Duane Via, Activities Director 

The snow last week was beautiful. The residents would look out the windows and the patio doors watching the snow fall. They talked about how pretty the snow was and how it makes it seem like the Christmas season.

We talked about the last time we had a white Christmas and that we would love to have one this year.

The residents are getting ready for Santa to come for a visit on Saturday, December 16 for Christmas family afternoon. We have invited family members to celebrate Christmas with their loved ones. Each year we have our Blue Ridge Bell Choir to perform for their family members. They really enjoy playing for their family members and their families enjoy seeing their loved one perform.  This past week we went on a bus trip to Mount Airy, N.C. Each month our veterans pick a place where they want to go on their bus trip during their Veteran’s Club meeting.

They had a wonderful time going out to eat and on the bus trip up and back to the center. We laughed, picked on each other, and got to visit and learn a lot about each other and our families. These guys are a great group of men and they are a joy to be around. During the past few weeks, we have been getting into the Christmas spirit with having activities. The residents got to make Christmas ornaments and cards that they sent to their loved ones. We also had food activities to help invoke memories of Christmas past. We had gingerbread with lemon sauce and coffee.

We will be decorating cookies, having hot chocolate, and spice cake. Many of these foods bring back memories and the residents enjoy having them again.

Christmas is a time of the year that we should think of others who have less, those who are sick and the elderly. We have so many friends in and outside the center. Many of the nearby churches are donating items for our resident’s stockings.

We are truly blessed to have these churches and individuals, companies, and family members who adopt another resident for Christmas. Without them we couldn’t provide a gift and a stocking for each resident to open on Christmas morning. We can’t thank each and every one of you enough for all you do for our residents year after year.

The residents and staff at Blue Ridge Therapy Connection would like to wish you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year!