Dear Neighbor:

We are excited to present Village Connection, our new e-newsletter. This format allows us to share more information more often with our members and friends. As an addition to our weekly Calendar of Events, every other month the Village Connection will provide news about our activities, spotlight our amazing members and volunteers, and keep you informed about the many ways the Village is active in the St. Louis community. We also want to share your favorite things -  photos, poems, quotes and other content that will inspire our caring community. We want to tell your stories as well, so let us know what you're up to! Submit your ideas to: info@stlvillage.org.

With gratitude

Madeline Franklin - Executive Director                                                                 Liz Backus - STL Village Volunteer and Editor


______________________________________________________________________
                          Dates to Remember

STL Village Board of Directors Annual Open Meeting
Monday, March 20th, 5:30 p.m.
Forest Park Visitor Center - Trolley Room

All Village members and volunteers are encouraged to attend. Come and learn about what we're planning this year, including our new associate membership option. 

GO! St. Louis Mature Mile Walk - STL Village Team
Saturday, April 8th

Join other adults age 60+ as we walk a scenic one-mile course in Forest Park. Connect with hundreds of active adults for a fun-filled day. To register or for more information contact the STL Village office at 314-802-0275 or by email at info@stlvillage.org. The deadline to register is March 24th.


Why Happy Hours are good for you
From left: members Claudette Walker, Edmund Acosta, Melody Walker and volunteer Bev Berner share a laugh at a STL Village 3rd Thursday Happy Hour          
      
Once a month, STL Village hosts a Happy Hour at a nearby restaurant. It’s a great way for members and their guests to catch up on news in the neighborhood and visit with one another. It’s very satisfying to renew old friendships as well as meet new members, and visitors can discover what the Village is all about. Everyone is welcome. 
 
Studies  have shown that communities high in "social capital" - human ties that build trust, connection and participation - offer strong health benefits to older adults, particularly as we lose relationships through retirement or when family and friends relocate. Researchers have found that staying socially engaged in a supportive community dramatically strengthens cognitive function and can help reduce the rate of physical disability in older adults.

Happy Hours foster high social capital in a fun way. Our members often discover that their friends and neighbors are active in recreational, cultural or community service projects that might be attractive to them and they get involved.

Check the STL Village calendar for the monthly happy hour - usually on the third Thursday of the month...and always a great time! Contact our office at 314-802-0275 to get more information about our upcoming happy hours and other activities. 


Village Volunteers are here to help
  Village Volunteer drivers from left: Diana Gualdoni, Mary Lynne Humphries, and Anna Forder. Not pictured: Lois Tegethoff. 
Did You Know: STL Village is here for its members when you need a helping hand with almost anything. Perhaps you've recently had surgery and could use some help with meals or grocery shopping. Maybe it's a ride to the doctor or to one of our events. It could be some housekeeping chores that have been difficult to get to or lessons on using Facebook or other computer applications. Whatever assistance you need at home, STL Village is ready to connect you to a trained and vetted volunteer who will be happy to help. If our volunteers can't meet your needs, we will provide a list of our preferred and vetted professional service providers.  

To arrange for a volunteer, give the office a call at 314-802-0275 during our business hours from 9 a.m. to  4 p.m. Monday-Friday. After hours, please call 314-851-0920 and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. You can also email your request to: info@stlvillage.org.

We are always looking for new volunteers too! To learn more, click on our website link below or give us a call. 

Member Spotlight: Dame Mary Bruemmer
Village member and former SLU student Zuleyma Tang-Martinez (standing) and Mary Bruemmer at Mary's birthday celebration. Photo: Linda Pinsker.

Below: The cross of the Papal Order of Saint Sylvester. Photo: Wikipedia.

STL Village member Mary Bruemmer has achieved a long list of honors during her 97 years. She's spent her entire adult life as a trailblazer in higher education at St. Louis University, starting as a student in 1938 and moving into leadership roles including first residence hall director for women, dean of women, and dean of student affairs. She became the first SLU Woman of the Year, and she received an honorary doctor of humanities in 2000. In 2012, she was recognized as an Ageless Remarkable St. Louisan.

Nothing however could top being awarded Papal Knighthood from the Vatican in 2016. Mary is now "Dame Mary Bruemmer" as signified by a cross medal and scroll from Rome, presented to her in a special ceremony by Rev. Robert Carlson, Archbishop of St. Louis.

Mary recently celebrated her 97th birthday, and many Village members and SLU friends were there to toast this grand Dame.  Mary is an inspiration to all of us  at the Village!



STL Village in the Community










STL Village is partnering with the Brown School of Social Work and the Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement at Washington University in developing an evidence-based program to educate and train local stakeholders on dementia awareness and supportive resources.The mission of STL Village’s Dementia Friendly Community Initiative is to “create in our footprint an environment where persons living with dementia and their families will be welcomed, treated with respect and encouraged to participate in all aspects of an informed and friendly community.” The task force is made up of our members, caregivers, memory care representatives, public officials and health care providers. In Phase I, we are gathering information on existing area resources for persons with dementia which will then be shared through events in the community and training for first-responders and others serving the older adult population. 

For more information or to become involved in this effort, contact our office at 314-802-0275.

STL Village thanks  Wells Fargo Advisors, whose generous  support made this project possible.

______________________________________________________________
STL Village 
(314) 802 0275 

STL Village
6633 Delmar Boulevard
Saint Louis, MO 63130
(314) 802 0275
STL Village GO! St. Louis Mature Mile Team - 2016