Residents give back and celebrate through Life Enrichment activities
The Village at Utz Terrace life enrichment team is offering a modified socially distanced life enrichment schedule. Check out what activities have been offered so far.
Ladies from the personal care residence of The Village at Utz Terrace recently made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the Hanover Council of Churches Provide-A-Lunch (PAL) program. While the ladies worked on the project, it brought back memories of preparing sandwiches for their families. They were thrilled to give back and feed their fellow neighbors.
Residents and team members at The Village at Utz Terrace took their minds off the heat by celebrating Christmas in July! Team members dressed in Hawaiian Christmas gear drove their festively decorated “sleigh” through the community to spread holiday cheer and Santa offered ice-cold popsicles to cottage residents.
Residents and team members at The Village at Utz Terrace took their minds off the heat by celebrating Christmas in July! Team members dressed in Hawaiian Christmas gear drove their festively decorated “sleigh” through the community to spread holiday cheer and Santa offered ice-cold popsicles to cottage residents.
Residents and team members at The Village at Utz Terrace took their minds off the heat by celebrating Christmas in July! Team members dressed in Hawaiian Christmas gear drove their festively decorated “sleigh” through the community to spread holiday cheer and Santa offered ice-cold popsicles to cottage residents.![IMG_1327[1]](/wp-content/uploads/IMG_13271-140x93.jpg)
Residents of The Village at Utz Terrace personal care residence danced, learned and reminisced during a celebration of Hawaiian culture. “Hawaii Day” provided an opportunity for residents to share memories of their travels to the island chain in the Pacific, do a seated version of the hula and enjoy fresh pineapple and mixed fruit juice. It was a fun way to explore the sites, sounds, flavors and beauty of Hawaii!
Residents of The Village at Utz Terrace personal care residence danced, learned and reminisced during a celebration of Hawaiian culture. “Hawaii Day” provided an opportunity for residents to share memories of their travels to the island chain in the Pacific, do a seated version of the hula and enjoy fresh pineapple and mixed fruit juice. It was a fun way to explore the sites, sounds, flavors and beauty of Hawaii!
Twenty-three residents in the Gitt Court cottages at The Village at Utz Terrace were grateful for the opportunity to get reacquainted with their friends and neighbors during a Memorial Day block party. It had been a long time since many of the residents had spent time with one another. The “Gitt Together” was so much fun residents are planning to do it again soon!
Twenty-three residents in the Gitt Court cottages at The Village at Utz Terrace were grateful for the opportunity to get reacquainted with their friends and neighbors during a Memorial Day block party. It had been a long time since many of the residents had spent time with one another. The “Gitt Together” was so much fun residents are planning to do it again soon!
Twenty-three residents in the Gitt Court cottages at The Village at Utz Terrace were grateful for the opportunity to get reacquainted with their friends and neighbors during a Memorial Day block party. It had been a long time since many of the residents had spent time with one another. The “Gitt Together” was so much fun residents are planning to do it again soon!
Here’s a toast to the return of in-person activities for the Crafty Crew at The Village at Utz Terrace! Participants, who had been meeting on Zoom for many months, painted wine glasses and proudly showed off their creations. Residents were grateful to be back with their “crew” to work on this project!
Residents of The Village at Utz Terrace personal care residence participated in a service project to benefit clients of the Hanover Area Council of Churches Provide-A-Lunch (PAL) Program. PAL serves a nutritious lunch seven days a week prepared by churches, organizations and individual volunteer teams in the Hanover area. For children served by the program, residents filled small bags with jelly beans and tied a prayer card to each. Adults received a hot chocolate gift bag. One resident who was grateful for the opportunity to participate in the service project commented, “It’s a joy to help others and share the message of Easter.”
Residents of The Village at Utz Terrace personal care residence participated in a service project to benefit clients of the Hanover Area Council of Churches Provide-A-Lunch (PAL) Program. PAL serves a nutritious lunch seven days a week prepared by churches, organizations and individual volunteer teams in the Hanover area. For children served by the program, residents filled small bags with jelly beans and tied a prayer card to each. Adults received a hot chocolate gift bag. One resident who was grateful for the opportunity to participate in the service project commented, “It’s a joy to help others and share the message of Easter.”
In celebration of National Crafting Month, the Crafty Crew at The Village at Utz Terrace made kindness stones with encouraging messages of “Love,” “Hope” and “Joy.” Participants were given a craft kit filled with everything needed for the project and then met on Zoom to craft and share their completed painted stones. Michelle Sachais, residential living life enrichment leader, plans to distribute the kindness stones on various hiking trails in York County in the hope that they will brighten someone’s day.
Ray Hyser, a resident of The Village at Utz Terrace personal care residence, enjoys one of his favorite desserts: apple pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and caramel drizzle. The scrumptious treat followed a lifelong learning program about John Chapman, otherwise known as Johnny Appleseed, the ragged wanderer and outdoorsman who is said to have traveled west from Pennsylvania to Illinois planting apple trees. This program is a great example of the “fruits” of lifelong learning!
Ray Hyser, a resident of The Village at Utz Terrace personal care residence, enjoys one of his favorite desserts: apple pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and caramel drizzle. The scrumptious treat followed a lifelong learning program about John Chapman, otherwise known as Johnny Appleseed, the ragged wanderer and outdoorsman who is said to have traveled west from Pennsylvania to Illinois planting apple trees. This program is a great example of the “fruits” of lifelong learning!
The Village at Utz Terrace personal care residents assembled and presented gift bags to express their gratitude for personal care team members on Employee Appreciation Day. The gift bags included a bathe sponge, emery boards, body cream and assorted chocolates to thank team members for going the extra mile during COVID-19. Residents discussed being part of the family, receiving compassionate care and being treated with respect and dignity.
The Village at Utz Terrace personal care residents assembled and presented gift bags to express their gratitude for personal care team members on Employee Appreciation Day. The gift bags included a bathe sponge, emery boards, body cream and assorted chocolates to thank team members for going the extra mile during COVID-19. Residents discussed being part of the family, receiving compassionate care and being treated with respect and dignity.
Residents from The Village at Utz Terrace joined Amber Weaver, director of life enrichment, The Village at Luther Ridge, for Brain Health as part of the cross-community life enrichment programs. Brain Health provides a variety of puzzles, trivia questions, brainteasers and word games to give your brain a workout and increases in difficulty from warm-up to merciless.
“This program fosters activities to keep our brain active as well as therapeutic social interaction,” said Weaver. “COVID-19 has made socialization difficult. It is more important now than ever to share these therapeutic interactions which help decrease feelings of isolation. The focus of this program is to keep our brain and social life active while creating a safe environment through a virtual platform.”
As part of their spiritual retreats, junior students from Delone Catholic High School prepared “good cheer” bags filled with sweet treats, puzzles and other goodies for residents of SpiriTrust Lutheran®, The Village at Utz Terrace personal care residence. The bags were filled with supplies purchased thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor. Students and residents have been unable to participate in joint service projects together as they had in the past due to the pandemic, but these thoughtful gifts help lift the spirits of our residents and maintain the bond they have forged through the years!
Mary Bensel baked some delicious sugar cookies to help lift the spirits of her neighbors at The Village Utz Terrace personal care residence! Her neighbors appreciated the kind gesture and said the cookies were very tasty. Mary’s generosity reminds us that we all should continue to be kind, gentle and understanding with our neighbors, friends, family and co-workers during these challenging times. 
The Village at Utz Terrace is finding ways to connect residents during this unprecedented healthcare crisis. Each week residents are given a schedule and a meeting ID to be able to continue life enrichment opportunities through Zoom. Laurie Jones, life enrichment director at The Village at Utz Terrace, leads residents through strength training as the residents show off their improvised weights. The Village at Utz Terrace began with meditation and exercise classes and has now expanded its offerings to prayer groups, weekly trivia and coffee & chats. “Our residents have been wonderful in giving this ‘new to us’ technology a try,” said Jones. 
Mary Bensel, a resident of The Village at Utz Terrace personal care residence, took advantage of the warmer weather this week to plant flowers on the activity room porch. It was not only a great social distancing activity, but also enabled Mary to do what she does best – provide something for her neighbors to enjoy!
A butterfly rests on the hand of a resident before fluttering away during a butterfly release outside the personal care residence at The Village at Utz Terrace. Kris Martin, life enrichment leader, said this year’s butterfly nature project, in which residents follow the life cycle of the butterfly, has taken on added meaning during the pandemic. “Residents enjoy seeing the process and have embraced the butterfly as a symbol of rebirth and hope, a symbol that is much needed during these challenging times.”
A butterfly rests on the hand of resident Norma Foye before fluttering away during a butterfly release outside the personal care residence at The Village at Utz Terrace. Kris Martin, life enrichment leader, said this year’s butterfly nature project, in which residents follow the life cycle of the butterfly, has taken on added meaning during the pandemic. “Residents enjoy seeing the process and have embraced the butterfly as a symbol of rebirth and hope, a symbol that is much needed during these challenging times.”
![IMG_1327[1]](/wp-content/uploads/IMG_13271-774x516.jpg)
The Friendship Tea celebration gave residents new memories and friends
Residents at The Village at Utz Terrace personal care residence enjoyed a Friendship Tea celebration featuring flavored teas, fresh fruit, homemade blueberry scones and assorted breads. Residents also received a handmade favor and an encouraging quote about friendship. One resident won a door prize basket filled with a teddy bear, a colorful summer scarf and scented bath soap. Most importantly, all those who attended enjoyed spending time chatting with friends and making new ones!
The Country Store reopens doors to community
The Country Store, an important part of the fabric of The Village at Utz Terrace since opening for the first time in September 2008, reopened its doors to the community on August 2! Residents Betty Price (left) and Sandy Langknecht, who will co-manage the store, celebrated the grand reopening with a ribbon cutting and the raffling of a lovely shawl. Closed since March 2020 because of the pandemic, the store offers practical items, gift ideas, seasonal decorations, jewelry, cards, puzzles, candy and more. The Country Store is open Monday-Friday from 11 a.m.- 2 p.m.
Parades to Lift Spirits
Team members across our life plan communities help lift the spirits of residents with parades through their respective villages!
The Village at Shrewsbury hosted a parade at the community, providing an opportunity for team members to greet residents who they have missed seeing since this unprecedented health crisis began in early March. Residents clapped, waved flags, banged buckets with wooden spoons and held signs thanking staff. Team members laughed, honked their car horns, danced and waved. There is something special about a parade that lifts people’s spirits! 
The Village at Shrewsbury hosted a parade at the community, providing an opportunity for team members to greet residents who they have missed seeing since this unprecedented health crisis began in early March. Residents clapped, waved flags, banged buckets with wooden spoons and held signs thanking staff. Team members laughed, honked their car horns, danced and waved. There is something special about a parade that lifts people’s spirits! 
The Village at Shrewsbury hosted a parade at the community, providing an opportunity for team members to greet residents who they have missed seeing since this unprecedented health crisis began in early March. Residents clapped, waved flags, banged buckets with wooden spoons and held signs thanking staff. Team members laughed, honked their car horns, danced and waved. There is something special about a parade that lifts people’s spirits! 
The Village at Shrewsbury hosted a parade at the community, providing an opportunity for team members to greet residents who they have missed seeing since this unprecedented health crisis began in early March. Residents clapped, waved flags, banged buckets with wooden spoons and held signs thanking staff. Team members laughed, honked their car horns, danced and waved. There is something special about a parade that lifts people’s spirits! 
The Village at Shrewsbury hosted a parade at the community, providing an opportunity for team members to greet residents who they have missed seeing since this unprecedented health crisis began in early March. Residents clapped, waved flags, banged buckets with wooden spoons and held signs thanking staff. Team members laughed, honked their car horns, danced and waved. There is something special about a parade that lifts people’s spirits! 
Team members at SpiriTrust Lutheran®, The Village at Luther Ridge helped lift the spirits of residents with a parade through the village! Team members spread cheer as residents came out to wave, say hello and display signs of prayer, thanks and encouragement.
Team members at SpiriTrust Lutheran®, The Village at Luther Ridge helped lift the spirits of residents with a parade through the village! Team members spread cheer as residents came out to wave, say hello and display signs of prayer, thanks and encouragement.
Team members at SpiriTrust Lutheran®, The Village at Luther Ridge helped lift the spirits of residents with a parade through the village! Team members spread cheer as residents came out to wave, say hello and display signs of prayer, thanks and encouragement.
Team members at SpiriTrust Lutheran®, The Village at Luther Ridge helped lift the spirits of residents with a parade through the village! Team members spread cheer as residents came out to wave, say hello and display signs of prayer, thanks and encouragement.
Team members at SpiriTrust Lutheran®, The Village at Luther Ridge helped lift the spirits of residents with a parade through the village! Team members spread cheer as residents came out to wave, say hello and display signs of prayer, thanks and encouragement.
Team members at SpiriTrust Lutheran®, The Village at Luther Ridge helped lift the spirits of residents with a parade through the village! Team members spread cheer as residents came out to wave, say hello and display signs of prayer, thanks and encouragement.
Champions Recognition
We recognized the champions of SpiriTrust Lutheran®, through photos and videos set to songs about champions.
- The week of May 11 we recognized direct care team members with the song, "The Champion", by Carrie Underwood.
- Our celebration continued the week of May 18 as we recognized non-direct care team members with the song, "I'm Still Standing", by Elton John.
- The week of May 25, Counseling Services, Domestic Abuse Solutions, Senior Companion, Touch-a-Life, Stephen Ministry & VITA team members were celebrated with the "Gonna Fly Now (Theme from Rocky)" by Bill Conti.
- The week of June 1 HOC, Home Care & Hospice and LIFE office team members along with our LPC sales and marketing team were recognized as champions to the song "We are the Champions" by Queen.
