Singer Andy Williams may have called the Christmas season “the most wonderful time of the year,” but here at Brandermill Woods, we’re mighty fond of Thanksgiving as a day of gratitude. We have a lot to be thankful for, from our family and friends to our residents and our “work family.” Below are just a few words of thanks from our team and residents. We hope you all have a relaxing holiday full of fun, food, and fellowship!
Thanks from Our Team…
When we pause to reflect, we really do have a special community here thanks to the people that surround us every day.
“It’s hard for me to keep my list of what I’m thankful for short this holiday season,” said Executive Director Charmaine Preiss. “First, good health for me, my children and grandchildren. I am so thankful for my Brandermill Woods family, the residents and all my co-workers. We cry and laugh together, and it is a pleasure to be here every day. There is no better community on earth!”
Lauren, our communications coordinator, echoed Charmaine’s sentiment, saying, “I am thankful to have co-workers who make me feel like I have a second family. Brandermill Woods is my home away from home!”
And Willia, our activities director, added, “I am thankful that the residents at Brandermill Woods allow me to be part of their lives. We share our joys and sorrows and love and respect. I am thankful for the wonderful staff who truly care what they are doing.”
Residents Make Our Lives Special
As Willia noted, our residents are central to what makes ours such a special community.
Jami, our Office Coordinator, captured the flavor for life at Brandermill Woods in a recent resident newsletter: “One of the biggest things we have noticed and appreciated about the residents of Brandermill Woods is how everyone comes together as a community. There is something very special that happens here that keeps us in awe of you. The friendships and genuine caring that develops between everyone who lives here is just amazing.”
She went on to commend the team at Brandermill Woods: “You reach out to neighbors who need assistance, to folks who have lost spouses or loved ones, to those who are new to our community and neighbors that just need a listening ear. You celebrate with each other, laugh and cry with each other and you look out for one another. We admire you and want to thank you for the example you set for us. At Thanksgiving, and always, we are thankful for YOU!”
A Thanksgiving Poem
Last year on the blog, we shared the following poem from resident Shirley Bare. We share it again this year because it movingly says what we all might say about our community:
Why I Like Living at Brandermill Woods
Brandermill Woods is a happy place
People around that you meet face to face
A smile and a greeting and rarely a frown
Even though we all have our ups and our downs
No reason to feel lonely, there’s plenty to do
Just sign up in the blue book for what suits you
You can exercise till you are tired and weary
But you really can’t say it’s ever dreary
Just think of the adjustments you have made in this life
The sadness, the happiness, the worry and strife
And think of your age, it’s time to relax and feel safe
And this is the place to feel safe and have faith
You can always find things that seem to be wrong but you can still have fun
It’s the big things that count and there’s plenty for everyone
Someone to clean, someone to cook, someone to plan and give you a book
Take you to church, take you to shop
Just think about all the things that we’ve got
So thank you, Brandermill Woods, for a wonderful place to grow older
It’s not perfect but no one should be crying on anyone’s shoulder
Just feel like we can manage to be here
Be grateful we’re taken care of and have another beer!
We’ll toast to that this week on Turkey Day! Happy Thanksgiving!
