Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice

What's made of sugar and spice, and everything nice? Besides our residents, that's also what little girls are made of-- and on Sunday, our Living Room was overtaken by Daisy Scouts. The girls made so many of us smile with a sweet fashion show they put on. Then the girls spruced up our residents by making friendship necklaces for them.  

Speaking of sweet, our residents did a fun Marshmallow Sculptures activity. Armed with toothpicks and various sizes of the sugary treats, our residents created sculptures reminiscent of Tinker Toys.

Memorial Day Weekend

The town of Mount Joy held their Memorial Day Parade on Saturday, and our very own Miss Catharine Zeller was in it! She rode in the parade in commemoration of her father, a World War I veteran who fought in the trenches in France. This is the 100^th anniversary of the First World War, and Miss Zeller remembers her father actively participating in Memorial Day celebrations over the years. She also wanted to celebrate the memory of her brother, a paratrooper in the Korean War, who graduated from West Point.

Leading the parade, our Miss Zeller rode in a sky blue Oldsmobile Cutlass convertible. She said the experience was wonderful, and while she didn't recognize faces in the crowd, she knew many people had come out to see her.

 ---The photograph taken with Miss Zeller holding her father's photograph was taken for the newspaper and is credited to Jeff Ruppenthal.---

Live in Wellness: June Events

The month of June is named after the Roman goddess of marriage, Juno. It is no wonder that so many weddings occur during the month of June. As is such, Juniper Communities will be reminiscing about and celebrating weddings throughout the month. June is also the month with the longest daytime hours of the year in the northern hemisphere. Make the best of the extended days by celebrating wellness!

Can the choices you make really affect your health and wellness? Absolutely! Cancer, heart disease, lung disease, stroke and injury, the major causes of death and health problems, can all be prevented by choosing a healthy lifestyle. Simple changes like choosing not to smoke, seeing your doctor regularly, maintaining a healthy diet, exercising and getting enough sleep all contribute to longer life.

This month we finish our quarterly Alive In All Seasons theme of “Let Wellbeing Thrive” by engaging in activities focused on food and nutrition. Look for our consistently health snack and juice options at our hydration stations and dietitian presentations. Our H’Art and Soul of Dining Program will also be showcased as we implement the addition of more regional favorites – focusing on fresh and scratch made, our signature soups and muffin of the day as well as the new grill menu.

Our fabulous activity offerings this month include our Father’s Day BBQ on June 13^th at 5:00 pm; and our Music Series performance by the New Holland Band on June 21^st at 3:00 pm. Join us this month as we Live in Wellness.

Happy Mother's Day

We had a very happy Mother's Day here at Juniper Village at Mount Joy. So many sons and daughters came in to visit with their mothers, and I don't think I've ever delivered so many flowers on one day. Speaking of flowers, we decoupaged vases today. We used a variety of colored tissue paper-circles to decorate the vases, and they turned out beautifully.

In the afternoon, we had an activity we called "Memories of Mom," where our residents gathered to talk about their mothers and the wonderful memories they shared.

Making Doggy Biscuits

Everyone knows who man’s best bud is, and Sunday, we were baking biscuits for him. Precious pups of all sizes can enjoy the peanutbutter-oat treats we made after lunch. While baking is an activity many of our residents have years of experience in, making treats for dogs gave a quirky kick to the experience. While many things have changed over the years, one thing definitely has not, and that’s the companionship we all share with our furry friends.

Grow Strong Daily: May Events

Welcome to May where we will be dancing around the May Pole on May Day; donning opulent hats for the Kentucky Derby and sombreros for Cinco de Mayo; honoring our mothers on Mother’s Day and our fallen heroes on Memorial Day. What a fantastic month of celebration! In addition to observing these holidays, Juniper Village will be focusing on this month’s Alive In All Seasons theme “Grow Strong Daily” with an emphasis on fitness.

Studies show exercise is an effective treatment for many chronic conditions such as arthritis, heart disease and diabetes and can also help people with high blood pressure, balance problems or difficulty walking. Stress management, improved mood and cognitive function are other benefits of regular exercise. This is why Juniper Village makes exercise a part of every day! We are completely dedicated to whole person wellness and “nurturing the spirit of life” for each individual we touch by encouraging an active body, an engaged mind and a fulfilled spirit.

Join us here at Juniper Village at Mount Joy for our Mother’s Day “Par-Tea” on May 9^th at 5:00 pm (RSVP to 717-492-9692 by May 5^th); or our Summer Music Series Kickoff on May 30^th at 7:00 pm. See our newsletter calendar for a complete listing of events and come visit us during any that suit your fancy!

Philly Phanatics

The word on everyone's tongue this weekend was baseball. The Philadelphia Phillies, easily the most popular team among residents due to the city's proximity, aren't playing so hot, but our enthusiasm for the sport definitely hasn't grown cold.

Perhaps the biggest Philadelphia fan, June Smith's apartment is full of memorabilia and Phillies fashion. Her newest edition, the green Philly Phanatic hat, was an instant hit. When asked about her devotion to the team (she never misses a game), June says her father was responsible for her entire family falling for the Phil's.

Izora Bowermaster fondly remembers her stepfather taking them not to see the Phillies, but the Athletics, who were located in Philadelphia from 1901 to 1954. Izora fondly remembers seeing Lefty Grove, one of the major league's greatest left-handed pitchers to this day, who struck out the side in nine pitches twice in 1928.

Bill Holmes, our resident from California, offers a different taste of baseball history. His brother Claude was transferred to serve in a military post office in Japan, and there he told Bill he spent most of his time playing baseball, or "rakuten." Before that, Bill grew up playing baseball with his brother as a third baseman and relief pitcher while Claude played catcher. Bill continued playing baseball or softball in industrial or city leagues throughout his life, only moving on to play slow-pitch in his sixties. Bill fondly remembers his wife, Jimmie, standing and shouting "Come on, honey!" and the crowd joining in to shout "Come on, honey!" whenever he came up to the plate. When it comes to the major leagues, Bill is a Cardinals fan through and through, with his hero being Stan "The Man" Musial.

At the end of the day, baseball is a topic we can all pitch-in on here at Juniper Village at Mount Joy.