July a busy month at Pleasantview Home in Wayland

There were many fun and festive activities and events planned during the month of July for all of us here at Parkview Home, Wayland, to participate in! I?ll share with you just a few of them.

We played Stars and Stripes toss, a patriotic-themed game. Many residents watched the Fourth of July parade go by our facility from our front porch and patio. We enjoyed a fourth of July dinner of hot dogs, baked beans, potato salad and ice cream. Quite a few residents watched the town fireworks display that night at dusk. We enjoyed a visit with baby Shaylee, the 3-month-old granddaughter of our cook, Arlene Triska. Many delighted in seeing the baby, and holding her, too! Ladies of Marion Avenue Baptist Church came and sang hymns and visited with us. After their program they went and sang to some who were in their rooms. Their music and harmonies sound so nice carrying throughout our hallways and building. RAP (Reading At Parkview) ?Reading buddies? came for their last visit of the summer with us, finishing up the middle of the month. Their last visit of their six-week program was carnival-themed. Tamara Gill was here to make balloon animals for both the children and the residents. We read some more books together, visited, and munched on popcorn and cheddar popcorn and sipped lemonade. We surely had a wonderful time with all of the children and their teachers throughout this special program.

National Laundry Workers Week was the 12th through the 18th, so we had a special coffee break with Janis, Tim, and Jackie to thank them for all that they do for us. We played Washer Toss, which was a lot of fun. Mary Brinning came in first place at it, second place went to Thelma Mahan, and tying for third place were Carl Reschly and Tom Hesseltine. Everyone who participated did a great job.

Cari Nicely and Trenton Hoekstra, Henry County Conservation naturalists, came and gave a very interesting program about eagles. They brought a falcon with them to show us, and Cari always shares such informative and educational fun facts about the topic she?s presenting.

We had a wonderful picnic sack lunch outside under our canopy. Many residents came out for it, and the weather was really nice for it, but it did rain right after we finished. In our picnic sacks we found bologna sandwiches, potato chips, grapes, and s'mores to munch on. Volunteers helping with the picnic event were Jim and Janice Hester, Gene and Alice Wyse, and Hortensia Unternahrer. We had a great time playing golf. We have a cool, long putting green complete with an inclined ramp, sand bunker, water hazard, and of course a regulation ?sized cup to try to get it in amid these obstacles. It?s challenging but lots of fun. Volunteers helping me with the golf game were Rebecca, Rachel, and Paula, and I was very thankful to have their help. Also, my husband was kine enough to loan us his golf putters and golf balls to use for it ? couldn?t do it without those!

Every week throughout the month we had ?Wheeling Around Wayland? wheelchair rides around town, as well as sitting on our front patio getting some good fresh air and enjoying the outdoors.

Marie Lowe enjoyed a get-together with her family in our downstairs family room. Some family were visiting here from out of state, Colorado.

We held a memorial service here at Parkview Home for Doris Meyer. It was held with her son-in-law, Pastor Dave Schooley. Her family, residents, employees, and community friends were all in attendance. Her great-grandchildren sang several songs in her memory. We will miss our friend, Doris, very much, and we extend our deepest sympathy to her family.

It?s been great spending time with all of our young friends such as Shaylee, Noah, Titan, Phillip, Josiah, Abigail, Rebecca, Rachel, Sam, Brooklin, all 20 of our ?Reading Buddies,? and all of the youth who have come in to see us this month!

Chip, Sophie, Bella, a rabbit, Molly, and Oscar are just a few of the pets who have come to visit us throughout the month, and we surely do appreciate seeing and petting them.

For our current jigsaw puzzle project, many residents, staff, volunteers and visitors just completed putting together a 300-piece jigsaw puzzle of a dog and a cat snuggled together in a flower garden with a butterfly hovering at their noses. So many of our folks seem to have great fun working on these puzzles together.

Our centerpieces for our dining room tables this month were patriotic cups with small American flags and flag napkins crinkled in as a filler. It was a simple but very fun and festive Fourth of July-themed centerpiece. Thank you to members of Cottonwood Church for sharing them with us.

Come and see us at Parkview Home when you can ? you just never know what you might find us doing. We might be watching fireworks, we might be holding baby Shalyee, we might be enjoying the company of our young ?Reading Buddies? as they read books to us, we might be watching Tamara make balloon animals, we might be visiting with Cari and Trenton and looking at a falcon up close, we might be having a picnic sack lunch outside under our canopy, or we might be playing a round of golf! Whatever it is you might find us up to, you can be sure we?re having fun with friends!