Exeter Care
Center residents wait for the start of their Balloon Release ceremony, holding
tightly to their balloons in the wind.
Activities Director Lori Bossaleer hands
resident Wilma Murphy a balloon.
Bernie Larsen and Rodney Larsen release balloons
in honor of Ted Larsen, husband of Bernie and father of Rodney who passed away
last year.
It was an emotional moment for residents, staff and family
members at Exeter Care Center as they celebrated their annual Balloon Liftoff
and release to honor those lost during the year.
Each year they take an afternoon to remember those who passed
away while they were residents at the Exeter Care Center. Staff member Bob Pagel led the service
stating they wanted to “honor family and friends who had passed away in the
last year.”
Pagel and the staff did more than just read the names, he
read some very touching and funny moments about the residents that had been
part of their family for a longer time.
The staff had shared their memories for Pagel to read and
the crowd of residents and family and friends of those lost, laughed and cried
together as they recalled their friends and loved ones. Several of the staff members shared about a
few of the ladies of Czech descent who like to teach the staff members words in
the Czech language and were noted for teaching some inappropriate words to
boot.
Some hesitated to release their balloons, but despite the
high winds a few of the balloons rose and stopped for a few moments as if to
acknowledge their remembrance before the wind caught them and carried them
away.
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