The Community Restorium is a place of activity, festivity and hominess as evidenced with the happenings of events that occurred in December and the new year.

Residents celebrated the new year with entertainment provided by the Kootenai Kloggers Square Dancers and lots of food on New Year’s eve. They all had enjoyed a holiday season with family and friends at a Christmas party where one hundred forty people joined them. At the party, Santa, aka Roy Marquis, made an appearance and presented each resident with a gift and candy cane funded by The Friends of the Restorium. Throughout December several carolers visited and entertained. A prime rib dinner was served on Christmas Day.

Everyone enjoyed the lovely tree that was decorated by a 4-H group and the colorful poinsettias that added to the festivities of the holiday season.

To add to the excitement of December, a fire alarm went off and everyone had to be evacuated. The fire department came and found the alarm had been triggered by the bursting of a sprinkler head. The staff and residents are grateful to the firemen for their quick response and thankful that there was no fire.

Many other activities keep residents active and entertained: exercise sessions are held three times a week; Saturday is the game, movie and popcorn event; bingo, bowling and board games are popular; bus rides and shopping trip outings occur each week, weather permitting; and a monthly ice cream social is an event not to be missed.

The residents greatly appreciate the community groups and individuals that provide music entertainment and the volunteers who do hair and nail care each week. Those who wish can attend a Bible study and church services.

A highlight of the month was the birthday party for seven residents. The current residents and the staff welcomed two new residents.

To help combat the extreme cold and to make the dining room more comfortable, new insulated and lovely drapes, funded by The Friends of the Restorium, were hung in the dining room, adding to the hominess of the restorium.

Contact: Elsie Hollenbeck, Friends of the Restorium, 208-267-2485.