Happy Purim to all!  I hope you have plans for a festive holiday celebration.  Our Purim service at Cedar Village will take place on Sunday, February 28 at 2 p.m. so join us if your schedule permits!  Of course, it would not be Purim without hamantaschen and we were "Hamantaschen Central" at Cedar Village this week.  On Monday, we had a capacity crowd in the Cedar Center as we mixed, rolled, cut, filled, shaped and baked with the residents of the Health Care Center.  We sampled too and what a great job everyone did!  It was truly a "Cedar Village moment" to see residents taking part, sharing memories of Purim and how they or their mothers made hamantaschen.  Even folks whose disease process has limited some of their abilities were able to take part, whether it was measuring and stirring, using the rolling pin or assembling the delicious cookies.  We always remind ourselves not to "do for" but to "do with" and to encourage our residents to use their skills and abilities.  When we truly make that happen, the results are spectacular.
 
Our hamantaschen event did not stop there, however.  On Tuesday, residents of the Oak View and Fountain View apartments got involved in making yet more hamantaschen!  This was a project of our Chesed Corps, who do different projects each month to benefit others.  This month's project was baking and packaging hamantaschen to be delivered to residents of our Health Care Center for shalach manot.  It was another great event and the deliveries will, I am sure, be received with delight.
 
Here's something else that is new and exciting this week-we are now making fresh pancakes for breakfast in our Health Care Center.  It is not an everyday thing, rather it is a special way to start the day that will take place on different units and it is fun.  We put together a set up that has burners and special pancake griddles (that have space and are designed to do seven perfect pancakes at a time) and we can make 21 fresh, hot pancakes right on the units.  It is not only great to have the sights and smells of food cooking to help stimulate appetites, it is fun for the residents to watch. 
 
Don't forget to make plans now for 8 over 80, May 2nd at 6 p.m. at Adath Israel.  Our honorees are Wilbur Cohen, Dave Jacobson, Lou Nidich, Florence Lieberman, Florence Zaret, Sue Ransohoff, Bob Kanter and Dick Weiland.  It is going to be a very special evening as we salute these folks who have made, and continue to make, a difference in our community.