Bryan Reynolds: [00:00:03] Hello, hello, hello, welcome to Episode twenty nine of the Linkage podcast by Episcopal Retirement Services. This episode is for the week of January. Twenty fourth, twenty twenty one. Thanks so much for joining us. I'm Bryan Reynolds Vice President of Marketing of Episcopal Retirement Services and I'm here with Kristin Davenport, Director of communication for ERS and our executive producer. How are you, Kristen? 

Kristin Davenport: [00:00:27] Oh, I'm having a great week. Bryan finally got my vaccine. I know you've gotten yours as well. They'll be definitely some vaccine talk on this podcast today. And I'm just excited for to finally get to this point in the process. 

Bryan Reynolds: [00:00:44] You know, there's definitely a theme of hope as the vaccine rolls out and many of our residents and staff have gotten it. So that'll be fun to share so that the Linkage podcast is dedicated to educating our audience about issues regarding aging, informing people about the mission of the ERS and how that comes to life in our everyday interactions with our residents, clients, families and staff members. So, Kristin, you want to tell us a little bit more about our show coming up? 

Kristin Davenport: [00:01:11] Yeah, Bryan. We have joining us this week some really interesting guests. First up is Joanie Thomas. Joanie lives at Marjorie P. Lee in Hyde Park. And don't talk with us a little bit, not only about being vaccinated, but what it's been like to live at Marjorie P. Lee during these times and some of the exciting things she's still been engaged in there. And then joining you Bryan this week was Nash McCauley and his brother Stan.

Those two have some great memories to share with our listeners about living across the street from the Manse Hotel back in the day when it was a really happening place. A lot of celebrities, baseball players, entertainers coming and going from there. So they've got some wonderful memories to share with our listeners. And of course, joining us, president and CEO Laura Lamb will be with us to give us an update on how things have been going all around the ERS communities. 

Bryan Reynolds: [00:02:11] Well, another great episode, always having some good some great guests, actually, and some great conversations. So with that said, Kristen, you want to introduce our first guest? 

Kristin Davenport: [00:02:24] Absolutely. Joanie Thomas and I got to get together this this week. We had a wonderful conversation. So, listeners, please welcome Joanie Thomas. 

Kristin Davenport: [00:02:44] Welcome, Joanie Thomas, to our podcast today. How's your week been so far? 

Joanie Thomas: [00:02:49] Pretty good. The sun's been out a lot. Yes, it's been a week of hot breakfasts and we're very excited about scrambled eggs, bacon and a pancake three times this week. It was so fun. 

Kristin Davenport: [00:03:06] Oh, that is. That sounds great. Yeah, fantastic. A good breakfast is a good way to kick off your day for sure. That's wonderful. 

Joanie Thomas: [00:03:13] Absolutely. 

Kristin Davenport: [00:03:15] Well, good. Yes. Well, hey, I was just just looking forward to our conversation. I know we've not met in person, but I'm really glad to be talking with you today. I know there's some exciting things happening at Marjorie P. Lee right now. I know vaccines are under way and I know you were able to get vaccinated. Why don't you just tell our listeners a little bit about, you know, just your experience with that and your decision making going into deciding that you wanted to have the vaccine? [00:03:46][30.8]

Joanie Thomas: [00:03:47] My decision making wasn't hard at all. I have always had a great admiration for the medical field and you know, to me this has been a very dramatic period of all the medical people that were working with the sick people and all the medical people working in my arbitrages trying to get this vaccine out as fast as they could. I hope there are a lot of stories about this, because it's it's a wonderful period of people helping people. And so finally we get the vaccine. So I was very excited about that. It was like a party when we did and we all had to sit there 15 minutes afterward. 

Kristin Davenport: [00:04:42] Right.

Joanie Thomas: [00:04:43] I think to make sure that we were OK with the vaccines we were talking about. "Isn't this fun? Isn't this exciting?" It's just wonderful, period. 

Kristin Davenport: [00:04:58] Yes. Finally, we're we're here seeing that that light at the end of the tunnel. And things are looking brighter for sure. For sure. So I'm I'm so thankful that our residents are able to receive the vaccine. And our staff members, our team members who are working in the communities are now also being vaccinated.

Joanie Thomas: [00:05:19] Right. 

Kristin Davenport: [00:05:20] It's getting very exciting. Yeah. Well, I'm very thankful for that. And I'm thankful that you're willing to share, you know, your reason, your reasoning and your your motivations for wanting to be vaccinated. And I, I agree with you are health care heroes are amazing people. And this will help them for sure. 

[00:05:40] Well, that is one thing that I want to talk to you about today. But also, I know you've lived at Marjorie P. Lee for, I don't know, a few years now is how many has it been? 

Joanie Thomas: [00:05:53] A year and a half. OK, so you haven't lived there very long before covid. But I know you've been involved because you are if I have this correct, you're the president of the library, is that right? 

Joanie Thomas: [00:06:10] Well, chairman of the committee. Aha. 

Kristin Davenport: [00:06:13] Well, tell our listeners a little bit about the library. And I know when you took that position, they were in the midst of a big change. Why don't you tell our listeners about everything you guys went through?

Joanie Thomas: [00:06:27] I have been at Marjorie P. Lee several times with my sister, so I was very familiar with it from the inside. And then I moved here when I was 87. Anyway, now I'm 88 eight, so it's been a great, great occasion for me to live like this. This has been fun. 

[00:06:59] Anyway. So the library, the library, when I first knew it was this beautiful room on the first floor, decided to add the physical therapy to the library. And the room has turned into physical therapy, which is a wonderful thing. But anyway, so then they were hunting around for, "where are we going to put the books?" And there is this space up on the very top sixth floor. 

Kristin Davenport: [00:07:30] Yes. 

Joanie Thomas: [00:07:31] And they bought bookshelves to fit in the room. And then the process of bringing all these boxes of books which did not have anything on the books that said this is fiction or this is a biography or what the book was. So that was our job. And there were several people that just dug in there and were wonderful, like Anne Harrison, Juanita Laggy, Ann Hunter, a long and funny process of armfuls of books. So we got it all together. It looks wonderful. We tagged every book with what it was, and several of them was the last name of the book, the first letter of the last name of the author, so that when we got them back, we'd know where they went on shelves.

[00:08:35] And then down the hallway and around the corner was the paperback section. And that was piled thousands, thousands of paperback books. And our sister, Joanna Mosely, got that all settled out. And it just looks just a very pretty little paperback book library. So, yeah, they're both these parts upstairs on the sixth floor. And it's a lovely, quiet, strange little place. It's very fun. It's got two beautiful, comfortable chairs and tables and chairs in and then surrounded with all these wonderful books. And we're now over a thousand books in there, so it's a great room just to go up and sit right among all those authors and all those wonderful stories.

Kristin Davenport: [00:09:41] Oh, that is. That sounds so wonderful, you know, and I have not I've not been there. Do you remember what month did you start putting all the books away in their new space?

Joanie Thomas: [00:09:53] Oh, March or April. 

Kristin Davenport: [00:09:55] Right. Yeah, it was right around the time of the pandemic, wasn't it? I mean, it kind of coincided. I remember talking to one of the other residents, I think it was, Ann Reid about it a little bit. And, you know, I have not been on the campus since that time, since the first week of March. So I've not even seen the space. But I can imagine you describe how you describe it. In my mind's eye, I'm trying to imagine the paperback section, thousands of paperbacks and and and and the books that you've arranged, not only by by what type of book it is, but you've also got the indicators on there for the last name so people can find the book. So it's a lending library to it's not just a place to come in and browse, but but but also in and take those back to the rooms and read them, which is wonderful. 

Joanie Thomas: [00:10:49] Right. Yes.

Kristin Davenport: [00:10:51] It's been a wonderful resource, especially during these times. People are obviously at the campus a lot more than previously. And I'm sure it's been a wonderful resource for our residents there. There's no better way to escape something like a pandemic than through a good book, that's for sure. 

Joanie Thomas: [00:11:11] Oh, absolutely. Oh, yes. You're so right. And I'm glad you said Ann Reid's name that slipped my mind. And she was certainly a great help. And also as the power, which we have another library on the first floor, which is like coffee table books, they're beautiful books. We were running out of space. And so we took all the Cincinnati collection like we had two shelves full of books, just about Cincinnati. So we moved them down to the first floor. And Esther got that all arranged all pretty quickly. So, ah, Cincinnati books all went down on the first floor and we filled that space. [00:11:58][47.0]

Kristin Davenport: [00:12:01] Oh, I love that! That's wonderful. Yeah, I I'm trying to imagine where that space is. Is it near the Marjorie P. Lee library or is it in a different space? 

Joanie Thomas: [00:12:14] It's across the room from the laundry room. 

Kristin Davenport: [00:12:18] Oh yeah. Oh, I know where that space is. A little lobby. 

Joanie Thomas: [00:12:23] Right.

Kristin Davenport: [00:12:26] And it has that beautiful stained glass window there.

Joanie Thomas: [00:12:31] Yes. 

Kristin Davenport: [00:12:32] I love that space. That's such a nice little nook. Well, that's great how you were very ingenious to separate out the Cincinnati books and the Cincinnati authors to put them in that space. That's wonderful. [00:12:44][12.1]

Joanie Thomas: [00:12:45] Well, I must say, Kristin, that as for power, I have a wonderful committee. And so they, you know, come up with all these ideas and things. And so it's been so fun and it'll be so fun when we can all get together, because now we are ten people and so we can't meet anywhere. And so I've been doing communications through our little cubbyholes year that we all have to get our mail.

Kristin Davenport: [00:13:20] Yes.

Joanie Thomas: [00:13:21] And so that I keep contact with people and things. And we have small groups doing projects here and there. But it will be so nice when we can all be together and have a meeting and and look at each other and see each other's whole face. Has everybody forgotten what a whole face looks like? 

Kristin Davenport: [00:13:47] I agree. I agree. And, you know, that's one of those things. I don't think we yet fully, fully realize the how grateful we will all be, you know, and and how we've taken each other a little bit for granted before this. And it's really going to remind us all, you know, when once we get back to that, once we get past this time, just, you know, what a blessing it is to gather with friends or gather with acquaintances and and things like books and and libraries and things like that. It's wonderful. 

[00:14:23] Well, Joanie, it's been a pleasure to talk with you today. I'm so thankful that you were available to speak with me today and to share with our listeners some of the the wonderful things that are going on at Marjorie P. Lee with the with the library and the books there, because it's it's it's a wonderful way for for our residents to stay active and engaged through reading. And that's really important. And I'm so thankful that you've donated your time to to lead that effort.

Joanie Thomas: [00:14:54] Oh, my gosh, it was no problem at all since I had a lot of time. We all have had a lot of time on our hands.

Kristin Davenport: [00:15:03] I wish you all the best with the second round of the vaccine coming up. And I look forward to a time where we were we can see each other maybe distance outside. We might still have masks on, but it will be nice to see to see at least motivate that person.

Joanie Thomas: [00:15:21] That'll be fun. And and thank you for talking to me. This has been nice for me. 

Kristin Davenport: [00:15:28] Well, very good. Well, thank you so much, Joanie.

Bryan Reynolds: [00:15:34] Well, what a wonderful interview with Joanie Kristen. She's so positive, and again, you can see she's really made the most out of this situation and enjoying her first day as a relatively new resident of Marjorie P. Lee. And, of course, you can kind of hear the happiness and getting the vaccine. 

Kristin Davenport: [00:15:55] Absolutely. You wonder sometimes when maybe somebody new to one of our communities, maybe they have missed some of the things that we're not really able to do, but it didn't seem to make a difference to Joanie whatsoever. She's still pursuing the things that she loves. She's finding ways to stay engaged with their neighbors by creating an amazing library up there on the sixth floor. And I can't wait to see it in person. So, yeah, we just had a great conversation and her love of books and is providing that opportunity to her neighbors was really uplifting to hear from her this week.

Bryan Reynolds: [00:16:35] Awesome. 

Kristin Davenport: [00:16:36] And I guess now next up, we're going to check in with our president and CEO Laura Lamb. Let's listen to Bryan and last conversation.

Bryan Reynolds: [00:16:54] So we're back here again with president and CEO Laura Lamb, how are you, Laura?

Laura Lamb: [00:16:59] I'm doing good. How about you? 

Bryan Reynolds: [00:17:01] Doing good. Can you believe it's the end of January 2021, already?

Laura Lamb: [00:17:05] Oh, Bryan. Unfortunately, yes, only because my birthday is February 1st. So I know when the the end of January is coming! 

Bryan Reynolds: [00:17:16] Happy early birthday, then! 

Laura Lamb: [00:17:19] Thank you very much! 

Bryan Reynolds: [00:17:21] Sure. Sure. Well it seems like just in a few weeks a lot happened, has happened and a lot's been happening with the vaccine around ERS.And I was wondering if you could provide our listeners with an update on how those rollouts have been going at all our communities.

Laura Lamb: [00:17:42] Oh, I'd love to. I'd love to thank you for asking. I tell you, I could not be more pleased with the team, proud of the team at ECH and Marjorie P. Lee and Deupree House. Boy, they they are an organized bunch of leaders. I just love it! So we as I think you know, we've partnered with Walgreens. Each nursing home across the country had to choose between Walgreens and CVS and Walgreens has been nothing but helpful and supportive and professional with our clinics. And we've had two clinics. So let me back up each. Each nursing home has the ability to have two times when people can get their shots. So because it's a two shot vaccine, we have three clinics. So the clinic one, some people get their shot clinic two, you get your second dose. 

[00:18:51] But then we also have people getting their first shot at clinic two. And then the third clinic is to ramp up people that got their first shot in Clinic two. So a total of three clinics at all, three of our retirement communities. At Episcopal Church Home we've completed two of the clinics and have mid seventy percentages for residents and staff, which is incredible. I'm so excited about that. 

[00:19:28] And then at Deupree, just yesterday, we had our second of three clinics at the Deupree campus. And I reported today to our staff group that we are actually community campus wide actually in the 80 percent plus. So that's so exciting that we're able to to have that. And then Marjorie P. Lee, they were the last to get their call from Walgreens. We always joke that it's alphabetical, it seems like. So they got their call in there. Their first clinic was the first week of January and then their second clinic will be next Thursday. So all three of our campuses are in process and are doing so well at educating their staff and our residents and their families about the importance of the vaccine.

Bryan Reynolds: [00:20:24] Yeah, well, and it sounds like from what I've seen, there's just a lot of excitement from many of the staff to get the vaccine. And then also you've seen some interesting correlation early on, particularly at age, about the number of cases after the vaccine is being distributed so widely. 

Laura Lamb: [00:20:47] Yeah, we really have, and it's been interesting because a couple of the things that we've noticed is that. You know, one observation would be that many of the people that got the vaccine, say residents in particular, that got the first dose of the vaccine and it's not fully effective until 10 days after your your second vaccine. 

Bryan Reynolds: [00:21:15] Right. Right. 

Laura Lamb: [00:21:16] But but there's some effectiveness after even one shot is really interesting because we started to see, you know, it's widespread in Kentucky, especially Jefferson County. So we continued to have cases early on. But interestingly, the severity of the cases seemed for those that had the vaccine seemed to be, no, we don't know because it's we didn't have a controlled experiment. But it seemed like the the cases were milder. Which is really interesting. 

[00:21:52] Most recent trend that we've seen that suggest, I think a big news item is that for 6 testings. Now we have two testings a week. So for three weeks, a total of six testing rounds...

Bryan Reynolds: [00:22:09] Down at ECH. 

Laura Lamb: [00:22:12] Down at ECH, we have had no positives come up during the surveillance. 

Bryan Reynolds: [00:22:16] Wow. That is great.

Laura Lamb: [00:22:18] I mean, that is huge because frankly, it happened after we're seeing this trend at the second shot and after the second shot and you know, it's too, too soon to make any judgments. But, oh, my goodness, it's it's a positive sign. 

Bryan Reynolds: [00:22:42] That's an encouraging data point, as you would like to say. 

Laura Lamb: [00:22:46] Oh, my gosh. I do say that too much. You you're you're repeating me. 

Bryan Reynolds: [00:22:51] I know you well.

Laura Lamb: [00:22:51] Yes, you do. 

Bryan Reynolds: [00:22:53] So now we've been talking about the retirement communities and the nursing settings, but there's also been some some exciting developments on the affordable living side here in Cincinnati as well in your partnership with health commissioner album, Melba Moore as well, right? 

Laura Lamb: [00:23:15] Well, I just cannot speak highly enough about Commissioner Moore and what she's done for the city since she's been here. And I've had the pleasure and the honor of working with her on a couple of initiatives that she's trying to advance. And she's made it her priority to it to come on site to see are affordable living. And I just couldn't be more thankful for her partnership early on in the pandemic. I think I mentioned it at a podcast that when we were struggling with the protocols, we I reached out to her and got her advice. So she is just an amazing woman. We're so lucky to have her in the city. So that's kind of background. So we get to get an email from her staff asking us if we would be interested or would would we consider having a clinic in our affordable living communities? And I don't need to tell you that that took like a nanosecond. Well, yeah, I'm like, yeah, please, please, please, please. 

[00:24:30] So the great news is she's her staff has been working with our affordable living staff. And we've scheduled a series of clinics in our affordable living campuses. And, you know, they're the the city is using the same criteria as we all are. It's the cohorts that are a little bit different in the community than they are a retirement community. In a retirement community it's anyone that comes in and out of that works in that community, regardless of their age. Whereas in the community per vaccine is specifically for a particular age cohort. So the first clinics are reserved for community members, residents, and if we had staff over the age of 80, they would be included, too. So it's by age, which is just wonderful that they thought about us and they've been going so smoothly that, again, that that being ready and being prepared and being organized is really paid off because we're very optimistic that when they have the next round, that they'll come through our communities as well.

Bryan Reynolds: [00:25:48] Oh, that's great. And I think we offer such diversity throughout our neighborhoods, throughout Cincinnati. That must be kind of an attractive way to distribute to the to a population that obviously needs it. 

Laura Lamb: [00:26:04] Absolutely. Because you know what? You're I love her approach of like the neighborhoods you heard on a national level kind of what the concern is about. One of the concerns about the rollout is in the community, a lot of the people that would benefit from it mostly are unable to drive and rely on public transportation. So if we can bring the vaccine to a neighborhood where they don't have to get on a bus or they can maybe a family can get them to a St. Paul village, easier than going down under the convention center as an example.

Bryan Reynolds: [00:26:47] Well, that's that's a real feel good news in a year that that's had a lot of challenging news. So I think there's it's nice to feel that optimism for sure. 

Laura Lamb: [00:26:59] It sure is. Bryan we need it, don't we?

Bryan Reynolds: [00:27:01] We sure do. 

Laura Lamb: [00:27:06] I was just going to say, I just you know, I am an optimistic person by nature, and I just. You know, we are we've talked about how twenty, twenty one is going to be the year that we get ahead of this, and I am so optimistic with what I'm hearing at a national level and a state level and like I said, with Nalpas leadership at a county and a city level. So we're we're we're going to get through this together, right. I am very confident of that. 

Bryan Reynolds: [00:27:38] Yeah, well, and speaking of optimism, I know you're getting those questions now, like when will the dining room open up or when will this open up? And so I know you had kind of addressed this earlier with our staff, but I thought it was some good advice and information for our listeners as well. So can you could you kind of talk about that? 

Laura Lamb: [00:28:03] Literally at the first vaccine clinic, like during the clinic, I got my first email from a daughter that desperately misses her mom and the doctors in health care and her daughter was getting her vaccine. And it's like, "now that we have the vaccine, I can see my mom tomorrow, right?" And I wish that were the case. I do. But unfortunately, it's not it's not about an individual being vaccinated. It's about what we have heard people talk about that herd immunity. We collectively have to get to a level a level of immunity. So will life change? Yes, it will. Do we know how it's going to change? Not yet. You know, in our retirement communities we are governed by the state. And so the state has to give us permission to change our guidance on visits as an example. They have to help us. We have to wait for their permission to change the guidance on the dining room.

[00:29:08] And what I shared with the staff that I agree with you, it made an impact because I think we're focused on the vaccine so much that it's not a light switch, but it's not a light switch. So what we have to look at is getting enough people with that vaccine so that we can have. Very few, hopefully zero cases Bryan that that's the critical success factor is, you know, that the vaccine and the herd immunity is happening when you can like I shared with you just now for three consecutive weeks, we've not have we've not had a positive case.

Bryan Reynolds: [00:29:55] Right. ]

Laura Lamb: [00:29:57] So that that's really, really important.

Bryan Reynolds: [00:30:00] Yeah. So it's going to be very important to watch the trends over the next several weeks and months to see how that impacts how we open up. 

Laura Lamb: [00:30:12] Right. Right. And we're starting to work on that. There's once we once we start seeing that, there's some things that already are within the governor's guidelines that we can take advantage of. And we just so we're brushing that off and we're optimistic that this trend is going to continue and that Marjorie P. Lee and Deupree are going to be celebrating with the same positive data soon. 

Bryan Reynolds: [00:30:40] Well, as you talked about, herd immunity and everybody getting vaccinated is so important. And I know you've been working hard and partnering with the staff to get out the message on why it's so important to get vaccinated. And we've got some information. I wonder if you could kind of talk about that effort, because I know it's been very personal to you to really get the information out. 

Laura Lamb: [00:31:05] Yeah, it has been Bryan. It really has. And it's because, you know you know, I'm on site and I I talked to the team and the staff members and asked them if they're going to take it and take the vaccine. And I was really. Know surprised is not the right word. I was just really taken a little bit of back about how much misinformation is out there. Yeah, and I think maybe surprised is a good word for it because, you know, I've been living and breathing this every day since March 16th, right through. And I have a propensity to be interested in science in general. So. So it was really informative to me to ask people, well, tell me what your thought process or tell me what questions you have. And what I discovered is there was a lot of misinformation and. Oh, by the way, that's that's my responsibility to make sure that people have the information to make an informed decision. 

[00:32:18] So we actually created really, I would say, three campaigns. The one is the Y videos. So hearing from our staff, our residents, our families, our peers, you know, tell tell us why you're getting the vaccine. And those have been really eye opening because everybody's getting the vaccine. That's getting it for a slightly different reason. And it's nice to hear that different perspective. And, you know, when I get the videos and I listen to them, I'm like, wow, wow, I hadn't thought about that. So it broadens everyone's understanding. The second is just really making sure that our our medical directors, our clinicians, that our staff have access to the most up to date clinical information about the vaccine. So we've hosted several meetings with our medical directors. Our medical directors have met one on one with residents and and staff members just again to educate and inform and answer questions. 

[00:33:30] And then lastly, because I kept hearing things that I just knew weren't true. So, for example, a staff member shared with me that they weren't getting the vaccine because they they heard that you can get covid from the vaccine. 

Bryan Reynolds: [00:33:49] Yeah. 

Laura Lamb: [00:33:50] And again, it's that biology degree. And I know you, you know, but but you know. I know that. Yeah, but if the if you've been told that. Right. You've read that. Yeah. Then again, that's on me to like provide it. So we created a series that says don't get fooled by the myths. So we we put the myth out there and then we give the science straight from the CDC, the science that kind of debunks that myths. So I gave you that one example. Another one is it changes my DNA or. It...I don't know. What were some of the other ones? Bryan.

Bryan Reynolds: [00:34:34] Well, I know there was one recently about Hank Aaron dying from the vaccine, which has been debunked very quickly. Yeah, but and we know that there are some side effects for some, but they're very mild. 

Laura Lamb: [00:34:48] And the oh yeah. That was one like the side effects are so severe. And so I think I think overall and you know, and I've touched base with staph throughout and asking their advice, you know, our videos working, our emails working. Are the posters working? And just as you would imagine, they collectively have said we have do we have to do it? All right. And so that's what we're doing. We're doing it all. 

Bryan Reynolds: [00:35:17] Yeah, I think that's been so helpful from my vantage point as it's going out in so many different ways. And now we're sharing it out on our website and on social media. And we've just built a new blog page with up to date vaccine information about where where you could get it and who's eligible. And we'll be updating that often. So I think that's really been a great, comprehensive campaign for the staff and the residents and family.

Laura Lamb: [00:35:47] Well, and Bryan, I would be remiss if I didn't take this opportunity to thank you and your team for partnering because, I mean, you know, the risk management team, we have all these ideas and and and it's about communication. And, you know, you and your team have just laid such a great fact foundation in a framework so that we can get things out so timely and in different vehicles. So thank you for your leadership in that area. 

Bryan Reynolds: [00:36:22] It's been a real honor and as you said, it's so important to get it out multiple ways and we're happy to support that effort. Well, we certainly had a lot to cover today. And thanks so much again for joining us, Laura. And I'm sure there will be no shortage again when we meet next week to update our listeners.

Laura Lamb: [00:36:43] I'd put my money on that as well.

Bryan Reynolds: [00:36:46] All right. Talk to you next week.

Laura Lamb: [00:36:48] OK, thanks, Bryan. 

Kristin Davenport: [00:36:53] Bryan just hearing from Laura, it just makes me so thankful for our organization, the information that we share not only with our or our team members, but with family members and residents. I just always feel so informed and and fully aware of what's happening just with with the latest with the vaccine and and what safe practices are related to the pandemic.

Bryan Reynolds: [00:37:18] You know, certainly after a tough year. It's good to have some positive news and to really share these updates and maybe see a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel. So I think it was one of those conversations I really enjoyed having. And we hope to to just keep updating on the progress and hopefully to one day where we're opening our communities up and and enjoying life as normal as we can coming out of this. So that was fun. So with that being said, my next conversation with two donors or a donor, Nash McCauley and his brother Stan, who, as Christine alluded to, grew up across from the Romance Hotel, which was a hotel listed on the Green Book and hosted many African-Americans, very famous African-Americans. And I think our listeners will really enjoy hearing them recall that and really hear from Nash about his passion for affordable living for older adults. So here's my interview with Nash and Stan McCauley.

[00:38:35] So I'm here this week, I've got some special guests, Nash and Stan, McCauley, Nash and Stan have a connection with our Manse Affordable Living Community, and I wanted to talk to them about their connection to that that beautiful old facility and their connection with ERS. So welcome, Stan and Nash. How are you? 

Nash McCauley: [00:39:04] We're doing great. 

Bryan Reynolds: [00:39:06] So, like I said, you have a really unique connection. We've been in the process of renovating the old Manse hotel, which is a beautiful old what was formerly a hotel. It's located in Walnut Hills that's now on the historic register and is being converted into affordable housing for low income seniors and and was actually a location where several African-American people stayed. It was on the Green Book when segregation, segregation still existed. And I wondered if, Stan, you could give us a little perspective on your childhood growing up across the street from the Manse. [00:39:46][40.2]

Stan McCauley: [00:39:47] Well, you know, it took a few years before we knew what was going on there, because I have some pictures with my mom and also with my aunt where I just barely came up above their knees. So it took a few years. But, you know, we got to a maybe a four or five, six year old age. We were able to notice there was a lot of activity going on over there. So, one of the first things that we saw was a very large bus that wound up being the Harlem Globetrotter. 

Bryan Reynolds: [00:40:31] Oh wow.

Stan McCauley: [00:40:33] And then we just started hearing a lot more about other you know, when we did, we kept looking out, trying to see if we could find them at some time because the place we lived on the seminary was exactly opposite, almost the front door.

Bryan Reynolds: [00:40:52] Right. And that was the Lane Seminary. Correct?

Stan McCauley: [00:40:56] Seminary. Yes. We didn't we didn't get many lapses, but but we knew what was what was going on there. 

Bryan Reynolds: [00:41:06] And you mentioned at one point, I think you said there was some other you saw the Harlem Globetrotters, but maybe some baseball players, famous baseball players as well.?

Stan McCauley: [00:41:15] We did one time see Frank Robinson. We got a quick glance because he was getting into a car. But Frank was unbelievable. I can't forget him out in Crosley Field playing left field on the incline right there. And I mean, it was amazing to see that guy. Incredible part of James Brown, just a number of others. It was kind of as we got older, we began to notice that all of them were black. Then we kind of caught on to what was going on I guess, you know.

Bryan Reynolds: [00:42:02] Yeah, the significance of the hotel.

Stan McCauley: [00:42:05] Of the hotel and the grade school that we were going to, that's where I met my friend. And so you really got a feeling for it then with Lane Seminary. That was awesome for kids and stuff like that because of the the amount of space there to do things. I remember doing snow angels out in the yards and I mean just kind of things. Very, very interesting to see the architecture and the building. And then in some of the residential, we got to climb around in the and the below the porches. They they had clipped golf some areas and we kind of moved some of that. And so, we saw some of the areas where they had tunnels dug then and even outside of over by Yale, we saw some kind of like bunkers where they had doors that had been just sealed off and stuff like that. They obviously had used for the underground.

Bryan Reynolds: [00:43:25] Right. 

Stan McCauley: [00:43:27] And and since that time, one of the last time I was in Cincinnati, I went to the Underground Railroad. 

Bryan Reynolds: [00:43:37] The museum?

Stan McCauley: [00:43:38] For the museum and man, that was that was a really, really great. So you get a feeling for the whole area of commons. So when you have that, you get to see why it is so important and what you guys are doing now, because that's one of the key pieces of history.

Bryan Reynolds: [00:44:09] Yeah.

Stan McCauley: [00:44:10] One of the things that just really bothered me more than anything was to see Lane seminary being torn down. 

Bryan Reynolds: [00:44:19] Yeah. 

Stan McCauley: [00:44:20] I mean and I've been in a lot of cities and all and I've been in some of the Asian countries. They really honor their history. 

Bryan Reynolds: [00:44:34] Yeah. I think that was what was special about the Manse project to be able to preserve that as part of the history and have that tie back to the history of doing some good in the community. Know there's a lot of great renovations going in the community. 

Nash McCauley: [00:44:55] When I first started the whole project, the original idea was that we're gonna tear the Manse down and build new buildings there. 

Bryan Reynolds: [00:45:05] Right. 

Nash McCauley: [00:45:05] And some people came out and said, "No, you can't do that." And so that's really been this whole project has been a way to maintain that building and keep it going. Yeah. 

Bryan Reynolds: [00:45:21] Yeah. We're we're we're very proud to do that. And yeah. And it's neat that we can you have such a strong connection to that that neighborhood and that building. 

Stan McCauley: [00:45:31] Yeah, really do. And that's it's something that just makes you who you are. Sixty five years ago, you know, and yeah, we remember an awful lot about it and it really made it a very, very solid. And that was all the way the commons all the way over to People's Corner. 

Bryan Reynolds: [00:46:01] Oh yeah. Sure.

Nash McCauley: [00:46:02] Yeah, that was big. Yeah. 

Bryan Reynolds: [00:46:05] So and I think it's fascinating too to tie the story back to come full circle from childhood. So Nash, several years ago you were introduced to someone within ERS that introduced you to the Affordable Living as well. Can you tell me a little bit about that? 

Nash McCauley: [00:46:21] Yeah, and that's probably about 15 years ago, a classmate of mine from Walnut Hills, *inaudible* Devall. Who was working or was a volunteer at ERS invited me and my wife at the time to a fundraiser, which was just across the street at Hyde Park Country Club where you are. And so I got began to know about the ERS and the project. But she said, "we have a new project that we're working on and affordable living." And she invited me to a fundraiser at St. Paul Village in Madisonville. And so that was my first real exposure to the breadth of this project and got to see the tie in between ERS and the Model group. 

Bryan Reynolds: [00:47:31] Right. 

Nash McCauley: [00:47:32] Who are the developers who actually get the financing for the project and and then the architectural work and the renovations. And so I got a feel for that working relationship on this, and that looks really solid. And then the expansion plans. Or expanding this, you know, they got a place in Louisville now and, you know, they're within 100 miles of Cincinnati and got over two thousand residents living in these affordable living buildings. So I knew that the connection and with the expertize that ERS would bring to the operation of these facilities, it was going to be first class.

[00:48:28] So I felt, you know, even though I was living in Naples most of the time, that at that point our connection is, as Stan and I've talked about here is the Cincinnati is it's this where we grew up. And so I felt that this was going to maintain my connection to Cincinnati to support the affordable living. And because that's a real need. It's a huge need there. And so over the next few years, then I wound up visiting new projects as ERS developed them. 

Bryan Reynolds: [00:49:13] Right. And they were popping up all the time weren't they? 

Nash McCauley: [00:49:17] So I started I guess the first one I visited was the YMCA down down on Central. And that's that's where I learned to play racquetball, actually. But the those top six floors of that building never converted to affordable living facilities. And so I was taken on a tour up to that. I thought, "boy, what a great apartments looking out over the city of Cincinnati for some great views." They're absolutely unbelievable. [00:49:52][35.5]

[00:49:53] And and then Joy Blang then told me that that they had expanded the scope of that by tying the residents in with the students at the School for Creative and Performing Arts, which is just just across the street. So they're all sharing projects. And I just thought, boy, that that is really a neat focus that the ERS can bring to that. Then I went on to College Hill, where a brand new facility was built in the middle of that business district, which kind of deteriorated and falling. And so this was and the people that were on the council there said that building this ERS affordable living again was a huge boost to the revitalization of College Hill that that whole business area. 

Bryan Reynolds: [00:51:04] Right. 

Nash McCauley: [00:51:04] But then the number three was a place, called, Knowlton Place. 

Bryan Reynolds: [00:51:11] Which is close to your heart, apparently. 

Nash McCauley: [00:51:14] The reason that's so close to my heart is that I worked for thirty two years on Knowlton Street, three blocks from where that facility is built. And so that was really a nice sort of homecoming type type thing there. And I think with the place in College Hill, which is only about three or four miles away, and then that facility, they could share staff, so they got some economies of scale with that. And it was really neat. And the city of Cincinnati said, you know, Knowlton Place was a real key element of the revitalization of North Side, and that whole area.

Bryan Reynolds: [00:52:06] Right next to that American can building that was empty for many years to that's gone through some nice renovations. 

Nash McCauley: [00:52:14] That's yeah. That's that's huge. And so that's that's great. Then I guess I went next. We lived Stan Standard. I lived during our years at the Hills. We lived in Madisonville. Wow. And so we got to know that Madisonville area and observed that it's its slight decline. Yeah, but the ERS took me to Madison Velho for an apartment complex which had fallen pretty much into bad hands I guess, and it was just not a very safe place to live. But ERS took that over. And I guess that was about five years ago when we were there, when Diana and I were there in September. We got to see that it's almost finished. But it's and it's really it's a great place. And I met you meet some of the people that live there and they just so appreciate and and love that they think I'm going to never in my life retire in my old age to have a chance to live in a place like this. So so that was that was just great to see. And then, of course, the real place is what we have been talking about. Right. When Joy Blank told me about three years ago that ERS was going to undertake the rehabilitation of the manse and and the creation of about 60 living units in the whole block area there. And that really that touched a sore spot in my in my heart there. 

[00:54:14] And as Stan said we we enjoyed some really terrific childhood years living in the seminary and and seeing the manse and the things going on on there. And so I think is, as Stan was alluding to, you know, just the history, the history of laying seminary, which was that of the first president of the seminary, was Harriet Beecher Stowe's father. And Beecher Stowe wrote the the first version of her book and I guess first draft of her book, Uncle Tom's Cabin in Beecher Hall, which was one of the buildings on the on the campus, on the seminary.

[00:55:11] And one of the fun things I took stand found a panorama picture of Lane Seminary taken from Gilbert Avenue of the big administration and classroom building, and that included the library and then included the library, the Dale Carnegie Library, which is where Stan found the picture. And so I made copies of that. And Stan and my brother out in California and myself have it. When I finish that, I took a picture, took a copy of that to Chris McConnell, who owned the ship that was built there. Yeah, and I gave it to him and I said, Chris, I just want to give you this picture of a place where a lot of this Lane Seminary used to playing football in your showroom. And you get a kick out of that. 

Stan McCauley: [00:56:21] Can I just say I really appreciate you bringing up the picture that I had and gave you a copy of an all. I also gave one to Matthew, my six six year old friend that I had. He would always talk and for his seventieth birthday, I gave him that picture. 

Bryan Reynolds: [00:56:45] Yeah, that's wonderful. 

Nash McCauley: [00:56:48] So I think going when you roll all of those together, I think we have this emotional connection there, but also a real appreciation for the importance of that neighborhood in Cincinnati, the black community that live there in Cincinnati. That was a real focus and build point there. So with that, you know, and that whole connection, when Diana and I were there in September and enjoyed talking with us about the campaign to to re renovate and put the place together with this sort of historical appreciation that the two of us have for that property, we decided to support the and called the historical signage and display item of that of that rebuild. 

Bryan Reynolds: [00:58:01] So there will be some some great documentation of that history and what that building meant to the African-American community right now. 

Stan McCauley: [00:58:11] And one of the things in and talking about Lane Seminary and and their impact on antislavery, which was Harriet Beecher Stowe, her house, it was about two and a half or three blocks to the North of uh...

Nash McCauley: [00:58:28] Seminary.

Stan McCauley: [00:58:37] And that was a big, big thing for for that, because she really did a lot about not only bringing out the problems with the slavery and the... But she did a lot with the Underground Railroad and they had a lot of people around in different areas all the way back. And I think she passed away on about 1870? Yeah. So so it is you know, it sticks with you. 

Bryan Reynolds: [00:59:17] It's important work. But it just fascinates me that the two of you have such synergies to the neighborhoods and the impact that ERS had in those communities to provide low income seniors. And you're right, your dedication to to really help. And we've always had the goal of having safe and comfortable communities, but then to have the services to help people age in place successfully. And we really appreciate that support.

Nash McCauley: [00:59:46] Yeah, yeah. So anyway, we're just really pleased to be part of that. That restoration of the of the Manse, that's really special and we're glad to be on this podcast here to talk about that and make a sort of a give it personal element to that whole effort.

Stan McCauley: [01:00:13] People see what the whole thing means to you. 

Bryan Reynolds: [01:00:18] And well, and hopefully soon. I know we're we're we're dating this a little bit in there in the middle of Covid, but we can all maybe get together and do a groundbreaking and so it can be fun. Well, Dan, thank you so much for joining us on on the segment. And we'll have to get together and reminisce a little bit more once it all opens again. 

Nash McCauley: [01:00:45] Right. OK, great. 

Stan McCauley: [01:00:47] OK, thanks so much.

Kristin Davenport: [01:00:52] Bryan, that was a fun conversation to listen to. I would have to say, if I can see the Harlem Globetrotters, I was a big fan of them when I was a kid that that really that hit home for me. 

Bryan Reynolds: [01:01:06] Yeah, it certainly resonated with my own childhood memories, even though they were really from a different time period. But to to hear how excited they were to talk about that Frank Robinson and just their experience growing up in Walnut Hills and actually a few other communities that were serving like Madisonville and where where Nash worked in the north side and the connection and their passion for the work that our organization is doing for an affordable living. It was really a lot of fun. I really had enjoyed that conversation with the two of them. So we'll have to catch up with them in the future. And I can't we can't wait to celebrate the opening the Manse here very soon. 

Kristin Davenport: [01:01:52] Yes. That's another exciting thing on the horizon. 

Bryan Reynolds: [01:01:56] Absolutely. Well, that's it for this latest episode of the Linkage podcast by Episcopal Retirement Services. For more information about us, you can visit our website at Episcopal Retirement Dotcom. We've lots of great content, including our linkage online blog resources to learn more about aging and the services we offer and so much more. You can follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube to see what's going on with any ERS in our communities. If you have any questions or feedback for us, please email us at info at ERSlife.org. The Linkage podcast is produced by Kristin Davenport and Bryan Reynolds. Feoshia Davis is our associate producer and our technical director is Michelle Hoehn. I'd like to thank our guests today, including Joanie Thomas and Nash and Sam McCauley. And of course, a special thank you to our president and CEO Laura Lamb for always being available to give her updates on behalf of myself. Bryan Reynolds and Kristin Davenport, thank you so much for joining us. And we look forward to joining our podcast next week. Thanks so much, Kristin. 

Kristin Davenport: [01:03:03] Hey, thank you, Brian. We'll talk again soon.