What’s New at Phoebe

Gone Fishin’!

Residents of The Terrace at Phoebe Allentown recently joined Chef Eric from Cura Hospitality on a fishing trip with a catered picnic lunch. Indian Creek Farm in Schnecksville provided beautiful and quiet surroundings with a catch and release stocked pond full of sunfish, trout, and catfish. One woman caught her first fish at the age of 88 and a lifelong fisherman used his skills and knowledge to assist others with the sport.

“The trip was a complement to our new wellness initiative which encourages our residents to go out in nature and stay active,” says Molly Driscoll, Manager of the Terrace at Phoebe Allentown. In fact, some folks took advantage of being out in the country and enjoyed walking the trails. Memories were also stirred, with reminiscences about fishing with parents while they were children. Phoebe’s dedication to the overall health and wellness of our residents is a key element in our care and inspires staff to create opportunities for activity and engagement.

The Don Kimberling Memorial Games at Phoebe Berks

It was a misty morning on Monday, June 11, when the Don Kimberling Memorial Games kicked off at Phoebe Berks Village, but that didn’t deter the competing participants from the challenges ahead. Formerly dubbed the Phoebe Berks Olympics, the Games are a resident-piloted initiative now in its sixth year, and a major calendar event for the entire community. The Games are organized by the Sports and Recreation Task Force at Phoebe Berks, comprising residents of the apartments and cottages in the Village, and once led by the late Don Kimberling, in whose honor the Games were renamed last year.

The tournament is based on eight teams of three people each, competing in four games: bean bag toss, shuffleboard, golf putting, and bocce ball. A specially built outdoor recreation space known as the Boardwalk hosts all four games. At the end of the tournament, the three teams with the highest cumulative scores are awarded gold, silver, and bronze status and a lunch follows for all attendees.

The Games were established to promote camaraderie among neighbors as much as to encourage and facilitate physical fitness among participants. Residents of Phoebe Berks Village enjoy daily access to an indoor swimming pool and a fully equipped fitness center, as well as wooded walking trails and on-site fitness and wellness classes that cover a range of interests and abilities. The Games are a celebratory way for residents to become involved in their health and in their community of neighbors—and in some friendly competition!

Showcasing Art at Phoebe Allentown

A special celebration took place at Phoebe Allentown on June 13: it was an art show, displaying the work of the health care center’s watercolor class and in particular the work of one woman. Violet Dolliver, who turned 100 years old in June, was once a hobby shop owner and an avid painter in Allentown. She moved there in the late 1940s and kept her shop for 50 years before retiring. Violet brought many of her paintings with her when she moved to Phoebe, and more have been produced since then, ranging in subjects from landscapes to still life, animals and flowers.

Sally Onopa volunteers at Phoebe Allentown once a week leading the watercolor class. “It’s just been a joy,” she says. Onopa, a retired illustrator for Rodale, started volunteering 18 years ago, and started the watercolor class about 10 years ago on her own initiative. Anyone living in the health care center is welcome to join, from short term rehab to long term care residents. “The art they do is so pure,” says Onopa, “and from the heart.” Over the years, they’ve told her what they want, adding landscapes to their range of still life work, then other subjects, and working with acrylics in addition to watercolor.

The art show on Wednesday was not the first of its kind, but was a unique opportunity to celebrate the work of these artists and of Violet in particular. Her paintings, framed over the years by community life staff at Phoebe, bring life, joy, and color to the community and the lives of those who call it home. Click here to see WFMZ’s coverage of the art show.

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