Harbor Light The APRIL 2023 Renewal
2 — The Har bor Light APRIL Spring is such a wonderful time of year. The cold, certainly a relative concept here in Florida, begins its exit and we see signs of new life. Trees and flowers are in bloom, we have welcomed new birds, some rare for our area, and even the traffic seems to be a little more enjoyable. Certainly, as we approach and celebrate Passover and Easter we are reminded of renewal, thankfully so. I recently shared with my team that at Plymouth Harbor it feels like things are blooming. We are coming to the end of a long but worthwhile window project. We are nearing the completion of our lobby redecoration which has brought a fresh look to our community foyer. We are about to wrap up the installation of the new bridge and begin the long-awaited Peninsula revitalization. And, if you haven’t noticed, we have freshened the paint on the exterior of the building and added a mural to welcome residents and guests to the Northwest Garden Building. While those projects are nice to see underway and wrapping up, I am most excited about the way in which our life enrichment programming is blossoming. We have welcomed intellectuals to speak to us about their passions, musicians to bring us joy through their talents, and have grown closer to one another through hearing residents tell the stories of their amazing lives… up to now. Spring is a time for new things. I hope each of us approaches this spring with a sense of anticipation for the new adventures before us. It amazes me to hear of books being written, lectures being prepared, cruises being planned and taken, and new art being created. I so appreciate the scene in the Disney classic, Bambi, when all the new creatures of the forest wake up, stretch, feel the warmth of the sun on their faces, and make new friends. There is so much to enjoy and experience at Plymouth Harbor. We have new days to wake up to, we have stretch classes to help us get moving, we certainly have plenty of sun on our faces, and water too, I might add. But most of all, we have friends, some we have cherished for years and some we are just now connecting with. I look forward to seeing what lies ahead for us as we move through the changing seasons of our lives together. But in this moment, this spring, let’s take time to smell the flowers, literally and figuratively. Jeff Weatherhead President & CEO
The Har bor Light — 3 I n mid-February, I noticed a Mourning Dove swooping through our front porch rather frequently. I didn’t give it too much thought until I went to water an asparagus fern sitting atop an etagere. That was met with flapping wings and an immediate exit from the midst of the fern. That Mourning Dove had moved in. Since it was on the very top of the etagere, I grabbed a step stool and looked down on a tiny nest with two eggs well camouflaged in the base of the plant. Hoping my watering didn’t cause Mama or Papa Dove – (Google informed me that both sexes participate in the nesting duties) – to abandon the nest, I waited until later in the day and approached the etagere from an adjacent door. Sure enough, she/he was back on duty. Going forward, I popped my head out several times a day and said, “hello, how’s it going?” in my best Mourning Dove voice. I began to worry. I didn’t hear anything from the nest. No ‘hello world’ chirping or begging for food with little mouths stretched skyward. One day, I looked again and there were two tiny mini-me’s of the Mama/Papa. They were poking their heads out from under their parent’s breast. It was uncanny. They had the same well-formed feathers – no downy fluff – and the same piercing black eyes as the adults. Well, my enthusiasm got the best of me. I was always trying to find an angle to stick my phone up to catch a photo. (See attached) Obviously, none of the photos were ready for National Geographic or even Facebook. But Mama/Papa pretty much tolerated my efforts. I figured all that chatter directed toward them each day had gained me some points. One day, one of the parents was out of the nest. It was walking around the front porch about 8 feet from the etagere. For hours. I decided this was my big chance to capture the perfect photo of the chicks. I carefully dragged out the step stool, this time with my good camera, and prepared to focus. Whoosh. Both the fledglings took flight. They left the nest. They flew over to my neighbor’s roof. They joined the world. Renewal
4 — The Har bor Light The Moral of the Story Other than stop being so nosy and leave the birds alone, (oh, that was my husband’s moral!). My take was you can’t fool Mother Nature. The Mourning Dove knew that this was the perfect place to nest. Even the most cunning racoon wouldn’t have considered the center of an asparagus fern as a place to raid a nest and there really wasn’t any room or reason for a bird of prey to target the porch. Despite my most anxious moments about scaring the babies out of the nest, obviously the parading parent was giving them the signal it was time to get moving. I just provided a little encouragement. This was springtime at its best. I am truly blessed to have witnessed this small part of renewal in this Mourning Dove family. New Nests for New Plymouth Harbor Residents As we contemplated themes for the April issue of Harbor Lights, “Renewal” rose to the top. One of the ways we wanted to illustrate the power of renewal was to interview several newer residents to Plymouth Harbor. How did it feel leaving their former home? Did they feel overwhelmed or refreshed? What was it about Plymouth Harbor that attracted them to build a new “nest.” We hope you’ll enjoy their stories and invite you to share your stories of renewal. Oh, and guess what? The Mourning Doves are back with a second nest. Talk about renewal. It’s happening all around us. Joan Maxwell Joan invites me to sit at her window overlooking the rookery in the pond at the entrance of the peninsula. “I watch the birds fly in and out,” she reflects. ”I could have moved to the Tower, but I love my view of the pond. These birds are like little kids. The entertainment is endless.” Joan moved into Plymouth Harbor in September of ’22. “My two kids wanted me to get out of my condo on Lido. I was there for two years alone after my husband passed. I looked at several places and when I walked in here, I thought, ‘this is it.’ It’s the best move I’ve ever made.” Joan Maxwell “I’ve lived a magical life and I’m continuing it here.”
For the former elementary school teacher, Plymouth Harbor’s residents have made all the difference. “People are so friendly. The first day I went to exercise, there was another woman. It was just the two of us and we discovered the exercise room was closed. So, I said, ‘Are you a walker?’ She said yes and off we went. We’ve been friends since! “I grew up in a generation when women never went to a bar alone,” she exclaims. “But this bar breaks all the rules. It’s wonderful. I can’t tell you how outgoing people are and what a wonderful change it’s been in my life,” she says. “My son is so funny. The other day he called and said, ‘Mom, I’ve called you twice today and you are always out.’ That’s the way it is here. There is always something to do. People to meet. Ways to give back to the larger community. It’s a giving collection of people.” Diane and Read Heydt Diane and Read Heydt invite me into their lovely apartment with its leafy overlook, the bay in the far view. “We don’t really feel like the newbies anymore,” Diane says in her charming southern accent. “We wanted to stay in our zip code,” quips Read. They moved just a half mile away from their former digs on Palm Avenue. While they put their names on the waiting list in 2019, the apartment that became available needed some renovations to meet their needs. “We were able to wall in some spaces and install plantation shutters,” says Diane. “I so The Har bor Light — 5 appreciated their willingness to make those changes. People here are just wonderful.” Read adds, “Our space just sings.” Diane inserts her own coda: “I wake up happy every day.” For the former “Vicar of Boca Grande” a moniker the Episcopal priest picked up as the rector of St. Andrews Church on Boca Grande, Plymouth Harbor offers more than a view or the ideal setting for their beautiful household. “This was a big decision to make and we not only lucked out with being able to create this space; we moved into a place that already feels like home; a great big Plymouth Harbor filled with people we’re eager to get to know and find our niche.” “Our space just sings.” Diane inserts her own coda: “I wake up happy every day.” Diane and Read Heydt
6 — The Har bor Light Lynne Woodman For Lynne Woodman, the 18 months she has spent in her apartment where the grand piano and volumes of birding books immediately capture attention have been “the smartest thing I ever did.” Already this energetic former television reporter and concert pianist and accompanist has made her mark. “I’m secretary of the resident’s association, working with Chaplain Tom and still working with the choir at First Congregational Church. I’m happy for me.” A widow for one year, Lynne then decided to move to Plymouth Harbor not only for its Congregational roots but for the activities. “I stipulated that I didn’t need a view or to “If you’re not changing, you’re not growing.” be in the Tower and 7 weeks later, I had an apartment. She is especially grateful for the security it offers for healthy aging. “I don’t have to fear falling ill, or some untoward thing. Help is here 24/7.” But just as important, Plymouth Harbor offers Lynne a place that fits her philosophy of life. “I love to learn. And this is the place for that. I think renewal is critical for successful aging. If we don’t know how to renew ourselves, we stagnate. Plymouth Harbor has the resources here to continue to grow.” Lynne Woodman
The Har bor Light — 7 The Gift f Philanthropy The Plymouth Harbor Foundation Introduces A New Way to Support our Team Members’ Children The Gift of a Great Summer! By Beth Watson We all remember the dreaded back to school essay on How We Spent Our Summer Vacation. For most of us, I imagine essays depicted trips to summer lake homes, summer reading programs at the local library, time spent with neighborhood friends on bicycles and for some, maybe even some glorious extended “away” camps. As a working mom, I began in the early spring saving and arranging for summer camps to keep my two children entertained for the 12 weeks of summer. COVID certainly set our young children back a little with all the social isolation. So after considerable thought, the Plymouth Harbor Foundation is considering establishing a new funding opportunity with the creation of a Summer Camp Scholarship Program in which residents can donate. This Summer Camp Scholarship Program will provide scholarship funds for our team member’s children to attend summer camps. This will allow our young parents to come to work with the knowledge that their children are not only safe but experiencing fabulous educational, cultural and recreational opportunities for continued learning and growth. Through this fund, Plymouth Harbor can provide scholarship dollars for day or away camps for children whose families may not otherwise be able to afford a camp experience for their children. There are a number of incredible summer camp opportunities right here in Sarasota that our team member’s children would just love to attend. There are basketball camps, circus camps, art and theatre camps, music camps, crew camps, fashion designer camps and even a code camp available right here in Sarasota! This will be an experimental year for offering summer camp scholarships, with the hopes that it will be popular with resident donors! If you are interested in learning more about how to donate to the Summer Camp Scholarship Program, please contact me at extension 398. Thank you! The Spirit f Philanthropy
Spiritual Life As April draws upon us, we celebrate the new season of Spring. For those who lived up north, we had clear signs of spring. The trees went from being bare to having buds and leaves. The grass was turning green; there was new life all around. Here in Southern Florida spring is harder to see, but one can see it if one looks for it. There are trees that are budding, every morning I can hear the birds singing once again. In March, we celebrated the Vernal Equinox, or the first day of Spring. This is the day that the sun passes the earth’s equator, so we have equal day and equal night, and moving forward the days are getting longer. As humans, we have always looked to the seasons for our well-being and the life cycle. Religious Traditions Several religious traditions celebrate special holy days during the springtime. Spring for many means new life, new beginnings, a Celebrating the New Season of Spring HARBOR FAITH rebirth. For Christians we celebrate Easter, one of the holiest days. We remember and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus the Christ from the dead according to the New Testament. There is a connection to the spring and Easter as both celebrate, new life, and new beginnings. The Jewish faith celebrates Passover, one of the most important Jewish holidays. It is a time of remembrance and celebration. It is a time to celebrate their freedom from slavery in Egypt. It is a time for family and friends to gather and give thanks to God. The Islamic faith celebrates Ramadan, a holy month that honors the time when Allah, via the angel Gabriel, revealed the first verses 8 — The Har bor Light
of the Qur’an, the holy book of Islam, to a caravan trader named Muhammad. This year Ramadan begins on March 22nd and ends on April 21. During this month, Muslims fast from sunup to sundown. For many Muslims, Ramadan is a time to strengthen their relationship with God through fasting, introspection, prayer and being around loved ones. Hindus celebrate Holi, the Hindu spring festival observed throughout North India on the full-moon day of Phalguna (February–March). Participants throw colored water and powders on one another, and, on this one day only, license is given for the usual rankings of caste, gender, status, and age to be reversed. In the streets the celebrations are often marked by ribald language and behavior, but at its conclusion, Thomas Matthews has been our interim Chaplain at Plymouth Harbor since December 2022. His page for the Harbor Light entitled Spiritual Reflections runs bimonthly, focusing on all non-denominational faith-based programs and spiritual events at Plymouth Harbor. Please feel free to call him with questions or comments at ext.587. when everyone bathes, dons clean white clothes, and visits friends, teachers, and relatives, the ordered patterns of society are reasserted and renewed. For Buddhists, Vesak is one of the most important Buddhist festivals, as it celebrates the birth, enlightenment, and passing away of Buddha to Nirvana. So as we begin our spring season, let’s take a moment to celebrate the new life that is all around us. May we feel love and joy-fulness and may we share that joy with one another. Blessings, Chaplain Tom HARBOR FAITH The Har bor Light — 9 So as we begin our spring season, let’s take a moment to celebrate the new life that is all around us.
10 — The Har bor Light The concept of renewal sounds sublime especially when we’re feeling the physical, emotional, and even spiritual aches and pains of advancing age. Who wouldn’t want to have a new lease on life; a pronounced spring in their step, and for me, a smile on my face when I greet the day in my morning mirror. But the concept and then the commitment to the practice are two very different things. We Looked to the Experts for Some How To’s No need to struggle when there are road maps already available. Across the board, most experts concur that there are five pillars of wellness: physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and intellectual. While it sounds overwhelming to tackle all five at once, reflecting where you excel and where you may have been just skimming the surface is a good place to begin your renewal. Let’s take a look at each of the pillars: Physical. Taking care of your body involves a whole host of must do’s as well as some nice to do’s. The first list includes exercise. While we have exceptional exercise facilities here at Plymouth Harbor in which to take advantage, we also have the good fortune to offer places for walking, starting with around the campus and graduating to as far-flung places as St. Armand’s Circle or even “the bridge”. Start where you feel most comfortable and aim for setting and accomplishing small goals. Getting good sleep is another essential aspect of physical well-being. It can be a tough one to crack. If you’re not sleeping well, take a look at your daytime activities. How much caffeine are you consuming, especially after 2:00 p.m.? Alcohol can be very disruptive to sleep. Try to limit the amount of alcohol you consume later in the evening. And we circle back to exercise. The more we exercise, the more our body naturally seeks sleep to repair and restore. Renewal... A Cornerstone of Wellness Your Journey to a Healthy Lifestyle
The Har bor Light — 11 Finally, focusing on fruits and veggies in your diet is good for every part of your physical health – especially your brain, which we often don’t associate with what we eat. Intellectual. We are so fortunate to be surrounded by a city where intellectual pursuits are celebrated. It has been said that Sarasota has the cultural resources of a city of 5 million people! Find your passion and immerse yourself. You could easily fill your calendar with a different and truly excellent activity or event every day. We make it easy to be transported to all that our outside community offers. And let’s not forget our inside community where intellectual activities are widespread. Social. Much like the intellectual pillar, social activities abound. We’re at a point and a place in our lives where “shy” isn’t recognized. You can make a BFF in the Tower elevator. Get involved and enjoy. Emotional. Deepak Chopra writes, “Think of a time when you felt the most expansive, limitless, and at peace. Chances are you were in nature when you felt that way. Being outside offers perspective in a way few other activities can.” That key to emotional wellbeing is shared by many others and backed up by research. Take advantage of the exceptional opportunities we have in which to access nature. Of course, if you are experiencing emotional pain, please speak with one of us in the Wellness & Programming Department. Spiritual. Spirituality is a life-long pursuit which ebbs and flows depending on the season of your life. Renewing yourself spiritually is like taking a breath of fresh air. Connect with Chaplain Tom to see how you might better connect to God to achieve a renewed spirit. One simple way is to start is to practice gratitude. In time gratitude becomes a way of life and has been called, “the gateway to spiritual depth.”
12 — The Har bor Light I like to think I keep up with the times and know what’s currently “in” with conversational terminology. I subscribe to several daily newspapers, enjoy periodicals and magazines, and pretty much understand what folks (either older or younger) are talking about. But I must admit to being totally gob-smacked when I heard the term “Gaslighting” and hadn’t a clue as to what it was all about. All you readers are probably shaking your heads because you’re all SO familiar with the term. (Please note that I do give you readers a lot of credit, but I’m just kidding here—hoping that most of you are (or were) just as in the dark as I was about the term “Gaslighting.”) Well, to get all of us “on the same page” let’s see how the term Gaslighting is defined by the Miriam-Webster’s online dictionary: “Psychological manipulation of a person usually over an extended period of time that causes the victim to question the validity of their own thoughts, perception of reality, or memories and typically leads to confusion, loss of confidence and self-esteem, uncertainty of one's emotional or mental stability, and a dependency on the perpetrator” Further defining from another source: “Gaslighting” comes from the 1938 play Angel Street, which Alfred Hitchcock later adapted into the film “Gaslight,” in which a man tries to convince his wife that she is going insane so he can steal from her. When he turns on the lights in the attic to search for her jewelry collection, and the gas lights dim downstairs, he tells her it’s all in her imagination. Gradually she begins to question her own memories and perceptions.” Okay—now we’ve got Alfred Hitchcock involved which (if you grew up as I did---seeing his movies) the whole thing gets spooky! By Elyse M. Rogers R.N., B.S., M.A.
The Har bor Light — 13 And, although “gaslighting” is not really a “spooky term” outright, I can imagine how it could easily fit into that “other worldly” sense. But let’s not get mired in lexicology and move on! Being Your Own Person— Or “Sense of Self” Without getting into the nitty-gritty of Freud and his ilk—with terms like “id, ego, and superego”— let’s focus a bit on what a normal person’s “sense of self” might consist of. In more-informal terms I’d say it’s one’s basic personality and how both he/she sees himself and how he/she is seen by the outside world. It is interesting, however, that the old mantra of “know thyself” (often credited to Socrates) actually dates even further back in time—to an ancient Greek injunction which encouraged people to engage in a search for self-understanding. Knowing that the perception we’re discussing isn’t new is not the point, however—rather it’s the fact that selfworth is a very real concept, and one that we all know and hopefully practice. That’s important because it’s hard to value and be kind to others if we don’t value ourselves. You may be wondering how all this discussion fits in with the subject of this column—Gaslighting—but bear with me… Terminology Back years ago when I was a student nurse in New Jersey, one of our courses was in Mental Health, and for that we had a threemonth affiliation at a hospital that specialized in caring for patients with Mental Illnesses. This was before the era of many of the modern (and very effective) medications that today successfully treat many of the psychological disorders that previously forced people into private or state-run programs where one lived-in while receiving treatment. What impressed me from the start of that affiliation was the fact that so many of these hospitalized patients would act totally normal most of the time. Like in so many other behavioral illnesses, the telling symptoms of their conditions are simply exaggerations of, or deviations from, the norm. There are times when even welladjusted folks feel “the worlds against me,” but they nonetheless know that it’s not really true. Or when a person feels “that teacher always has it in for me”—still understanding that the teacher picks on others too, or that maybe in this case there could be a valid reason. (For example: always talking in class, not handing in homework--etc.)
14 — The Har bor Light Bottom line—the symptoms of many mental problems and/or mental illnesses are very frequently just noticeable deviations of the norm. Gaslighting in Every Day Life Serious gaslighting is nothing to be taken lightly. I’m simply cautioning that if it’s just a single event or an occasional minor, irritating practice, we can just shake it off and move on. As with many other incidents or individuals in life that are pretty negative, it’s often best to simply steer clear of them, and move on. Tactics that can Help 1. Sidestep any known destructive individuals or relationships, whenever possible. 2. If you can’t avoid a problem individual, set grand rules about what you will talk about 3. After a difficult meeting or discussion, refuse to dwell on the subject/problem, and, if necessary, do something to distract yourself. (Buy an ice cream cone, sit in the sun and doze, read a book or magazine you know will divert you and lift your spirits, or….(fill in the blank for whatever technique works for you). 4. Be sure your daily plans include time for physical exercise. You don’t have to be a health nut to include a 20-minute walk or some other physical activity in your routine several times a week. Like it or not, studies have proven that we all benefit from routine, repeated, physicalactivity. 5. Learn something new. It’s an oft-repeated idea for “refreshing oneself,” but learning something new, or revitalizing a past interest often does provide a fresh feeling of excitement when one is stuck in the doldrums. Puff up Your Chest and Strut Remember—There is only one you! You are unique and special. So—Think that way and —Act that way If your proud and confident, I can’t imagine you’d become “Gaslighting fodder.”
Fiction Affair of Spies, by Ronald H. Balson Book Woman’s Daughter, by Kim M. Richardson(LP) Challenge, by Danielle Steel Choice, by Nora Roberts* Desert Star, by Michael Connelly Dictionary of Lost Words, by Pip Williams House of Wolves, by James Patterson If I survive You, by Jonathan Escofery Housekeeper, by Joy Fielding Less is Lost, by Andrew Sea Greer Mad Money, by Jodi Picoult Maze, by Nelson DeMille Nothing to Lose: a J.P. Beaumont Novel, by J.A. Jance Scorched Grace: a Sister Holiday Mystery, by Margot Douaihy Small World, by Laura Zigman Song of Comfortable Chairs, by Alexander McCall Smith Stella Maris, by Cormac McCarthy (LP) Tom Clancy Red Winter, by Marc Cameron (LP) Wade in the Water, by Nyani Nkrumah What Happened to the Bennets, by Lisa Scottoline What Jonah Knew, by Barbara Graham (LP) Whistler, by John Grisham Gifts of Knowledge New in the Library Non-Fiction Assassins in Utopia, by Susan Weis Bill of Obligations, by Richard Haass Botticelli’s Secret, by Joseph Luzzi Right:The Hundred-Year War for American Conservatism, by Mathew Continetti* Spies, Lies, and Algorithms, by Amy B Zegart The Truth about Crypto, by Ric Edelman* Biography Con/Artist, by Tony Tetro G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover…,by Beverly Gage King: the Life of Charles III, by Christopher Andersen Life of Crime, by Martin Edwards Revolutionary Samuel Adams, by Stacy Schiff Spare, by Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex New in the Library The Har bor Light — 15 * Donated Book LP = Large Print
16 — The Har bor Light Kitty and Rick Cannon first met when they started kindergarten in Galesburg, Illinois. They became good friends but didn’t get around to dating each other until they finished college. Kitty earned a Bachelor of Arts cum distinction et cum laude at Mount Holyoke College and Rick went to DePauw University. Kitty went on to earn her master’s degree in library science at Columbia University in New York and worked at the Chicago Public Library for two years. Rick had been involved in various aspects of theatre since high school and did graduate work in theater studies at Illinois State University. In 1972 Kitty and Rick married and moved back to Galesburg where they owned and operated a locksmith shop for four years. Rick installed the locks and gates and she kept the books. Out of the blue, a theater friend of Rick’s called him asking if he could help open a theater in Limestone, Tennessee—ready to take on a new challenge, they sold the shop and moved. Four years later, the Players Theatre in Sarasota called them and they moved again. By this time, Rick’s major focus was designing and building scenery. In Sarasota he worked for various theaters including the Golden Apple, Theatre Works, Urbanite and Ringling Circus. However, his major focus was the Asolo Conservatory. KITTY AND RICK CANNON Apt. N-211, Ext. 178 Kitty and Rick have lived in Sarasota for most of the last 41 years with a two-year interlude in New York. Kitty transferred her skills in accounting acquired at the locksmith shop to the banking world and worked for various small banks in Sarasota. The Cannons have no children but two cats— Pippa and Rugby—of whom they are very fond. Rick has served on the Board of International Alliance of Stage Employees (IATSE) for twelve years. Kitty is treasurer of her Mount Holyoke Class and served on the Board of the Indian Beach-Sapphire Shores Neighborhood Association in Sarasota. Currently Rick still works seven months out of the year primarily doing carpentry work on sets as needed. He is interested in backpacking, sailing, model building, mixing music “tapes”, opera and theatre performances. Kitty has already adopted a gardening plot at PH (with a windmill) where she specializes in native plants. She has also joined the Library and Grounds Committees. Join us in welcoming the Cannons to the PH family. WELCOME, NEW FRIENDS! GIFTS OF NEW FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS Introducing your newest neighbors By Alexandra Armstrong — Biography Committee
By Sandy Weis — Biography Committee The Har bor Light — 17 WELCOME, NEW FRIENDS! DOROTHY GORDON Apt. N-214, Ext. 229 How would you like to go on a world cruise- --Ed Gordon asked his wife, business partner and president of his property management and commercial rentals company, in 1997? Dorothy—normally the careful planner—said yes, yes immediately! Dorothy’s love of travel was sparked the summer before her first teaching job in Blakely, PA (near Scranton). She prepared AAA Trip Ticks that summer and for 12 more years “traveled” the US. And, of course, she designed her own road trips. While she was always interested in math and science, she earned her BS and MS in Home Economics. Her mother wanted her to attend Mansfield State Teachers College where her sister was a senior. When she attended her first sewing class, the students were asked to describe their sewing experience and other skills. Dorothy had a problem. She didn’t sew and wasn’t sure if she liked Home Economics. After class she told the teacher that she needed to change majors. Her teacher said you are the lucky one as this course teaches only the new Bishop method of clothing construction. Dorothy excelled, earned her MS and went on to sew her own clothes for years. It was through sewing that she met Ed Gordon whom she married 17 years later. Ed owned the local specialty fabric center. Dorothy taught many workshops and demonstrations at the center while teaching home economics full time in middle and high schools in Blakely. Life took Dorothy and Ed in different directions until Ed, then divorced and starting a new store in San Diego, persuaded Dorothy to have dinner with him. He wanted her to visit him in California. But she didn’t want a long-distance relationship. So he agreed to live in the Scranton area and she agreed to give up bridge and golf for tennis and sailing and travel. They married in 1973 and lost no time traveling to many continents and taking road trips throughout the US. They became snowbirds in 1976 and enjoyed the Longboat Key life style for 46 years. Dorothy became a business woman when Ed had by-pass surgery in the late ‘80s. She was the Secretary/Treasurer of Textiles, Inc. and president of Keymall, Inc., enterprises Ed had created. Ed passed in 2006 at 87. The Gordon’s maintained connections with family and friends in the Scranton area. Dorothy had met Richard, a neighbor of her sister, in the 1960s. As luck would have it, they reconnected in 2013 and had the good fortune to enjoy many years of friendship, travel and jazz. Richard passed in April 2022. Dorothy looks forward to making many more Plymouth Harbor friends.
Although they have only been here since October 2022, many residents have already met the Doenecke’s by way of Carol Doenecke’s art exhibit on the Mezzanine in February. So, we’ll start with her. Carol grew up in Chicago and started drawing and painting at a young age. She was an art student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, graduating in1964 with a major in fashion design, but she found the fashion business less compelling than art, which is how she came to be in the Alte Pinakotek Museum in Munich one day in 1969. Another American tourist was there solo, they shared lunch in the cafeteria and …. Serendipity? Kismet? Justus Doenecke is a native of Brooklyn and a lifelong student and scholar. He got his B.A. at Colgate University, graduating Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa in 1960. From there he went to Princeton University to earn his M.A. in 1962. He was on the faculty at Colgate in 1963-1964 then at Ohio Wesleyan University 1965-1969. He won his PhD at Princeton in 1966. Professor Doenecke says that he entered college with only “the vaguest of vocational goals, nebulous aspirations of being a high school history teacher-cum-track coach, journalist or Protestant minister.” He had developed a love of history in high school. His specific interest in Isolationism, which he now prefers to call “anti-internationalism” was first aroused by his isolationist parents. Since 1979, Justus has published ten books, mostly on U.S. foreign policy 1914-1952. He is presently writing number fourteen on the U.S. role in peacemaking, 1918 – 1921. JUSTUS AND CAROL DOENECKE Apt. W-308, Ext. 282 By Molly Schecter — Biography Committee Professor Doenecke’s focus on history is fully matched by Carol’s passion for art. Early on, she says, she was “attracted to figures – the human form”. “I found pastel to be most like a drawing medium but in many vivid colors.” Her paintings are anything but the conventional image of “pastels”, with strong colors and shapes that attribute power and purpose to her diverse subjects. Her work has been shown in invitational and juried exhibitions in 22 states and two Canadian provinces. Justus taught at New College from 1969 until becoming professor emeritus in 2005 so while the Doenecke’s are new to Plymouth Harbor, they have lived in the Sarasota/Bradenton area for five decades. They were well aware of Plymouth Harbor and the substantial academic portion of our population and felt it was the natural choice for their retirement residence. 18 — The Har bor Light WELCOME, NEW FRIENDS!
Changes are almost always created by needs – the needs of individuals, of families, of businesses and organizations, and even of entire nations and the world. These needs create challenges, and no single human being has all the perfect answers to solve all the current and future challenges of a large organization. But through a comprehensive team approach, a concerted effort to involve all impacted partners in the process, these sometimes-daunting challenges can be faced head on and resolved. Now, we have many more ongoing and pending projects that will propel us into the next era of change and growth. Some of these projects have already been explained and delineated in this magazine. - The Peninsula Revitalization Project, supported by more than $1.6 million in resident and community contributions, is off and running on our treasured rookery island. The project will certainly cause some disruptions, but the end result in less than a year will be well worth the short-term pain. - The launch of Wellzesta, and new, intelligent software platform which will revolutionize the way residents and family members receive communications on all of Plymouth Harbor’s wide assortment of services and offerings. Stay tuned for much more information concerning this digital platform, which will both augment and in some cases replace our outdated and often disjointed communication channels. - Hotwire (Fision) – our new cable television service, which is being called “the ultimate all-in-one residential experience” by reviewers of cable systems designed for HOAs, condominium associations and luxury apartments. This multi-gigabit fiber-tohome system has been installed throughout Plymouth Harbor, and much more is yet to come. - Revised Plymouth Harbor web site: This year, we have engaged an outside web design firm to rethink and redesign our web site, to improve all facets of this extremely important digital tool, for communicating to both our residents and the nation and world in general. - New staff members – Ashley Cummings, Vice President of Health Services; Julio “Sebastian” Daga, Director of Maintenance; Eileen Nelson, Spa Manager; Ray Porter, Communications Manager; Anthony Baffo, Interim Director of Dining Services; and many more. We are always finding individuals who can join our existing teams and help propel us forward into an even more exciting, successful future. As Kathy Hendricks, our newest Plymouth Harbor Residents’ Association President for 2023 so aptly stated in her most recent bulletin, “Signs of revitalization are everywhere, from the remodeling and opening of the Tower Salon, the nearly completed new bridge and the beginning of the heavy work of landscaping on the Peninsula, and the welcome arrival of a number of new Residents.” The end result of all of this change, created by need, will be an improved quality of life for our fellow residents, and those who will call Plymouth Harbor home in the years and decades to come. The Har bor Light — 19 Change Is (Always) In the Air
Jeff Weatherhead Beth Watson Gretchen Dawson Marge Melun Elyse M. Rogers Ray Porter Molly Schecter Alexandra Armstrong Sandy Weiss HARBOR LIGHT CONTRIBUTORS Jeff Charlotte Chair, Plymouth Harbor, Inc. Board of Trustees Jeff Weatherhead President & CEO facebook.com/PlymouthHarbor @PlymouthHarbor COMMUNICATIONS Kristine Nickel