Lakeside Living News

July is all about enjoying summer days and celebrating our freedom. We celebrated with help from a few friends. The McKenzie Church of Christ invited us to their annual Block Party, where we enjoyed great fellowship, delicious food, and a fabulous fireworks show. The Lakeside staff put together a barbecue feast and delighted us with homemade peach and banana ice cream. Sharon Coleman led an activity called “Pick a Tune,” sharing patriotic songs and classics from the Big Band Era. We also created a stars-and-stripes craft to decorate our entryway, living room, and dining room with red, white, and blue décor.

We made a few outings in July, including dancing the night away at the Carroll County Senior Dance held on the first Tuesday of each month. The dance featured a potluck refreshment table with a big spread of food, and the band kept us on our feet. We visited the Weakley County Senior Center for a health fair, where we received blood pressure checks, blood sugar tests, bone density assessments, and fall risk evaluations. In addition to goody bags and raffle tickets for prizes, we enjoyed lunch, reunited with old friends, and met new people. Lena Morgan won an Arby’s gift card, and Sue Smith won a flower arrangement along with a three-month membership to Dynamix. We also ventured to Paris, where we enjoyed Asian cuisine at the Golden Dragon. Our Resident Errand Day took us to Dollar General, Dollar Tree, and Save-A-Lot.

Some additional highlights of the month included Lemonade Stand Day, where we played a dice game to win yellow prizes and offered ice-cold traditional and pink lemonades. On National Piña Colada Day, we served frothy coconut and pineapple drinks, and during Happy Hour, refills were passed all around. For National Give Something Away Day, each resident had a chance to win a prize but was asked to give it to a resident beside them. At the end of the event, the Activity Director gifted everyone with an Irish blessing, reminding us that it is better to give than to receive and that a simple smile or kind word can brighten someone’s day.

On National Emoji Day, we learned about technology, specifically how to use emojis and their meanings. We also discussed internet safety, reminding residents to be cautious with their phones, Facebook accounts, and downloads to avoid scams. Last year, residents made a large donation of school supplies, so we opened a pop-up jewelry boutique, with all proceeds going toward purchasing school supplies. Thanks to the generosity of residents, staff, and visitors, we raised $312. Volunteers Sandra Hernandez and Judy & Alex Vargas Gonzales shopped during tax-free weekend to maximize our supply purchases. On National Junk Food Day, we played Penny Pitchers, trying to win our favorite snacks. National Milk Chocolate Day was the perfect occasion for enjoying Yoo-Hoos while holding our August planning meeting. We also want to congratulate Miss Tri-Star, Meghan Poore, who won Miss Tennessee Volunteer 2025/26 on July 26th. We wish her well as she represents our state.

On July 8th, Marjorie Evans celebrated her 98th birthday, making her our oldest resident. Her family organized a birthday party and invited all the residents to join in. We enjoyed cupcakes, punch, music, and dancing from the birthday girl. Charles Garners celebrated his birthday on the 2nd, and his family provided cake for dessert. Pat Pitt celebrated on the 3rd, and her family treated us to more cupcakes that day. Other birthday celebrations included those for Lonnelle McMillin, Kathy Cook, Elbert Hatley, Phyllis Maddox, and Betty Grimble. Lakeside recognizes all birthdays with a monthly celebration that includes cake, a song, and a gift.

Sadly, we said farewell to Carol Murphy on July 3rd. He would have celebrated his 95th birthday on July 20th. Mr. Murphy was a veteran who dedicated his life to education as a professor at the University of Martin.

Until next time...