Community service offers so many wonderful life experiences, not to mention it helps us to feel like we are “giving back.” Here at Hopewell, we respect those moments when we have an opportunity to keep our residents focused on the positive. We believe we can make the world a better place for those in our community.
In the past, Hopewell residents and staff have participated in clean-up day in the local park and served food at the annual area ox roast. We have walked dogs at Rescue Village and helped with landscaping for the Geauga Humane Society. And we have washed trucks for the Mesopotamia Volunteer Fire Department (where one of our residents is an active member).
Recently, one of the projects in the Art Room was making “sugar scrub” for sale in our Farm & Craft Market. (We even incorporate the lemon balm grown in our gardens into this special facial cleansing product.) As we worked together making the lemon-scented mixture, the residents and I talked about the individuals serving in our country’s armed forces. We came up with the idea to send our sugar scrub to the active duty female sailors serving in the Middle East. One hundred four-ounce jars of Hopewell Sugar Scrub were received by the women aboard the United States Navy’s U.S.S. Howard. They were loved by all and more have been requested by both women and men.
The sailors would be grateful to receive mail. Please send letter and cards to: USS Howard DDG, Unit 100191, Box 1501, FP, AP 96667. Thank you!
Written by: Cindy Wagner. She has been a Program Facilitator at Hopewell for ten years. She is the work crew leader for the Art Room Crew and the Garden Crew. Her son, Austin Wagner, currently is deployed in the Middle East, serving on the U.S.S. Howard. (Note: Rick Polch, Hopewell’s Superintendent of Buildings & Grounds, has a son serving in the U.S. Air Force.)
