Last Updated on October 8, 2021
THE RECORD OF THE CHARLESTOWN RESIDENTS’ COUNCIL
(web version)
September 7, 2021
Residents’ Council Website: ccicharlestown.org
Moment of Silence: The Council observed a moment of silence for those who have passed away in the last month.
Approval of the Minutes: The minutes of the August 3, 2021 meeting were approved as distributed.
Mission Moments for September 2021:
Joan Green recommends Teresa Ihle, a new resident, for a Mission Moment. You will see why.
Joan, with two friends, was returning to her apartment in Herbert’s Run about 8:30pm. The other two residents collided, lost their balance and fell to the floor right in front of the elevators. One fell face first and the other fell backward hitting his head on the baseboard. Blood began to pool next to him on the floor. Security arrived, assessed the situation, and began first aid.
Teresa heard the noise and came to see what happened, asking what she could do. “Do you need blankets, or pillows to make the residents more comfortable?” She brought back two pillows which appeared to be encased in new white pillowcases, which did help one of the residents. The ambulances arrived, assessed each resident, and took each to a hospital other than St. Agnes. Teresa returned to her apartment to get her car keys in case anyone needed a ride to the hospital.
Joan was so impressed with Teresa’s eagerness to help. She did not know either resident, possibly had never seen them before or Joan. She showed Respect, Caring and Responsibility. All of those qualities support Harmonious Community Living, which makes Charlestown a wonderful place to live.
That Darn Cat
Cast of characters: Winnie, the cat on the loose
Elsie Kemp, resident and Rose Ehatt, security, (their exemplary efforts brought the cat home)
Otto Greul (Pet Owners registrar), Rick & Cindy Jones (donated cat litter)
Security Team members (retrieved cat and provided food)
Winnie got out and followed another Herbert’s Run resident into her apartment. Security picked up the cat while Elsie Kemp went door to door to try to find the owner. When Rose Ehatt came to work the next day, she learned Security had gotten food for the cat, but Rose ensured Winnie had a safe place to stay, got cat litter and contacted the TV station with pictures to help locate the owner. After 24 anxious hours, the owner was reunited with Winnie.
Mary Marshall contributed this story as an example of Teamwork (residents and staff) and Responsibility.
Announcements/President’s Report
Pat Rudolph called on the following officers and committee chairs for reports; the text of those reports appears following the formal minutes:
Officers’ Reports
Committee Reports Merci Izquierdo-Whitaker, Vice President
- Mimi O’Donnell, Secretary
- Ron DeAbreu, Treasurer
- Eugenia High, Chair of the Benevolent Care Fund and Foundation
- Dick Crebs or David Elder, Co-Chairs of the Communications Committee
- Anna Marie Ciarrocchi, Chair of the Conservation Committee
- Ron MacNab or Mary Lee Seaman, Co-Chairs of the Dining Committee
- John Yoder, Chair of the Finance Committee
- Mike Rose, Chair of the Grounds Committee
- Carol Eshelman, Chair of the Health Services Committee
- Sebastian Petix, Chair of the Housekeeping Committee or Betty Elder Assistant Chair
- Pat Payne, Chair of the Legislative/Political Committee
- Gordon Piché, Chair of the Maintenance & Engineering Committee
- Rosemary Eck or John Remias, Co-Chairs of the Resident Life Committee
- Justine Parezo, Chair of the Safety & Security Committee
- Patricia Payne, Chair of the Nominating & Elections Committee
UNFINISHED BUSINESS: None
NEW BUSINESS: None
WORD FROM MANAGEMENT Administration Representative, Patti Santoni, Director of Philanthropy and Dean Crawford, Medical Practice Manager then presented “Words from Management” which appear below for those residents interested in reading the full text of the message.
President Rudolph adjourned the formal meeting at 7:49 p.m.
Mimi O’Donnell, Residents’ Council Secretary
ANNOUNCEMENTS/ PRESIDENT’S REPORT (Pat Rudolph):
This is my first meeting as President of the Residents’ Council, and I want to take this opportunity to encourage all residents to “Get Involved!” In fact, I want to issue a challenge. Last year we were so enclosed, and we hoped that with the vaccine things would get back to normal. Many things are more “normal.” The dining rooms are open, clubs are meeting, cards are being played. Some of us are back in the swing of things, but some are still reluctant. Others procrastinate thinking, “I’ll do that next week.” Now with the delta variant spreading, many are inclined to stay away or withdraw from the many activities that Charlestown has to offer. Some activities involving large groups are being cancelled. Even so, I want to encourage all residents to be engaged with the community. My challenge to you and to myself, is to do one additional thing each week that involves interaction with your neighbors here at Charlestown. Of course, as president of the Residents’ Council, I would love to have you join one of the committees, but there are numerous ways to be involved. You could take an ELLIC class, join a club, volunteer, or simply call a friend you haven’t seen recently. Challenge yourself to be involved a little more than you have been – one additional activity per week that involves another resident. I accept the challenge for myself and will report back to you next month. We will hold each other accountable.
OFFICERS’ REPORTS
Vice President (Merci Izquierdo-Whitaker):
We encourage you to use the Council Communication Form posted on CCICHarlestown.org any time you want to get in touch with the Council. You can use it to report a problem, get in touch with a Council Committee, ask a question, or subscribe to Council reports. You can fill out the form and submit it online or you can download, print, and mail it, or you can request a printed copy of the blank form from any lobby desk. If you submit the form online, it will be forwarded to me directly. If you submit a printed form, please mail it to me at CC204.
If you are reporting a problem or specific event, your description of who, what, when, and where is very helpful and saves time in resolving the issue. Please list the names and dates of contacts you made with Charlestown Staff or Council Members regarding the event, indicating any action taken by them.
The completed form, whichever method you use, will be referred to the appropriate Resident Council committee(s), from which you will receive a written response. Please be patient as it may take a few days to work with staff for resolution.
Secretary (Mimi O’Donnell):
Mimi asked that all residents attending the meeting sign in because the Council likes to keep a record of the number of attendees. Also, when asking a question, please wait for a microphone and then state you name and apartment address.
Treasurer (Ron DeAbreu):
The Council’s account balance at the end of July was $4,511.13. The Council received no income in August and had expenditures totaling $218.62. Thus, the Council’s account balance at the end of August was $4,292.51.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
BENEVOLENT CARE FUND AND FOUNDATION (Eugenia High, Chair):
Benevolent Care Committee members met with Philanthropy staff Patti Santoni, Emily Fowler and Lisa Zehring on August 25th.
Patti reviewed events planned for September, which is Benevolent Care Month. The August 31st Pop-Up Sale benefited the Benevolent Care Fund. The September 1st Donor Reception featured a Donut theme. Donor campaign cubbyhole distribution began September 1st. Volunteers manning “spin the wheel” and information tables provided BCF information. Benevolent Care will have a table at Fruits of Our Labor on September 17th. Channel 972 will feature a weekly Philanthropy Friday show. Patti will present BCF Facts/ Myths for ELLIC on September 21st. The Annual Telethon and Captain’s Table events are scheduled for September 22nd. The Treasure Sale, slated for September 30th to October 2nd, has now been canceled.
Effective September 1st the Treat of the Quarter donation will increase from $20 per month to $25 or an annual donation of $300.
October 20th will be our next meeting date.
COMMUNICATIONS (David Elder, Co-Chairs):
Dick Crebs opened the meeting. Minutes from the June and July meetings were approved.
Greg Johnson was the staff in attendance. We had 19 members attending.
Charlie Eichenlaub provided an update on Evergreen topics. Evergreen is a list of topics that is reviewed monthly for accuracy for the Council website and/or periodic Sunburst articles for those residents without computers.
A discussion was held about the Wi-FiWi-Fi is a family of wireless network protocols based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, which are commonly used for wireless networking and allow nearby devices to exchange data by radio waves. Wireless local area networks (WLAN) are widely used in the world to link laptop computers, tablet co... READ MORE upgrade. Over one-third of attendees reported experiencing a significant drop in speed or Wi-Fi coverage issues this week. Gregory Johnson reached will carry questions back for us.
The meeting dates for the Computer Literacy Project were discussed. These meetings will be held at 10 AM on the second Saturday and the third Wednesday of each month by ZOOM.
A discussion was held about the Residents’ Council obtaining their OWN ZOOM account.
As the council budget is coming up for review, this could be made a budget item.
Next Month’s meeting is on September 27 at 2pm via Zoom. It will be preceded by the Website Subcommittee ZOOM meeting at 1 PM.
CONSERVATION (Anna Marie Ciarrocchi, Chair):
The Conservation Committee did not meet in August. However, we would like to take this moment to remind residents, especially new residents, of the aim of our committee. Because we believe that conserving resources and protecting the environment are important for us all, and that small steps are important to take to achieve those goals, we work to educate residents about the ways that each of us can contribute to the realization of those objectives. We invite anyone who has an interest and is willing to take small and at times unglamorous steps to protect Mother Earth, to join us at our next meeting, which will be on September 21st at 2:00 PM in BR #1.
DINING SERVICES (Mary Lee Seaman):
The Co-chairs of the Dining Services Committee met with Dining Services Director, Ken Zahn, on Wednesday, August 18, 2021. This was an introductory meeting to introduce the chairs to Ken.
Staffing continues to be a problem; however, they continue to hire new employees daily.
There has been an increase in the number of resident eating in the dining rooms.
September 14 restaurants will be rolling-out the new point-of-service tablets. Be sure to always bring your new name tag to dinner.
Ken will continue to present updates Thursdays at 10AM on 972, except on the Thursday the Exec Team holds a Town Hall Meeting. Dining information will be presented in the Exec Team Town Hall.
Beginning August 30, all restaurants opened at 4:00 to accommodate student-staff.
The next meeting of the Dining Committee will be September 20, at 2:00 in the Auditorium.
FINANCE (John Yoder, Chair):
The Finance Committee did not meet in August.
The official responsibilities of the Finance Committee, as stated in Residents’ Council documents, are to monitor and review financial matters pertaining to Charlestown Community, Inc., keep residents informed of significant developments, and promote ways to reduce waste and control expenses.
Our goal for this year is to listen carefully, ask thoughtful questions, and serve as a conduit for information and communication between residents and management.
The next meeting of the Finance Committee will be on September 28 at 9:00 AM in Brookside, Classroom 1
GROUNDS (Mike Rose, Chair):
The Grounds Committee did not meet in August. Our main goal for the coming year is to receive a Five-Year Plan from the Grounds Staff with identified priorities, such as the landscaping at St. Charles, the re-sodding at Brookside, and the sodding at Herbert’s Run.
The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, September 28,2021 at 10 AM in the General Services conference room.
HEALTH SERVICES (Carol Eshelman, Chair):
Our committee did not meet AUGUST 2021.
The established liaison activities between Continuing Care and Independent living, as well as with Certified Home Health will continue as will the unused/unwanted medications take-back days. One is scheduled for Monday, 13 September from 1-3 pm at the Fireside Lounge and Cross Creek Lobby.
The next meeting is scheduled for 14 SEPTEMBER at 11 AM via ZOOM.
HOUSEKEEPING (Sebastian Petix, Chair or Betty Elder, Assistant Chair):
The Housekeeping Committee did not meet in August. The next meeting will be Monday, September 27 10:00 am, in BR 1.
If any resident notices items which need immediate or emergency cleaning, they should report it themselves and use the My EricksonMy Erickson is a resident portal. It is provided by Erickson Corporate and is managed by Charlestown staff, mainly Community Resources. See Portal. READ MORE portal (CCIWorkOrders@erickson.com). Advertisements for additional resident inspectors has been advertised on Channel 972 and on bulletin boards. Any interested folks should contact Sebastian Petix.
Our next meeting is on Monday, September 27, 2021, at 10:00AM in Brookside classroom 1.
LEGISLATIVE/POLITICAL (Pat Payne, Chair):
The Legislative/Political Committee did not meet during the month of August. The Committee’s next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, September 8, 2021 at 10:00 am on Zoom. The guest speaker is Carol Wynne, League of Women Voters. She will make a presentation on redistricting in Maryland and its implications for the state’s eight Congressional representatives and 188 state legislators.
At the Committee’s October 13th meeting, the guest speaker will be Joe Nathanson, Principal, Urban Information Associates. Joe will be commenting on the 2020 Census data release and its implications for the drawing of new boundaries for Maryland legislative and congressional districts. The October meeting is planned for Brookside Classroom 1. All residents are welcome to attend.
MAINTENANCE & ENGINEERING (Gordon Piché, Chair):
The committee did not meet for the month of August.
Many of the issues reported in July are still being addressed by the General Services Dept. and will be reported in detail at the September 28th meeting.
Our next meeting will be Tuesday, Sept. 28 at 2pm in the General Services Conference Room. If you find things that need to be done don’t hesitate to contact me or General Services.
NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS (Pat Payne, Chair)
The Residents’ Council election was held on Wednesday, August 4, 2021. Voting took place at the Terrace Café, Fireside, Atrium, Shortline, and Chesapeake restaurants. In addition, residents of Wilton Overlook and Caton Woods voted via absentee ballot. Of the ten candidates, seven were elected to serve three-year terms: Diana Dunaway, Rosemary Eck, David Elder, Carol Eshelman, Sebastian Petix, John Remias, and John Yoder. Three will serve as alternates: Mary Lee Seaman, Louis Nielsen, and Justine Parezo. Alternates are eligible to fill unexpired terms of Council members who resign prior to the next election. As you may have noticed we have had several resignations and the alternates are already in place. A total of 632 ballots were cast representing approximately 33% of the eligible voters. Special thanks to the election captains, poll workers, and vote counters who made it possible to conduct this year’s “in person” election. The 2020 election was conducted virtually due to Covid 19.
RESIDENT LIFE (Rosemary Eck):
The Resident Life committee has been getting started during August. We have been meeting with key staff and Council members to gain an understanding of the Resident Life Committee’s range of responsibilities. We also have sent invitations to remain/join the Resident Life Committee to members of the 2020-21 listing and other interested parties.
The next meeting is scheduled for September 15th at 2:00 pm in Brookside 2.
SAFETY & SECURITY (Justine Parezo, Chair):
The Safety and Security Committee did not meet in August 2021.
The next meeting of the Committee will be on September 14, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. in Brookside Classroom 1.
The mission of the Safety and Security Committee is to inform and educate Charlestown residents on internal and external security and safety issues, in consultation and collaboration with security staff and management. New members are welcome.
Pat Rudolph – Reminder: All committee meetings are open to any resident and any resident can join a committee by asking the chair. We want to encourage participation.
WORDS FROM MANAGEMENT:
Patti Santoni, Director of Philanthropy said that Pat gave us great incentive to get involved and that she would give us incentive to give back to neighbors helping neighbors through the Benevolent Care Fund. Your donation is critical to the promise of a “home for life,” and any amount you can give is helpful. There are many ways to get involved. There are forms in your cubby outlining ways to donate, such as on the phone, online, adding donations to the monthly Charlestown statement, or by check. They also accept credit cards either in the office, via phone or online through MyErickson. Only a third of the community currently donates and we would like to expand that number.
She also passed on the following information: Ken Zahn wants to remind us that the
New tablet point of sale system goes into effect Tuesday, 9/14 so bring your new name card with you to dine. Monday, 9/13 there is a Luau. Don Grove, Director of Sales reported 19 settlements in August.
Dean Crawford, Medical Practice Manager gave an update on the vaccine drive for flu shots and booster shots for COVID. Information about the flu shots is In the Sunburst, on 972 TV, and consent forms were delivered to our homes to be complete a head of time. Three clinics are planned for the first week of October. However, you can also get the flu shot in the office. We encourage you to get your shot here because we have the shots for people 60 and older and it helps the community because it helps drive down the cost per resident. All insurances cover the flu vaccine. Don’t get your flu shot too early because flu shots have a timespan and flu season lasts into March and April.
Charlestown will be giving COVID booster shots of the Pfizer vaccine between the end of September and the middle of October. Most residents received Pfizer vaccine. Pfizer and Moderna vaccines should not be mixed.
At this time 99% of residents and 80% of employees have been vaccinated.