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204 N. 1st St.

PO Box 1087

La Conner, WA 98257

Our mission is to create and

sustain comfortable, caring

environments for those

who depend on us.

Administrative Staff:

Amanda McDade Executive Director

Gisele Ostrofe Community Relations Director

Tammy Ashley Resident Care Coordinator

Laura Novak Business Office Manager

Katie Kramer Registered Nurse

Gina Williams Dietary Director

Tony Bjornstad Maintenance Director

BJ Johnson

Activities Director

Todd Smith Housekeeping/Activities

Maintenance/Front Desk

PERSORTED

STANDARD

US POSTAGE PAID

LA CONNER, WA

PERMIT #3

Lena says;

Happy St. Paddy’s Day

to you!

La Conner Retirement Inn La Conner Retirement Inn & Assisted Living Newsletter— March 2016

Resident of the month: Esther Greenwald

Life for Esther Greenwald began as a quintessential American child-

hood, being raised on a farm in Colorado. She was born on April 26th,

1924 in Fort Collins to Dana & Lois Strohmeyer. Esther was the only

girl among three brothers and all four of the children did their fair

share of work on the farm. Upon graduation, Esther secured herself a

job as a switchboard operator at the local phone company; however,

her position was short-lived as a she yearned for adventure. So it was

then that she left home to begin college and pursue a degree in educa-

tion. Once she graduated, jobs were hard to come by as WWII had

just ended. In her job search, faraway lands such as Argentina, Ha-

waii, and Alaska enticed her. That was when she was offered a teach-

ing position in Alaska, launching what would eventually become a 27-

year career in the classroom & library.

The teaching job in the remote island village of Hoonah, Alaska also

marked the beginning of 67 years of living there. Alaska living was a welcomed challenge. One cold win-

ter night during her first year, the stove began to fail. Thankfully a local man came to fix it, letting her

know that the oil barrel was empty and this is how she met her future husband Adam. They later married

and had their two children, Gordon & Lois. The family lived the authentic Alaska lifestyle: fishing,

hunting, and gathering. Esther also had many additional hobbies such as gardening, needlepoint,

quilting, knitting and crocheting. While the faraway lands of Argentina and Hawaii never became destina-

tions for Esther, the adventures of Alaska proved to be plentiful. Their family pets at times included the

furry love of an otter and a fawn. The vast ocean outside their backdoor always afforded an ebb and flow

of life experiences. When trekking through the woods for firewood or berries, the soundtrack of loud

calls were always used to ward off the lurking bears nearby. Alaska allowed for an extraordinary life of

adventure to become Esther’s new ordinary.

After her husband Adam passed away last spring, Ether found herself journeying to a new home this

fall, here at La Conner Retirement Inn. While that meant leaving her son and daughter-in-law in Hoonah

as well as many other family and friends, she is now closer to her daughter’s family in La Conner. Here

she finds herself filling her days with crocheting, puzzles, reading , playing cards, and spending time with

her family & friends. She is happy to call La Conner her new home and this is just proof that even at 91

years of age, adventure still awaits.

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Happy Birthday to…..

Dorothy Jeffries 7th

Ruby Martin 7th

Winnie Derosiers 8th

And Happy Birthday to our staff…

Brad Killion 11th

Welcome to our newest resident:

Priscilla Stockner

We are glad that you have joined us!

Welcome to our newest staff

members…….

Victoria Sherwood - Med. Tech

Karina Mitchell - Med. Tech

Joshua Teeple - Dietary - Cook

Correction:

In the February our PO BOX number was listed incorrectly. The correct number is PO BOX

1087. To ensure that your mail is received in a timely manner, please use this box num-

ber, sorry for any inconvenience.

Here’s some facts, or should we say fiction!

1. Ratio of an igloo’s circumference to its diameter - Eskimo Pi

2. 2000 pounds of Chinese soup - Won ton

3. 1 millionth of a mouthwash - 1 microscope

4. Time between slipping on a peel and smacking the pavement - 1 bananosecond

5. Weight an evangelist carries with God - 1 billigram

6. Time it takes to sail 220 yards at 1 nautical mile per hour - knotfurlong

7. 365 days of drinking low calorie beer - 1 Lite year

8. 16.5 feet in the Twilight Zone - 1 Rod Sterling

9. Half a large intestine - 1 semicolon

10. 1,000,000 aches - 1 megahertz

11. Basic unit of laryngitis - 1 horsepower

12. Shortest distance between two jokes - a straight line

13. 2000 mockingbirds - two kilomockingbirds

14. 1 kilogram of falling figs - 1 Fig Newton

15. 1000 cc’s of wet socks - 1 literhosen

16. 8 nickels - 2 paradigms

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Make sure to join us for a

wonderful celebration of

spring!

On March 26 La Conner is

starting off the day with the

Tweed Ride Bright and early

in front of the Inn. We will

carry on with a variety of

fun activities, so invite your

family and friends to this

special event. And your do-

nations support our Team

for the Walk to End Alzhei-

mer's .

Brad Raspet is

back with his in-

teresting presen-

tation about the

bees who face

many challenges.

Make sure to join

us!

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ARTICLE TITLE HERE

Four Ways to Boost Your Mental Health This Spring

Leaving the winter months can feel a little bit like a new bud springing from the dark, cold ground and

opening up towards the sun. However, for some, that revitalized feeling never comes and instead, de-

pression and anxiety sets in.

People experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety are not alone. More than 6.5 million Ameri-

cans aged 65 or older is affected by depression according to the National Alliance of Mental Illness.

There is not a single cause to depression or other mental health issues, nor a sure-fire way to prevent

it. However, there are ways to improve your chances of preventing the development of depression

symptoms and other mental illnesses.

Four Ways to Prioritize Your Mental Health:

1. Keep Mentally Active - Playing board games, enjoying a daily crossword or participation in a trivia

activities are all ways to exercise your mind. Stimulating your brain by learning new skills, playing

games that challenge your mind and increasing your social interaction may aid in keeping yourself

mentally sharp.

2. Keep Physically Active - Another way to stimulate the brain is to increase the blood flow to your

brain with physical exercise. Even something as simple as sixty minutes of dancing each week can

help reduce the symptoms of depression.

3. Socialize - Loneliness and isolation can make depression symptoms even more pronounced. Partic-

ipating in events, having coffee with a friend and talking to loved ones on the phone are all ways to

stimulate the brain and minimize the symptoms of depression.

4. Eat a healthy diet - Consuming lots of vegetables and good fats {such as fatty fish, nuts and olives}

has many benefits, including the minimizing the risks of cognitive decline!

Getting to know you…..Tammy Ashley, Resident Care Coordinator

What was your first job? I was the manager of an Italian restaurant, El Dentes,

it was wonderful working there.

What are your hobbies? I love to read, refurbish furniture and I enjoy spending

time with my family.

What is your favorite childhood memory? I really, really like spending time with

my grandma, Millie. She taught me how to sew, and she took care of at least

100 people in our community. That is how I learned to care for others.

Where would you like to travel? I am going to Ireland. I have wanted to go there since I was 8 years

old. I saw a picture of Ireland and I thought that was a place I wanted to visit.

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