CRL-SUMMER2020-NEWSLETTER-FINAL-FINAL-RDY-FOR-PRINT

Gracious Country Retirement Living
CAMBRIDGE TIMES
chasing summer joy!
SUMMER 2020
ERNIE @ 102
Catching up with our favorite
adventurer
HIDE-A-WAY
Cambridge Ebensburg saves
Mother’s Day
CHEF WALT
Summer Recipes from
Cambridge Chef de Cuisine
Walter Camp
CAMBRIDGE RETIREMENT LIVING
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HAPPY
FOURTH
OF
JULY!
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contents
summer’s here!
5
COVID19 UPDATE
Staying the course through the
pandemic.
7
CAMBRIDGE BELIEFS
Company culture starts here.
8
THE HIDE-A-WAY
Perseverance wins in Ebensburg.
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SUMMER POEM
Jotting down inspiration after a
summer walk.
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SUNNY LETTER
Looking for the bright side of
summer in 2020.
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AMERICAN LIFE
Catching up with Ernie @ 102.
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+TEAM MEMBERS
A look at new faces joining the
Cambridge Team!
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CHEF WALT
Service and hometown spirit are
his key ingredients.
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STAY HYDRATED
Tips for staying cool this
summer.
4

covid update
stay safe!
Cambridge is proud to announce that the new
policies and procedures we adopted at the onset of
the coronavirus pandemic have successfully kept
the virus from entering any of our communities.
As the commonwealth transitions to green, the
Department of Health and Human Services has
announced an additional 28-day restriction and
isolation requirement for personal care homes,
therefore, we will continue with the same level of
vigilance that has kept everyone healthy to date.
By no means do we think this will be easy
and we understand the commitment it will take,
but only with the support from staff, residents,
families and healthcare partners, will we be
able to meet our shared goal, which continues
to be saving lives. Your continued cooperation
is greatly appreciated as we make everyone’s
health a priority.
As always, we continue to monitor the CDC and
share announcements made by the Department
of Health and Human Services. We are all ready
for face-to-face visits and some hugs, and you
can rest assured that Cambridge will embrace inperson
visits as soon as we know it’s safe. Until
that time, we have distributed walkie-talkies for
resident use and will support resident Zoom calls
in facilities with adequate Wi-Fi. There’s also
Facebook. Each facility has its own page that is
constantly updated with photos and current
events. In addition, we are accepting packages for
residents with a 72-hour quarantine in place for
deliveries. Special gifts, like floral arrangements,
will be sanitized and delivered immediately
to your loved one. More importantly, we will
continue to discuss alternative ways we can
accommodate meaningful visits for all residents
and families.
We continue to follow the recommendations
of health experts and we are so grateful for the
patience of many during this time. We truly thank
you for your understanding and cooperation! If
you have any questions, please don’t hesitate
to contact your facility for more details or
clarification on Cambridge policies. ~
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Cambridge Retirement Living
Chief Operating Officer Michael Locurcio
Director of Marketing and Sales Rebekah Stratton Director of Operations Susan DeMeio
Marketing Manager Lance Knickerbocker
Our Leaders
Cambridge Warren Administrator Karen Lucks Cambridge Corry Administrator Bethany Trikur
Cambridge Creekside & Hillside Administrator Susan DeMeio Cambridge Ebensburg Administrator April Adams
Cambridge Falls & Pointe Administrator Kim Richardson
STAFF
Cambridge Warren Activities Director Laura Courson Cambridge Corry Activities Director Laura McCoy
Cambridge Creekside & Hillside Community Life Director Debbie Marsich
Cambridge Ebensburg Activities Director Carol Dietscreek
Sales Manager Cambridge Falls and Cambridge Pointe Kathleen Frickanish
Sales Manager Cambridge Ebensburg, Creekside, and Hillside Michele Nevlud
Our Places
CAMBRIDGE WARREN
706 Penn Ave W
Warren, PA 16365
(814) 723-8300
CAMBRIDGE CORRY
771 East Columbus Ave
Corry, PA 16407
(814) 664-4691
CAMBRIDGE POINTE
160 Chapel Rd
Beaver, PA 15009
(724) 728-6257
CAMBRIDGE FALLS
599 Norwood Dr.
Wampum, PA 16157
(724) 359-5990
CAMBRIDGE EBENSBURG
4848 Admiral Peary Hwy
Ebensburg, PA 15931
(814) 472-6868
Coming Soon!
CAMBRIDGE HILLSIDE
400 4th St
North Charleroi, PA 15022
(724) 483-5818
CAMBRIDGE CREEKSIDE
1275 Lincoln Ave
Charleroi, PA 15022
(724) 489-1562
CAMBRIDGE RIVERVIEW
100 Narrows Rd
Larksville, PA 18651
CAMBRIDGE PARKLAND
4315 Washington St.
Schnecksville, PA 18078
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We believe in home, that it should
be a place of comfort, rest, and
security. We believe families are
sacred--the ones we inherit and the
ones we create. We believe in seeking
balance between productivity
and rest and learning to find
contentment in both. We believe
in human kindness and the power
of working together to accomplish
big goals. We believe in courage,
in moving past comfort zones and
honestly seeking knowledge from
mistakes. We believe that each day
is a gift and miracles are visible if
only we look for them.
our beliefs
7

remembering how one
team came together to
save mother’s day
THE HIDE-A-WAY
COVID-19 shut the door on family
visits. But did it mean Mother’s Day
had to be cancelled?
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MOTHER’S DAY
is a joyful day when generations come together to
celebrate the miracle of motherhood. We look forward to it
as the unofficial first day of spring.
But this year the pandemic
changed everything. Going
to the grocery store.
Walking to the mailbox.
Everything seemed
different. As Mother’s
Day approached, families
wondered if they’d
have to spend Mother’s
Day without mom or
grandma.
Canceling Mother’s
Day didn’t sit well with
Cambridge Ebensburg
staff. They’d seen the joy
a visit from children and
grandchildren brought
residents. Wasn’t there
something they could do?
The Hide-a-way is the
solution they came up with.
It’s a little alcove on the
outside of the Cambridge
Ebensburg building which
allows residents to see and
communicate with their
families safely.
It looks cozy, like a living
room, thanks to facilities
manager Paul ‘Possum’
Geschke, who designed it.
He used the large beauty
salon windows to keep
folks visible. Residents
and families are able to
talk easily by using a baby
monitor.
“Family visits are so
important to our residents.
Not everyone is able to get
on Zoom,” says Cambridge
Ebensburg Administrator
April Adams. “We thought
that with Mother’s Day
approaching if there was
something we could do to
make visits possible then
we should do it.”
Once chairs and a coffee
table were inside the
Hide-a-way, Cambridge
Ebensburg activities
director Carol started
calling families. She
told them Cambridge
Ebensburg was open for
Mother’s Day--if only
families were willing to
“hide-a-way.”
And they were. Families
waited patiently in the
sunny parking lot for their
turn with mom or grandma.
Of all the people who
visited on Mother’s Day,
one visit stands out. Anna’s
family came in for Mother’s
Day. She chatted with
her granddaughter, her
great-grandson, and her
great-great-grandaughter.
Four people spanning five
generations together in
one place--all because of
the Hide-a-way. It felt like a
miracle, a bright spot in the
darkness of all the world’s
pandemic problems.
So what’s next for the
Hide-a-way?
“We’ll probably leave it
up until the weather turns
nicer,” says April Adams.
“That way people will
never feel feel discouraged
when they think about
visiting.” ~
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Song
for a
Summer’s Day
through fen and farmland walking
with my own country love
I saw slow flocked cows move,
white hulks on their day’s cruising;
sweet grass sprang for their grazing.
the air was bright for looking:
most far in blue, aloft,
clouds steered a burnished drift;
larks’ nip and tuck arising
came in for my love’s praising
sheen of the noon sun striking
took my heart as if
it were a green-tipped leaf
kindled by my love’s pleasing
into an ardent blazing
and so, together, talking,
through Sunday’s honey-air
we walked (and still walk there --
out of the sun’s bruising)
till the night mists came rising.
a song by Sylvia Plath.
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letter from the editor
As the last blossoms of spring
give way to summer, I’m filled
with anticipation for everything
the season has to offer.
After being in school for so
long it feels drilled into me. It’s
senior year again, the last few
weeks have dragged on, and the
sun shines brightly outside the
classroom window, luring our
attention. Then it is finally here.
The last bell sounds and summer
begins. Pool time, bonfires, late
night talks, new romances and
fireworks all come rolling in like a
gentle ocean wave.
But what to do when it feels
like we wake up every morning
to a “CANCELLED” sign stamped
in big red letters on our favorite
beach umbrella?
My wife and I had been down
in the dumps, missing our family
and waiting for the summer
magic to appear. “I wish we were
at a cookout with your family. It
doesn’t feel the same without
it.” She was right. It didn’t feel
like summer. What could we do?
Better to do something rather
than nothing. So we went to the
store (masks on) to grab hot dogs,
buns, and the chips we don’t
usually buy because she says the
sodium count is ridiculous. We
remembered our friends had
gone away, and after a quick text
we were soon using their patio,
grilling out under the setting sun,
lighting sparklers and playing
music. We even facetimed my
family and chatted about good
times to come.
I felt the familiar stretch of
my stomach letting me know I’d
eaten way too many burgers, and
we watched the fire die down.
The night was warm and the
smoky fire smell hung in the air
like a spell. I realized the summer
feeling was there, quiet and
magical as ever.
We’ve chased more ways to
capture it ever since. We found
it in the smell of sunscreen, and
the laughter of a long distance
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call to a buddy from back home.
It’s in the warm breeze with the
windows down and the music
up just a little too loud. Or the
metallic tang of water from the
hose after getting sprayed by
your not-as-funny-as-she-thinksshe-is
partner.
The true summer vibe
can never be cancelled, not
completely. Let’s embrace our
peculiar moment and chase
summer feelings the best we can.
The time is always right to dust
off a cherished memory. Make a
plan to pick up the phone or hop
on a Zoom call and revisit your
dog days with someone you love.
So if you’re looking forward
or back, remember that the
season you love hasn’t gone
anywhere. It’s still here. It’s just
playing hard-to-get. So start
chasing it! You’ll be glad you did.
Lance Knickerbocker is the Cambridge
Retirement Living Marketing Manager
and the editor of the Cambridge Times,
which is convenient because it’s his
favorite magazine ever!

an
Ernie Traylor, 102
Seaman. Gardener. Father.
Waffle Lover. Husband.
Mississippi Navigator.
Torpedoman. Stargazer.
Veteran. Philosopher.
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American life.
1918 was an important year
in the history books. World
War I ended; a flu pandemic
turned everything upside
down; and on February 8,
Ernest “Ernie” Traylor was
born.
The pandemic is
different, but the same
old Ernie is still kicking.
He’s 102 and staying busy
at Cambridge Pointe, his
home.
Ernie grew up in Beaver
County. His family moved
there from Virginia when he
was very young.
Adventuring began early
for Ernie. Kids worked back
then. As a boy, he shipped
on a tugboat down the Ohio
River to the Mississippi and
back again like a regular
Huckleberry Finn.
Ernie grew up on the
rivers. He married his wife
Evelyn in 1939 and soon
he was off and away on a
very different adventure.
He enlisted in the Navy and
joined the USS Conner for
the duration of WWII.
Ernie crewed the ship
on its “shakedown” voyage
from Boston to Maine. He
was aboard when the ship
got its official commission
on June 8, 1943. Ernie
remembers passing through
the Panama Canal on the
way to Pearl Harbor. From
there the USS Conner
cruised to the South Pacific
where the war was.
“My rating was
torpedoman,” Ernie says. He
still has the perfect notes he
took during training.
But Ernie didn’t do
much torpedoing. Instead
the torpedomen fought the
war with depth charges and
shot cover for the aircraft
carriers.
“Our depth charges
were in big barrels and
they’d roll off the ship into
the ocean with a big splash
and sink down,” Ernie says.
He kept the carriers safe, a
feat Ernie is still proud of.
Ernie liked to sleep on
the ship deck. It got cold
out there, but it was the
only way to avoid all the late
night card playing going on
below deck. Besides, Ernie
says, he loved looking at the
bright stars as the ocean
rocked him to sleep.
The war was never far
away. One night they fished
Japanese pilots out of the
water after the USS Conner
shot them down. They held
the pilots in a big potato
bin. Ernie remembers they
treated the enemy prisoners
well, so well, in fact, that
the men didn’t want to
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leave when it came time to
transfer them to another
ship. It still makes Ernie
proud.
“They were no different
from anyone else,” he says.
“People are people. I don’t
care who they are or where
they’re from. That’s the way
it is.”
Ernie formed a life-long
bond with the men he
knew during the war. When
it was over, he came back
to his wife and settled into
a peaceful life. He attended
USS Conner reunions
faithfully for decades. He
has one daughter and one
grandchild. Evelyn, his wife,
passed away in 2011. Ernie
and Evelyn were together
for 72 years.
Ernie worked at the
Townsend Co. steel mill in
Fallston and later started a
plant nursery. He sold plants
to most everyone in Beaver
County and landscaped all
over. Ernie still loves plants
and animals. Even at 102
he spends as much time
outdoors as he can.
So after so long what’s
the secret to longevity?
Keeping life simple, he says.
“I don’t get fits of being
mad, hating the world. I’ve
learned to accept things as
they are and enjoy them.” ~

New Team
Members
We love our team members! We
get excited when new people join
our team. Our residents do, too,
because it means a new audience
for their epic stories!
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kim
Kim loves her residents and
staff at Cambridge Pointe.
Her favorite thing is listening
to residents stories, being
silly, and making people
laugh. If you said she liked
to horse around you’d be
right. Kim loves animals and
she raises three horses at
her home in New Castle, Pa.
She also has three dogs and
some chickens. Her favorite
show is Two and a Half
Men. If she wasn’t working
at Pointe she says she’d
spend more time in her
garden or with her animals.
Kim also has two “human”
children she loves. Her two
daughters, Erica and Jordan.
They’re both grown, but
Kim says they still need their
momma, too!
laura
Laura is the brand new
Activities Director at
Cambridge Warren, her
favorite job ever, she says.
Laura loves Harry Potter and
her favorite TV show is the
Office. When she’s not in
class at Mercyhurst (social
work major), Laura is busy
taking care of her animals.
She has a dog named Daisy,
a cat named Ivy, and an
adopted kitten she calls
Oliver. Laura loves to add a
little joy into the resident’s
lives. Her favorite thing is
talking to all the residents
and becoming friends with
them. If she wasn’t working
at Cambridge Warren, she
says she’d be sad because
that would mean she’d be
doing something way less
fun!
april
Say hello to Cambridge
Ebensburg’s new leader!
April grew up in Kittanning,
PA and still lives there in
her Grandmother’ s house!
So cool! She has two big
dogs: one English Mastiff
and a German Shepard.
April loves working with
staff and residents, she
says, because they are so
much fun and make every
day different. April loves
Harry Potter and ghosts
and hauntings and all
things paranormal. When
she’s not watching scary
stories, her guilty pleasure
is 90 Day Fiancé, where
international couples
marry or break up before
the visa clock runs out.
Love it!
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Chef
de Cambridge
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WALT!
Walt and his team at Cambridge Warren
sporting their kitchen jackets. Rich Wilson
(L) and James Bondarek (R).
This month we are spotlighting
Cambridge Warren Chef Walter
Camp! Walt is well known in
Warren for his passion for great
food. He loves to cook. You
can always find him serving up
something good!
Walt’s kitchen experience
started early when his father
opened an Italian restaurant.
Food was the family business and
Walt grew up in that kitchen. He
advanced from dishwasher to line
cook and he’s worked in kitchens
ever since.
Today Chef Walt he puts all
his kitchen experience on display
during Cambridge Warren’s
special events. And there are
many to keep him busy: the
Fourth of July, the Superbowl, and
Mother’s and Father’s Days.
He loves the freedom
Cambridge Warren affords him.
He feels free to create delicious
trays of fancy hors d’oeuvres or
just good old homestyle comfort
food. While he acknowledges that
all the holidays are special, Walt’s
favorite event is the Warren
Family Christmas Party.
“The Christmas party is where
we really give back to the families
and our residents. It’s a chance
for us to show everyone that we
really care about the quality of
the ingredients and the quality of
the food we serve. It’s a special
time of the year for us and for
them.”
Thank you, Walt, for putting
fresh, delicious AND healthy food
on the table for our residents all
year long! ~
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Walt’s Summer Favorites!!!
Capellini Tomato
Basil Salad
½ cup olive oil
1-2 cloves minced garlic
4 pints small cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes halved
1 teaspoon of thyme
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¾ pound capellini or angel hair pasta
½ cup fresh basil, chopped
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1. Boil water with 2 tablespoons
of salt and prepare pasta according
to directions 2. While pasta
is cooking, heat ½ cup olive oil in
a large sauté pan. Add the garlic
and cook over medium heat for
30 seconds. Add the tomatoes,
thyme, 2 teaspoons of salt,
ground pepper and red pepper
flakes. Reduce the heat, toss
occasionally until the tomatoes
begin to soften (about 5 minutes)
3. Using tongs, add the pasta to
the tomato mixture. A little pasta
water is good for the right consistency
of the dish 4. Pour the
pasta and tomato mixture into a
large serving dish
5. Add parmesan and fresh basil
and toss well 6. Serve immediately
topped with additional
parmesan
SMORES
10 whole graham crackers
1 packages fudge brownie mix
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cups chocolate chips
1. Arrange graham crackers in a single layer in greased
hotel pan 2. Prepare the brownie batter according to
package directions 3. Spread batter over the crackers
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until
a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean
5. Sprinkle with marshmallows and chocolate chips
6. Bake five minutes longer or until marshmallows are
slightly puffed and golden brown 7. Cool completely
before cutting.
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PRO TIPS
In addition to drinking water, seniors should
dress lightly; wear hats, sunglasses and sunscreen;
limit exposure to direct sun; and use
air conditioners or electric fans.
STAY
HYDRATED
THIS SUMMER
How much water did
you drink today?
Our bodies need water! Staying hydrated
is essential to good health and wellness.
A+ hydration health keeps brains sharp
and immune systems in fighting shape.
Worried your senior isn’t getting enough
water? Respite stays are stress-free, allinclusive
overnight stays for seniors.
They’re a great way for seniors to relax,
rehydrate, and recharge.
Talk to your Cambridge facility
for more details!
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DAD JOKES
jokes from our favorite punners!
laugh or groan,
you still love them!
Today, my son asked “Can I have a book
mark?” and I burst into tears. 11 years
old and he still doesn’t know my name
is Brian.
My wife is really mad at the fact that I
have no sense of direction. So I packed
up my stuff and right.
Did you know the first French fries
weren’t actually cooked in France? They
were cooked in Greece.
If a child refuses to sleep during nap
time, are they guilty of resisting a rest?
I’m reading a book about anti-gravity.
It’s impossible to put down!
I ordered a chicken and an egg from
Amazon. I’ll let you know...
I bought some shoes from a drug dealer.
I don’t know what he laced them with,
but I was tripping all day!
Did you hear the rumor about butter?
Well, I’m not going to spread it!
Did you hear about the circus? It was in
tents!
Why do bees have sticky hair? Because
they use a honeycomb.
I once had a dream I was floating in an
ocean of orange soda. It was more of a
fanta sea.
1/2 OFF 814-205-0948
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