Tanglewood Manor July Lookback
The smell of fresh cut grass, golf rides through our lavish backyard, and Summer traditions are reasons to be thankful as we reminisce about the joyous month that July was. July was a month for the record books here at Tanglewood Manor, and we are so delighted to have shared it with each other. Our activities here in this large home of ours distract us from the troubles that are occurring beyond the Tanglewood walls. July was a month of laughter, music, dancing, celebrating, and we are eager to see what the rest of the Summer has in store for us.
In the first weeks of July, we celebrated Independence Day with our annual 4th of July picnic in the Louis Ferreri Memorial Park. This event was everything and then some, having delicious picnic food. Hot dogs, baked beans, potato salad, and of course strawberry shortcake left us licking our lips! Just when we thought that the food, good music, and company were enough, we were delighted with an afternoon performance on the stage overlooking the ponds from the musical group, Happy Days. As our first entertainment group since the month of March, to say the residents were excited would be an understatement. The 4th of July picnic was not the only form of patriotism we possessed this holiday! Our residents participated in Independence day Jeopardy, Patriotic sing-a-longs, and a patriotic parade through the building to honor our country.
A staple activity that the Tanglewood residents love participating in over the Summer months is fishing in the two large ponds we have in the Louis Ferreri Memorial Park. Not only is this an activity that allows us to enjoy the beauty of nature, but our residents love the additional maintenance staff that come and help. The maintenance staff is extremely busy, so spending this time with them is an additional perk! The fun did not stop there, we explored more of our backyard, utilizing the fire pit that we have on site. July 13th was National Beans & Franks day, so we celebrated the only way we deemed fit, and roasted some ball park franks over the fire. The smell of a Summertime fire, a true treat!
As the weeks of July progressed, residents got to participate in some of their favorite activities, as well as try some new ones. Bowling league, shuffleboard, and Bingo are some favorite weekly happenings here at Tanglewood. With the addition of our new yoga balls and chair yoga and dancing routines, our residents tried some new forms of exercise and really enjoy the versatility that these new activities brought. Some residents stated that they “really like yoga, it’s peaceful, and doesn’t feel like exercise because it is so enjoyable!” We are also so very fortunate to have such a strong music program here. Every day is worth singing, but our scheduled Golden Gems practice and Ring for Joy led by our Musical Instructor, Mary truly makes it a pleasure walking through the halls and listening to the beautiful sounds of the talented residents.
To round out the month of July, our baking groups and craft club did not fall short, and never ceased to amaze us all with their creative abilities. Some baking items this month included lemon cookies from scratch, even the lemon juice was natural! We also baked a funfetti cake which looked and tasted delicious for the July Resident Birthday Party. In true fashion here at Tanglewood Manor, our parties are lavish and overzealous, one right after the other. In the same week, we celebrated Christmas in July! Red and green punch, and even some red and green “pink stripes” from Ecklofs Bakery made the party one to remember, but of course nothing topped the tropical decorations and photo booth with a 10 foot palm tree!
In our final week of July, the Tanglewood Senior Olympics took place. Events such as corn hole, ladder golf, lawn darts, and bowling left our residents competing for the title of Tanglewood’s Golden Olympian. To finalize this fun filled week, we ended the Olympics with a closing ceremony, where each participant was honored with a certificate and enjoyed delicious refreshments.
Topping this month will be hard, but we look forward to all that the end of Summer will bring us. We still miss our visitors, but know we will be reunited, and appreciate each other’s company even more so!
If you have any questions or comments for upcoming activities, please contact Kellie Rodriguez, Activities Director at (716)483-2876, ext. 2222. or email at krodriguez@tanglewoodmanor.com.
