One of the residents at Johansen Manor, Patricia Bentsen, has spent most of her professional life in another country, the Great Red Island of Madagascar, as a missionary nurse. When Patricia first went to Madagascar, she worked as a nursing supervisor and anesthetist at a 60-bed hospital located in a rural community of southwestern Madagascar. Since then, she has seen many changes, economically and politically, as well as with the Malagasy Lutheran Church Health Department (SALFA).

There are nearly 40 SALFA health centers located around the island, all staffed with Malagasy doctors and nurses, who provide the patients with treatment and care taken from the Lord’s command found in Luke 10:9 which says "heal the sick."

Pat's role has changed immensely over the years. Instead of working in a health center, Pat has an office at SALFA headquarters where she works closely with Mr. Andreas, the SALFA director. Some of her responsibilities include responding to email messages from English-speaking people, translating reports from the different health centers, assisting with unpacking and inventorying 20 foot sea containers filled with medical supplies, visiting the SALFA health centers, being a member of the teaching staff at the Lutheran nursing school to name a few.
 

Pat also is involved with a prison ministry, accompanying Christian lay-people called "shepherds" to some of the nearby prisons, where informal worship services are held, followed by prayer and the laying on of hands to anyone who so desires, providing the prisoners with much needed rice and medicines, and distributing Bibles and other Christian literature to those in-mates taking confirmation instruction.

Pat covets our prayers for her ministry in Madagascar, and thanks the Lord for good health and a network of Christian Malagasy friends.

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A new program in the therapy department called "Freedom Thru Functionality" is really a blessing here at Good Shepherd.  AEGIS Therapies has provided us with five state of the art pieces of Nautilus Equipment. Valued at over $25,000 Nautilus delivered a Leg Press, Triceps Press, Compound Row Machine, Low Back Machine and Neck machine to assist in strengthen the neck muscles. The therapy department has been busier than ever.

Some of the reasoning we were so blessed with all 5 pieces of

Equipment is that Good Shepherd is very strong and active in community activities, especially with the elder continuum. Our facility has a good reputation, census has been consistent and stable for several years and many of our patients admitted to our facility return home.

Over the past year our admissions requiring therapy services has raised to 15% an average of 15-20 patients per month. We are having a "Look at Me Now" coffee on May 19th for residents who have been discharged to their homes to come see the new equipment and also see the new bathing suite.

Kermit and Dagmar Goll
Kermit and Dagmar Goll were a "couple", well known to the Blair Community. Long-time residents of Blair just referred to "Kermy and Dag" and there was no need to bother with a surname. They lived just across the street from Good Shepherd and a block from First Lutheran, two of the places they held dear. When the time came that it was necessary for Kermy to move across the street, Dagmar spent much of her spare time visiting. When she became non-ambulatory, she also moved across the street but for some time she continued doing the bookkeeping for Tyson Co. where she had been employed for many years.

Kermy was born in Tekamah, Nebraska, and graduated from high school there before having a career with the U.S. Air Force. After he retired from the military he was employed with Civil Service at Offutt Field. Dagmar was born in Herman, Nebraska, and graduated from high school there and then attended Dana College. Kermit and Dagmar were married June 8, 1948.

This couple shared their many interests, one of which was music. Kermy was a member of the Blair Melody Men and Fremont Pathfinders musical groups. For many years the "couple" sang and played for funerals, weddings and other events throughout the community. They also had a special appreciation for the beauties of nature. They traveled throughout the United States and some foreign countries. Their special place was the Snowy Range and its trout streams in Wyoming.

Their lifelong commitment to their religious faith was evident in the way they lived their lives. They were faithful members of First Lutheran Church, participating in the church choir and other activities. Dagmar served as Sunday School officer for over 25 years.

Another interest was the collecting of antiques. Their success in this venture was quite apparent in the results of the two day auction held after they had both moved to Good Shepherd.

Many charities have benefited from their generous gifts and from their estate. They established perpetual annual academic scholarships to Dana College for Tekamah-Herman and Blair High School senior students. They were major contributors toward the beautiful stained glass windows in the Chapel of the Good Shepherd and the new stained glass windows for First Lutheran’s new Life Center. The remodeled bathing suite here at Good Shepherd is being dedicated to Kermitt and Dagmar. Their generous gifts have brought both beauty and comfort to be enjoyed by the residents of Good Shepherd, now and far into the future.

In the Kitchen with Leona Plambeck
Leona Plambeck, 94, who lives on the 600 hall at Good Shepherd, hosted about 15 or 16 staff members and residents at a recent chicken-noodle feast. Even her doctor joined the group. Years ago, when her husband was a resident at Good Shepherd, Leona visited him often and often brought him some of his favorite foods. One day she shared one of his favorites with some of the nurses. It was a treat they didn’t forget. When they reminisced about what a fabulous cook she was and how wonderful her chicken-noodles were, she admitted she missed being able to prepare a meal. One comment led to another and before long they had made plans for a home-cooked meal, prepared by Leona. Some of the invited guests made arrangement for acquiring the ingredients. The kitchen in the therapy wing was turned over to Leona. The day before the scheduled event, Leona made her whole-egg noodles and laid them out to dry. The next morning she put the chicken on to cook. She had some help de-boning the chicken and by noon she had prepared a feast for her friends. They all agreed it was a real treat and Leona admits it was fun to get into the kitchen and to have such appreciative diners. Some of the diners brought cheese cakes to top it all off.