Halcyon House News

Dean and Ruth Slater have returned from a trip to Arkansas to visit family. They really enjoyed getting acquainted with 4-month-old great grandson Sebastian James Palmer, son of James and Jessica Palmer, who live in Mountain Home, Arkansas.

James is a band teacher in the Cotter School District and Jessica teaches kindergarten in the Yellville School District. They were able to visit daughter, Rhonda Caton and husband Anthony, who live close to Mulberry, Arkansas. Rhonda is the director of procurement at the University of Arkansas, in Fort Smith. Anthony teaches at Arkansas Tech, in Russellville, Arkansas.

They visited granddaughter, Jenna Palmer who lives in Fort Smith and is on the staff at the University of Arkansas. Jenna graduated in May 2010 from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, with a bachelor?s degree in international relations. She taught English in Zhangjiagang, China, for two years. She then went on to live in Seoul, South Korea, for two years, studying Korean and teaching English. She has a passion for traveling and has spent much of her time visiting countries across Europe and Asia. She also enjoys learning new languages and has studied French and Korean, as well as immersing herself in the language and culture of China and learning some of the local phrases. She has a passion for meeting people from all over the globe and getting to know them on a personal level. From her personal experience of living and traveling abroad, she is eager to help students with the trials they face from living in and acclimating to a foreign country and culture.

Residents enjoyed Sunday church service at Epworth Chapel provided by Pastor Jason Collier, of Ainsworth Community Church. The September 13th Scripture reading was from Isaiah 12: 20-25, sermon title was ?Seeing Straight.? Pianist was Linda McNeil.

A lot of cheering and yelling could be heard last Saturday afternoon by the Halcyon House residents as they watched the Iowa vs. Iowa State football game on the big screen in the Morrison Center. Mercy Brinning, Becky Carter with daughters Sadie, Jocelyn and their cousin Izzy Murphy decorated the Morrison Center in Hawkeye and Cyclone décor. Mercy and Becky prepared lots of tailgate snacks for the residents to enjoy? little smokies, taco dip, cheese and crackers, veggie and fruit trays, chips and dips, along with delicious chicken wings prepared by Lebowski?s Rock n? Bowl. Mary Ann Greiner baked yummy cupcakes decorated in Hawkeye and Cyclone colors. There were a lot of happy Halcyon Hawkeye fans Saturday evening!

Sunday was a beautiful day for a fall festival at St. James. Sybil Thornton was picked up by the Washington County Mini Bus at the Halcyon House entrance and was able to roll onto the bus lift with her Rollator and two large cloth bags without worry about parking. Sybil?s youngest grandson, a senior at Drake, is putting her car to good use, so she is able to utilize Washington?s mini bus service. Sybil completely filled her two large cloth bags with absolutely wonderful items from the festival?s country store, like a beautiful fall wreath that she hung from her Rollator handle. Upon arriving to the dining area she was met with, ?Tell me what you would like and I?ll bring it to you!? She saw a lot of friends and met several new ones! The sun was perfect for people watching and listening to the auctioneer.