To celebrate the beginning of summer, we finally set our butterfly friends free! Residents were captivated by their life cycle and were fascinated with watching them grow and hatch out of their chrysalides. They even started naming them (even though we had no idea which was which!). We sent them off with a toast of sparkling cider and wine and wished them well on their next journey out in the world!
In honor of National Camera Day, we went back to the basics with Polaroid Pictures! Residents were shocked that this type of camera was still made. We collectively decided to take pictures holding pictures of when they were younger.
We’ve now done two Cottage Country Stores and it’s been a hit with our residents! Whenever residents play bingo, they receive one Bingo Buck per win (5 for coverall). They then get to spend these Bingo Bucks at our Cottage Country Store which we schedule on the last Friday of every month at 2:00 where residents can choose from prizes such as snacks, personal care items, puzzle books, and more. In April, we introduced a raffle prize of a cotton candy teddy bear. Residents used one buck per entry, and the competition was stiff! Our winner ended up being Ms. Betty, who was excited to win the bear for her soon to be great-granddaughter. Congratulations to all our bingo winners!
This year for Cinco de Mayo, we learned about the history behind the holiday! Residents learned about the Battle of Puebla and how a small army defeated a big one. All were surprised to learn about how the little guys won. We also enjoyed some tasty snacks made by our wonderful Food Service Coordinator, Justin, which included guacamole, pico de gallo (salsa), and chicken quesadillas. What a fun and educational way to spend the day!
Back in April, we began the process of starting our herb and tomato gardens, and boy are they sprouting! Residents have been amazed each day to see how quickly they have grown overnight. Soon we will be enjoying our cherry tomatoes, sweet peppers, beefsteak tomatoes, and a bounty of different herbs! In addition to our garden, some lovely landscapers came in and added a BUNCH of beautiful flowers outside of the cottage and we are over the moon about how it looks. If you haven’t been by to see our beautiful array of flowers yet, come in and check it out!
In February, we started baking and painting in favor of our artistically inclined residents and boy do they love it! We have even recruited a few nay-sayers. Nothing says, “I love you” like a homemade baked good. So far, our residents have enjoyed baking carrot cupcakes, chocolate almond croissants, and banana bread. They have also made several different crafts and paintings!
Beginning this March, the Cottage will be opening a Country Store. Throughout the month, residents will be able to win Cottage Cash during Bingo and Trivia Games. On the last Friday of each month, the Country Store will be set up to residents to spend their cash. Items will include: candy, toiletries, seasonal décor and more!
Please join us on Saturday, April 1 st for a visit from the Easter Bunny and an Easter Egg Hunt for the Kids! All ages welcome! Here are the times for the egg hunt: Ages 1 through 4: 1:30 pm Ages 4 through 7: 1:45 pm Ages 7 and up: 2:00 pm Please RSVP to Tristan at tolmo@horstgroup.com by March 25, 2023
Everyone knows that the start of a new year is the perfect time to make resolutions and start anew. Some of the new things happening at the cottage in 2023 are: we will soon have a new admin/activities assistant, new performers will be entertaining the residents, new daily exercise routines, new menu items, and new residents moving in. All of us are very excited for 2023 and we wish everyone a happy and healthy new year!!
Many of you are familiar with our Resident Wellness Director, Chris Hoos. Chris has been a true asset to the Cottage since she started with us in April of last year. So much so that Chris has been promoted to Resident Service Director and we are all very excited to have her in this new role.
We had a festive month in December filled with laughter and cheer. Our residents celebrated the month with Christmas carols, holiday movies, decorating gingerbread cookies with Holy Cross students, delicious treats and of course several parties and happy hours to celebrate the season!
The cottage will be hosting two holiday parties this year and the residents are looking forward to celebrating with their family and friends. Please join us on Sunday, December 18 th for an open house from 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm. We will be celebrating with hot appetizers, sweat treats and a 2:00 pm holiday performance by Maggie Sings! To keep the festivities going, we will be hosting Cocoa & Caroling on Wednesday, December 21 st at 6:30 pm with a performance by Chris Darin!
