Kendal at Oberlin

04/16/2026

This month Brian Milligan celebrates his 14th anniversary as a PRN driver for Kendal.

He loves the versatility of his job. Some weeks Brian works 10 hours, other times 30, some days he’s behind the wheel of a bus, other times a medical transport or Prius. Some trips take him to local stores, others to Cleveland concerts. “Never a dull moment,” he says.

But the past part of the job, Brain will tell you, are his passengers.

“People attach themselves to me, and I attach myself to them. They’re like family to me,” Brian says.

The feeling is mutual, say residents like Mary Joy Leaper, who last year nominated Brian for a LeadingAge Ohio Stars Award.

“I was new to Kendal, to Oberlin, to Ohio; everything was new, including being without a car,” Mary Joy wrote. “Brian did all he could to make me feel comfortable on my first shopping trip on the Kendal bus, explaining at every step what the routine was. Now, he always remembers that I need a small shopping cart and goes out of his way to find one for me.

Brian does this for every Kendal resident he serves; he is unfailingly friendly, attentive, willing, and caring. ‘I’m here for you,’ Brian said the first time I got on the bus. Those words could be considered his ‘theme song,’ and I have witnessed him living them many times.”

Mary Joy’s nomination moved the LeadingAge evaluators so much that they chose Brian to be given the first-ever Changemaker Award.

Brian lives about 45 minutes from Kendal in Medina County with his wife Linda. They foster dogs and enjoy month-long trips in their RV. Next up, is Savannah, Georgia and other stops along the East Coast.

04/13/2026

This month the Marketing & Sales torch was passed as long-time employee Terry Kovach retired. Terry joined the staff in 1995 and five years ago was named director when Maggie Stark, another veteran employee, retired.

Terry leaves on a high note, with an incredible 99% committed occupancy rate and a building expansion on the horizon.

Terry’s retirement presented an opportunity to reorganize the Sales and Marketing department, a highly visible department given that its mission is to find prospective residents from across the country and handle all the details for their successful move.

CEO Seth Vilensky will oversee the department, which will be run by new hire Nick McConnell, Associate Director of Sales, and Kelly Corcoran, who has worked at Kendal five years and now takes on the role of Associate Director of Marketing and Communications.

Rounding out the department are JoDee Palmer, who joined Kendal in 2000 and will take on the job of Sales Counselor, and new hire Hannah Brod, Sales & Marketing Analysis Assistant.

On her last day of work Terry was honored with a festive sendoff attended by dozens of staff and residents. Staff opened a time capsule from early 1990s, which contained marketing brochures, menus, hand-written prospective cards, and photographs, and Human Resources Director Toni Merleno read a poem, which read in part:

You worked so hard to make this dream come true,
And no one deserves it more than you.
I wish you days of happiness, not filled with any strife,
I hope that your retirement years,
Are the best years of your life!

Kelly gave Terry a Kendal tote bag filled with loads of Kendal marketing items for her many travels, starting with an Alaskan cruise with husband Tom.

“I appreciate the many good wishes from residents and staff,” Terry says. “I’ve been fortunate to see how fulfilling a purposeful retirement can be and hope to accomplish the same. Thank you to Seth, Toni and the Sales & Marketing team for organizing a memorable farewell gathering!”

04/09/2026

As Medical Director at Kendal at Oberlin, Georgia Newman, MD, FACP, brings more than 50 years of experience in internal and geriatric medicine to our community. A trailblazer for women in medicine, she remains deeply committed to patient-centered care, lifelong learning, and the relationships that make healthcare truly meaningful. Thank you American Board of Internal Medicine for highlighting Dr. Newman's amazing career.

Georgia Newman, MD, FACP, received her medical degree from Harvard Medical School in 1971 and became ABIM Board Certified in Internal Medicine in 1974 and Geriatric Medicine in 1988. She practices geriatric medicine in Oberlin, Ohio, and continues to participate in Maintenance of Certification (MOC)...

04/08/2026

National Poetry Month started 30 years ago, and has grown into a BIG worldwide event, according to its founders, The Academy of American Poets:

“National Poetry Month is the largest literary celebration in the world, with tens of millions of readers, students, K–12 teachers, librarians, booksellers, literary events curators, publishers, bloggers, and—of course—poets marking poetry’s important place in our culture and our lives every April.”

Here are 5 ways to celebrate, both near and remote.

The Cuyahoga County Public Library features a 30-day “Read + Write Poetry” event, which is a daily email that includes a poem, a writing prompt and a poetry book suggestion.

The Cleveland Public Library has a special exhibit entitled “The Nature of our Times,” which features poems from the anthology of the same name. A poetry reading and reception to highlight the downtown exhibit (which closes April 22) is Saturday, April 18 at 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The Cleveland Poetry Festival, this year dedicated to Nobel Laureate and Pulitzer Prize winner (and Ohio native) Toni Morrison is April 21-25 and includes an array of events both virtual and in-person, free and fee, in many locations. Contact Literary Cleveland for registration information.

“Poetry & the Creative Mind,” a virtual poetry event featuring Louise Erdrich, Maria Shriver and others will be held April 28 at 7:30 p.m. The event is free but registration is required.

The Library of Congress event on April 30 (7 p.m.) in Washington D.C. is free and will be streamed. U.S. Poet Laureate Arthur Sze and U.K. Poet Laureate Simon Armitage will join the stage for the first time, to discuss their new books: Sze's "Transient Worlds: On Translating Poetry" and Armitage's "Gilgamesh: A New Verse Translation."

A free benefit reading celebrating the 30th anniversary of National Poetry Month, supporting K-12 poetry education.

04/06/2026

If you have wall space in need of creative color or a piece of artwork that has seen better days, good news. Kendal at Oberlin’s periodic Art Sale is this week and the more than 150 items are “priced to find a new home, $1 to $25 with most in the $5 to $10 price range,” says organizer Mary Behm.

The sale, open to the public, starts today, April 6, and runs through Thursday, April 10, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The sale is “honor system” so bring exact change or a check. The sale is in the Community Gallery and the money box is at the Reception Desk. Proceeds benefit Kendal’s Staff Emergency Fund.

Items for sale include original oil paintings, watercolors, fiber art, prints, photographs, calligraphy, acrylics with diverse subject matter and often beautifully framed. The sale also includes geometric folded figures by Bob Cothran, a recently deceased resident who designed stage sets and did a large mural in the Heiser Lounge.

The sale’s backstory is an interesting one. Many residents donate original art pieces to the Kendal Art Committee for display in Kendal’s public spaces – hallways, offices, dining rooms and Stephens Care Center. The current collection has about 1,000 pieces, but new artwork is always arriving and displays are routinely changed. Plus, storage space is limited.

“We don’t want to store art, we want to display it. This sale is our way to refresh our collection,” Mary says.

This is Kendal’s fourth sale. In the past, the sale was held for one day in the Heiser Lounge, but that area is now being used for meals because of the dining room renovation.

In addition to Kendal’s public art areas, the life plan community is home to three galleries that feature regional artists throughout the year.

04/02/2026

At Kendal’s annual Spring Fling this month, a troupe of hula dancers will take the stage for the first time. The group was started last fall by Hawaii native and Kendal resident Bobbie Conlan.

“Hula is a connection to my homeland – and I’m a long way from home,” says Bobbie, who informally calls the group “Hui Hula o Kaʻo,” a play on Kendal at Oberlin— “hui” means group or gathering, and Kaʻo is the gentle sway in the dance.

The women – Kathy Hazelton, Tomo Ijiri, and Satsuki Annino –will dance “Puamana,” a well-known Hawaiian song about the composer’s beloved home on Maui.

“I love discovering a new way to move to music and capturing a little bit of what I saw on TV shows as a kid. It's fun to learn a little bit about Hawaiian culture and language, and I always enjoy learning a new skill (if only to a beginning level!)” Kathy Hazelton says.

Bobbie started dancing hula in her teens, then moved off the island and “life happened.” In her early 50s, her mother asked her to join the other hula dancers performing at her birthday party, and Bobbie’s desire to dance returned. She joined a hula hui in Virginia and then one in Hawaii when she moved back home in 2012 with her husband, Steve Ristow.

The couple moved to Kendal in 2022, in part drawn to the area because Steve’s son teaches at Oberlin College. The couple still has a home in Kailua where they spend a few weeks in summer and winter.

In Hawaii, folks who dance hula will often get up to perform a favorite song at private parties or in restaurants and bars that offer live Hawaiian music. “For the dancers, the music is irresistible, and the musicians enjoy having the story told by the dancers,” Bobbie says.
She hopes Hui Hula o Ka’o continues after the Spring Fling and maybe attracts more dancers. “If you’re dancing 45 minutes to an hour, you’re on your feet and getting a workout. It also exercises your brain because you must remember the feet and hand movements along with the story you’re telling,” she says.

03/31/2026

Here’s something we all might be able to wrap our hands around: Let’s laugh more.

Explains comedian Chris Duffy, author of a new book entitled “Humor Me: How Laughing More Can Make You Present, Creative, Connected, and Happy:”

“We are living in a moment when anxiety and despair are troublingly on the rise. Between climate change, structural injustices, political dysfunction, and pandemics, there’s a pervasive sense of hopelessness and isolation among many people I interact with in my daily life, especially younger people. Humor offers us a powerful and immediate antidote, not to deny the reality of these struggles but to cut through the cynicism and nihilism that we might otherwise resort to, to release tension and fuel the kind of creativity that leads to social change.”

And on the eve of April Fools’ Day no better time than now to lighten up. The holiday has been celebrated for several centuries by different cultures, embraced by the media, companies and your average prankster.

Some major pranks, according to HISTORY include:

In 1957, the BBC reported that Swiss farmers were experiencing a record spaghetti crop and showed footage of people harvesting noodles from trees.

In 1985, Sports Illustrated writer George Plimpton tricked many readers when he ran a made-up article about a rookie pitcher named Sidd Finch who could throw a fastball over 168 miles per hour.

In 1992, National Public Radio ran a spot with former President Richard Nixon saying he was running for president again… only it was an actor, not Nixon.

In 1996, Taco Bell duped people when it announced it had agreed to purchase Philadelphia's Liberty Bell and rename it the Taco Liberty.

Popular amateur pranks include putting sugar in the saltshaker, fast forwarding the alarm clock, announcing “I WON the lottery,” and leaving a phone message to call “Mr. Lyon” with the zoo phone number.

Whatever the prank, but sure to execute early in the day before someone realizes it’s April Fools’ Day.

03/27/2026

Now that Spring is here, it’s time (we hope) to put boots and snow shovel away.

Regardless of the weather, though, Spring means it’s time to:

Start seeds indoors. A quick internet search will give you all the dos and don’ts, which include – start small, use seed-starting mix, invest in inexpensive artificial grow lights and don’t over water. Even if you plan to forego indoor planting, heading to a garden store and browsing through seed packets is like getting hit with a dose of springtime sun.

Spring clean. That may mean different things to different people but look around and you’ll know what needs TLC. Overflowing bookcases and closets? Cluttered garages and basements? Dusty blinds, curtains, ceiling fans? “Spring cleaning is a time-honored American household tradition promoting a boosted mood, better focus, and overall relaxation,” according to the American Cleaning Institute

Break out seasonal scents. Thanks to companies like Mrs. Meyers Clean Day in Wisconsin and Root Candles in Ohio, you can find candles, liquid hand soaps and room sprays scented with lemon and lime, basil and rosemary, lilac and rose and more. Mrs. Meyers also makes scented cleaning supplies that can give your spring cleaning an added boost.

Treat yourself to a spring thing to wear. Maybe it’s time for a new lightweight jacket, sun hat or Guardians cap, sunglasses, shorts. Glance in your closet and pull out what’s seen better days, or flip through an L.L. Bean or Lands’ End catalog for ideas.

Head to your local park. Spring is a wonderful time to explore the outdoors as spring wildflowers bloom, turtles come out to sun and birds take to the sky. Many parks offer guided hikes.

The ingredients in your cleaning products fall into several different categories, added to provide different characteristics and cleaning functions.

03/20/2026

Older adults tend to be trusting and polite, usually have financial savings and good credit and own a home. And that’s why scammers like to target them, according to the FBI – Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Explains the FBI:

“Each year, millions of elderly Americans fall victim to some type of financial fraud or confidence scheme. Criminals will gain their targets’ trust and may communicate with them directly online, over the phone, and/or through the mail; or indirectly through the TV and radio. With the elderly population growing and seniors racking up more than $3 billion in losses annually, elder fraud has remained a growing problem.”

Common scams targeting older adults include:

Grandparent scam where a criminal poses as a child, grandchild or other relative needing immediate financial help;
Romance scam where a criminal poses as an interested romantic partner on social media or a dating website to trick an older person looking for a companion.

Tech support scam where a criminal poses as a technology support representative and offers to fix non-existent computer issues.
Like many retirement communities, Kendal at Oberlin tries to keep its residents abreast of the latest scams and recently has expanded its outreach thanks to the collaboration of resident Deborah Gray and Kim Preston, Kendal’s risk manager.

“The genesis of this experiment was my concern, as a former teacher and as contact person for KORAtech (Kendal at Oberlin Residents Association) that what's needed is small, frequent, catchy reminders to keep top-of-mind what to be on the lookout for. Kim and I discussed possible ways to promulgate the information and settled on using WKAO slides and the traffic-light SOS theme,” Deborah explains.

WKAO is Kendal’s TV channel, which includes a daily news and events posting. Using AI tools, Deborah and Kim came up with nearly 100 slides on scams involving phone, email and websites.

Topics include:

Pop-up warnings (“Close or shut down. Never click Cancel or OK.”)
Notice from Amazon and other shopping sites (“If you didn’t order it, ignore it.”)
A text from your bank, Social Security Administration, etc. (“Real institutions use official channels.)
“After all the slides have been prepared and submitted, Kim and I will evaluate the experiment and what to do next, e.g., start the cycle again, create some new slides (especially as AI-produced scams increase), try something different.” Deborah says.

03/11/2026

We’re proud of the Oberlin Advocacy Team —six Kendal residents and two Kendal at Home members (photographed and missing two members Don Reeves and Diana Roose)—whose work was recently highlighted by the Friends Committee on National Legislation - FCNL. Since 2018, they’ve built strong relationships with our elected officials, shared personal stories, and advocated with compassion and persistence.

Their efforts show how older adults can be powerful voices for justice and peace.

Read the full testimony: https://hubs.ly/Q046rXfk0

03/11/2026

Come learn about antique flutes and vintage pocket watches, search Lorain County records and more at the Oberlin Heritage Center's Community Pop-Up Museum, to be held this Saturday, March 14, at Oberlin Community Services, 500 E. Lorain St. The event is free and runs 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

This pop-up was planned as part of the nationwide initiative to mark the America250 anniversary. The Heritage Center thought this would be a good opportunity for the public to celebrate what is meaningful to them.

“This free, family-friendly event is a great way to connect with others while exploring history, artifacts, photographs and more. Let your curiosity run free!” says Liz Schultz, executive director.

Exhibitors include individuals, families and organizations who will curate their artifacts, kind of a “show and tell.” Along with the exhibits listed above, others include local church histories, World War I family documents, family textiles, vintage cameras and more.

The Intermuseum Conservation Association (ICA) will also be at the event with a table containing information about how to care for your historical objects.
This is the Center’s second pop-up – the first one was in 2019.

The Oberlin Heritage Center, located in the Monroe House at 73 ½ S. Professor St., offers lecturers, research services and local tours, both guided and self-guided. Tour topics include Westwood Cemetery, Oberlin City Schools and famous Oberlin College alumni Charles Martin Hall and Frank and Sarah Jewett.

Community Pop-Up Museum! Saturday, March 14 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. The Oberlin Heritage Center is hosting a community pop-up museum and there are just a few weeks left to register to exhibit! All are welcome to visit this surprise “museum” at Oberlin Community Services (500 East Lorain Street, Oberl...

03/06/2026

The month of March belongs to women, who are celebrating past achievements and fighting for future ones.

Women’s History Month focuses on the vital role women have played in American history while International Women's Day (IWD) on March 8 is a global event, this year themed “Give to Gain.”

According to organizers:

“In 2026, IWD marks an extraordinary milestone: 115 years of collective action, advocacy, and progress toward gender equality. For more than a century, IWD has helped drive transformative change. Each generation has built on the courage of those before it, pushing boundaries and redefining what is possible.”

In Cleveland, women and their supporters will gather at Market Square Park near downtown Cleveland at 2 p.m., Sunday, March 8 with a rally and speeches, followed by a 30-minute march.

"We will march this year on International Women's Day in Cleveland to address the many issues impacting women in Northeast Ohio and around the country, from ICE murders to violence against women, and the attack on SNAP benefits, reproductive rights, and civil rights," said Women's March Cleveland head organizer Kathy Wray Coleman."
Local events highlighting Women’s History Month include guided tours of women artists at the The Cleveland Museum of Art. The weekly tours on Wednesdays 6:15 p.m. and Saturdays 3 p.m. are free but tickets are required.

The Cleveland Public Library has a series of events, including one bowing to the city’s rock ‘n roll legacy - an engaging book discussion (to the backdrop of Fleetwood Mac music) of “Gold Dust Woman: The Biography of Stevie Nicks” by Stephen Davis. The discussion is Saturday, March 14 at 10:30 a.m. at the Eastman Campus.

Speaking of books, Harvard University Press among others, has put together a reading list of new and classic books that celebrate women’s remarkable achievements, such as “Why They Marched: Untold Stories of the Women Who Fought for the Right to Vote” by Susan Ware and “Liner Notes for the Revolution: The Intellectual Life of Black Feminist Sound” by Daphne A. Brooks.