Restorium Ramblings
It’s been a good while since I’ve brought you up to date about goes on at the Community Restorium, so here goes.
September: Even though the summer was mostly wet and cold, the weather was beautiful for our Labor Day barbecue. The food was great as always, the entertainment was super, and there were huge amounts of community folks who enjoyed it thoroughly! Thanks, Community, for your loyal, sincere support of your Community Restorium.
One other wonderful occasion happened in September thanks to the Friends of the Restorium. Several residents who chose to go were treated to a super train ride from Newport, Washington for a fall ride through the Pend Oreille Valley to Delkena and back to Newport. We rode in an open car, saw lovely scenery, and had a great time. We then had a picnic lunch by the Pend Oreille River. What a fabulous day! So much fun that everyone wants to do it again next year. September was also busy with the usual on going activities which are always uplifting, such as the fun of singing along to “Oldies and Goodies” when Roger and Naomi, a lovely and fun loving couple come to entertain, the joy of having the loyalty of the Mennonite singers who come every Tuesday entertaining and sharing familiar hymns which speak to everyone’s soul. We are also blessed with contemporary music on Fridays, played and sung beautifully by Jeannie Robinson. She is faithful to share her talent with us and also happens to be the Chairperson of the Friends of the Restorium who do so much to grace and improve our lives. Also the young people from Echo Springs come on Wednesdays afternoons. They set up a bowling alley in the family room. You can’t imagine the camaraderie, skill, and hilarious mistakes which add up to grand fun for the residents who participate. Bus rides on the new bus with its automatic lift, from the Friends of the Restorium, is a look forward activity each week. Weekly bingo, crafts, hair and nail care, exercise time, Saturday movie with popcorn as well as Sunday church services provided by community churches all represent “The Usual.”
September also brought some changes in the staff. Russel, our kitchen supervisor, moved with his family to California. Joanie, one of our great cooks, retired and Sarah, our young night supervisor, left us to have her first child, who is now here and she is just so lovely! We miss them, but new folks have stepped up to fill those positions. So we welcome and appreciate all of them.
Moving along into October: We had our first snowfall. Once again the Friends of the Restorium blessed us bountifully with new living room furniture including three couches, two love seats, two side tables, and a bench. In addition to those the Friends also bought a very large screen TV. Now we are more comfortable and better to see and hear the TV. All during October the residents made crafts in preparation for Halloween because three classes of Mt. Hall Elementary kids came to parade around to show their costumes and to sing for us. The crafts were cute containers for candy for them. It is really good that the elderly and the young spend time together. Our society can use more of that kind of healthy interaction. Several residents had a really fun time when they rode the bus to the Methodist Church’s rummage sale where they found many treasures, Fun! Fun! The day before Halloween a bus load of residents rode around Bonners viewing Halloween decorations.
Which brings us to November: On Veterans Day, several residents who are veterans were honored. Two of them, Don Dozier and Rosemary Hopkins, received gloriously decorated quilts hand-made by Margaret Pyette. They were thrilled and we all are proud and thankful for their service to America. Again blessed by the Friends several residents and staff were treated to a Pearl Theater special performance by “America’s Sweethearts,” a trio of truly talented young women from back East who travel America doing musical theater type shows featuring nostalgic music, dance and comedy from the 30s and 40s. They were fabulous! What a unique treat for all of us older generation folks! I noticed while there a theater full of not-so-old folks enjoying the show just as much as we, with their whistling and cat calling. As guests of the Pearl Committee and Friends we were treated like royalty. A very good feeling. Our annual Thanksgiving dinner was held at which both residents, family members and friends enjoyed this special traditional turkey day meal. To improve efficient functioning a new boiler is now installed. The old one went kaput! We now have lots of hot water.
And so it goes! Just one more thing. I want to give a very, very big shout out to all the incredible staff members. We have been short staffed lately and the dedicated men and women have been going above and beyond the call of duty to assure that the residents are cared for and the work gets done.
And one more thing. (Can you read anymore?) Christmas is coming. The Restorium Christmas party will be on Dec. 14 at noon. Happy Christmas everyone and bless you all.