UP Home news: Residents do craft projects

Residents of the United Presbyterian Home in Washington met in the Moore Family Dining Room last week to create a snowman craft project with the guidance of Lesli Allender, proprietor of Repurpose It.

Participants were given a block of wood to paint eyes, a dotted smile and a carrot nose. The snowmen then got a stocking cap to keep their heads warm. Residents report that they had a wonderful time being crafty. Some of the creations are now guarding the doors of their creators.

Jean Frazer was featured on the front page of the Southeast Iowa Union newspaper last week after participating in the Library Bake Off Contest over the weekend. Jean is a crafty person and enjoys baking and decorating, so this challenge was the perfect opportunity for her to use her skills. Each bake off participant was told to bake two round cakes and have them cooled before the Zoom contest began at which time they would be given instructions on what to create with their two cakes: a hedgehog!

Using ingredients from her kitchen, Jean sculpted and frosted the animal then used her imagination to form a pointed nose from a tortilla, spines from pretzel sticks and eyes from peppermint discs all within the 45 minute time frame. Jean's hedgehog was cute enough to be pictured on the front page of the newspaper.

Congrats to the following residents on being our January Star Award Winners: Nancy Albert, Jim Bennett, Joy Bennett, Clarence Brown, Jean Frazer, Mary Meeker, Jana Nieman, Mary Oviatt and Gwen Ying. To earn a star on the wall in the Wellness Center you need to use the Wellness Center, classes or pool a minimum of fifteen times per month.

Well, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow and scurried back in his hole for another six weeks of winter. We weren't surprised as the latest forecast predicts blizzard conditions for the remainder of the week and weekend. The kitchen staff was prepared and knew just how to brighten everyone's spirits. They baked pie and offered to residents on the afternoon of Groundhog Day. There was chocolate chip pie, butterscotch pie and assorted fruit pies. It did the trick to put a smile on everyone's face and help them forget about the winter weather ahead of them.