Teamwork, commitment overcome wet weather during Country Terrace family BBQ

Annual landmark event celebrating the ‘roaring ’20s’ brings residents, families and staff together

Dark clouds and rain were no match for teamwork and commitment at Country Terrace June 17, when the Komoka, Ont. long-term care home hosted its annual family barbecue.

While the first half of the day was ideal sunny barbecue weather, dark clouds and rain rolled in shortly after residents and their 100 guests finished dining on the pulled pork and burgers the nutritional care team cooked up.

Staff members quickly mobilized and set up the entertainment portion of the day inside the home before the rain came down. The event had a “roaring ’20s” theme and featured many attendees dressed up in feathered hats and other apparel from the 1920s, notes Christie Patterson, the home’s life enrichment co-ordinator.

The entertainment featured 1920s music, too, she adds.

“There was a lot of enthusiasm with the theme and the music that went along with it,” Christie says.

“We have a lot of new families, so there was great attendance and the weather was good for half of it. The food was great, too.”

The event was also an opportunity to present Country Terrace’s Everyday Hero and Inspired Leadership award winners (Rachael LeBlanc and Edriane Abad, respectively) with their honours. The home’s retiring physician, Dr. John Biehn, was recognized for his 25 years of service.

Along with the annual Christmas dinner and open house, the family barbecue is one of Country Terrace’s landmark events. Christie says the event is open to an unlimited number of guests so every resident “can have that big family barbecue that they’re used to having.”

“Being outside, we invite people to bring along lawn chairs and come on out,” she says.

Christie commends nutritional care manager Alex Achillini and his team for their work preparing the food for the barbecue, adding the dessert bar they created was especially outstanding.

“Alex did up an amazing dessert bar with a chocolate fondue that we had with marshmallows and local strawberries, and the kids and the families loved that,” she says.

“Alex and his staff took it up a notch this year, and they did an amazing job.”

Family members also took notice of the hard work everyone put in, Christie adds.

“I bumped into a family member I had not seen since the barbecue, and he said, ‘Now you’re going to have to do something bigger and better next year because you’re always exceeding.’ ”

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