Frances
Wilson, a retiree, holds a baby named Elijah in her arms as she waits for their
turn to play a game called “What’s in the sock?” Both are grinning.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Wilson and Elijah are part of Generations,
a care center at 234 Coldwater Road in Gates. Its special twist: Kids and
elders are cared for at the same facility, so both can enjoy each other’s
company. Employees of Generations, among other things, oversee operations and
plan activities.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Wilson worked in daycare for years,
and says she missed the kids after she retired. Ask her how she likes spending
time at Generations, and she glows.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย “It’s what I was missing when I got
where I couldn’t work,” she explains. “It’s beautiful. Everybody’s a big
family.”
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Each of Rochester’s four Generations
centers is a childcare facility, and the Gates center has on-site elder care.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย At the Highland Avenue and Stenson
Street centers in Rochester, as well as the West Avenue center in Fairport,
elders aren’t on-site all the time. They are transported to Generations from
local nursing homes to participate in activities like games, crafts, and
reading with the kids.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย According to Eve Moses, executive
director of elder care at the Gates center, the “little ones” love the
“Grammas” and “Grandpas” they interact with every day. The centers help bring
back the extended family we’ve lost over the years, she says. And the
low-functioning seniors at Generations help kids understand disabilities and
teach them to be “better citizens.”
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย And, she says, the kids thrive on
the extra care they’re given. “For the kids, it’s extra attention, which is
what everybody needs nowadays,” Moses says.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย For more information, go to
www.generations-care.com.
—
Jennifer Weiss
Colgate update
Students and faculty
at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity
School, along with community members, are continuing to discuss with
Colgate Rochester administrators the details of the upcoming library merger.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย The deal will transfer a large
portion of books from the Ambrose Swasey Library to the Rush Rhees Library at
the University of Rochester. Colgate Rochester’s Board of Trustees will vote
June 15 on contracts being drawn up by both sides.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Christine Wenderoth, director of the
Swasey Library, has proposed to retain two more librarians and almost twice the
number of books as compared to the suggestions drafted by the administration.
She also hopes the transition will be slower, which might mean retaining other
staff members for six to 12 months.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย The Riverbank Community — a group
of Colgate Rochester students, alumni, religious and community leaders, and
laypeople — has offered a proposal of its own.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย The essence of the proposal: to
lease the operation of the library for a year, and then buy it over time. According
to community member Tobias Pinckney, the group hopes to establish a “Save
the Library for a Year” campaign. Through the campaign, churches
throughout the country would be asked to purchase shelves and ranges (vertical
units) for donations of $100 to $500.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย See the
mail for a letter to the editor from Swasey Library Director Christine
Wenderoth.
RIJF schedule
There’s
been a change to the performance times for vocalist Curtis Stigers during the Rochester International Jazz Festival.
Stigers now plays at 6 and 10:15 p.m. on Monday, June 7, at the RIJF Big Tent
at Main and Gibbs Streets. To accommodate the switch, the Dave Rivello Ensemble
will play at 8:30 p.m. on June 7 at the Big Tent.
This article appears in Jun 2-8, 2004.
