Imagination Pays Off
by Betsy Pennink
Medford Leas Life, November 2010

Go to the car wash photo album. 25 big photos. Recommended viewing technique: start a slideshow for full-screen photos, then pause the slideshow and move through at your own pace.

A car wash at Medford Leas? A day to wear jeans to work? These are two ideas that came out of the brainstorming of the Employee Wellness Committee, headed by Ed Ellis, Fitness and Aquatics, to raise sponsorship funds for the Alzheimer’s Walk in Atlantic City on October 24.

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. . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .from Dave Bartram's iPhone

Fourteen employees from seven different departments threw themselves into the washing of the 140 cars that came through the line in the back parking lot on September 24. Some volunteers lathered up the cars with special car soap on sponges; some manned the hoses to rinse off; some rubbed and patted the cars dry and spotless with white towels.

Click any photo for car wash album - 25 big photos
Recommended viewing technique: Start a slideshow for full-screen photos, then pause the slideshow and move through at your own pace.

This is the last shot in the album. The camera was accidentally in video mode, so you if you go through the entire slideshow or if you follow this link you'll come to a video with 3 seconds of action!.

It was, according to Ed, “organized chaos, but lots of fun. Everyone did everything.” Ed and Lisa Minuto, Operations Coordinator, worked closely together to organize the car wash and, at the end of the four hours, they had raised $700.

. . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .from Betsy Pennink's iPhone

The following Friday residents were startled to see 45 members of the staff wearing blue jeans, which is normally against regulations. Each had donated $5 for the privilege and all enjoyed the casual feeling. This added $250 to the total.

An extra boost was given by the Coffee Shop, which donated $55 from a special on “Jeans Day” of pretzels and ice cream novelties (leftover from Community Day). Large bottles were nearby for dropping in donations for the Memory Walk.

The Memory Walks
by Maggie Heineman
Medford Leas Life, December 2010

Altogether, the Employee Wellness Committee raised $7372 through the series of events: Car Wash, Jeans Day, Coffee Shop Sales, the Mini Walk, and the Atlantic City Memory Walk.

The Mini Walk Soon after 10 a.m the Activities Room began filling up with residents and staff. Some were in wheelchairs, others were walking, and nearly all were wearing lime green shirts with a Medford Leas logo on the back (or front) and the Alzheimer’s Memory Walk logo on the other side.

Sandy Green and Jane Weston escort
Jane's mother Ruth Kutteroff on the Mini Walk

Go to the Mini Walk Album 32 big photos. Recommended viewing technique: start a slideshow for full-screen photos, then pause the slideshow and move through at your own pace.

At 10:30 the procession began – out through the double doors and on through the courts. Thirty minutes later the parade ended at the balloon-decorated Holly Room where the 65 participants enjoyed an hour together with fruit, granola bars, punch, and conversation.

The Atlantic City Walk The lime green tee shirts were important. They made it possible for members of the Med-ford Leas team to find each other among the thousands who were “taking steps to end Alzheimer’s.” It was rather like herding cats but Eddie Ellis, chair of the Employee Wellness Committee, managed to get 38 of the 51 team members together for a group photo.

Go to the AC Memory Walk photo album, 24 big photos. Recommended viewing technique: Start a slideshow for full-screen photos, then pause the slideshow and move through at your own pace.

Click any photo for the Memory Walk album - 24 big photos
Recommended viewing technique: Start a slideshow for full-screen photos, then pause the slideshow and move through at your own pace.

In addition to residents and staff, there were friends and family members, including Eddie Ellis’s parents and six young children. Even Kim Herndon’s 3-year-old twin grandsons, riding in a stroller, were wearing the team’s lime green shirts.