Becky Haldorson, assistant administrator,
accepts the Dream of the Year award on behalf of Sunny
Hill Skilled Rehab Center, 421 Doris Ave. It was presented
to her by Larry Lindholm, the facility's
activity director. Lindholm traveled to Georgia to accept the honor.
An Indian dream catcher is the organization's symbol.
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Second dream fulfilled with trip to watch White Sox
JOLIET
- Sunny Hill Skilled Rehab Center and The Friends
of
Sunny Hill, Inc. recently received the "Dream of the Year" award from
Georgia-based Second Wind Dreams. SHSRC Activity Director Larry Lindholm accepted
the award during
the annual Second Wind Dreams conference at Georgia Institute of
Technology on June 16. The non-profit organization is dedicated to
fulfilling nursing home residents' dreams.
"This award really challenges the perception
of the aging
population as we look at them," Lindholm said. "As we age, our dreams
don't die. They may be asleep and need to be awakened. The winning
dream was just one that was awakened here."
Sunny Hill, a 250-bed, county-owned
nursing home at 421 Doris
Ave., was honored for making Evelyn Roberts' dream come true in
September 2004. Roberts, who is battling cancer, wanted to ride a
camel.
Roberts' ride was well documented in the local
press and also was
featured in People magazine. It was the local group's first dream
fulfillment. It generated financial support from Joliet Police
Department members and others.
Award criteria included community involvement
and resident
participation in the culmination of the dream.
Lifetime White
Sox fan Mary Paine (left) and her niece, Faith Mulvey, pose
by a limousine before climbing in for a ride to U.S. Cellular
Field. Paine, a resident at Sunny Hill Skilled Rehab Center,
421 Doris Ave., attended the June 22 game thanks to an anonymous
donor and Second Wind Dreams.
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Recently, a second dream was fulfilled. Resident
Mary Paine, a
lifetime White Sox fan, was able to attend a game in June thanks,
in part, to an anonymous donor who provided tickets for the avid
fan and her niece, Faith Mulvey. Second Wind Dreams paid for a
limousine to ferry the two women to and from U.S. Cellular Field.
In addition to watching her favorite
team defeat Kansas City 5-1
on June 22, she also saw her name in lights, as the White Sox
used the scoreboard to welcome their longtime fan.
Along with her memories of an incredible
afternoon, Paine
brought home an autographed picture of her favorite player, first
baseman Paul Konerko.
Second Wind Dreams is the brainchild of P.K.
Beville, a geriatric
psychologist. It was founded in January 1997. Today the organization
has chapters in 40 states, Canada, India and Israel. The Friends of
Sunny Hill, Inc. is a lifetime member.
Additional information can be obtained at www.secondwind.org.
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