It was a cooler than normal July 4th holiday weekend, but that didn’t stop the crowds, or us, from paying tribute to our great nation by participating in the Palatine Hometown Fest 4th of July Parade. It’s an extra special year as the Village of Palatine celebrates their 150th Anniversary and we celebrate our 50th Anniversary at St. Joseph’s Home for the Elderly in Palatine.
The excitement from the crowds permeated into our bus, as we enthusiastically waved to the bystanders. We were happy to commemorate our milestone year with a sign displaying “50 Years of Loving Service” on our bus along with gold decorations.
Several Little Sisters, joined by some Residents and our Hospitality Interns walked alongside the bus giving out candy and greeting the parade watchers. We were so honored to have the Jesse White Tumblers right in front of us! They did a few tricks for us before the parade. During a performance along the parade route, they jumped over Sister Laurentia!! The 350 members of the Jesse White Tumblers are divided into seven groups that perform almost every weekend.
Along with the parade, it is our tradition to have a good old fashion picnic on our patio to celebrate the 4th of July. With days of ‘iffy’ weather looming over the 4th of July weekend, the Activity Director frequently checked the weather report to confirm our outdoor celebration. An earlier prediction was 88 degrees! Then it crept down to 86, then 84, then 80 – and the final prediction was 77 degrees! Perfect, it looked to be a great day to eat outside! Our 4th of July picnic was “a go”!
And, it was a perfect day. Gathering on the breezy patio overlooking our beautiful grounds, we were treated to hot dogs, hamburgers, beans, corn on the cob, potato salad, watermelon, and ice cream! It was wonderful lazy afternoon enjoying family and friends. But it didn’t end there. Our day of celebration continued after a brief rest and on to play Bingo!
In the midst of this wonderful weekend of celebration, it was never far from our minds how lucky and proud we are to be Americans. May God continue to bless our great nation and all those who live here!
Stars and Stripes Forever!