Goes to press?I thought “When Swing Was King” was the entertainment/visitation outreach you guys took into senior care centers. So, what’s that headline all about?
Well, here’s the deal. We have just printed the first of our “When Swing Was King” news sheets for the residents of the 12 senior care facilities we visit each month. It is a 4-page, big-print publication which we will pass out four times a year. Each issue will provide interesting and fun facts about the music, performers, and the times of the big band era as well as seasonal quotations, a bit of poetry and Scripture, and a short personal note from Claire and I.
There are three basic purposes for this new project. 1) We hope to extend our ministry by giving our audiences something to read, think about, and share with friends and family. 2) We believe it will serve as a winsome promotion for the “When Swing Was King” shows themselves. And 3) It allows us yet another avenue to touch on matters of the heart and spirit as we deepen our friendship with the residents.
What’s in our first issue? There’s a ten-question quiz, a brief spotlight on bandleader Ozzie Nelson, a few quotes from Duke Ellington, several beautiful quotations and Scriptures about autumn, a poem from Robert Louis Stevenson, the best-selling records in the fall of 1945 and 1955, fun facts about the song “Stardust” by Hoagy Carmichael, and a few “don’t you wish you were there when” items.
Oh, yes; there’s also the note we include from Claire and I. Here it is.
As we reach the autumn of our lives, we often become more nostalgic, even if we realize that the “good old days” were not always that good. As someone put it, people sometimes get nostalgic about things they weren’t all that crazy about the first time around! And, of course, our nostalgia creates mixed emotions: sadness for the loved ones we miss, regret over good times that have gone by, frustrations brought on by the changes in our culture and in our own bodies.
But there are also pleasures in remembering and appreciating and in being grateful for the blessings God has given. As one “When Swing Was King” fan told us, “Your shows bring back so many memories. Some of them are happy. Some of them are sad. But they’re all mine and I’m truly grateful for them all.”
That’s what we hope our programs provide for all of our audiences – great music, entertaining information, interesting and fun photographs, the blessing of friendship…and memories that are all yours!
In this autumn season when we appreciate the harvest, enjoy the unique beauties of color and change, celebrate Thanksgiving, watch a little football, and prepare for the Christmas season and the rigors of winter, we pray God’s abundant blessings on you all.
By the way, the news sheet is printed on one long sheet of paper and folded. And it’s printed in black and white. Both of these things make it rather inexpensive to print. (Also, because we mention that it is printed by Oh-K Fast Print on 120th & Center, they give us a 10% discount.) But, just as important perhaps, is that this method allows YOU to make copies which you could pass out to the folks in the senior care center (or anywhere else) in YOUR area. We would be delighted to send you a hard copy or a pdf file and you could get started right away. Just let us know if you’re interested.
