life. Posive armaons will be in-
corporated into my daily roune.
Throughout the day, I'll engage in inten-
onal acts of kindness. In the evening, I'll
set aside me for mindful reecon, fo-
cusing on the posive experiences of the
day, and acknowledging moments of joy
and accomplishment. I'll dedicate me to
acvies that bring me joy and fulll-
ment, and I'll approach challenges with a
mindset of resilience and growth, avoid-
ing dwelling on negavity and setbacks. I
won't wait unl the New Year; I'll start
right now by thanking all of you for your
kindness in words and deeds in 2023,
brightening my days and showing me
God's love along the way. I aim to live
fully according to the scripture of Mark
12:30-31.
“Love the Lord your God with all your
heart and with all your soul and with all
your mind and with all your strength.
The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor
as yourself.’ There is no commandment
greater than these.”
New Year prayer for you/Happy New
Year!
Thank you, Lord, for giving me the brand-
new year ahead. Help me live the way I
should as each new day I tread. Give me
gentle wisdom that I might help a friend,
give me strength and courage so a shoul-
der I might lend. The year ahead is emp-
ty, help me ll it with good things, each
new day lled with joy and happiness it
brings. Amen
Announcement:
We invite you to aend Vespers this Sun-
day, December 31, at 3:00 p.m. Enjoy an
aernoon of wonderful music performed
by the May and Apple Duo.
To become a part of our Westminster
Care team, please reach out to the Chap-
lain's oce at extension 1410 to express
your interest. I will be conducng a ses-
sion in February to cover the guidelines
and best pracces for visitaon.
________________________
Happy January Birthday!
Woodward, Judy Jan 02
Weber, Barbara Jan 03
Myer, Susan Jan 06
Plimpton, Judith Jan 07
Thorn, Ellen Jan 08
Campbell, Barbara Jan11
Woodford, Alice Jan 11
Sco, Norman Jan 13
Wood, Jane Jan 13
Drew, Marilyn Jan15
Bolling, Evelyn Jan 17
Yacko, Irene Jan 18
Jones, Carolyn Jan 19
Bryant, Mary Jan 21
Dial, Alice Jan 23
Calder, Sarah Jan 25
Carroll, Janet Jan 25
Sanders, Norma Jan 26
Jones, Juan Jan 28
Jordan, Bey Jan 31