The Juniper Spirit lives in us!

Juniper Village at Meadville Celebrates dedication, compassion, and the desire to Nurture the Spirit of Life! Juniper Communites, Lynne Katzmann, President and CEO arrived to deliver the Juniper Spirit Award, the Giraffe Awards and Staff Appreciation awards for years of service. Residents, Family Members and Associates gathered in the Allegheny Ballroom with great anticipation of who the Juniper Spirit Award winner would be...The ceremonies began with introductions by Tonya Moyer, Executive Director. Lynne Katzmann welcomed the group as she reminisced about the Ballroom itself. Not much more than a year ago the Ballroom was occupied as a storage room until the Meadville Leadership Team breathed new life into the space. On this day, the room was witness to new memories in the making as Donald Breneman, Director of Operations, speaks from the heart and announces the accomplishments of the Juniper Village Meadville Associates ranging from one year of service to over 10 years of service!

You may wonder what those pins actually look like...Well, we have brought you a birds eye view, compliments of photographer Chef Erin, as I share with you my service pin for my year of service. It seems like only a few months ago that I began my journey at Juniper Village, and nearly one and a half years later, I sit proudly as I see my fellow associate, Terry (photo left), collect his pin for over 10 years of service! Terry has seen a lot of wonderful changes here at this community, but there are a few things that haven't changed; his dedication to his job and our residents, and his commitment to his fellow associates. What an accomplishment! Yes, it was quite touching...is that a tear of pride and joy you are wiping from your cheek, Don Breneman?

The ceremony continued with the Giraffe awards by Lynne Katzmann; The Giraffe Awards are Lynne's special recognition to Juniper Associates. In true giving spirit, Lynne began her presentation with this humble statement: "There is not a whole lot I do by myself at Juniper Communities...and this is something I do..." She was referencing the efforts and dedication of the entire Corporate Leadership Team who fulfill the company mission. The Giraffe awards are something Lynne has cherished as her own way of giving back to her associates. Lynne truly believes it "takes a village" but also recognizes individuality within the team approach. She proceeded to acknowledge special accomplishments of staff members at Juniper, in a way that some families in attendance described as "inspiring and memorable." Lynne began Juniper Communities with a concept over 21 years ago; to Nurture the Spirit of Life in each individual we touch. The concept became the mission statement, and the mission statement unfolded as the words became a reality and continued to cultivate into who we are today. As employees, we are all nurtured in our own ways and encouraged to fulfill our creative outlets. Our personal journey's are important to Lynne, and she never fails to ask about our families, our children, and our personal goals. The Giraffe award is a way for Lynne to recognize associates when they "stick their neck out". Why a giraffe? Giraffes have large warm hearts to pump the blood up through that especially long neck of theirs; big warm hearts and the willingness to stick their necks out, are what our associates have in common with the giraffe. Plus, Lynne was able to wear that fantastic giraffe print coat that we all coveted...

One highlight of the event was when Michael Maruska, resident at Juniper Village, and my loving grandfather, proudly delivers a bottle of Juniper's own home made Strawberry Merlot wine to Lynne. The wine was made at the most recent wine making class held in the Lafayette Tavern. Michael was there every step of the way during the preparation of the spirits. And speaking of Spirit...

Drum roll please...And the moment we had all been waiting for arrived. The Juniper Spirit Award! Perhaps, it wasn't a surprise to the many that know and work with Amy Vanderhoff, when she was announced the winner of the Juniper Spirit Award. I think we all somehow knew in our hearts that she was the winner. Her 6 years of dedicated service and professionalism and continued drive to Nurture the Spirit of Life is what won her this prestigious award. I think Samuel Rogers, 19th century poet, said it best: "to know her was to love her." Amy, your continued dedication to the Juniper Village Family is evident. To know you is to love you and we are all so very proud of you!

A special thanks to Tonya Moyer, Jennifer Musone, Donald Breneman and Lynne Katzmann for delivering a beautiful ceremony for the recipients of the awards, our Families in attendance and the Residents who graced us with their presence. We are all here for one common mission: To Nurture the Spirit of Life in each individual we touch. Thank you again Amy for touching our lives so deeply with your compassion.

Food weighing in at over 520 pounds...

It was an exciting Saturday, as Amy and Luella took time to tally the most current donations. The donations were overflowing in the gathering area, and the girls took the initiative to count the bounty. Almost 200 pounds of food from the previous few days had poured in as we added Saturday's total poundage to almost 400 pounds. Today, the staff weighed another 124 pounds, bringing our to-date total to 521 pounds. We have exceeded the halfway mark and all look forward to hitting our 1,000 pound goal by November 30th. Thank you for your continued support to benefit our Meadville Community Food Pantry!

Nurturing the Individual Spirit!

Roy and Marion join together in the Colonel Walker Room to celebrate their own talents as they make music together. Staying Connected to one's individual passions and talents is one focus in the mission of our Juniper Community. We speak the words: Maintain and Active Body, Engaged Mind and Fulfilled Spirit, but ask any one of our associates what that really means to them, and you will probably be greeted with a heartfelt and sincere story about a moment such as this. When Tammy Foulk, Director of Wellness, captured this photograph, she exclaimed: "Roy said he hadn't played the Harmonica in 10 years! Cool, huh?" And knowing Tammy, she had tears of joy and pride welling in her eyes. We all celebrate moments like this. We find comfort in knowing we are making a difference in each individuals life we touch with our guiding principle.

One of the most important steps in our move-in process is completing a 'My Life Story' on each individual. This 'My Life Story' is a document that captures

important life moments, accomplishments and preferences of our Residents. There are so many more benefits to the Residents and Family than just getting to know the details...it's having the compassionate staff who puts those words into action. It isn't enough for us to collect the information, or to simply read the information; it's the ability to recognize those moments and opportunities that bring fulfillment to each individual. It's cultivating and enhancing those moments with encouragement and creativity. At times, our Residents require physical or cognitive adaptations in order to fulfill their spiritual needs, and our Juniper Team of Associates meets this challenge with more passion and creativity than I have ever seen in a group of co-workers. Whether it's gathering the materials necessary to complete a project, coordinating a special event, or encouraging someone to make music again after all those years, we deliver our commitment and our pledge to our Juniper Family. I am taken by these moments each time I am witness to the connections our associates make with our Residents. Although, I haven't quite figured out who is more fulfilled. It's in our nature to Nurture the Spirit of Life, and we as associates fulfill our mission daily so that our Residents can live fully and be Alive in All Seasons of Life.

Chili Throwdown!

Defend your honor, Mr. Winkler, winner of the 2008 First Annual Chili Throwdown. Word on the street is...there is another Chili Throwdown on this Friday the 20th during Happy Hour at 2:30pm in the Lafayette Tavern!

I've "bean" thinking...Does this mean I have a chance to redeem myself? I did win LAST place last year...Tee hee.

All employees, Residents and Family are encouraged to attend and participate. Bring a copy of your recipe and your prepared Chili dish. Cowboy boots are optional. Join us as we stay connected to our family recipes with a little friendly competition.

204 and Climbing!

The food is starting to arrive from the friends and family of our Meadville community! Today alone, I collected 71 pounds from Byham's Insurance office. This brings our current total to just over 200 pounds! Thank you, Byham's for your support. They have volunteered to host a drop off location and the employees have been promoting the food drive.

The spirit of giving lasts all year long at Byham's...In addition to assisting us with our food drive, Angie Niedermeyer of Byham's has proven to be a wonderful community resource when residents and families are faced with choices regarding Medicare supplemental policies and insurances. Individual insurance needs change over the years and Angie has saved some of our families hundreds of dollars by educating them on newer products because their old policies no longer fit their needs!

So, when you are stopping by Byham's this month to see how you can save yourself some hard earned money, be sure to take along some food to benefit our Food Drive. Byham's can be found at 1098 Park Avenue. 100% of your donation will stay in Meadville. You can drop off your donation directly to Juniper Village 7 days a week through November 30th. Those interested in volunteering in other ways at Juniper Village, please contact our Connections Director, Jennifer Musone at 333.4400. We appreciate all of your support.

Stop in for a visit!

Juniper Village at Meadville is awaiting your visit! There is much to celebrate this Autumn season. The weather has been beautiful, the food drive is bringing in donations to feed our Meadville community, and our President and CEO, Lynne Katzmann traveled to Meadville yesterday for a special visit. National Memory Screening Day is next Tuesday, November 17th and we have partnered with Aseracare hospice to provide confidential memory screenings from 10am to 2pm. Walk ins are welcome. Thursday brings our Veteran's Benefit presentation, so if you are a Veteran or Spouse of a Veteran in need of resources to pay for personal care, attend to learn about how the VA can help you on November 19th at 4pm. If you are dropping by to donate food for the drive, please don't forget to pick up a complimentary shopping tote for you gracious donation. We appreicate all you are doing for the community and want to thank you. No matter the reason, you will be greeted with a warm welcome into our community. Stop by for a visit, you will find you already have a friend in us!

Cherish The Journey

It was a cooler than average day in October when Jim Weed, affectionately known as Roy by friends and family, started out on the 60 mile trip from Juniper Village at Meadville to Peek N Peak Resort in New York for his Granddaughters wedding. The snow that fell was greeted with the warmth and love of three generations in the Weed family.

Two of Jim's Four children were in attendance: Mark, his wife Patty and their son Steve traveled from Albion, PA; Richard, his wife Shirley, their son Randy, their daughter Heather and her husband Chuck McKinney all traveled from Saegertown, PA. There was a special table of remembrance acknowledging the grandparents who have passed away, including Jim's wife Francis Weed.


Fredrick, Maryland is the home of the newlyweds Tina and Troy Garland. They were married on October 16th, 2009. She is a special needs teacher and he is a private investigator. Jim couldn't be prouder of her accomplishments in both work and family life.

Tina and her grandfather have shared in a special journey in their lives, a journey that some families are fortunate enough to experience. Both, as children, were adopted into the Weed family. As a toddler, Jim's parents parted ways and he was chosen to be adopted by the Weeds. He was raised during the great depression, a time when families were struggling to survive through the collapse of the economy. The Weeds welcomed Jim in with open arms and never left his side. He says he knew he was adopted, but he always thought of the Weeds as his parents, and nothing less. Jim did not fail to teach his children about the value of family, so when Mark Weed and Patty started their journey together as a family, Mark adopted Patty's daughter Tina as his own, as well as Patty's son Steve, when they were young children. Jim and Tina have always felt a special bond because of the way the Weed family welcomed them into their lives. Jim and Tina continue to give back to the greater good in the world. Whether it's through the choices they made in their careers, Jim's commitment to country through his service in the Army or through his continued work as a Christian Layman.


How he came to reside at Juniper Village is a story of pride, integrity, independence and trust. Jim's sense of Humor was evident the first moment he toured Juniper Village last March. Having served in the Army, he attended a Veteran's Educational seminar on a benefit that helps pay for personal care and he was introduced to me by his dear friend, Virginia Seiler as "the next prospect." We all had a chuckle, as Mr. Weed explained he was interested in the Veteran's Benefit for future planning, but wasn't quite ready yet. Over the next three months, Jim attended several Connections programs and visited us, perhaps using some of Troy's investigative techniques, he gathered all the essential information to share with his children. Two of his sons traveled up from Florida to support their father's decision as well. By the time Jim was ready to make the decision to move in, he already felt like family. I cherish the Journey I took with Mr. Weed through his decision making process, because it is a process. Maintaining integrity and respecting where individuals are in their process is so important, and Jim put his trust in us. By encouraging him that Juniper Village can give him back his independence, and building trust within Jim, his family and between the caring staff at Juniper Village, Jim soon become an extended member of our Juniper Family. Jim states "I never have been alone, not even with Uncle Sam was I alone, so I knew coming here was where I needed to be." Companionship and Connections are important in all seasons of life. Move in day came and I asked Mr. Weed if he was ready for the move, to which he replied: "I may be ready for you, but are you ready for me!?"


Not a day goes by that Jim isn't smiling, spreading his Joy about Juniper Village, and joking with the staff. When he proudly announced that his granddaughter was getting married, and that he would be making that Journey to share in her moment, I was reminded how Jim's family all gathered by his side during his Journey to Juniper Village. This family truly understands what we mean when we speak about Cherishing the Journey.


Congratulations Troy and Tina Garland. May your family continue to be blessed with all the love previous generations have instilled in you.

Juniper Village is feeding body and soul this November with a Food Drive to benefit the Local Food Bank. Hunger affects people of all ages and we want to help. You may drop off food from November 1 - 30 at Juniper Village. Local area businesses such as Byham's Insurance and the Market House are also designated drop off locations. Our goal is to collect 1000 pounds of food for the food bank. Join us in our efforts to support our Meadville Community. 100% of your donation will stay local and be delivered to the Food Bank on December 7th. To inquire about volunteering for the food drive, please call 814.333.4400.