The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)
Car parade honors residents of retirement community in Amity Township
Keystone Villa at Douglassville wowed its residents with an honor parade on a recent afternoon.
Over 50 cars carrying 121 family members and 13 grand-dogs participated in the drive-thru event.
Families were encouraged to be creative and decorate their vehicles in honor of their loved ones and were staged at Wawa on Maplewood Drive in Amity Township.
With assistance from the Amity Township police department, parade traffic was guided safely across a section of Route 422 known as Benjamin Franklin Highway.
Anxiously awaiting residents were delighted by the lengthy procession, which traveled through the personal care and independent living parking lot.
“This was amazing,” said longtime resident Mary Okuniewski. “It brought tears to my eyes. What a beautiful day!”
Overjoyed to see her family members waving from the line of cars, Okuniewski was especially elated at the sight of her great-granddaughter Erin Okuniewski holding a sign through the vehicle’s sunroof that read, “We love you, MomMom.”
Also thrilled by the Villa’s endeavors was resident Bill Baseley. His brother made the trip from Maryland.
“We haven’t seen each other in quite some time,” Baseley said. “This was such a wonderful event.”
The retirement community has restricted visitors to the building since March following recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“Our residents have missed seeing their loved ones, so we came up with a creative way to get everyone together while staying six feet apart,” said Cyndi Trombley, marketing director for independent living. “We’re all in awe of the amazing turnout.
“It couldn’t have been a more beautiful day to celebrate our residents. The Villa team expresses our gratitude to the families, Wawa and Amity Township Police Department, for helping make this a safe and successful event.”
During these uncertain times, staff members have helped residents to stay connected and engaged with each other and their loved ones. Since visitations continue to be restricted, families have communicated via video chat and arranged window visits.
Inside the community, residents have enjoyed a safe, socially distant music concert, community-oriented projects and planted a garden of fresh vegetables and herbs.
“We’ve really been trying to think outside the box to bring happiness to our residents,” said Ann Carr, marketing director for personal care. “This has been a difficult time for everyone, but the staff and residents continue to work together to make the best of it.”
About Key Villa at Douglassville: The community offers all-inclusive, spacious studios, one-bedroom or two-bedroom apartments designed to suit your style.
There are no buy-in fees or hidden costs, and the apartments are leased on an affordable month-to-month basis. To learn more, visit www.keystonevillaatdouglassville.com.