Melissa Kalicicki, Annual Gifts Officer
The first thing that struck me when I visited with Mim Noll is her affinity for antiques. I couldn’t move from her doorway without taking in all of the beautiful lamps positioned around her home. “You like that cut glass lamp, don’t you,” she asked me. “It’s gorgeous,” I managed to reply.
Mim laughed and ushered me into her house, telling me the history of many items, and I soaked it up. Paintings, dishes, lamps; but she definitely knew the way to my heart was the glittery glass. “We used to own an antique shop on our farm,” she said. “We had an investment type establishment.” She smiled, a sparkle emanating from her eyes. Looking around, I knew she wasn’t kidding.
Mim and her husband, the late Gerald Noll, lived in Lancaster County. They met when they were young and married when she was only twenty years old. “We met at church, that’s how you met people in those days,” she said with a smile. “We raised two children, ran a 130-acre farm and owned our own antique shop. We’d travel to places buying and selling all kinds of antiques.”
When her husband passed away, and the farm became too much to manage, Mim moved to Landis Homes. She volunteered as a shuttle driver almost immediately, but there was another aspect of her volunteer work that I was excited to learn more about.
“How did you get started hosting a Share-a-Meal for the Benefit Auction?” Mim laughed again and pulled out a stack of photos from her meals so I could see them.
“Helen Hess was a neighbor of mine when I first moved here and she used to organize the Share-a-Meals. She asked me if I’d be willing, and at first, I wasn’t sure if I could do it. As a farmer’s wife, you should enjoy cooking, and I certainly did, but I thought I had to host a lot of people. Helen reassured me that I didn’t have to do dinner, I could do brunch, and I could choose the number of guests I wanted to host. So that’s exactly what I did,” Mim replied.
That was in December 2010. Mim hosted a December Share-a-Meal Brunch for seven years afterward.
“What is your favorite Share-A-Meal memory?” I asked. “Oh, one time there was a group of ladies who bought tickets but would not tell anyone where they were going. Well, I just kept asking them and they kept laughing and saying they weren’t going to tell me. Then when my day came to host, they showed up at my house, two by two, to surprise me. It was wonderful and we had a good laugh about it,” Mim answered. “I enjoyed my years as a host. I loved meeting people and I’ve always liked cooking. It was my way of giving back to Landis Homes because all the money raised goes to the Caring Fund.”
The time has come to again consider being a host for this year’s Share-a-Meal Adventure for the Benefit Auction.
Just like Mim, you can choose your location, date, and number of guests as well as the menu you’d like to serve. You’ll not only gain the pleasure of making new friends, but you’ll also experience the joy that comes from knowing that the money from the tickets sold, benefits those who need assistance from the Caring Fund. The Caring Fund helps residents afford quality care even when their carefully managed finances run out. Hosting a Share-A-Meal is a great way to bless others! If you’re interested, please call Alonna G. Sprunger, Events Specialist, at (717) 381-3580. Like Mim, you can begin your very own Share-A-Meal adventure!
