Precious. Vibrant. Treasured. These words describe the Providence family — the residents, clients, staff, families, board members, donors, and volunteers who work to reflect God's glory in dozens of ways throughout ordinary,— our 49th annual gathering — will be a celebration of all the living gems who make up the Providence family.

On Friday, November 6, 2009, at The Field Museum in downtown Chicago, we'll gather at 6:30pm for a gracious, sit-down meal. Rev. Bob Bouwer of Faith Church (Dyer, IN) will emcee the evening, and a Faith Church praise team will lead us in celebration-filled praise and worship. A special ministry update will feature Providence residents, staff, volunteers, and board members, each one a treasured gem in the Providence family. We'll close our evening with open opportunities to wander the museum's exhibits.

This is the second year that The Field Museum is hosting our Torchlight celebration, a tribute to the success of last year's event. The museum's special exhibit — The Nature of Diamonds — and the popular Grainger Hall of Gems serve as a perfect backdrop for an event that focuses on the living gems of Providence.

For Torchlight attendees who prefer not to drive — buses will be available at four locations: Second Christian Reformed Church of Highland, IN; Holland Home in South Holland, IL; Providence of Palos Heights, IL; and Providence of Downers Grove, IL. Bus reservations are $15.00 per person. Contact Joan at 708.342.8108 or email her at jschutt@provlife.com. If you prefer to drive yourself, valet parking will be available at Soldier Field for $15.00.

You won't want to miss this beautiful time of celebration and fellowship. Mark your calendar and
reserve your table today!.

This year's Torchlight dinner promises to be a glistening, sparkling celebration, an event that truly honors all the living gems of Providence. There are three ways you can reserve your participation in the celebration:

1. Sponsor the event. Your significant sponsorship gift helps defer the costs associated with such an event. As an expression of our gratitude, we'll send you 8 reservations to the dinner, and we’ll include you in our circle of sponsors.
2. Host a table. For a gift of $600, you can bring 8 people to the Torchlight dinner.
3. Attend. Individual tickets are available for a gift of $75.

To make sure you can participate at the level you choose, contact Joan at 708.342.8108 or jschutt@provlife.com. Joan can answer questions, provide driving directions, and send as many tickets as you need. The event is filling up quickly, so call as soon as possible. You won't want to miss this beautiful time of celebration and fellowship. Mark your calendar and reserve your table today!

His name is Paul, and he’s only 62 years old. The fall that landed him in need of nursing care was a fluke — he tripped over a short, concrete step and hit his head. The fall knocked him out. When he regained consciousness briefly, he dragged himself to the bathroom and then passed out again. There he lay, unconscious, for three days.

Paul lives in a friendly, established neighborhood in Whiting, Indiana, so when his neighbor began to wonder why he hadn't seen Paul for a while, he walked over and knocked on the door. At the sound of the knock, Paul revived enough to make some noise, which his neighbor heard. The neighbor let himself in and found Paul in the bathroom. When he saw Paul's condition, he immediately called 911.

The paramedics who arrived knew at once that Paul's condition was dire. He had injured his kidneys in the fall and was suffering renal failure, which is often fatal. They rushed him to the hospital, and he survived surgery, to everyone's relief!

Paul needed follow-up care upon his release, so he was discharged to a local nursing home. "It was awful," remembers Paul. "It was...," his voice trails off, and he shakes his head, unable to put words to his memories. This nursing home lived up to all the negative perceptions that most people have about nursing care facilities. Paul almost died again.

And then he met Providence.
A social worker at St. Margaret Mercy put Paul in touch with Providence Healthcare and Rehabilitation of South Holland (Illinois), where he received the care and therapy he needed. Six weeks later Paul was strong enough to move to Holland Home, our retirement community on the same campus.

"This is a good place," Paul says quietly about Holland Home. Physically, he could probably handle moving back to his home in Whiting at any time, but for now he appreciates the security of community living, and having help available at the push of a button. "I'm still afraid of steps," he says. "I have a reaction every time I think about what happened."

So for now, Paul is a member of the Holland Home family. He walks around the campus every day, building up his strength. And he enjoys the meals and fellowship available in the restaurant-style dining room.

Deana Wilson, Community Manager of Holland Home, says, "Paul's story is one example of why I do what I do." Like many Providence employees, she considers it an honor to be part of a ministry that offers healing to body, mind, and spirit in the name of Christ.

Providence is on the forefront of the latest technology solutions for providing cost-effective and innovative care. A good example of this is our use of the Intel Health Guide system. In October, Providence At Home (the home health division of Providence) is beginning a pilot study of the Intel Health Guide for 10–12 clients who need consistent monitoring for heart-related problems. A similar pilot study using GrandCare Systems is already underway, thanks to 10 residents at Victorian Village who agreed to participate.

Both Intel and GrandCare allow health information to be shared digitally among clients, their families, and their doctors. Through an easy-to-use, intuitive interface, clients can stay in touch with family members and doctors through video conferencing, sending current vital signs and more.

By leveraging this technology to monitor clients, we hope to reduce re-hospitalization rates and open up new forms of independence and disease management. These monitoring systems are a sample of the many types of technology that Providence uses to provide the exact care our clients need in a setting that best integrates with their lives.

If you happen to see Dora Boomstra in the café or the chapel at Holland Home, ask about her unique story. She's lived an amazing life!

Dora thought her natural introversion made it unlikely that she would ever become a missionary. But God’s supernatural empowerment perfectly equipped her for 42 years of service in India! She never married and has no children of her own, but her teaching and administrative roles at an educational institute in India allowed her to nurture the spiritual lives of thousands of youngsters.

And she is still an influence on children today! Last year, for example, she adopted a class of first-graders at nearby Calvin Christian School and became their prayer partner.

She has lived at Holland Home for 16 years, but Dora has never retired from ministry. Her unretiring faith makes her a “living gem” — precious to God and precious to Providence as well.

It takes people of compassion and wisdom to effectively lead an organization like Providence Life Services. We are blessed to have board members and staff leaders who fit that description. They keep us focused on our mission, and they guide us as we serve our residents and clients.

Recently, Sam Van Til became President of our Board of Directors. A thoughtful leader, Sam is perhaps best known as former co-owner (with his brother Frank) of the Strack & Van Til chain of grocery stores. Although the chain was sold several years ago, Sam and Frank still own the Hammond, Indiana, store. “The new owners have let us continue to run it like a family business,” says Sam. “That’s worked out well for us.” Treating people kindly, thinking creatively, spending wisely — these are all traits that Sam learned from his father, who opened his first store in Hammond in 1936, and kept it open throughout the war and the depression. Sam learned as much from his father’s example as from his teachings.

But it is perhaps his own role as father that has best prepared Sam for Providence leadership. As the father of a child with special needs, Sam has a unique perspective on providing care and support to families who are walking a difficult path at any stage of life. His fatherly experience makes him a sympathetic voice, and his business acumen makes him an innovative problem-solver. We are grateful to have Sam’s Christian leadership, tender heart, and significant wisdom as a part of the Providence Board.

Providence’s newest campus — Park Place of Elmhurst — will make available a better quality of life for everyone who has made a reservation. Providence knows that where you live has an effect on how you live, so we put great thought into selecting the physical location of Park Place. We chose 12 acres near the heart of Elmhurst, Illinois, which consistently ranks among the best places in the nation to live.

Park Place is located in a beautiful residential setting, surrounded by parks, bike trails, a school, churches, and the newly constructed, state-of-the-art Elmhurst Memorial Hospital and its comprehensive medical center.

Park Place will offer a full array of services in a variety of settings on a gracious campus. Comfortable retirement apartments, home healthcare, rehabilitation services, Assisted Living, and a Memory Support area will all be included in this new community.

Your typical day might include a workout in the fitness center and a few laps in the pool, followed by some quiet time in the jacuzzi and an appointment at the salon before you meet friends for dinner in one of the three on-site restaurant venues.

Providence is excited to offer the combination of service options, location, and assurance
available at Park Place of Elmhurst. If this is the retirement you've been looking for, visit www.ParkPlaceElmhurst.com for more information!.