The Thomson Manor Health Care Center annual Valentine's Day canned food drive was even sweeter this year. The residents and staff collected 3,704 canned goods to help the needy in the area.
"I think a lot of centers normally do this type of competition, but I don't think they do it to the extent that we do it, and we have the best residents and staff," Administrator Andrea Hartley said at the awards celebration on Friday, Feb. 13.
Each resident that participated in the drive selected which local charity they would collect for and a staff member to work with. There were 14 couples who participated this year, and they collected over 1,100 more canned items than last year.
"These activities provide the chance for the staff and residents to interact together," Activities Director Tamicka Franklin said.
Dot Wilson was crowned Ms. Sweetheart for collecting 635 cans for Manna, and Henry Settles was Mr. Sweetheart for collecting 618 items for the McDuffie County Animal Shelter.
Andrea Hartley helped Ms. Wilson with her outside contacts and Sheree Johnson helped Mr. Settles.
"Everybody knows when it comes to food, I'm always ready to help," Ms. Wilson quipped as she was being crowned. "I got a lot of help from my church and I want to thank them."
Ms. Wilson is a member of Warrenton First United Methodist Church, and several of her fellow church members visited the nursing home for her ceremony.
"She did the food pantry at our church for 20 years, and she did the brown bags in Warren County. Besides cooking, that's the love of her life is feeding people, so this was real appropriate for her," Marian Foy said.
Those who participated in the canned food drive contest were:
(Resident/Staff member/Charity/number of cans collected):
Henry Settles/Sheree Johnson/McDuffie County Animal Shelter/618
Mary Samuels/Shonda Huff/Manna/574
Annie Norris/Angela Markley/Agape/229
John Sturgis/Stephanie Charles/Manna/127
Emma Beard/Lula Burnett/Agape/152
William Bond/Jill Norris/Manna/217
Henry Curry/Beth Malone/Agape/42
Vesta Suer/Inegra Rehab Group/Manna/125
Sara Brown/Glennis Dorsey/Agape/108
Dot Wilson/Andrea Hartley/Manna/635
Agnus Hobbs/Tamicka Franklin/Manna/491
Mildred Newsome/Thomson Manor Housekeeping Dept./Agape/21
Mary Brown/Holly Johnson/Manna/31
Ruby Miles/Ollie Neal and Rebecca Myrick/Agape/324
