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News

Football Rivals, Forever Friends

August 31, 2023 by Lori Moyer

Harbinger residents Roy Kopp (pictured right) and Chuck Baechler (pictured left) are neighbors, friends and rivals. Roy’s heart beats for Penn State and Chuck’s loyalty belongs to Ohio State. Both football teams are part of the Big Ten Conference, one of the most competitive collegiate athletic conferences in the United States, and the two schools are known to be major competitors. Chuck and Roy’s bond blends friendship and spirited rivalry.

Chuck and Roy met when they sat at the same table one evening for dinner. During their conversation, Chuck mentioned that he had graduated from Ohio State. “You should have seen the look on Roy’s face when I said that. I thought he was going to come at me from across the and I had no idea why!” At the time, Chuck didn’t know Roy was a Penn State fan.  Both men smiled at the memory. The two talked about football and a close friendship was formed.

Roy didn’t attend Penn State, his career was spent in construction in Philadelphia. However, his allegiance to Penn State has been unwavering. Penn State coach Joe Paterno (1966-2011 term) had an impact on Roy. “He was a great coach and cared about his players, he was a good example.” Roy’s granddaughter did attend the school and that made their relationship even more significant.

Chuck graduated from Ohio State, so Buckeye blood runs thick in him. “I graduated from Ohio State with a degree in chemistry and biology.” Being a student, Chuck was able to attend many games. He also noted, “I graduated one day and got married the next!”

Roy’s introductory Penn State game was against Notre Dame, and it happened to be raining that day. Chuck’s first Ohio State game he attended in person was against Wisconsin. “I remember we got beat pretty bad. The fullback for Wisconsin kept making touchdowns. He never stopped running. At the time, Woody Hayes was the coach for Ohio State and you could hear the chanting in the stadium, “Woody, Woody!”

Surprisingly, neither Chuck nor Roy played football. Roy’s mother thought the game was too dangerous and would not sign the release form for Roy to play. Instead, Roy developed a love of baseball. He played sandlot baseball in his neighborhood and then went on to umpire little league games for Pennridge High School for 25 years.

Chuck enjoyed playing tennis and started when he was very young. At this point in our conversation, Roy interjected, “I used to think tennis was for sissies, but then a friend asked me to play. Afterward, I didn’t think it was for sissies anymore!”

Both men, however, share the same experience of having served in the military. Roy joined the Army during the Korean War working in transport, while Chuck was a Navy man on destroyers during the Cold War where he practiced chasing submarines. This Army/Navy twist to their friendship only adds to the good-natured rivalry they share.

Chuck and Roy were both surprised and saddened to learn Penn State and Ohio State will not be playing each other starting in the 2025 season. According to The Reading Eagle, Penn State is the only Top 10 team that does not have a protected opponent. Instead, Penn State will play the University of Southern California (USC) and the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA).  “That’s sad,” Chuck commented. “When you play a really good team [Penn State] and you win, it’s really something.”

The next Penn State vs. Ohio State game is on October 21, 2023.  As of now, the two plan to watch the game together.

Chuck and Roy expressed the same sentiment: “Our friendship comes first. But when that game is on, we’re rivals!” It’s all in good fun!

Filed Under: News

Grooves of Nostalgia: Vinyl Albums and Music Memories

August 18, 2023 by Lori Moyer

August 12th, 2023, was “National Vinyl Day”. No, not as in vinyl clothing or couches. It’s a reference for vinyl albums—78s, 33s and 45’s. Long before streaming music became the norm, vinyl records, the radio, or live concerts were the only way to listen to your favorite tunes.

Victrola informs us the first vinyl album was first created in 1930. It was a large, flat disc primarily used by DJs and not the general public. Shellac was the primary resource used for producing albums but became scarce during the war. In 1948, a material called polyvinyl chloride (PVC) was utilized by Columbia Records to produce a record that was better at emitting higher-quality sound. By the 1950’s, vinyl records were standard to the music industry.

Vinyl records come in three speeds: 33, 45 and 78. These figures refer to the rotations per minute (RPM). Generally, a higher RPM results in better quality sound. Eventually, the 78s gave way to 33s due to the lower cost of producing the 33s. The 45s, smaller and collectible, featured a single song on each side, enabling listeners to purchase only the tracks they desired rather than an entire album.

Yet, it’s not the composition or inventor of records that dominates our thoughts when pondering vinyl. For many, it’s the music itself that triggers an array of emotions—joy, sorrow, happiness and other sentiments that music can conjure. Perhaps your first heartbreak found solace in a sad album played on repeat. Or maybe you still roll down the car window and cheerfully sing along to your favorite radio tune.

Do you recall the first album you ever purchased? How about your favorite song? Did you play it over and over again? When you heard a song you liked, did you rush to the record shop to buy it before it sold out? When you wanted to hear that song on a continual loop, you had to get up and replace the needle on the album each time you wanted to replay the song. (No “hey Alexa, play that again!”) But wasn’t that a great aspect of the memory? When friends were over, was someone assigned the task of “song-changer?” The lucky ones had a console player that held up to 10 albums at a time, no changer needed!

Did you learn to dance while the “platter” was spinning? It was popular back then to hold dance parties in basements where everyone brought their favorite album to share and “boogie” the night away. Music brought friends together.

The Community at Rockhill (Canopy) resident Bob Piccone shared some of his vinyl memories with me. Bob was born in 1937 and said his first memories of music playing in his home were on an RCA Victrola when he was about 8 years old. “The first song I can recall being played was ‘If’ by Perry Como.” Bob and his mother were both lovers of Opera and Classical music. One such opera is Rigoletto by Guiseppe Verdi (1851). Bob recalls his older sister collecting 45s of the Your Hit Parade songs. These were chart toppers of the time played on the radio and then, later, on a television show of the same name. Shows like this significantly boosted the sales of the records they featured.

In early years, Bob’s taste spanned Glenn Miller, Frank Sinatra, Doris Day and Elvis. In his later years, Celine Dion, Neil Diamond and Josh Groban were all added to the list of favorites. Bob and his wife are big fans of folk music and together purchased albums by The Kingston Trio and The Brothers Four. When asked what the last album he bought was, he said he couldn’t quite recall, but probably Les Misérables by Claude-Michel Schönberg, Alain Boubil and Jean-Marc Natel.

Bob no longer has his vinyl albums as he and his wife consolidated when they moved into Rockhill. However, he continues to listen to and enjoy music through Sirius Radio and streaming devices.

Jeff Sklarow, resident of Autumn Lea at Lutheran Community at Telford, had some very interesting stories to share about his history with albums and cover artwork. “My friend Cal was an artist who worked on album covers. He got me my first graphics arts job in Willow Grove.” Jeff said, at the time, designing album covers kept a lot of visual artists employed. He once went to California with Cal and met some of the musicians Cal worked for, including Frank Zappa. Jeff said he picked up Frank after a show from a music venue where he was performing and got to know Zappa and Zappa’s wife. Since Jeff was a Zappa fan, this was quite a thrill.

Jeff recalls that the first album he would listen to repeatedly was Benny Goodman’s Sing, Sing, Sing. The first record he remembers buying was by Dave Brubeck: “Countdown-Time in Outer Space.” Jeff still enjoys listening to Led Zepplin, Bob Dylan and a favorite band, The Rolling Stones. However, his all-time favorite band was Cream. Jeff says, “They didn’t last too long, but they were the best,” and still owns some of his old albums. He is particularly fond of the RCA Red Label Albums and sets. According to Jeff, “Red Label are the best recordings on vinyl ever made.”

Although online streaming remains the number one medium for listening to music today, vinyl records have made a resurgence in the past few years. According to Fox 13 News, in 2022, new vinyl records outsold CDs for the first time since 1987. Contemporary artists like Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga and many others regularly put their new releases on vinyl. Why the renewed interest? Joplin News reports that Gen Z and Millennials have discovered the warmer and more authentic sound of vinyl as compared to digital music. They have also discovered an appreciation for the amazing artwork featured on album covers. The tangible aspect is appealing to them and makes them feel closer to their favorite artists. There is certainly a certain sense of charm and nostalgia that can be tied to owning vinyl records!

As the popularity of vinyl records continues to grow, manufacturing them has been problematic. As mentioned in The New York Times, many of the pressing machines used to produce vinyl records are now rather antiquated and difficult to use. This is causing delays in new pressings and even album release dates set by artists. To further complicate matters, there was a fire in 2020 that destroyed one of only two manufacturing plants in the world that, in part, make lacquer discs which is part of the record-making process. Between this fire and the increasing demand for vinyl as a material in general, there is concern the demand will continue to outweigh the supply.

Nevertheless, two Tennessee industry leaders have announced and completed expansions, with the hopes that collectors will continue to have the opportunity to purchase the newer material and artists will continue to meet the demand their fans have for vinyl.

It’s never too late to embrace a new hobby or continue to nurture the one you have. If vinyl records interest you, here are some links to help you in your pursuit:

10 Reasons You Should Be Collecting Vinyl Records
Discover a Hobby: Vinyl Records
How to Build and Preserve a Record Collection

Happy spinning!

Filed Under: News Tagged With: history, interviews, music, residents, vinyl, vinyl records

National Nurses Week

May 8, 2023 by Joni Conrad

In recognition of National Nurses Week, May 6 through 12, we are celebrating our nursing and support staff in Skilled Nursing and Personal Care, along with the wellness staff in Independent Living.

Between our two communities – The Community at Rockhill and Lutheran Community at Telford – we have:
– 2 Directors of Nursing
– 2 Directors of Personal Care
– 36 RNs
– 36 LPNs
– 103 Certified Nurse Aides
– 29 Homemaker / Med Techs

Activities during the week include the opportunity for all staff to sign a THANK YOU card to the nursing staff, an all-staff luncheon, a prize drawing and more!

In a memo to all staff CEO and President Dan McKee noted

“Your dedication to our residents is a hallmark of our organization. Your teamwork is reflected in our five-star rating and high levels of resident satisfaction on both campuses. As caregivers and front-line staff, you form the foundation of our communities.”

National Nurses Week honors nurses everywhere. Promoted by the American Nurses Association, it encourages organizations to celebrate the dedication and outstanding contributions nurses make to healthcare every day. The 2023 Nurses Week theme is “You Make a Difference.” ANA is using this theme to honor the professionals in the nursing field and commend the widespread impact they have. National Nurses Week is celebrated through Friday, May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, distinguished as the founder of modern nursing.

Filed Under: News

Spring Soiree Benefits Rockhill’s Benevolent Care Fund

May 8, 2023 by Joni Conrad

The Community at Rockhill held its annual Spring Soiree in support of its Benevolent Care Fund on Wednesday, May 3, at the Indian Valley Country Club, Telford.

Over 135 friends and supporters of the community attended the event, raising over $57,000 for the Fund. This fund allows residents to have peace of mind that, should they exhaust their assets, a safety net ensures their financial obligations are met, and that they can continue to live and thrive at Rockhill.

The evening’s keynote speaker was Ray Didinger, renowned Philadelphia sportswriter. Ray shared stories of his 50+ year career including being the only reporter to cover all six Philadelphia sports championships. In addition to his prepared text, Ray fielded an array of questions from audience members. The evening ended with a book signing and photos. See photos from the event!

In addition to those who attended, the evening was supported by the premier sponsors:

Hotter Painting | Presenting Sponsor

Integrated Security Systems, LLC | Speaker Sponsor

Excel Communications Worldwide, Inc. | Speaker Sponsor

Additional sponsors were:

Altek Business Systems

Clemens Uniform

Communications Services and Support

Continuous Home Care, Inc

Covenant Alliance Rehab East

Delcrest Medical Services Inc

Innovative Interiors

IT Landes

Johnson Controls

Johnson Kendall Johnson

Ken Vincent Electric LLC

Lenhardt Rodgers Architecture and Interiors

Linda and Dan McKee

Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel LLP

Richter total Office

RLPS Architects

St Luke’s Penn Foundation

Wehrung’s Lumber and Home Center

Wellness Pharmacy Services

Yates Electrical Service Inc

For additional information on the Spring Soiree or the Benevolent Care Fund, contact Alyssa Guers, director of development, aguers@graceim.org or 267-203-1124

 

 

Filed Under: News

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  • Football Rivals, Forever Friends
  • Grooves of Nostalgia: Vinyl Albums and Music Memories
  • National Nurses Week
  • Spring Soiree Benefits Rockhill’s Benevolent Care Fund
  • Celebrating Older Americans Month

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