Springmoor Residents, Staff Donate School Supplies, Wisdom to Sanderson High School

As students around Raleigh embark on the new school year, residents, staff and retired teachers at Springmoor Life Care Retirement Community were busy collecting school supplies—and wisdom—to donate to Sanderson High School.

Springmoor collected everything from notepads to soap, and “senior-to-senior” advice (words of encouragement written on Sanderson High School note cards to share with the students). The school reported to Springmoor that they have students who are homeless, or are otherwise without the support many students at the school enjoy, and would appreciate the donation.

Family Matters: Springmoor Treats Residents Like Family

David Ammons

By David Ammons, chief executive officer of Springmoor Life Care Retirement Community

When I was a boy, “Mr. Smith” was already using a cane. He was funny and odd—a popular guy at church—and we admired him for his devotion to his faith, and to his wife and family. When I was a teenager, he remained a fixture of our community, staying involved in Boy Scouts, and attending every North Carolina State University football game. When I was a young man—and the executive director of Springmoor Life Care RetirementCommunity—“Mr. Smith” walked determinedly through my office door. The usually chipper man looked determined, took a seat and demanded my attention.

South Village Wellness Center Construction Underway!

Construction underway!

Construction on Springmoor Life Care Retirement Community’s new Wellness Center has begun, and residents and staff couldn’t be more excited to see all of the activity! Many in South Village—where the new center is being built—are glued to their windows, watching as cranes lift beams, and workers scurry to move pieces into place. Some residents have even been spotted snapping pictures of the construction as it progresses.

The Wellness Center—which will feature a 25-meter, salt water, lap pool, hot tub, sauna, movie theater, beauty salon, café/bistro, massage therapy rooms, billiard and bridge tables (to name a few)—was a needed enhancement to help residents get excited about fitness, and also to help them enjoy their lives at Springmoor even more, said Springmoor Executive Director Fred Conner. Residents will be able to bring guests to enjoy the amenities of the new center.

Water Exercises Give Seniors Increased Strength, Stimulation and Quality of Life

Kari Richie

By Kari Richie

Springmoor Health and Fitness Director

Swimming is not just for kids or vacationers at the beach. You can find Springmoor residents in the pool Monday through Saturday as they faithfully participate in water exercise. The residents are unique – ranging in age from 77 to 96—and living with various health conditions—ranging from arthritis and osteoporosis to hypertension and  spinal stenosis and joint replacements; but they have one thing in common – they love to exercise in the water!

As Springmoor’s Health & Fitness Director, why do I encourage residents to participate in water exercise? Five reasons:

Springmoor Floral Focal Points: August 2013

Rainy Summer Saves Money

Thom Morgan

During June and July we need 1.5 inches of water each week to maintain the lawns, trees and shrubs at Springmoor. In June, we received a whopping 9.5 inches, and in July, we got 3.5 inches.

With all that surplus water, we turned the irrigation system off and managed to save some money.

In Floral Focus

Pink crape myrtle

Humid August brings several plants to bloom along our walkways and landscapes. The Stella de Oro (Hemorocallis Stella de Oro) bloom all summer long, and strongly in August. Crape myrtles also bloom in late July, which is why we have five varieties at Springmoor: White crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia Natchez); Pink crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia Sioux); Red crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia Tuscarora); Lavender crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia Muskogee) and Light pink crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia Catawba).

The Mallow family begins to contribute their color in August, starting with Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus), and the rose mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos “Disco Belle pink”). 
More popular members of the mallow family are cotton and okra.

In Memories: Resident Recalls WWII

Wartime Memories

By Phyllis Johnson

Phyllis Johnson, who was born and raised in Illinois during WWII

Early 1930s

The somber tone of their voices grabbed my attention. I was playing on the sunroom floor, not yet five. Grandma Anna Max was talking to a friend who had recently returned from a visit to Germany. Grandma had on the usual long sleeved, lightweight cotton, flowered dress and dark cotton stockings. Not yet adapted to the American custom of wearing a bra, her breasts were formless under her dress.

 "It is terrible, Anna," the visitor said. "Carl and his son, they fight all the time and shout at each other."  With their serious faces, they now had my complete attention. Many years later I realized the son had joined the Nazi party and it was creating a schism in the family that was having an effect even on family across the Atlantic.

 

Putting on the Grits!

Springmoor is getting geared up for our series of “Putting on the Grits!” events, and the culinary staff couldn’t be more excited! We’ll be welcoming 100 visitors to our community, and treating them to our Southern hospitality—and Southern cooking, of course!

Ground-corn grits are a Southern specialty, and a personal favorite. They are so simple, and can be made in so many ways—literally hundreds. To find inspiration for our four-course, all-grits event menu, we scoured cookbooks, websites and even TV cooking shows. We tasted scores of recipes, and—while some didn’t cut the corn—a gritty, pretty few will proudly plump our plates, including grits pie, shrimp-and-grits tarts and pepper jack grits poppers.

Since all five of our “Putting on the Grits!” events are full, we thought we’d share the "Southern Living" showstopper that most inspired us, and that might inspire you to throw your own grits party (you could even throw grits like confetti if you want)!