“HOT SHOT” Shirley Peck Wins Award for 27 years of Volunteer Service to the Elderly at Springmoor

Shirley Peck, a volunteer with Springmoor Life Care Retirement Community since 1984, will receive the prestigious 2012 LeadingAge North Carolina Award that honors excellence in service to the elderly. She will be recognized at a ceremony

at the New Bern Riverfront Convention Center, New Bern, NC on May 15^th, 2012.

When Shirley Peck relocated to Raleigh from Stamford, CT with her husband Bill in 1984, she was looking to exercise her musical muscle and directorial skills to serve her new community. Entertaining and helping others find the musician within them had long been a passion of Shirley’s.

She found herself with plenty of spare time, surrounded by strangers while her husband worked. Without a close knit group of musician friends surrounding her, Shirley ached to find a way to fill the hours doing what she loved best – entertaining. At the same time, serving others and enhancing people’s lives was of utmost importance to her.  

Shirley passed by Springmoor Life Care Retirement Community nearly every day for weeks without giving it a second glance. One day, while singing along to a familiar tune on the radio and in a particularly good mood, she took a leap of faith and turned into the community entrance – as if beckoned. She pulled into the parking lot and approached the woman at the front desk.

“I’m Shirley,” she introduced herself. “I’d like to volunteer here. But the only thing I know is music. Do you think there’s anything I can do?” Within an hour the volunteer coordinator, dozens of residents and the manager had officially christened her Springmoor’s new “Volunteer Pianist.”

What started 27 years ago with a few hours a week playing piano at meals has turned into a musical initiative that has changed and enhanced the lives of hundreds of residents and thousands of audience members.

In 1984, her first year in this role, Shirley recruited seven amateur singing volunteers and formed the group “HOT SHOTS.” Wearing homemade costumes, the group sang, danced, played instruments and entertained residents. Visitors, family and employees would join in and sing along to the familiar songs the group played. Soon, the HOT SHOTS were getting requests to perform outside Springmoor, so they took their show on the road, traveling to churches, nursing facilities and community events. Among the notable masters of ceremonies was Raleigh’s own Ira David Woods and North Carolina’s governor Jim Martin. 

Shirley can transform a small group of amateur singers into a choir by transposing written music into lively songs.  With her coaching, the senior singers are able to bring the songs to life. Limited only by the capacity of the bus used to transport the group and their instruments, the HOT SHOTS had 22 members by 1990.

Over the years, nearly 300 Springmoor residents have called themself a “HOT SHOT.” With 1250 rehearsals, 326 performances, and 27 years under her belt, what’s next for volunteer musician Shirley Peck?

I’d love to reach even more people with our seasonal program, “Springmoor Presents.” I’m on a mission to prove to people that it’s never too late to become a star.” 

Love Finds Springmoor Couple

Emily knew who Bob was. After all, he was her boss at the convenience store where she volunteers. Bob runs the small shop at Springmoor Life Care Retirement Community, where residents and staff find needed essentials without having to leave the safe, familiar campus.

Their paths crossed this past Thanksgiving when Emily volunteered to take Bob’s hours over the holidays so he could travel to St. Louis and meet his great grandson, whom was born just a month before. Bob’s grateful family even made it a point to meet Emily on their next visit to their dad in Raleigh, taking the two out to dinner. Still, no sparks.

Fast forward to February 14, 2012. Emily becomes quite the celebrity when the local paper covers the staff and residents of Springmoor packaging over 50,000 meals to send across the globe for Raleigh-based charity Stop Hunger Now. Emily’s chipper demeanor, quick smile and magnetic personality captures the attention of the News and Observer photographer and it is a photo of Emily, happily filling bags of rice, that becomes front page news the next day.

This gives Bob something to talk about with Emily when she finds her way to the empty seat beside him on the bus headed to the NC Symphony just a day later. “She had a big smile, and I had an empty seat,” he said. Lively conversation followed, and the two brought each other up to date on what’s been happening in their lives the past 80 years. It turns out they have much in common, even sharing 1951 as the year they married (Bob to Joan and Emily to Milford).

Bob didn’t hesitate to ask Emily out on an official date to a movie and Mexican dinner. Following a six day courtship, Bob visited a nearby Ace Hardware to purchase supplies to make Emily’s engagement ring. He wasn’t sure she would want a traditional ring. He cut down a piece of plastic pipe coupling on which he printed a message to her - “I love you. Will you marry me?” He attached the label to the ring, wrapped and packaged it within four other wrapped boxes before calling Emily to tell her that she had a package waiting for her at his home. “I was overjoyed and ready to say yes,” she said.

Their family and friends stood up for 81 year old Emily and 80 year old Bob this past Saturday. Reverend Phyllis Mayo, Springmoor’s chaplain for over 25 years, officiated the ceremony, blending these two families. They will live in his house on the campus, after they honeymoon in Myrtle Beach, and plan to continue their active participation in life.

National Nutrition Month-Get Your Plate in Shape

Before you eat, do you think about what you will put onto your plate? A balanced plate sets you on the path to success for your whole day - a day when one healthy meal leads to another, which leads to another.

Get your plate in shape this March during National Nutrition Month with these ideas from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics:

• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables. Eat a variety of vegetables, especially dark-green, red and orange vegetables, plus beans and peas. Fresh, frozen and canned vegetables all count. Choose "reduced sodium" or "no-salt-added" canned vegetables.


• Make at least half your grains whole. Choose 100% whole-grain breads, cereals, crackers, pasta and brown rice. Check the ingredients list on food packages to find whole-grain foods.


• Switch to fat-free or low-fat milk. Fat-free and low-fat milk have the same amount of calcium and other essential nutrients as whole milk, but less fat and calories.


• Vary your protein choices. Eat a variety of foods from the protein food group each week, such as seafood, nuts and beans, as well as lean meat, poultry and eggs. Twice a week, make seafood the protein on your plate. Keep meat and poultry portions small and lean.


• Cut back on sodium and empty calories from solid fats and added sugars.


• Drink water instead of sugary drinks. Choose 100% fruit juice instead of fruit-flavored drinks.


• Select fruit for dessert and eat sugary desserts less often.


• Enjoy your food, but eat less. Avoid over-sized portions. Use a smaller plate, bowl and glass.


• Cook more often at home, where you are in control of what's in your food.


• When eating out, choose lower calorie menu options. Choose dishes that include vegetables, fruits and whole grains.

from Eat Smart, Move More NC

Stop Hunger Now

Stop Hunger Now (SHN) is an international relief organization headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina. Driven by the vision of a world without hunger, its mission is to provide food and life-saving aid to the worlds most vulnerable and create a global commitment to mobilize the necessary resources.

“When Springmoor hosted our first meal-packaging event for STOP HUNGER NOW in 2009, we set our goal at $4,000, but raised twice that. So this time around we were bold enough to set our goal a little higher at $10,000, which means we will be packaging 40,000 meals. The residents and staff had so much fun working and laughing together the first time we did this we knew we would do it again. We set the date for Valentine’s Day as an expression of our love for people around the world,” said Chaplain, Phyllis Mayo. Springmoor certainly did express love for those less fortunate, exceeding this year's fundraising goal by $3,500!

The day began at 8:00am as Springmoor and Stop Hunger Now staff unloaded 50lb. bags of rice, soy, dehydrated vegetables, and other supplies from the truck.  Throughout the day residents and staff volunteers packaged the highly nutritious dehydrated rice and soy meals to feed the world’s most impoverished. These life-saving meals combine rice, soy, dehydrated vegetables, flavoring and a mixture of 21 vitamins and minerals into reasonable servings of six. The meals are easy to transport, have a long shelf life and cost only $0.25 per meal to create. By the end of the day, 50,442 meals had been bagged, sealed, packed in boxes, and loaded back onto the truck, ready for distribution.

(Chaplain Phyllis Mayo with 50,000 meal award)

“Springmoor is excited to partner with Stop Hunger Now,” said David Ammos, CEO of the nationally recognized life care residential estate. “We are involved with many charitable organizations and Stop Hunger Now is one of the finest. This event is a great way for our residents to benefit those in need.”

SHN’s meal packaging program currently operates Raleigh, Goldsboro and Charlotte, N.C.; Lynchburg, Hampton Roads and Richmond, Va.; Jackson, Miss.; Phoenix, Ariz.; Durban, South Africa; Philadelphia, Pa.; Atlanta, Ga.; Santa Ana, Cosine the program’s inception, more than 150,000 volunteers have packaged more than 55 million meals. To find out more, visit http://www.stophungernow.org/.

Calling all Donors!

Springmoor Developer, Jud Ammons, Inducted into Raleigh Hall of Fame

 

Raleigh real estate developer and philanthropist Justus “Jud” Ammons was recently inducted into the Raleigh Hall of Fame.  From a childhood sharecropping in the North Carolina mountains, Ammons built a career as a visionary developer and land planner. He is a pioneer in planned urban development and senior living communities, notably Greystone Village and Springmoor, Raleigh’s first continuing care retirement community. As one of the most successful land developers in the Southeast, his efforts include providing affordable housing and championing Raleigh’s greenway system. Along with Ammons, the 2011 Raleigh Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Dinner honored 10 additional individuals and two nonprofits.

“My motto since high school has always been: Don’t wish you had, be glad you did,” says Ammons. After graduating from NC State University, he served in the US Air Force and then worked as a department head with Carolina Power & Light. In 1968, he founded Ammons Construction Company. Since that time, he has built, owned, and operated major subdivisions, day care facilities, golf course communities, industrial parks, and shopping centers across North Carolina. Driven by a desire to create communities of the utmost quality, he is often heard to say: “Let it be pretty.”

Ammons’ service to the community includes leadership on the Wake County Planning Commission, Raleigh Greenway Commission, and Raleigh Bicentennial Commission. He is a founder of Greystone Baptist Church and has served on several legislative study commissions, as a member of the volunteer fire department, and as a trustee of Mars Hill College. Jud and his wife Jo Ellen are benefactors of Mars Hill College, Meredith College, NC State University, the Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, and numerous other charities.

Ammons has also contributed to the real estate and construction industry as president and board member of the Raleigh-Wake County Home Builders Association and director of the National Association of Home Builders. Awards received include Raleigh-Wake Homebuilder of the Year and Excellence in Design.

Springmoor Welcomes New Meredith College President

Springmoor residents with ties to Meredith College, either as alumnae or retired staff, and their invited guests recently welcomed the college's new president, Dr. Jo Allen.  A crowd of almost 100 flowed into the Springmoor lobby, greeting current friends, getting reacquainted with those of years past, and, of course, registering for door prizes. 

The crowd trickled upstairs to the Springmoor Auditorium, piling their plates high with fruit, pastries, mini quiches, and the most popular, ham biscuits, along the way.  Springmoor's food service staff even provided fruit smoothies with a burgundy tint, honoring one of Meredith College's official and most recognizable colors.  Long tables, where guests were seated, were peppered with the seal of the college and arrangements of the school's flower, the purple iris.

The guest of honor, Dr. Allen, then took to the podium, giving the crowd some background on her life, including how she got where she is today, as head of the Southeast's largest private women's college.

After a few words from members of the Springmoor community, the door prize winners were chosen, and a lucky few were presented with the beautiful purple iris table arrangements.  After brunch, everyone continued to catch up with one another, and took the time to individually greet Dr. Allen before contuining on with their days.  Guests left truly energized and inspired by Dr. Allen's love of the school, and her visions for its future.