Halcyon House News

Residents in Avalon House enjoyed a festive Valentine?s Day lunch on Thursday, Feb. 11. The lunch included pizza and fried chicken from HyVee as well as homemade cupcakes. Residents were asked to retell their stories about meeting their sweetheart or to tell their favorite Valentine?s Day memory. Everyone had a very good time enjoying each other?s company and reminiscing.

A special evening meal with John Marshall?s famous pork was served in Timmins Dining room on Thursday, Feb. 11. Approximately 30 residents from Independent and Assisted Living joined together for the meal.

In addition, on Sunday, Feb. 14, several residents enjoyed dining in the Applewood Bistro. One resident commented, ?Valentine?s Day was so special and so good at the Bistro!!!? The menu included: Guinness Shrimp, rosemary garlic mashed potatoes, herb-seasoned veggies, tea biscuit, chocolate truffle and raspberry ice tea.

Pastor David Cotner, Prairie Flower Baptist Church, provided the sermon at Halcyon House on Sunday, Feb. 14. The sermon title was ?How I Know God Loves You.? Scripture included Psalm 116:15.

At Topic of the Day, Lela Garton talked about a range of topics from the meaning of Fat Tuesday, also known as Pancake Day, the ever changing weather, and Presidents Day. Residents listened intently and openly discussed all of the topics.

The J. O.O.I. Club (Junior Optimist Octagon International) group donated seven handmade blankets for the residents to use. Jasmine Mares and Hannah Black from the Washington High School presented these soft, colorful, and cozy blankets to the residents during current events last week. There were 10 students from the J.O.O.I. Club who worked on making theses blankets for everyone to enjoy.

Monday Night at the Movies everyone enjoyed watching the movie ?Yogi Bear.? Everyone?s favorite pic-a-nic basket-stealing bear brings his meal-mooching ways to this live action movie.

On Wednesday evening the Readers Theater Speech Group from the Keota High School came to share their ?Hang Gliding, Bungee Jumping, and other Failures? presentation that they will be presenting at the All State Festival in Ames this weekend. Paden Uphold, Zach Mousel, Tyler Verstraete, Isiah Hahn, and Nate Sieren had everyone laughing at this hilarious, fast paced, and entertaining presentation. After the program, cheese and crackers along with four different kinds of meat were served to the residents and students.

Phil and Lois Myers spent their 25th Wedding Anniversary Feb. 14 with his sister, Virginia Tschantz, over the weekend. They stayed in the apartment right beside her, which currently serves as a guest room. They visited family and friends on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Virginia?s sons, Rusty, Kendall and Heather, and Dennis Hansen accompanied them to Iowa City and her son, Mike and Jan prepared dinner for everyone. Then all but Mike, Jan, and Virginia went to the Hawkeye game on Sunday evening. They left for Colorado on Monday morning.

Halcyon House residents enjoy observing the daily progress on the building project. The north household has walls, roof trusses and shingling complete. The center household is close behind. The southern household is going up quickly. Windows have been ordered and it is hoped to have things closed in soon.

Halcyon House welcomes new residents Lorraine Guy from her home in Washington, Dorothy Millmeyer from her home in Cedar Rapids, and Ruth Miller from her rural Washington home.