Seniorsfirst Residents Are "On the Move"

Whether you live in the Seniorsfirst independent and assisted living retirement community at Valley Manor or the skilled nursing living center at Kirkhaven, a common theme is the pursuit of life-long interests and activities at any age.

Yes, it is a fact. Seniorsfirst residents like to stay active and are certainly "on the move".

At Valley Manor, our location within the cultural district of Rochester facilitates participation in the many arts and cultural event offerings. A trip to GEVA for the opening of a show or a trip to the RPO for a concert are routine activities. Just last week, Valley Manor and WXXI collaborated on a Wine & Cheese Tour entitled "Between The Lakes" that included a trip to the Muranda Cheese Company, a bistro luncheon & tour at Knapp Vineyards and a wine & cheese pairing at Sheldrake Vineyards.

Meanwhile at Kirkhaven, one of our households was "on the move" participating in a resident hayride. Staff and residents together enjoyed the autumn tradition of a good old fashion hayride out to the pumpkin patch where each selected their favorite pumpkin to bring home and decorate.

At Seniorsfirst, our residents remain active and engaged in their community. Our residents self direct the life enrichment pursuits they desire. What they want to do, where they want to go and when they want to do it.

Come and see for yourself what life is like at any of our Seniorsfirst Communities. But please be advised, if we aren't home it's because our residents are "on the move".

All in the Spirit of Fun and Money

Kirkhaven held a unique staff fundraiser to help support the resident households. The concept was fairly simple. Give staff the opportunity to bid on the privilege of throwing a creme pie in the face of another employee of their choice.

The highest bidder for each of the selected staff "guinea pigs" won the opportunity. Who knew this would garner such interest? I couldn't imagine why anyone would pay good money to shove a pie in my face or anyone else's for that matter. But pay they did!

Each of the selected victims had an "evil" alias attached to their mug shot to encourage solicitation of bids over a 2 week period. On the day of reckoning, all the evil victims were summed to the courtyard where staff gathered to cheer and jeer as one by one each came face to face with their highest bidder yielding a pie tin full of whipped creme.

Personally, I can honestly say I have never had a pie thrust into my face before and it was an eerie feeling before, during and after the pie-slam.

The staff and residents had a blast with it and we raised a ton of good morale and a little extra cash. It all goes to show that we will stop at nothing when it's all in the spirit of fun and money!



Villian Chris Westbrook gets a pie from behind

Yours truely "Big Daddy" takes a direct hit

No hard feelings

 

Scott Maar, the "Count Beaner" gets ready to meet his fate

That's for cutting our budget Mr. Maar

The slayer approaches

The Victim "Twisted Sister"

Ouch!

Administrator Amanda (The Queen of "Mean") meets resident Creighton

Creighton lands a direct hit (on his second try)!





Lip Syncing at Kirkhaven

Staff and residents like to have fun, so on a nice sunny summer day we gathered in the courtyard and entertained by showing off our "talent" in a lip-syncing concert.

I don't think anyone is headed off to compete in "America's Got Talent", but we all had a great time and plenty of laughs.

Here's a sample of the fun we had together:

                The crowd gathers and axiously awaits the performance

                Resident Creighton (and his fly girls) gets the show started

                  A crowd pleasing rendition of "Take me out to the Ballgame"

               A theatrical performance of "How much is that doggie in the window"

               A trilogy of "Silly Songs" by grandma and granddaughter

        Food Service staff (and guest star) singing Adelle's "We Could Have Had it All"

     The CEO air-fiddling and lip-syncing to "The Devil Went Down to Georgia"

     The CFO bringing down the house with "If I Were a Rich Man"

      A good time was had by all as we close with "We are Family!"

2012 Seniorsfirst Olympians

Second to hockey, my next favorite sporting event is the Olympics, so as the hockey season winds down, I am excited for the onset of the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Seniorsfirst recently held its annual employee & volunteer recognition luncheon at the world-class Oak Hill Country Club, and when I addressed our honorees I couldn't help but relate my remarks to the upcoming Olympics.

I began by sharing some Olympic trivia about the games being held in London, England this Summer. Did you know that...........

• there will be 27 different sporting categories this year (including canoeing, handball and judo)
• there will be a total of 302 gold medals in contention
• there will be approximately 10,500 athletes competing this year
• 205 countries will be represented
• Woman boxing will be making its debut as an Olympic sport
• The 5 Olympic rings represent the 5 major regions of the world (Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, Oceania)

I referenced the Olympics for a reason, because I think of our staff and volunteers as Olympians in their own right. Think about what makes an Olympian.

• Good Genes- like so many of our staff, Olympians come from good stock with a strong foundation, heritage and upbringing.
• Strong Work Ethic- reliable, committed, responsible, focused and hard workers.
• Passionate- they love what they do and desire to be the best.
• Faith- they believe in themselves, their goals and never give up despite the challenges.
• Support- they don't do it alone but receive training, coaching, encouragement & team-building.
• Years of Practice- it takes time, training, learning, practice and experience to be the best.

And so, we paid tribute to our 2012 Seniorsfirst Olympians- our staff, our board members, our volunteers who have champion-like attributes worthy of a Gold Medal.  Thank you for your years of service, your support, your faith, your work ethic and your good genes.

5 year honorees

10 year honorees

15 year honorees

                       20 year honoree Bernadette Alley (gets special kiss)

Wear your length of service medal with pride. You are all Gold Medal winners at Seniorsfirst!

Valentine Love!

Valentine's Day was a big day at our Seniorsfirst Communities.

At Kirkhaven, the resident households literally laid down the red carpet treatment while staff and residents enjoyed a special luncheon filled with chocolate treats, balloons and lots of love!

Later that same day, Kirkhaven held a special reception and dedication of the updated donor wall, that includes plaques recognizing all our major donors and supporters over the past 25+ years. These individuals represent a deep and lasting commitment to Kirkhaven, rooted in their love for the organization and the wonderful mission we serve.

And even later that day, Valley Manor held a special Valentine's Day dinner that also included the red carpet treatment with an escort to their table, a chocolate rose and a delicious menu prepared and served with lots of love. Perhaps the greatest treat was the wonderful fellowship, enjoyed by both residents and staff, that has become the hallmark of our intimate communities.

Here's hoping you had a special Valentine's day as well and that every day is full of the same "Valentine Love"!