Celebrating the Season with Traditions Old and New

This month at Juniper Communities, we’ve taken time to celebrate the little things. Whether it’s honoring long-standing traditions, enjoying the small wonders of the winter season, or creating something special for the holidays, we’ve set aside time to nurture the spirit of joy throughout the month of December.

We at Juniper Village Wellspring Memory Care at Brookline have kept the holiday spirit vibrant by celebrating an old tradition and creating something new! Many of us have warm memories of baking (or eating!) fresh Christmas cookies with those we love. At Wellspring, we honored that tradition with our ever-popular Confectionery Cookie Creation and Exchange. This event is becoming a favorite tradition for residents, associates, and families alike. This year, not only did we exchange homemade sweets, but we also learned how to make melting snowman cookies, courtesy of the expert instruction by our Connections Director Kaitlin Hoover, and Connection Associate Katie Rimmer. A collection of colorful candies, snow-white icing, and fluffy marshmallows were transformed into creations that looked too good to eat!

For the first time ever, Wellspring held a Trail of Trees event and contest, in which departments decorated trees to represent the work they do. The entries were extraordinarily creative, from the Wellness team’s friendly snowman, to Environmental Service’s green-friendly ornaments and miniature laundry line made out of recycled materials, to Dining’s glittering food tree with chef photos, to Connection’s jolly Juniper giraffes. Residents, families, and associates voted for their favorites, with the winning team receiving a $50 donation to the charity of their choice. The winner was … (drum roll please)… the friendly snowman tree! The Wellness team has chosen the Alzheimer’s Association as the beneficiary of their prize. This new event was such a hit, that it just may become a new tradition.

We at Wellspring, wish you and your family time to celebrate things big and small this holiday season, as you relish in the warmth of family traditions and discover new joys in the coming year.

The Season of Giving More

Juniper Village at Brookline hosted their 2nd Annual Trail of Trees event during the month of December.  The Trail of Trees showcases a glittering array of trees which were painstakingly decorated by community businesses, organizations, and Juniper staff. Twenty-five trees in total filled the Senior Living buildings walking path, creating a festive holiday atmosphere.

Throughout December, residents, family, friends, and community members were invited to stroll the Juniper Campus and vote on their favorite trees. On the evening of December 21st, a cocktail reception was held in which all in attendance were welcome to make their final votes prior to the winners being announced. The Board members of the Centre County Geriatric Interest Network were the guest judges and decided the first through third places, and the tree with the most overall votes was announced as the Grand Prize People's Choice Winner. All winners received donations made to the charity of their choices.

*       Grand Prize People's Choice Winner: Good Shepherd Preschool
                Donation of $250.00 made to: Good Shepherd Preschool
*       People Choice for a Juniper Department: Juniper Village Housekeeping
                Donation made to: Centre County PAWS
*       1st Place: Juniper Village Directors of Community Relations
                Donation made to: Bob Ott Seed Grant through the Centre County Council of Human Services
*       2nd Place: Juniper Village Business Office
                Donation made to: Centre County PAWS
*       3rd Place: Adult Transitional Care
                Donation made to: The State College Food Bank

All trees will continue to be on display for the duration of the holiday season for all to enjoy. The Trail of Trees Event at Juniper Village at Brookline is just one more way that Juniper continues to Keep the Spirit throughout the holiday season by providing fun filled opportunities to support those community members most in need.

Memories Light the Sky at Juniper Village at Brookline Wellspring

Each family has its own story to be told. Recently, Juniper Village Wellspring Memory Care at Brookline celebrated those personal stories with the Cherish Your Journey Balloon Release. This unique event brought together families, friends, and residents to reminisce. Thoughts of loved ones from the past and present were written down on tags and tied to buoyant balloons. These eco-friendly balloons were extra special, because they were illuminated from within to represent the lights that memories hold in our hearts. They also were filled with forget-me-not flower seeds to sprinkle the earth with “memories” to bloom in the spring. While residents and guests prepared the balloons, they also enjoyed freshly-baked chocolate bread and festive punch.

The program featured a reading of a poem that perfectly captured the evening’s theme:
Floating freely through the air

Is a special balloon with all my care,

That I have released to the skies above,

It’s really important – it carries my love.

So please be watching for it to come by,

This special balloon I released to the sky.

I know you’re in my heart, and that gives me peace.

So it’s with all my love, this balloon I release.

The event culminated with everyone donning warm coats and sweaters to release their balloons high into the night sky. Although the air was cold, hearts were warm.

The Sounds of Music

Anyone visiting us here at Juniper Village at Brookline would be hard-pressed not to feel the Holiday spirit, as the campus starts to come alive with abundant decorations and festive holiday dress. We recognize the importance of also focusing on spreading good cheer through song and fellowship as well.  On December 5th the hills and halls of Juniper Village at Brookline were filled with the sound of (holiday) music provided by the Nittany Knights Barbershop chorus. The Nittany Knights are a thirty-person auditioned men's a Capella chorus which specialize in a barbershop style, four-part harmony.  This harmonious group has been entertaining the Centre region for over fifty years and is always a crowd pleaser when they pay their special visits to our Community. Joining our festive residents in attendance of this special concert were local community members, family, friends, and anyone looking for help in finding their own holiday cheer.  All in attendance were treated to an evening of seasonal favorites in a toe tapping and finger snapping program.

A holiday celebration of music would not be complete without a proper seasonal spread of holiday delights.  Not wanting to be outdone by the wonderful sounds of the season our very own Dining Services Director, Kris Kishbaugh, joined in the festivities by providing a traditionally themed assortments of cheeses, pickled vegetables, house made chips and crab dip, cheesecake bites, and a sampling of local wines. Certainly a pairing of our favorite things to help remind all of us of the joy of the Holiday season.


So long, farewell, and the very merriest of holidays from your friends at Juniper Village at Brookline.

The Season of Giving

The fall season is winding down at the Juniper Village at Brookline campus. On the outside, daylight is becoming shorter, the cold air is blowing in, and on occasion a snow flake flutters past the evergreens. However, on the inside, residents and staff are bustling around transforming rooms and halls into a winter wonderland. Among the winter decorations of snowflakes, figurines, and ornaments, are grocery carts. Yes, that's right...grocery carts. Inside these grocery carts, located at the main entrances of each building, are items being collected for the State College Food Bank.

Each year Juniper Communities holds a Food Drive through the month of November to support the local Food Banks, and community members that benefit from their services. The State College Food Bank serves as the main collection site that services the numerous other smaller sites in Centre County. In 2015, the State College Food Bank alone, served nearly 2, 000 community members, with 11% being older adults.

On November 30th, Juniper Village at Brookline campus delivered the donations collected throughout the month to the State College Food Bank. Items were boxed and weighed, and the results were impressive; in total the collection weighed 668 pounds!

This collection is one of many services that Juniper Communities hold to support local community members. For more information on the State College Food Bank, and to learn how you can help fight hunger, please visit www.scfoodbank.org. To learn how Juniper Communities supports their local community members, please visit their website at www.junipercommunities.com

"If you can't feed a hundred people, than just feed one." ~ Mother Teresa.

December 2016 Events in State College, PA: Celebrate Little Things

Juniper Village nurtures wellbeing by encouraging an active body, an engaged mind and a fulfilled spirit. This month this custom is more evident than ever as we share our celebratory spirit - mind, body and soul. December is a month filled with holidays and celebrations, but at Juniper we like to kick it up a notch! All around the community all of your senses will be stimulated as you see traditional holiday décor, hear joyous laughter and singing, smell heavenly treats baking and taste them as well. We will celebrate all the joyous little things that make this time of year so special. Traditions both old and new will be honored. And through sharing our numerous cultures and traditions with each other we will learn more about each other, opening the door to deeper understanding. 

This month take a moment to reflect on the little things that bring joy to your life. Reminisce about the traditions from your past and the new traditions you have started with your family. Celebrate the holiday season with us as we share a bit of ourselves with our annual cookie exchange and ethnic holiday celebrations. December is always an eventful month and we look forward to sharing it with you.

Our fabulous December 2016 events in State College, PA at Juniper Village at Brookline Wellspring Memory Care include our:

§  Nittany Knights Holiday Knights Holiday Concert Cocktail Concert to enjoy an evening of seasonal favorites by the Nittany Knights Barbershop Chorus at this free concert is sure to get your toes tapping and fingers snapping – you won’t want to miss it – and festive fare will be provided for this family fun event on December 5^th from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.

§  Confectionery Cookie Creation and Exchange because it’s that time of year when confectionery creations make their delicious debut during the jolly holidays, and with ornate sweaters, Santa hats, and classic carols, the folks at Wellspring invite all to join in the holiday celebration, as for the main event, there will be an interactive cookie decorating demonstration and exchange, bringing family, friends, and the community together on a sweet note, so we hope to see you there on December 20^th from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

§  Trail of Trees our 2nd Annual event, where a glittering array of trees decorated by community businesses and organizations will be on display, so stroll through the Juniper campus to vote for your favorite tree and make sure you stay for the Dash Away Soiree, where the winning trees will be announced, and our top trees will win a donation to the charity of their choice on December 21^st from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. (Trees available for viewing from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm daily until January 7th.)

We look forward to sharing our December 2016 events in State College, PA at Juniper Village at Brookline Wellspring Memory Care with you as you Celebrate Little Things.