New Market News
When Fall arrives in the Shenandoah Valley, it brings along a full slate of fun outdoor events. In September, for instance, you can check out the 13th annual Fall Fling at the New Market Fire and Rescue Department, or take your pooch swimming at the Summer’s End Pup Pool Party. The Town of New Market’s website has helpful information about those events and others on the schedule for the rest of 2018.
Since we’ve covered some of those September events in the past, we’d like to catch you up on what goes on here in October. First up in the Fairway 5K, which takes place at the Shenvalee Golf Resort on Saturday, October 20th . The race is in its 3rd year, and is open to walkers and runners alike. Whether you’re feeling competitive or seeking a casual stroll, the resort will be a beautiful place to spend a Fall morning.
Later in October, the Town of New Market and its Merchants Committee will host a Trick or Treat on Congress Street. Held on the 31st , the community event runs from 5-7 PM. According to the town, businesses with their lights on will welcome “all dressed up trick or treaters” to come in for special treats. Many businesses will also be open for shopping during the Halloween fun. We hope you enjoy the Fall holidays, whenever and however you choose to celebrate.
Book Donations and Free Pickup
Our residents enjoy reading books from our collection at Shenandoah Place. To make this resource even better, we are trying to replace many of the regular-print books with large-print books. These books are much easier for our residents and volunteers to read! We appreciate any large-print books you may be able to donate to our residents. You could also help with this project by taking some regular-print books off our hands. Please take them for yourself, or donate them to a good organization or home. Thanks, as always, for your consideration.
Welcoming New Administrator Tammy Legg
In July, Shenandoah Place welcomed Tammy Legg to our staff as an administrator. Tammy is new to her role, but not new to our community. For the past four years, she worked as a hospice nurse who sometimes assisted Shenandoah Place residents. That familiarity has helped to make her transition to an administrative role here a smooth one.
Tammy began her nursing career as a hospital nurse after working for a time in the book manufacturing industry. She treated a wide range of patients, helping them recover from broken bones and other injuries. It was there that Tammy realized how much she enjoyed working with the geriatric population. She appreciates their polite manners, interesting stories, and the gratitude they show their caregivers.
Tammy grew up in Port Republic and still lives there today. But, her work as a hospice nurse has taken her up and down the Shenandoah Valley, where she has helped patients from Front Royal down to Staunton. She was committed to carrying some of the burden of families in crisis, and considers reassurance one of the most important parts of a hospice nurse’s work.
Leaving hospice was a difficult choice. Tammy formed bonds with patients and families, and it was hard to tell many of them goodbye. But, she’s excited to be at Shenandoah Place. She calls her new position her a real blessing, “or maybe even an answer to a prayer.” Some of her favorite things here are hearing the stories our residents tell and working with Andra, Melissa, and the rest of our amazing staff.
While she pursued her nursing degree, Tammy was raising her own family with her husband. She attended college as an older student, and would do homework alongside her children. Now, her son is 27 and serving in the U.S. Army. He’s stationed in South Korea, but video chats daily with his wife and two children in Georgia. Her daughter, 23, works in customer service at a nearby hotel. Tammy says she’s always knowledgeable about local events because of her job, and is also a talented artist.
If you see Tammy around Shenandoah Place, please say hello and help welcome her to our community! We’re thrilled that she has joined us.
Activity Spotlight: Bingo
In our community, Bingo remains one of our most popular activities. We had a big turnout for the game on a recent Thursday in July. Take a look inside the action, and contact Melissa if you’d like to call numbers sometime!
A Chance to Contribute to Our Community
Do you or someone you know have time to spend with our residents? We are looking for volunteers! Whether you can teach a skill, share a talent, or call Bingo on a Thursday afternoon, we’d love to have you visit. Please call Melissa at 540-740-4300 if you are able to contribute.