Annual barbecue supports Restorium
Photos by TANNA YEOUMANS The annual Friends of the Restorium barbecue brought many community members together in support of the Boundary County facility.
There was a wide selection of desserts.
This set of silverware was among the silent auction items.
The smell of cooking burgers and hot dogs filled the neighborhood around the Restorium, attracting more people.
Photo by TANNA YEOUMANS This walking stick and blankets were a part of the silent auction.
BONNERS FERRY — On June 30, Boundary County residents came together at the Boundary County Restorium for their annual barbecue fundraiser.
There was a line of people that had recently gotten out of church patiently waiting as the burgers and hot dogs were grilled. Moving forward in the line, attendees saw the plethora of homemade salads, from leaf salads to fruit salads, with a wide variety in between. There was also a dessert table laden with a variety of sweet treats.
“It helps everyone get acquainted with friends and relatives,” said Lois Frazier, a resident at the Restorium. “There was lots of good food and it was nice getting out in the sunshine.”
Attendees enjoyed live music as they ate and conversed in the manicured courtyard.
“We come every year for the good food and good people,” said local resident Anna Amoth of her and her husband Delton’s attendance at the barbecue.
The event was sponsored by the Friends of the Restorium, and all proceeds go back into the facility and its residents in order to enhance their quality of life.
“Those little extras that make it seem like a real home for them,” said Event Coordinator Judy Dirks.
Dirks went on to talk about how the Friends of the Restorium and the team at the Restorium work together to help the residents feel like the assisted living facility felt like home. The residents have made their rooms home, have meals prepared, attend activities, and can come and go just like they would at home.
“I can stay up until one in the morning working on my puzzle, and nobody tells me I have to go to bed,” said Frazier. “We are very lucky to have a facility like this.”
With the freedom of coming and going, comes the freedom of visitors, making the barbecue party additionally fun.
“It was quite wonderful this time” said Beatrice Madill, also a resident at the Restorium. “We had about 400 people, which was quite a crowd. The entertainment was wonderful, a band played oldies which got everyone excited. The food was really good, and it’s kinda a mundane thing, but everyone loved the hot dogs. And the silent auction went really well, there seemed to be a lot of stuff to auction off.”
The silent auction had things like gift certificates, quilts, paintings, glassware, silverware, and many other items for sale. Attendees seemed to be interested in finishing their lunch so they could browse the auction items.
“Thank you to the staff for their many days of hard work,” said Dirks. “Even though its sponsored by the Friends of the Restorium, it took the whole team to make the day a success.”