Archive for year: 2015

Mary Peterson and caregiver Chris Fulton check out some door decorations.

2015 Homeland Door Decorating Contest Winners:

• 115 – Martha Finley & Wanda Kardos
• 207 – Harold Hixon & Raymond Caldwell
• E6 – Wanda Berger & Agatha Goodwin
• 1N2 – Eleanor Allen

Nativity scenes and reindeer. Snowmen and penguins. All brightened the hallways of Homeland Center this Christmas, as residents adorned their doorways for the third annual door decorating contest.

Residents and their families are invited to dress up their doors and decorate together for Christmas, just as they’ve done all their lives. Residents and staff judged the artworks for neatness, detail and creativity. All entries showed off Homeland residents’ talents and their love of family, faith, and the holidays.

Judges included resident Virginia Ashford, who marveled at the variety of ideas employed. Stopping at a door with Christmas themes of Santa, stockings, and toy trains against a red background, she reached out to touch Santa’s beard.

From left, Mary Peterson, Chris Fulton and Ashley Bryan judging decorations.

“I don’t know why, but I like it,” she said. “There’s a lot to look at.”

Ashford figured residents must have gotten their supplies at a party store.

“They must have really gone down there and splurged,” she said.

Resident Mary Peterson, another judge, declared a door neatly adorned with a bow-tied snowman in the falling snow “a knockout.” On a scale of one to five, she said, “I give it a 10.”

“There’s a lot of marvelous art here,” she said.

Chris Fulton, Peterson’s longtime caregiver, loved the inclusion of the residents not only in decorating but in judging.

Jim Phillips takes a closer look at some door decorations.

Even residents who didn’t enter the contest got festive doors, courtesy of staff who draped doors with wrapping paper and wreaths. One resident admitted to getting help from staff – “some young ladies with haloes around their heads” – to complete his entry.

The doors showed a variety of creative techniques. The white fur on a penguin’s hat were made from cotton puffs. Real twigs added dimension to the scene of a snowman in the woods.

Lorraine Englander’s design incorporates construction-paper handprints made by her grandchildren.

Resident Jim Phillips, a retired computer trainer from Hershey Foods, carefully eyed the detail on each entry.

“People work hard,” he said. “It’s going to be hard to make up my mind about any of this.”

Homeland Center Director of Skilled & Personal Care Activities Ashley

Bryan said residents and families use the contest to “spend some quality time together. It’s a tradition they can keep going.”

Resident Lorraine Englander continued an annual tradition of incorporating her design with construction-paper handprints made by her grandchildren, with their names written on each. This year, the handprints were stacked to depict the antlers of a reindeer who had a Rudolph-style flashing red nose. The image was captioned “All Our Little Deers.”

Virginia Ashford, one of the contest judges, takes a close look at decorations.

Englander said she loves her time with the grandkids. “It relieves me from having to do it,” she said with a laugh. “I love to see my family, and I’m grateful they take interest!”

Christmas was always a time for decorating and getting the children involved, Englander said.

“Decorating is a great way to gather everyone and remember what the season is really about,” she said. “It is so commercial today, and it is important that we continue traditions for children and families that bring them closer together.”

Legend has it that on one night of the year, Homeland Center is haunted by ghosts and goblins. Also, pint-sized firefighters, princesses, Ninjas, and many, many Spidermans.

This is Homeland’s annual Trick or Treat, an evening in late October when residents and staff join to relive Halloween memories, celebrate family, and of course, get candy.

On this night, staff bring their youngsters, dressed in their Halloween finest, to trick or treat in Homeland’s hallways and gathering places. Homeland provides the candy that residents distribute.

Resident Caroline Cruys, doling out generous helpings of lollipops and Reese’s peanut butter cups, called the tradition “one of the treasures of my life.” When Cruys was a child, her mother would paint up the children’s faces and take them trick or treating around their Brooklyn neighborhood. As an adult, she enjoyed handing out candy on Halloween night.

“You do it at home, and to be able to do it here is just wonderful,” she said.

Cruys wore a sweater adorned in pumpkins, ghosts, and scarecrows. On her head, she wore a hat topped with a spider. As 7-year-old Alisha Hidalgo, a witch in purple and black, accepted her candy, she said, “Hi, Miss Cruys. You look very beautiful today.”

Hershey Foods played a big role in the Halloween fun, donating 75 pounds of Twizzlers and Hershey kisses. Many family members made donations as well, making it possible for Homeland to purchase additional candy for the special night.

Resident Betty Wise once sat on her stoop at home and handed out candy. At Homeland, she enjoyed seeing kids in costume, “and we don’t have to do any of the work.”

“The kids are very nice,” she said. “You love giving to kids when they’re nice and say thank you.”

Up the hall came 1-year-old Zion Jones. Toddling around in his police officer costume, he attracted attention everywhere he went. He even got the nod as best costume of the night from Harrisburg Police Chief Thomas Carter, who was there that evening.

Zion’s godmother, certified nurse’s assistant Sam McNeely, introduced Zion to Wise. “It’s my godson, Betty,” she said. Wise marveled at seeing McNeely out of her CNA uniform. “Look at glamourpuss here!” she said.

McNeely said the event “gives the kids a chance to go trick or treating, and not on the street. It’s safe in here.”

It’s a night when residents get to see the children of staff as they grow up from year to year, and staff get to show off the children and grandchildren they’re always talking about.

“I talk to the residents a lot and tell them about the kids,” said Connie Lewis, a Homeland cook there with her granddaughter, great-nieces, and infant great-nephew, dressed as the character Woody from “Toy Story.”

Ten-year-old twins Christopher and Thomas Lovelidge, dressed as Indiana Jones and Harry Potter, had already started consuming Pixie Sticks as their mother, Melody Lovelidge, marveled over their overflowing candy buckets. Lovelidge, the daughter of resident Caroline Cruys, said she appreciated the opportunities the event gave her mother and all Homeland residents.

“It’s so nice to see the residents out mingling,” she said. “It brings them a change of pace. They remember Halloween. The costumes are terrific, and the kids are adorable.”