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WEDNESDAY EDITION
Siuslaw News
Coast Life
❘ FEBRUARY 8, 2017 ❘
SECTION B
SENIOR NEWS
CALENDAR
INSIDE — 6B
Chef kicks it up a notch
Chef Richard Boultinghouse’s Cordon Bleu training makes for a tasty experience for Singing Pines Café diners
B Y M ARK B RENNAN
Siuslaw News
F
lorence runs on volun-
teers. It’s a common
refrain at nonprofit
501(c)3s in town from Florence
Foodshare to the Friends of the
Florence Events Center to the
Florence Community PTA.
Nearly all of the clubs and public
service organizations in the area
count on the talents and experi-
ence of residents that are not
paid for the work they do.
In many cases these volunteers are not
only the backbone of the organization,
they are often the face the public sees as
well. In addition, there are a small num-
ber of volunteers that have a very specific
skillset that they share for the benefit of
the other members of the community.
One of these individuals is now sharing
his talents in a very tasty way at the
Florence Senior Center, 1570 Kingwood
St. Chef Richard Boultinghouse and his
wife Teresa are working together to pre-
pare meals at the center.
Richard is classically trained and has
an extensive background cooking in large
venues for high profile individuals.
“I am a certified Chef with Le Cordon
Bleu in
couple of days in the kitchen, his time
there is divided between overseeing the
preparation of the Senior Center meal
program and instructing his team of vol-
unteers.
“What I really like is the teaching end
of it. It really is the volunteers that make
this happen. And while we try to make
this close to a restaurant experience, it’s
not — this is all done with volunteers,
some of whom have health issues of their
own, that they are dealing with,” Richard
said.
Teresa recently became a part-time
employee at the Senior Center. Her posi-
tive attitude and seemingly eternal smile
have added a sense of fun to the work in
the kitchen.
Both she and Richard think that the
work they do is not only enjoyable but
Senior Center visitors dine on Chef Boultinghouse’s fine cuisine at Singing Pines
also meaningful.
Cafe twice weekly. Lunches are $7, and reservations are encouraged.
“For some of our seniors, this is the
Paris, and I have cooked professionally
they were youngsters and continue to
only sit-down meal they will have. And
for many years,” he said. “I’ve cooked on both work and live together.
for some of our seniors, this is the only
the concert circuit for Ray Charles, Pink
“We are high school sweethearts,”
meal they have for that day,” Teresa said.
Martini, Los Lobos and Joan Baez. And I Teresa said with a big smile. “We went to
The Boultinghouses encourage all
have done a lot of corporate cooking,
high school in Santa Cruz and we’ve
members of the community to join them
serving hundreds of meals in a very short been together for 34 years and counting.” for lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays at
The two had a couple of food-related
time.”
the Senior Center Singing Pines Café,
Health issues have constrained his abil- establishments in Portland, but an unan-
where lunch is $7.
ity to work the often-grueling schedule of ticipated health emergency caused them
Florence Senior Center is always look-
a professional chef, but his talents are not to make a change to their life plan.
ing for volunteers.
Richard said, “I contracted a virus in
going to waste. His desire to contribute to
For more information about meals or vol-
my heart and it was diagnosed as
the community and his love of food
unteering or to place lunch reservations, call
has turned out to be a win-win situa- Viral Cardio Myopathy. My heart
541-997-8844.
tion for all.
was operating at 10 percent efficien-
cy, so I had no choice, I had to stop
Richard and Teresa have taken
over the management of the kitchen working. I am now at 30 percent
and I still can’t work full time. So I
and meal programs at the Senior
work two days a week here and I
Center to rave reviews.
take a nap when I get home to
The first thing one notices when
talking with the couple is the affec- recharge my heart, but the two
tion they have for one another. The days is all I can do at this point.”
two began their relationship when
Although Richard only spends a
Senior Center volunteers work with Chef Boultinghouse to create
meals, serve guests, clean the kitchens and make the commercial
kitchen run smoothly and efficiently.
New memory care facility celebrates grand opening
lorence Area Chamber
of Commerce Amb-
assadors, led by Mike
Bones, attended the Grand
Opening Ribbon Cutting
Ceremony at Northwest Refl-
ections Memory Care facility
Jan. 28.
Northwest Reflections is
locally owned and operated
by Melinda Gitnes, Adult
Nurse Practitioner (ANP).
For the last several years,
Gitnes has been providing
in-home Medicare Health
assessments for members
in the community. As an
ANP, she worked at the
Riverstone Clinic and
Corvallis
Manor
and
Hillside Heights skilled
nursing facilities.
F
individualized care.
Also, as a registered
Northwest Reflections
nurse, Gitnes had the
offers onsite fulltime
opportunity to work as the
health care and ongoing
health services coordinator
medical treatment to resi-
at Elder Health and Living
dents. The inside of the
in Springfield, Ore., and at
home is decorated with
the Oregon State Hospital
comfortable furnishings,
in Salem.
artwork chosen to soothe
Northwest Reflections is
and create an uplifting
a person-centered residen-
environment and personal
tial care facility for men
touches, such as memory
and women with dementia.
boxes for the residents to
The brand new five-bed-
bring personal mementoes
room, two- bath home is
that are meaningful and
situated on 1.75 acres of
helpful to them.
both forested and land-
COURTESY PHOTO
Gitnes said her personal
scaped grounds, including
an enclosed back yard with Chamber Ambassadors help Melinda Gitnes cut the rib- experience, along with her
paths, fountain and sitting bon at the grand opening of Northwest Reflections passion for helping people
with dementia, has moti-
areas for eating outdoors Memory Care.
or just enjoying the
Residents are able to secured home environment vated her to create a warm
scenery.
enjoy living in a safe and where they will receive family environment that
will help foster independ-
ence, individual interests,
mobility
and
health
through coordinated activi-
ties and experiences.
“Family members are
encouraged to schedule
regular visits with loved
ones and to join them for
special activities, holiday
celebrations and specially
designed meals,” said
Gitnes. “Our mission for
the facility is that all resi-
dents should have a normal
home life experience.”
Northwest Reflections
Memory Care is located at
5292 Harvard Ave. in
Florence.
For more information,
call 541-997-5002.
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
PHOTOS BY MARK BRENNAN/SIUSLAW NEWS
Chef Richard Boultinghouse does it all at Florence Senior Center Singing Pine’s Cafe. From using fresh ingredients and seasonings, teaching volunteers how to make
pastries and serving up gourmet meals, his experience and training brings something a little new to the community center’s diners on Tuesdays and Thursdays.