Boots and Buckle
Bryan Boyer
Nancy Michel and her dog, Lucy
Morning Pointe Senior Living campuses across the Southeast will celebrate National Volunteer Week, April 21-27.
“Volunteers contribute so much to the social, spiritual and intellectual lives of our residents,” said Amanda Yelenick, Morning Pointe’s vice president of life enrichment. “Morning Pointe teams have been emphasizing recruiting volunteers this year, striving to have as many regular volunteers as they have residents in each community, and we’ve been seeing some wonderful individuals and groups share their talents and time with our residents.
We are excited to recognize our volunteers’ impact in a special way this week.”
Officials said, "Volunteers offer a wide variety of talents and programming at Morning Pointe communities. These include performing music, visiting one on one with residents, playing games, assisting with crafts, calling bingo and more. Morning Pointe currently has more than 1,500 volunteers across its 38 communities."
Meet some volunteers here in the Tennessee Valley:
Boots and Buckle is a line dancing group of seniors who have been performing at Morning Pointe of Hixson Assisted Living and Memory Care for more than a year. “They are fun, caring and put 100 percent of their energy into every dance they perform,” said Ashley Kilgore, Lantern program director at the community. “Our residents absolutely love watching them.” The group performs each month, usually with a themed performance, such as love songs for Valentine’s Day or Irish songs for St. Patrick’s Day.
Also at Morning Pointe of Hixson, volunteer Naino Leo got started volunteering when his mother was a resident there. He plays cards with the assisted residents. “I enjoy the ladies,” he said. “They have fun, and they have someone to talk to.”
Bryan Boyer leads the Sunday service weekly at Morning Pointe of Chattanooga Assisted Living. He has been doing this for many years. “He is so faithful, and residents love his service and look forward to it each week,” said Holly Holcomb, life enrichment director at the community.
At The Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence, Collegedale, Nancy Michel brings her dog Lucy to visit each week for some pet therapy. She not only brings Lucy to the living area but into resident rooms if they are interested, and residents love petting Lucy and reminiscing about past dogs. “Nancy stops and builds relationships with the residents above just having them pet Lucy,” said Kelly Nichols, Lantern program director. “She has been a wonderful addition to our volunteer crew.” Michel and Lucy also visit other local Morning Pointe communities.
"Of course, there are many other volunteers at each community, and there is always room for more," officials said.
“Volunteers are the cornerstone of community at our assisted living and memory care campuses,” said Greg A. Vital, Morning Pointe co-founder and president. “Their dedication and heartfelt generosity profoundly enhance the lives of our residents, connecting them more deeply with the world around them. We are immensely grateful for their ongoing contributions and the joy they bring into our community every day.”
Contact a local Morning Pointe community to see how it is recognizing Volunteer Week. If interested in volunteering, visit morningpointe.com/volunteer.