Tell Me A Story: COMMUNITY LIFE DIRECTOR

Mary Marcia
America's STORYTELLER
Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking

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I learned a lot serving as Community Life Director at *The Fountains at Greenbriar in Independence, Missouri. The residents had a reputation for being hard to please. The residents of The Fountains, a senior living center, went through an average of two activity professionals (community life directors) per year before I was hired.

My job was to please the residents. I served as Community Life Director, Transportation Director, and Director of Volunteers.
I managed budgets, planned all daily activities and special events for the community; supervised staff; and created and and edited the community newsletter.

I interviewed residents, and told their stories in the newsletters. I used Adobe Pagemaker to create and edit the newsletters.

My newsletter for The Fountains evolved to look more and more like a magazine. I included a brief message as editor in each publication. The image (below) of the page inside the cover has a photo of me as a "miniature bride" at a relative's wedding in 1955. My mother and father are in the background of the photo.

While working at The Fountains, I had the opportunity to take in-house business classes in Missouri, Oklahoma and California. I took an Art Therapy class in Oklahoma, from Dr. Madeline Rugh (University of Oklahoma), and attended a NAAP seminar in San Diego. I visited other Fountains' locations in various states.

About NAAP

Founded by Activity Professionals
for
Activity Professionals...NAAP is the only national group that
represents activity professionals in geriatric
settings exclusively. NAAP serves as a
catalyst for both professional and personal
growth and has come to be recognized by
government officials as the voice of the
activity profession on national issues
concerning long-term care

facilities,
retirement living, assisted living

, adult day
services, and senior citizen centers. NAAP
is nationwide in scope with a growing
membership in Canada and Bermuda.

CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:
http://www.theactivitydirectorsoffice.com/NAAP.html

Employees of The Fountains were encouraged to think out-of-the-box. I came up with a breakthrough idea, and suggested The Fountains corporate office create a national magazine for seniors - with current events pertaining to senior issues, fashions for seniors, stories of residents (like my interviews), and inserts for each local community with their individual calendars and special events listed. National and local advertising could help with the cost of newsletter production. It's a brilliant idea, and I don't think anyone does anything like it yet. AARP's publication doesn't come close to my vision.

There are thousands of untold stories out there - living in the minds of senior citizens just waiting to be told. I enlisted a team of local high school journalism students to help me interview residents for our newsletter. The interaction between the high school students and the residents was beneficial to both.

I was one of a team of Fountains' employees who wrote a grant to bring The EDEN ALTERNATIVE, to our a chain of senior living centers.

We became a part of the movement of people transforming long term care facilities into what they should be: human habitats with plants, animals and children.

CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:
http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-eden-alternative_1.html

Fountain's resident, Margaret Richardson, was an incredible woman. It was a JOY to interview her, and write her previously untold story. No one at The Fountains knew Margaret's background until her story was published in our newsletter.

Margaret served as secretary to eight Kansas City, Missouri, police chiefs. She worked alongside Clarence Kelly, the police chief during the riots in Kansas City in 1968.

CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1968_Kansas_City,_Missouri_riot

"While serving as an acting policewoman and secretary to eight Kansas City, Missouri police chiefs - the world came to Margaret Richardson's door. The list included Clarence Kelly (KCMO Police Chief and FBI Director), Evangelist Billy Graham, Attorney-General Robert Kennedy, President Lyndon Johnson, stage and screen stars Jeanette McDonald, Bert Parks, Giselle McKenzie and Danny Thomas. The list also included prostitutes, drunks, deviates...and stray children. The lofty and the lost. She treated them all the same. She may be the kindest person you will ever meet."

Not all of the residents were as kind as Margaret.

Some residents at The Fountains were notorious for throwing hot rolls at servers if they were displeased with their service. Residents would push and shove each other to be first in line at meals and events, using their canes and walkers in the quest for privilege and entitlement.

"I'm old. I'm rich, and I get whatever I want," a resident from the Fountain's community in La Jolla, California, told me.

In contrast - a friend told me about a senior community where retired missionaries live. They have minimal staff compared to most retirement communities, because they serve each other.
What a beautiful concept: helping and serving one another.

I want to be like Margaret Richardson,

who said:

"I was kind to the high ranking,

and the low ranking,

because I had no ranking.

I survived everything

because the LORD put love in my heart."

Margaret's prayer:

"LORD, Let your love flow through me,

that I might be a blessing to others."

Thanks for stopping by!

Come back often, and invite a friend!

Mary Marcia

America's STORYTELLER

Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking
`

*David Freshwater, Chairman, founded The Fountains in 1985, and over the next two decades, he developed, owned and operated, for himself, for his investors and for third parties, a wide range of senior housing communities recognized as both innovative and successful. Under David’s leadership and through the efforts of his team, The Fountains grew into one of the nation’s top 25 seniors housing owners and operators.

David Barnes, President, joined The Fountains in 1989, and ultimately served as Senior Vice President of Operations. Often traveling to Fountains communities to manage onsite programs, Barnes developed the systems, policies and training materials essential for the successful growth of The Fountains. Years later as President of Watermark Retirement Communities, he continues to build upon these models.

From 1991 through 1997, The Fountains’ portfolio grew from a fractional share of 260 units to 100% ownership of nearly 4,000 units/beds in 14 communities, with reported assets of $220 million, gross revenues of $42 million and a net operating income of nearly $4 million. During this period, The Fountains won numerous awards and accolades, including induction into the Order of Excellence by Contemporary Long Term Care magazine, selection by the American Seniors Housing Association as one of its Case Studies in Success and one of Top Six retirement communities in America by Money.

CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:

http://www.watermarkcommunities.com/WRC/History/

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Tuesday, September 30, 2014

COMMUNITY LIFE DIRECTOR

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AMERICA'S STORYTELLER, Marcia Norwood