Inaugural barbecue unites the family of residents and staff members

Frost Manor celebrates the summer with fun and games in the sun

July 27, 2011 -- Ryan Rogers

On July 23 staff members and residents at Frost Manor came together for an inaugural summer barbecue to celebrate the sunshine and the friends and family of the Lindsay home.

Hosted by the management team, the 62-bed home had more than 100 participants show up for what they hope will be an annual celebration.

Nutritional-care manager Jean Chilton says the event was special because the families of staff members and residents were able to celebrate the summer together.

"Staff (members) feel that this is their extended family when they come to work here," says Chilton, adding that her daughter and grandson both joined in the barbecue.

Children and grandchildren, ranging in age from three to 11, brought joy and enthusiasm to the barbecue, says Chilton.

The children always generate a rousing response from residents, she adds.

"(Residents) really enjoy seeing little kids, it brings them back to when they had their own children, and there's something special about kids when they're running around and laughing like that," says Chilton. "It lights up the residents' faces."

The children participated in activities like dancing, playing with beach balls, golf and ring toss. Chilton adds that the children decorated their beach balls with stickers, and took them home as prizes.

Plenty of water bottles, parasols and umbrellas were available to help beat the July heat.

The miniature cupcakes for dessert were donated to the barbecue, along with meat from Schneider Foods, and lemonade from Vitality Foodservice.

Volunteer Dave Hudson helped Chilton barbecue about 120 hamburgers, while residents and children danced to the country-and-western melodies of the live entertainment.

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