Halcyon House News

Sybil Thornton was recently enjoying a baseball game when a group of youngsters from the YMCA Camp Gitche Manitou arrived and were seated close by. Sybil could not help but notice how organized the counselors were and what a well behaved bunch of kids that appeared to be in the range of 5 to 11 years old. Sybil received a heartwarming note with each one signing and thanking her for the money to buy them each a snack at the concession stand. Paying it forward is always such a gratifying experience.

The Class of 1950 held its 65th reunion in the Marshall Game Room on Wednesday, July 15. Halcyon resident Bill Casey and retired McCleery Cumming, graphic designer put his artwork talents to use by illustration of the reunion signage. Class member Jim Stone served as the Master of Ceremonies for the event. The meal was catered by the Applewood Bistro.

Mary Meeks had a short visit from her son, Dick and Malinda Meeks from Mountain Home, Arkansas. They were en route to Wisconsin and stopped in Washington to show Mary their new camper.

Al Fritz was accompanied to lunch in the Timmins Dining Room with his niece, Sister Jane Conrad from Yankton, S.D. and Sister Brigid Stanley of Dubuque.

Victoria Griffith, Vivian Wells, Ruth Slater and Sybil Thornton so enjoyed lunch at the Bistro with Helen Lease from Crawfordsville joining them. It was a hot day but a cool, cool group of friends ? can?t ask for anything better.

Martha Chabal with friends, Gladys Ferguson and Bea DeLong from Andalusia, Ill., gathered in the Bistro for lunch and visiting on Monday.

Keys and Squeeze, a duo from Buchanan, Minn., entertained to a large group in the Day Lounge on Monday morning. The keyboard and accordion music along with their singing voices was well received by the audience. The opening number was a familiar song, ?In the Good Old Summertime.?

Lela Garton should get everyone?s attention with her fact finding regarding plastic materials that are being manufactured at a phenomenal rate. Each American is said to throw away about 185 pound of plastic a year with enough plastic being used by us that it would circle the Earth four times. American are consuming and throwing away 35 billion water bottles each year with the production of plastics using 8% of the world?s oil production. Such items that are costing $520,000,000 to keep our shorelines free of marine debris from millions of visitors to the ocean and beaches. We all have to become diligent and recycle to save the Earth.

Howard Dantuma from the Marion Avenue Baptist Church delivered the message, ?Choices? with the scripture from Joshua 24:15 at the Sunday afternoon church service. He also provided special music playing his accordion.

Wesley Life Week was a busy one that included Daily Devotionals, Olympic Games, Scavenger Hunt, Spirit Decorating, Studio E Dancers and Baton Twirling, along with Kaylee Horak and Lori and Gene Hoyle sharing their singing talents. The week ended with an awards ceremony that named Denny Sorrell as the recipient of the Wesley Life Healthy impact award. He continually makes a positive impact on all those around him. This was exciting news as Denny was the overall winner of all the Wesley Communities. Halcyon House resident Darlene Flynn was the winning recipient of the award last year.