CIDG (“Cee Dig”) keeps rolling along

The Contemporary Issues Discussion Group (CIDG), like Old Man River, keeps rolling along. Kendal’s longest-running discussion program started 15 years ago as the Faith Group. It originally focused on topics connected to religion but in recent years has branched out into topics of broader interest to the resident community. Until Covid-19 came along, the meetings were face to face in a meeting room at Kendal. In recent months they have been held via Zoom

Lately, such subjects as war, virtue, violence, is democracy dying, forgiveness, and boredom, with lying coming up soon. The Group is also interested in local matters and has had the Sleepy Hollow Police Chief and the Sleepy Hollow-Tarrytown School Superintendent as guest speakers. In terms of international affairs, two different speakers from Germany were heard. Guests give short presentations and then the floor is open to questions and comments

CIDG is open to all Kendal residents. For a Zoom connection, residents should get in touch with Eugene DuBow, the CIDG Convener.

Important Notes

The Resident Care Center (RCC) will be closed on Labor Day, September 7. As always, please press your PET for any emergencies.

Flu vaccinations are being scheduled for September 30, October 7, October 14, and October 21. Sign up using the red notebook at the Front Desk. The most desirable slots are filling fast. The location for the shots will be announced later, and we will publish the information.

Don’t forget that the third installment of 2020 estimated income taxes (both Federal and NY State) are due on or before September 15, 2020.

The editors of Spotlight ask that they be advised when a Committee or Activity starts meeting again, whether by Zoom or in person. Spotlight will soon resume publishing the Regular Weekly Activities Schedule.

Kendal Library News

Warner Library - At the request of the Warner librarian, we will now be delivering and picking up books on Tuesday rather than Monday. As always, a desk volunteer will call residents when their books have arrived at Kendal. We request that you continue to bring your books to the library by 11:30 am on Monday for return to Warner.

Missing Book – Would the person who took the book Russia Engages the World, with an essay by Ed Kasinec, without signing it out, please return it as soon as possible.

Sale Books – Just a reminder that the books on the sale shelves are priced at the minimal cost of $1, but that money helps us buy more books and office supplies. If you forget to bring money with you, please fill out an IOU, put it in the jar and redeem it at your earliest convenience.

Pace Student Rotation at Kendal

Once again the PACE Nursing Students will be meeting their curriculum requirements for their community nursing clinical rotation in collaboration with Kendal on Hudson. Due to COVID, they will not be with us in person but instead will be working remotely under the guidance of their professor Laura Miranda.  The richest experience for the students will include an opportunity to connect with residents via Zoom, FaceTime and phone calls to have one-on-one conversations about a variety of health and social topics that interest our residents.  Interactions do not have to be “educational”, they may also be social and just an opportunity to connect with a bright young and eager student. 

It is our hope that the students will also be able to develop and present some educational sessions for residents on various health topics.  If you are interested in connecting with a PACE Nursing student, please reach out to Barbara Good in the Resident Care Center to have your name placed on the list.  Students will be ready to connect with residents as soon as Tuesday, September 15!

Students are educated about privacy and confidentiality through their coursework and also through a program provided by Kendal at the start of their intern experience but please understand that in order for you to work with the students remotely, they will need to have access to either your email address or phone number.  You should feel comfortable with them being able to connect with you directly in order for this to work.  Any additional questions you have regarding this can be directed to Barbara in the Resident Care Center

Great Tours Program continues...

Kendal’s own TV station Channel 1970 will continue presenting Great Tours: Experiencing Medieval Europe, with programs on Saturday and Sunday from 3 pm to 4 pm.

Saturday, September 12

Lecture 5: Palermo-A Mosaic of Cultures. Capital of Sicily, Palermo was occupied successively by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Carthaginians, Arabs, Normans, French, Spanish, Germans, and Italians.

Lecture 6: Palermo-Celebrating Throne and Altar. We start with Palazzo Chiaramonte, constructed in the 14th Century, palace and vice-regal residence, prison of the Inquisition.

Sunday, September 13

Lecture 7: York–Wool and Prayer. By 73 A.D. York was the Roman Empire’s capital of Britannia North. Its Roman walls played an important role in European history.

Lecture 8: York-Vikings and Merchants. From Micklegate, we explore another of York’s medieval survivals that allow us to imagine the daily life of a 15th century citizen, and end at Clifford’s Tower.

NEW WEEKEND PROGRAMMING ON CHANNEL 1970

One of Kendal’s greatest institutional strengths is that it has its own TV channel - Channel 1970. It is available to all residents on their own TV sets. It has recently been announced that there will be some exciting new weekend programming.

Beginning Saturday/Sunday, September 5/6, from 3 pm to 4 pm, Channel 1970 will run “THE GREAT TOURS; EXPERIENCING MEDIEVAL EUROPE” featuring University of Toronto History Professor Kenneth R. Bartlett as course leader. The course consists of 24 individual 30-minute sessions. Two sessions will be shown on Saturday and two on Sunday, with the full course concluding on the weekend of October 10/11.

“Experiencing Medieval Europe” is a journey through European cities in the Middle Ages in what are now the countries of Belgium, Poland, England, France, Spain, the Czech Republic, Germany, Croatia, and Malta. You will feel what it was like to live in a medieval city and understand the complex nature of the society that created these remarkable urban environments.

Lectures 1 and 2, Sept. 5: “The Medieval City – A Feast for the Senses”: As you walk through some of the great cities of Europe, from Malta to Poland, you will learn what the medieval city was like and what it was like to live there. “Rothenburg-Jewel on the Romantic Road”: Perhaps the most well preserved medieval town in Germany, Rothenburg was discovered in the 19th century by the Romantic movement which celebrated the traditions, art, and architecture of the Middle Ages.

Lectures 3 and 4, September 6: “Mdina—The Silent City”: Malta is home to one of Europe’s most interesting medieval capitals Mdina/Rabat. In the 16th century, Mdina became a preserved time capsule abounding in palaces, churches, and memories. “Mdina and Rabat: in the Steps of St. Paul”: We will visit the larger and more vibrant town of Rabat; but before leaving Mdina, we’ll take a look at the lives of those who fell outside the privileged classes in this aristocratic compound.

Absentee Ballots

A message regarding ABSENTEE BALLOT FOR GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 3rd

Many of us submitted Requests for Absentee Ballots and are wondering which elections they will be applied to. If you think you may have already submitted a Request for Absentee Ballot, you can call the Westchester County Board of Elections at 914-995-5700 and they will tell you if the records show that you will get an absentee ballot for the General Election in November.

All you need to tell them is your name and date of birth to get this information. Lots of us don’t know if the Absentee Ballot Request we sent for the June 23 Primary still applies in November with so much focus on what reason we put on our request.

This is much easier than submitting another Request for Absentee Ballot and will give you peace of mind that you will get your ballot for November. If there is no record of your having submitted a Request for Absentee Ballot, you will find one on the counter adjoining the cubbies. Mail it to The Westchester Board of Elections, 25 Quarropas Street, White Plains, N.Y. 10601.

OPEN DINING DISCUSSION ON ZOOM SEPTEMBER 2

It would be an understatement to say that the Dining Room (aka the Bistro) is the centerpiece of Kendal socialization. When COVID-19 descended upon the resident community and it was necessary to completely close down any form of communal eating, a great loss was felt by all.

The strict regulations have served the community very well. An absolute minimum of virus spreading has kept Kendal residents in the best health possible under trying circumstances. Now, time and experience have brought us to the point of at least discussing the reopening of the Bistro.

On Wednesday, September 2 at 9:30 am, an Open Dining Discussion (via Zoom) will be led by Fred Coppola, Director of Dining, and Pamela Klapproth, CEO.

Principal topics of this important meeting will be the Bistro reopening plans and the Dining Survey results. Other dining news will also be announced. Residents are encouraged to tune in and ask questions.

An email with a registration link will be sent to all residents. Questions should go to Sherry Persaud.

Some Sweet Poetry at COVID-19 Time

SWEETS AT KENDAL BEFORE & DURING
COVID-19

In the Formal Dining Room,
when offered dessert,
I had ice cream almost every time
although I had not had any ice cream
for many years
except occasionally when summer temps
hit 100.

Awed, one night
when across from me
I heard the not-so-common words:
“No dessert.”

On my face, a question.
She answered:
“One Biscotti every night.”
Her treat to herself.

Now, a pandemic rages
and I turn to Tates,
preferably with ginger
but otherwise oatmeal-raisin.
Not as good as Trader Joe’s ginger thins,
but who can get to Trader Joe’s?

Ah, I think, a nightly treat.
Something I can look forward to.
But she has one
and I can hardly stop at two.

Roberta Poupon

Library News

Starting Monday, August 31, newspapers will return to the library. A welcome sign of “normalcy”.

You will find the New York Times and the Financial Times on the round table in front of the windows.

Remember, however, that there cannot be more than six people in the library at once and all must wear a mask and maintain social distancing.