Reflection Pools to Swimming Pools

Ask almost any kid about what Memorial Day is and three quick answers emerge, "Its a day school's out"," My parents have the day off because it's a holiday", and "It's the day the city pool opens for the summer". All three are correct answers and would be repeated by a majority of kids from tots to teens all over this great country. Once again we are reminded that kids agree with each other on a lot more things than adults. Funny, because it's adults that teach kids about holidays and what they mean or why we recognize or set them aside as being different from regular days. We all know that adults don't agree with each other as well as kids do, so how have we done so well with this particular day? Well lets reflect on that a moment!

Let's ask our same group of kids about "What is a reflection pool? "Where can we find one?" and "Why do we have reflection pools?". Again our kids would answer to the best of their knowledge and agreeing with each other just as they have been taught, "Its like a wading pool but cement!", "At the Rose Garden in the park!" and "So you can see your face in the water with the roses!". Once again we have three correct answers and they would be repeated by a majority of the kids we asked. Maybe if we reflect on these six questions and answers we might see a reflection on ourselves that we are not as happy with as we thought we were.

If you want to change that reflection of yourself you're thinking about, I'd like to give you some other pools and reflections to think about all reflecting on a not too distant past. A circular reflection pool that is surrounded by round white columns reflecting the Great Campaigns at the World War II Memorial. Stand and look into the reflection of the eyes of each member of the Platoon that follow you as walk around the Korean War Memorial. Look deep into the Black Granite Wall to see your own reflection among the more than 58,200 names at the Viet Nam Memorial. Take a minute and reflect on a young American Teen in the uniform of his country hunkered down in a sand storm in Iraq or Afghanistan thinking how good that cool water would feel in the city pool back home. Listen to the reflection of the sound from the heel plates of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns. These are all reflections of the price of freedom and why Memorial Day is set aside so that we may pause to reflect on that price.

When a young man or woman puts on the uniform of and swears an oath to their country, they sign a check knowing that they may be called upon to make "payment in full" on their account which is life. A reflection on that account can be seen in the many flags and badges that are a part of the "Dress Parade" at the finial resting place of these heroes all across our nation on Memorial Day. They are placed there by their brothers and sisters in arms or by families who understand "what the price of freedom is" on the amount line of their loved ones check.

On Monday before you head out to the pool, put the boat on the lake or light that bar-b-que take a moment to reflect on why you can do these things on this holiday. In each time zone around the world this Monday when the hour reaches 3pm take a moment to reflect on the day with your family by pausing from whatever your doing and join us in observing a "National Moment of Remembrance"! Comparatively it is a small price to pay to honor those that gave us so much. Remember that for our freedom "All gave some, some gave All"!

God Bless each of them! & God Bless America!

"Fair winds and following seas!"

Letter to the Editor

(Published in the May 18 edition of the Indianola Record Herald & Tribune)

My name is Jerry and although I do not live in Indianola, I do work here at the Indianola Activity Center. I want to recognize and thank a great group of young people along with their advisor from Indianola High School for their time, effort and caring.

Now I know I have already lost some readers because these are the times that young adults don’t hear “Thank You” very often for planning, organizing, sponsoring and attending events for seniors 55+ years old. Media coverage on this age group is usually a result of them planning or participating in some sort of disruption of an event planned by 55+ seniors at spring break on one coast or the other.

Enter the Future Farmers of America Chapter and their Advisor Dorisa Smith at Indianola High School on April 30th, 2010. The Chapter planned, hosted, decorated, prepared & served refreshments, crowned a King & Queen, and finished the night by cleaning up “The Senior Prom” (senior as in 55+ years of age) at the Indianola Activity Center.

There is something truly magic about a dance floor full of young and senior adults together enjoying a waltz, two-step, line dance and each others company that makes “Prom Night” very special for years to come. The FFA Group accomplished just that on a Friday night in April right here in Indianola by sponsoring “The Senior Prom”.

Thank You Ms. Smith and Thank You Indianola High School FFA Chapter for all your work, for hosting, sponsoring and for all the really great memories from a terrific Senior Prom.

Jerry L. Luedtke
Older Adults Activity Coordinator
Indianola Activity Center

Do Wooden Shoes Keep Your Feet Warm!

On a cool brisk windy Saturday morning the day before Mothers Day at the 75th Annual Tulip Time Festival in Pella, we joined more than twenty-eight hundred Dutch Dancers who formed three double dance lines around the Town Square. These Dutch Dancers “splintered” the old Guinness World Book of Records mark of 476 that had been held by a little Dutch Town in the Netherlands.

Hats off to the organizers of this event for a terrific job of making it happen. The cool weather of the morning did not cool any hearts of the hearty Dutch Dancers who had traveled from all over the country to help Pella “splinter” the old record.

From the start of the pre-registration process, signing for the official registration packet, pinning your official number on the front of each dancer, and then dancing, every part of the process was “as smooth as the top of a Wooden Shoe”! Weeks ahead we were told the dancers would line up to dance at 10am (we did), that after lining up we would practice the dance all together, (we did), and at 10:30am we would dance to break the old record, (we did). Even the last step of tearing the bottom portion of your number off after the dance for the Official Guiness Record Book went right on “step”.




Thank You, Pella! Our eight wooden shoe clad Dutch Dancers from the Indianola Activity Center had a “vundurfull” morning of Dutch hospitality, dancing, friendship, and pastries. Oh yes! Wooden Shoes do keep your feet warm and comfortable if you wear a good pair of Iowa wool socks!

98 and Right on Cue!

What do you do when you get up one morning and remember today is your 98th birthday? For Indianola resident George Burns, you have some breakfast and head down to the Activity Center where you make your entrance “right on cue” - a pool cue that is!

Then you carefully map the number of shots in the right sequence it will take you to run the table. But winning another game of 8 Ball even at 98 is just another game for George. Unlike in the Music Man, a pool table for George is not “trouble in River City” but a good way at 98 to keep a sharp eye and steady hand.

So if you are 55 or better, the next time you feel like you are having a rough morning, stop by the Activity Center and head back to the Pool Room. If you are real lucky, George Burns will give you some lessons in 8 Ball and life. At the very least “right on cue” George will tell you, “It’s a Great Day in the Neighborhood”!

Happy Birthday, George!
From the Gang at the Center!