UP Home residents set fitness goals

Senior Fitness test have been completed and everyone has set their goals for 2022 and motivated to move, stay strong and take on the world. We have also started back with the Monday Walmart Shopping Trip partnering with the Washington County Mini Bus. We have had great attendance thus far.

Earth Day was acknowledged with cleaning around our campus even though the weather wasn’t very cooperative.

Larry Bartlett is leading the way with our community garden again this year. Not much action with the garden has been able to happen due to the extreme weather of this Spring. Everyone is ready to go to work when the weather cooperates.

On April 26, author Linda McCann spoke to over 25 UP Home residents about “POWs in Iowa” book in the Campbell Room. Linda grew up in Waverly, Iowa and started her writing journey researching genealogy. She told the crowd she has written over 40 books that ranged from genealogy, lost Iowa communities, Prohibition and today’s subject, Iowa POWs.

Linda shared how POWs came to the Iowa communities, encouraged by seed corn companies that needed workers. She took information from newspaper clippings and old letters that showed how well the POWs were treated. During research she even found a few stories on how prisoners had escaped just to show they could, but would turn themselves over to authorities so they could go back to the camp.

Linda told the group about camps located in Clarinda, Algona, Waverly, Muscatine, Clinton, Toledo and West Liberty, explaining the different companies that sponsored the camps and the different types of living arrangements the guards similar to the POWs stayed in. Fascinated by the stories, residents shared they never learned these things in school during history class. The UP Home bought several of the Linda’s books for their on campus library, and residents can learn more about Iowa history.

The book for the April Book Club is “The Memory Keeper’s Daughter” by Kim Edwards. Set in the 1970s, it tells a poignant story of a family torn apart by a secret; a twin daughter was given away at birth because she had Down syndrome. Fortunately, the baby finds a loving home.

Happening in Brownlee and Garrett include making of Fun Fettii Cupcakes and frosting them. Once again, the finished product is always one of the big enjoyments. Manicures have been enjoyed along with reminiscing with the Men’s Club and Ladies’ Club. On the occasional nice day, residents have enjoyed getting outside on our front patio enjoying some Spring weather. The UP Church came in and had Communion with the Residents.

We would like to wish our April Birthdays a Happy Birthday which includes Bonnie Bender, Edonna Gamon, Carol Thornton, Wayne Brock, Jan McDaniel, Ann Mason, James Wilson, Laura Beth Davison, Myron Shields, Phyllis Crile, Joyce Wilson, Larry Bartlett, Dianna Pacha, Elna Tompkins, John Young and Pat Jenkins.

We would like to extend our sympathies to the family of Jackie Bower.

Enjoy your week everyone!