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BY JANET SAPORITO
Never a dull moment!!!! I don’t know where to begin. We have had a very busy June so far. Each day includes planned activities and many `surprise’ activities as well. One of our newest and most popular activities (except for Happy Hour) is the Surprise Activity.
Each week a different staff member plans and hosts an activity that no one knows what it will be until they show up. The attendance has been overwhelming.
On June 14 we played a memory game with Susan Kenyon. The theme was the ocean and photographs were hidden behind numbered cards and had to be matched. All the residents won!
Dining Services Manager Kathy Lindberg acted as ``Daphne,’’ one of her many comedic characters, along with her Golf Pro Luigi played by Facilities Manager Frank Miller.
Daphne and Luigi had set up a putting range in the living room. All residents had several chances for that elusive ``hole-in-one.’’ While several were made, the top putter was Pat DeBaun with the other residents close behind.
Dee Bouck, PCA arranged for a real old fashioned ice cream truck to come to the Home.
Dee teased the residents with a question and answer session until they guessed what the surprise would be. It was a rainy day but that did not dampen the excitement one bit.
Mary Butler, LPN celebrated her birthday by hosting one of her favorite things - a singalong. Resident Dottie Bly played the piano while the rest of the residents and staff sang their hearts out.
Then Mary served cupcakes she had made to everyone. No one wanted the fun to end.
One of our well-attended planned activities on June 7 was Maie Sepp’s Piano Recital. Her students were amazing.
Such talent.
This performance was enjoyed by Alberta Bowes, Bill Bowes, Bobbie Mook, Art and Bunnie Laidlaw, Hilde Parr, Wally Pickhardt, Leon Rathbun, Ralph Veenema, Pat DeBaun, Dot Gardner, Peg Hage, Fannie Navarra, Martha Quinn, Ellen Hankin and Wanda Noyes.
On June 10 Wally Pickhardt, Wanda Noyes, Peg Hage, Hilde Parr, Pat DeBaun, Dot Gardner and Martha Quinn joined Janet Saporito, PCA for a session of ``Laughlines.’’ Janet told many new jokes. Thank you to Hilde for bringing her favorites too.
Later the same day was our Staff Appreciation Dinner at Camp Minnetoska.
Administrator Laurie Blatt presented each staff member with a service recognition award. Staff members and their families enjoyed Brook’s chicken BBQ, some libation, and great conversation while they were able to swim, dance or just kick back.
On June 15 our Bird Watchers group, guided by Nancy Rackmyer, LPN, took a field trip to Nancy’s farm in the hamlet of Pleasant Brook. The CWTH van was full with Nancy and her fellow bird watchers Doris Blomquist, Pat DeBaun, Peg Hage, Bobbie Mook, Wanda Noyes and Ralph Veenema. They saw a variety of birds including two pair of nesting bluebirds. Others seen were gold finches, cedar waxwings and Baltimore orioles. Some unexpected entertainment was birds diving in the pond. Nancy said they also heard a bobolink, swallows, starlings and red-winged blackbirds.
The sweet smell of the wild roses took over the van as Nancy picked a bouquet for the Home.
The Home’s Green Thumbs have our vegetable and herb garden planted. What a great job and many thanks to Carol Affourtit, PCA, and residents Pat DeBaun, Wanda Noyes and Bobbie Mook. Our perennials continue to look gorgeous. The irises are grand this year.
Jeanette Hansen, Wally Pickhardt, Bobbie Mook, Sue Stevens, Pat DeBaun, Doris Blomquist, Dottie Bly, and Dot Gardner can often be seen watching our feature matinee on the big screen TV. Some of our recent movies have been ``Field Of Dreams’’ starring Kevin Costner and, my all time favorite, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s ``The Sound of Music’’ staring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer.
June 18 was another very busy day.
Bobbie Mook organized a flower arranging session with Wanda Noyes and Pat De- Baun. Beautiful arrangements were made with fresh picked daisies, clover, mallow, wild roses and Queen Anne’s lace.
The arrangements sit on the mantle in the living room looking spectacular. Next, our culinary and dining staff, Chrissy Karpowich, Mary Nolan, Sean Killian, Sheila Jones and Kathy Lindberg prepared and served a wonderful picnic dinner consisting of BBQ chicken on the grill, fresh corn on the cob, salads and watermelon.
Residents Pat DeBaun, Martha Quinn, Natalie Laidlaw along with Lauren Miller helped with the preparation by shucking the corn and personal care staff Mary Butler, Sandy Brigham and Carol Affourtit helped serve. In the afternoon, everyone gathered to celebrate our June birthdays.
The honorees were Leon Rathbun and staff members Jackie Renwick, Dee Bouck, Mary Butler and Frank Miller. We also honored fathers by each person reading a Father’s Day quote.
On June 19, Dr. Arthur and Natalie ``Bunny’’ Laidlaw celebrated their 67th Wedding Anniversary. Congratulations!!! Family, residents and staff joined them to enjoy a beautiful cake made by culinary staff member Darcey Schilling.
Art and Bunny were visited by their sons Robin and Tex, their spouses, and granddaughter Natalie.
Summer is finally here and we plan to enjoy every day of it. We hope you do too.
Columns
Home Notes: A busy month at the Home
- Columns
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Attack on Sacket's Harbor
Sacket's Harbor, near the beginning of the St. Lawrence River from Lake Ontario, was the principal American naval base on Lake Ontario during the War of 1812.
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Once again, hope springs eternal ...
We are happy to report that although Mother Nature did her best to thwart the annual Upper Pioneer Street Block Party, she was not successful.
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Local performs costumed recitations of Casey at the Bat
Since 1996, I have had the privilege of doing costumed recitations of Casey at the Bat as part of my job at the Baseball Hall of Fame. I’ve performed the poem an estimated 2,000 times in 22 states, at ballparks, conferences, classrooms, Hall of Fame Induction ceremonies, weddings and other events.
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E-readers come in handy when traveling
I recently took a trip to California and it was the perfect time to make use of my e-reader. While I'm still devoted to actual books, I must admit that traveling with a thin, lightweight computerized device beats dragging along one or two bulky hard copy titles. The only issue is finding the right e-books to take on the airplane
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Local Voices From Around the Globe: Arriving at the last bend in the River
The month of May is the height of the summer in India, a time best spent indoors with a good book and a sliced mango for company.
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Cooperstown election and law
On Tuesday the 18th inst. [May], the following persons were elected officers for this village for the ensuing year: --
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Local Voices From Around the Globe: Exchange has taught me to love my flaws
Hello from Germany! I'm currently on my second Euro Tour visiting and exploring most of Europe.
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Passing along advice of seeing the humor
The best advice given to me many years ago when I started teaching had nothing to do with my discipline, English. Rather, a former mentor insisted on the necessity of having a sense of humor
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The week that was ...
For a number of years now, we have not been in Cooperstown for the spring season. And we must admit that we had quite forgotten what it is like. But since we decided that travel was not on the docket for this year, we have become reacquainted with the Cooperstown spring. And we must say we rather enjoyed it with the possible exception of occasional uncalled for snow and seemingly frigid temperatures.
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Local Voices From Around the Globe: Mother's visit was a benchmark for this year
Last week, my mother made the 25-hour plane trip out to Thailand to visit her son, me, after nine months of having only choppy Skype sessions and scattered emails to give her an idea of what I look and act like since having left home last August.
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Local Voices From Around the Globe: World traveler calls Euro-Tour experience of a lifetime
While I've had a great time throughout my entire exchange, I can say hands down that the month of April brought me the best memories of my exchange if not some of the best of my entire life. What kind of wonder would bring me to say this? Simple. Euro-Tour.
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Maryland port attacked
Havre de Grace, May 3. "This morning, a little after the break of day, a British armed force, under cover of armed vessels which anchored in front of this town ... landed below a small breast work which had been roughly thrown up, and in which were one 9 and two 4 pounders, manned by 50 militia.
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Memoir reflects on 'roller-coaster life and career'
Apparently, the third time wasn't the charm. The way Reynolds described him, the third husband was worse than the first two combined and that's saying a lot. Eddie Fisher literally walked away from Reynolds and their two infant children to chase a sex goddess. At least he got his just desserts when Elizabeth Taylor tossed him aside for Richard Burton.
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Imagine what might have been ...
A while back we got a telephone call from a reader of this column wanting to know why we had not written a column in support of Otsego Manor continuing to be owned and operated by Otsego County. And even though we have followed the debate over this issue in the newspaper, we readily admitted we did not feel we knew enough about the situation to take a stand.
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Herpes virus brings harness racing to a halt
I've been going to harness horse race tracks my entire life. My family has been in the business for years.
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Time, if not traffic, moves on ...
It is with sadness we note the passing of two people who we have known since moving to Cooperstown in 1982.
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Canadian capital captured
Dear Sir, I have just returned from Fort Niagara, where I saw a Captain of the United States' navy. He is just from little York, the capital of Upper Canada, and gives the following account, which is confirmed in official dispatches from Gen. Dearborn to Gen. Lewis ...
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Local Voices From Around The Globe: Exchange is like a life in a year
All exchange students realize the credibility of this statement. Like all lives no exchange is the same, all are incredible unique exchanges. The metaphor of life, from baby to old age, extends to every part of the exchange.
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Movie depicting legendary Jackie Robinson does not disappoint
Going to the movies is not something I do often. I can count the number of times I have gone on my fingers, unless you include trips to the drive-in. And even so, it took me years before I made it to one of those -- going for the first time two summers ago.
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'Dubious' about weather, Hawkeyes 'suitable' nickname
Unfortunately, it seems to us that this spring has, thus far, been anything but spring like. In fact, we are still more than happy to stay bundled up in our polar fleece.
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Attack on Sacket's Harbor
