Meet Our Donors

Lois Eisenhard

For Lois Eisenhard, life is about service. “Scripturally, you are to be sharing with the needy all the blessings you have received,” she says. “How can you not, in turn, give back to others? It’s something the Lord says you should do. I’ve been blessed, and this is how I feel.”

Accordingly, Lois has spent her life giving back to others. She has worked for 50 years in social service, first at the Lutheran Home in Germantown, and most recently for Luther Crest in Allentown. At Luther Crest, Lois was involved with residents and their families and friends. She also communicated with the residents’ physicians, pastors, attorneys, and trust officers when needed. Even now, she continues to serve others by volunteering at Luther Crest, helping residents, accompanying them to doctor’s visits, and sending them birthday cards.

Lois has not only contributed her time to Luther Crest; she has also contributed financially. Her first gift dates back to 1984. She is also a member of the Legacy Society. She has felt called to give because she believes in the work of Luther Crest. She says, “It’s a shame how few people give. I hope it [the postcards] pushes them a little bit, into thinking. I tell them, you get many requests from charities, but remember Luther Crest. Look at what you are getting.”

Thanks to Lois and others like her, Luther Crest is able to continue its work of serving elderly citizens and their families.

Betty

Betty believes in planting “small seeds of caring.” Because of this, she has purchased several gift annuities and has named Diakon in her will, with all gifts benefitting The Lutheran Home at Topton, a Diakon Senior Living Community.

Since childhood, Betty has recognized the value of helping others. She says, “My mother always told me to help others like I would like to receive help from others…it will come back to you, she said.”

Betty encourages others to give, even if they feel that they do not have much to offer. “There is no reason to think that our gifts are insignificant just because they are small,” she says. “When we simply give what we have it makes what we give precious beyond any price.”

Gifts that provide joy, and benefits, to both giver and receiver

Dr. Morton Parmet and his wife Dorothy have been living in an independent living apartment at Luther Crest for the past 3-and-a-half years. Both in their early 90s, they wanted a home where they could continue their active and independent lifestyles safely.

“We felt we were reaching an age where anything could happen, health-wise, and we knew at some point we would not be able to drive,” Dorothy says. “Living at Luther Crest gives us the satisfaction of being with individuals who we can continue to have intelligent conversations with, and have a bit of a social life as well. We’re very happy with the social aspects of living here.”

Dr. Morton Parmet, a retired dentist, now studies religions of the world in his free time. “Diakon is really acting out our desires as far as religion goes,” he says. “Luther Crest is trying to serve in accordance with what I believe, which is why we decided to give.” Although Diakon is part of a Lutheran organization, residents at all Diakon locations practice a variety of faiths. The Parmets, in fact, are Jewish. “In Judaism we are taught to give to charity as part of our beliefs.”

The Parmets gave to Luther Crest via a Charitable Gift Annuity that benefits both the giver and the receiver. “We get interest periodically, which gives us an income, and this method of giving has tax advantages that are very valuable,” Morton says. “It’s comforting to know that we have a set amount of income coming in. And when we depart, what is left goes to the organization.”

Dorothy says it is important to do all that you can to help, to the extent that you are able. “We’re living in a flawed world,” she says. “One purpose of our lives is to make corrections, to make a better life for others. This, in return, supports the concepts of our religion. We feel good that we can help others. We’re all human beings that come from the same source. Diakon is serving a need, and I’m grateful for what they do. It’s very good.”

Mrs. Constance (Connie) Welker
Lavelle, PA

Connie lives in Lavelle which is north of Pottsville/Frackville. She had done a charitable gift annuity to benefit her church and Luther Ridge and changed the beneficiary to Diakon programs located in the Schulykill area after the divestiture.

She is very active in her church, Christ United Lutheran in Ashland – sings in the choir, member of WELCA, prior council member, takes care of altar cloths, etc. She donated a Thrivent life insurance policy to her church to start a scholarship endowment fund.

Does many different types of volunteer work including transportation for Volunteer Home Care, telephone reassurance for Meals on Wheels, works with Area Agency on Aging and Community Volunteer Services. In addition, she assists many friends, neighbors and relatives with assistance such as transportation to appointments, errands, household chores, arranging for home health care, etc. She has served as executrix for several estates and is currently caring for her companion who has health challenges.

Connie worked as a medical assistant for many years first for Ashland Hospital and later for a doctor. She continues to stay in contact with several of the patients from the doctor’s practice assisting them with transportation, errands, etc.

She stated that taking out the charitable gift annuity was one of the best things she has ever done. It has made her feel very good about herself and has given her peace of mind.

When asked why she does all the volunteer and service work that she does, she answered, “I enjoy it and it keeps me grounded”.

Connie certainly lives a life of giving of her time, talent and treasure.

Diakon Lutheran Social Ministries
798 Hausman Road, Suite 300
Allentown, PA 18104-9108
Phone: (610) 682-1219
Toll Free: 1-877-DIAKON-7 (1-877-342-5667), Option 2, Ext. 21219
Fax: (610) 682-1187