There’s nothing more peaceful than a cozy dinner with the people who care about you the most. Avalon Springs played host to a family night dinner for their residents on Thursday, February 29.
The food was served to the residents family style. Ivana Zupanoski, Legacy Neighborhood Director, shared how this family night event came to fruition.
“We had meetings with the residents to see who wanted to participate in this event,” Zupanoski said. “When we asked them about it, there was plenty of good feedback.”
The build up to family night was nothing short of a great ceremony. However, this event was much more than just a one-night experience.
“We’ve been preparing for this all week long,” Zupanoski said. “On Monday, we made cherry pies. We did flower arrangements on Tuesday. Then we made chicken noodle soup. It was all involvement with the residents together and it’s been really awesome.”
The staff was excited to present a wide variety of food for a family night. Zupanoski noted that one of the residents even chose chicken paprikash, a traditional Hungarian dish.
“If we know something about one of our residents that we can implement into our events, then we’ll always get their feedback on if we can do it,” Zupanoski said. “The chicken paprikash is just one way that we’re trying to cater to what the residents would prefer.”
One person who was excited to try all the different foods was June Zyla, a resident at Avalon Springs. Zyla, who has been living at Avalon Springs for almost two years, has quickly grown to love the opportunities that the staff creates for them.
“I think that we’re very fortunate to be here with them,” Zyla said. “They do everything they possibly can to keep us entertained and educated while having a good time. It’s nice to have a good time and relax with all of the residents here.”
Zyla notes that this was the first time Avalon Springs hosted a family night event like this. She believes that everything came together successfully and hopes this is something that remains a mainstay.
“I credit everyone who has pitched in to help,” Zyla said. “Everybody has a specific role that they’re responsible for and it’s been a job well done. I’m sure a lot of us will be saying that this was one of the best ideas and some of the most fun we’ve had in a long time.”
There was plenty to keep every stomach full at the inaugural family night event. Zupanoski was pleased with the turnout and hopes to continue doing events similar to this one in the near future.
On top of dinner, Avalon Springs has a lot of different events in store for the upcoming weeks as the spring season is nearing. This includes bringing back their Sunday brunches and various theme weeks. Last week, they hosted their Route 66 theme week focusing on Chicago. They plan to continue that throughout the year, featuring St. Louis sometime in May.
For more information on Avalon Springs, you can visit their website.