Live Update to Residents-December 10, 2020
Today’s Live Update on our in-house TV970 covered the latest news on COVID-19 at Westminster Canterbury Richmond. It featured Debra Jacobsen, Administrator Residential Living; Windley Gravatt, Vice President Workforce Services; and Logan Augustine, Chaplain. The next Live Update will be Tuesday, December 15.
The following updates were shared.
Debra Jacobsen
COVID-19 Update
We have more good news about the number of cases of COVID-19 at Westminster Canterbury. The Independent Living residents who have tested positive in the past month are all considered recovered. Four Parsons Health Center residents who tested positive continue to be cared for in the hospital. Thank you for your prayers and support.
Employees also continue to recover, and only six remain off campus in quarantine.
Please continue to follow the guidelines that keep us safe and healthy. Always wear your mask when outside of your apartment or when you’re around others. Wash your hands frequently and use hand sanitizer. Always maintain social distancing of at least six feet from others. Stay home if you do not feel well and contact your physician or the Clinic.
Today, the Governor of Virginia announced new measures to slow the spread of COVID-19. If there are any changes to Westminster Canterbury policies, we will share them next week.
We continue to receive information about the upcoming vaccine but do not have specific details to share yet. We hope to share more in the coming weeks.
Wellness
The Wellness team hopes you are following along with the December BINGO challenge. BINGO numbers are posted to Touchtown each day. You should complete the exercise listed in that box. Watch for a fun new exercise video tomorrow, December 11, at 10 a.m., on TV970. The new Wellness BINGO Fun exercise class demonstrates all the BINGO exercises to fun holiday music. We hope you enjoy.
Look for information in The Tales on Thursday, December 17, for information on Zoom exercise classes. Thank you for your patience as we look for creative ways to keep you moving even with our Fitness Center closed.
Cultural Arts
The Performing Arts department continues to offer robust programming on TV970. We have livestream concerts directly from our Sara Belle November Theater. We have established partnerships with the Richmond Symphony and Richmond Ballet to show holiday programs such as the “Let it Snow” concert and “The Nutcracker.” We have our next Who Knew! event with resident Bob Clewell interviewing resident Jack Frazer on Wednesday, December 16, at 3 p.m.
Additionally, Cultural Arts elves have been busy decorating the many trees around campus including the new Dr. Seuss tree in the Campbell Garden.
Studio Arts is offering Zoom art classes. To learn more, contact Sarah Abernathie. Sarah has been busy assisting residents with getting art supplies and purchases out of the Unique Boutique. Sales have exploded in the past two weeks! We are seeking volunteers to tie blankets for chemotherapy patients across Virginia through a program called Jill’s Blankets. No sewing is required. Sarah will deliver the supplies.
Salon
The Salon staff is available to assist you in purchasing the proper products and tools needed to style your own hair during our closure. Retail items for hair and nails are available for purchase. Simply call, place an order and we will deliver to your door.
Courtesy Services
Starting Tuesday, December 15, we will expand Courtesy Services hours back to 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. We are hopeful this will make the process of dropping off items for our residents who are unable to meet their loved ones at the Tower Entrance easier and more efficient and help those residents needing transportation on campus.
Windley Gravatt
Annual Hall of Fame Awards
Every year in December we recognize outstanding employees with our TWCW Hall of Fame and Brendan Hayes Appreciation Awards. TWCW stands for “The Westminster Canterbury Way” and is described as consistent outstanding customer service and treating all with whom we come in contact with the utmost care and respect. The TWCW Hall of Fame Award was established in 2007 and recognizes full-time employees. The Brendan Hayes Appreciation Award was established in 2008 and recognizes part time employees.
Normally, we gather in the theater and have a large ceremony with great anticipation and elements of surprise. Since we could not do that safely this year, we had to get a little creative. We took our show on the road and came up with the Hall of Fame Prize Patrol. We surprised and recognized our recipients where they work with the support of their managers and teammates. It was a lot of fun, and many tears of joy were shed.
The following are the 2020 inductees for the TWCW Hall of Fame:
• Shakedria “Kee Kee” Finney – Parsons Health Center Staffing Coordinator
• Kim Briggs – Senior Accounts Receivable Coordinator in Accounting
• Vikia “Kia” Jackson – Lead Security Officer in Security and Safety
• Betty Seward – Housekeeping Aide in the Garden Apartments
• Brendan Hayes Appreciation Award winner is Joyce Crews – Courtesy Desk Assistant at the Tower Desk
Congratulations to our honorees! When you see these employees, please give them a big cheer and congratulations.
Logan Augustine
Announcements
Chanukah begins this evening at sundown. Chanukah commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem by the lighting of candles on each day of the festival. Please tune in on Sunday, December 13, at 4 p.m. on TV970 as we celebrate Chanukah in worship and song in this prerecorded service. Cantor Fran Goldman will officiate. Bulletins will be available at the Tower and Center Desks. The service will air again at 7:30 p.m. that evening. A Sermon for Every Sunday will not be aired on December 13 but will return the following Sunday.
Prayer
God who dispels all darkness,
Come to be with us, in each one of our situations;
Come to live among us, live with us and in us;
Come to reconcile us with You and with one another.
God of Light, open our hearts to the mystery of Your love and the invitation of your grace.
Let our complacency give way to conversion and our judgments to compassionate acceptance of others. Turn oppression to justice and transform conflict to peaceful accord. We ask this in the name of our one God forever and ever. Amen.
(From the Advent prayer service: Longing for Light in the Darkness, offered at Congregation de Notre-Dame in Quebec, Canada.)