Shade was at a premium, but smiles weren’t, at the Russell Meadows open house on Wed., Aug. 16. If you wanted the best seat, (and be closest to the food) you had to get there early!   Tinkess Photo

RUSSELL—When you have a facility as beautiful as Russell Meadows, you can be excused for wanting to show it off a bit; that is what happened on Wed., Aug. 16 when Russell Meadows held an open house.

The event had a western theme and there were plenty of western hats and bandanas making the rounds. Tours of the facility were available and there were plenty of drinks and treats in the lounge area along with a western backdrop that residents and guests alike were encouraged to use when having a photo taken.

In the courtyard there was live music as well as a corn roast and hotdogs as well. No one needed to leave hungry.

According to organizer Christina Fields, events like this are a way for the retirement community to develop closer ties with the community. “We want to get it out there in the community and let people come in and see what we’re all about. See the home, meet our residents, and see how much fun we have. It’s a Western day today. We’ve got a corn roast and a hot dog barbecue with some cold drinks and some entertainment. Everyone seems to be having a good time.”

They certainly did. There was a lot of toe-tapping going on in the courtyard and as usual, there was no shortage of smiles. It’s amazing how much of a difference one person with a smile on their face can make, so imagine what can happen when you have so many happy people in one place!

For more information on Russell Meadows, you can visit their website at russellmeadows.ca.