Hello from our home to your home. We are getting very tired of the rain, but in a few months we will be begging for the rain. I have a lot of news to catch everyone up on so, here goes. The church schedule for May is: Ava General Baptist Church, May 1, Goodhope Nazarene, May 8, Ava Assembly of God, May 15, Skyline Full Gospel, May 22 and Sandy Church, May 29.
Each and every church is very much appreciated. Churches who have been here in the last couple of weeks have been Ava United Methodist Church, Mound Church, Redbank Church, Ava Full Gospel Church, Diggins Apostolic Church. We appreciate our faithful volunteers, words cannot say how much you are appreciated here at our home. Resisents look forward to everyone’s visits.
On April 14, Ava Jr. High Student Council was here and helped the residents stuff 3,000 Easter eggs. This is a wonderful group of kids. They visit with the residents, take them outside and push them around the parking lot. On April 18, Tonya Cutbirth called games at Redbud Village. Everyone said that she did an awesome job. On April 21, Ava Head Start students enjoyed an Easter egg hunt and lunch here at our home. The Ava High School Leadership was here to help the litle ones hunt eggs and also helped serve lunch. It is so funny that it takes so long to stuff the eggs, but only takes the kids about ten minutes to pick up the eggs. Peter Rabbit was here checking to see if his helpers were doing a good job. Peter Rabbit visited with the children and all of the residents before going back to his burrow in Mtn. Grove. We appreciate Jeff Smith from Threee Rivers Hospice for being the Easter bunny. After a lunch of hotdogs, chips, cookies and drinks were served to everyone, the Leadership students played games, polished fingernails and helped escort residents back to their room. We again appreciate the Ava Jr. High Student Council and the Ava High School Leadership students for their awesome help with this special day.
The First Sonshine Singers have been here every Friday and residents enjoy this time of worship and singing very much. We appreciate Larry Moore, Darlene Sorenson, Ruth Evans, Evelyn Harper, Wilda Potter, Judy Kent, Reba and Ryder Scoville, Norma Stillings, Bro. Tom Hawkins and also to the girls from Hospice Compassus for calling games while I was on vacation.
Next week is National Nursing Home Week with activities plannned throughout the week. On May 8th it kicks off with a Mother’s Day Tea in the main dining room at 3:00 p.m. Guest speaker will be Judy Shields. Monday the theme is 50′s at the Hop: residents will be enjoying Boppin’ to the Oldies, Hula Hoops contest, drinking milkshakes in the Elvis Soda Shop, Karaoke with Roger Brown. Tuesday the theme is Fiesta Day: residents will be making a run for the border, having Sombrero toss, and having Jumping Bean Bingo. Wednesday will be Western Day: residents and staff dress in western gear. We will be having a shoot out at the OK Corral, Roping with Callie, having a corn on the cob eating contest then in the afternoon Roy’s Wild Round-Up. They will be playing bluegrass music in the main dinig room followed by a game of Cowboy Cards. Thursday will by Hawaiian Day: residents and staff will be Soaking Up the Sun, followed by our annual Volunteer Tea. Residents will be watching Blue Hawaii followed by a pie eating contest at 1:00 p.m. In the afternoon they will be playing Surf-Up Bing with Reba and Ryder Scoville followed by a Trip to the Volcano (Sonic). Friday morning staff and residents will be going on a Safari Hunt. Our morning will start out with the call of the wild, followed by Jungle Nails and then the First Sonshine Group. At 1:00 we will be playing Gone Bananas followed by a piano recital with Moragn Long students. Everyone will be having cookies and punch at the Jungle Jim Café. All volunteers are invited to attend the Volunteer Tea Thursday morning at 10:00 a.m. Please call Connie for more information.
Our prayers and sympathy goes out to the families of Fern Erskine, Dorothy Davis, Mary Hampton and Ms. Opal Tayler. Everyone will be missed and especially Ms. Opie and Ms. Fern families. They had been her so long that the families are like a part of our home.
God bless you from Heart of the Ozarks Healthcare Center in Ava, MO.
