Caption: Ella Van Prooyen has fond memories of Arbor Day and is looking forward to planting a blue spruce on the campus of Rest Haven South.
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SOUTH HOLLAND, Ill. (Friday, April 21, 2006) - Ella Van Prooyen has fond memories of Arbor Day. “It used to be more celebrated than it is today,” she says. “I remember when we were in school, one Arbor Day our whole class went outside and planted a tree. I was probably 8 or 9 years old. That was around 1920 or so.”
Ella Van Prooyen is now 94 years old, and she’s celebrating Arbor Day again for the first time in decades. A resident of Rest Haven South Christian Skilled Care Residence in South Holland, Ella will join
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staff and other residents to plant a four-foot blue spruce on the campus. Arbor Day occurs in the United States every year on the last Friday in April, so the planting ceremony will take place Friday, April 28, at 2:00pm, on the west side of the grounds.
“We asked about having some kind of evergreen,” says Sally Rock, Activity Director at Rest Haven South. “We thought it would be nice to plant in the back, behind our solarium. That way, residents can watch it grow throughout the seasons-and at Christmas time it will be fun to decorate it!”
“I thought it was a great idea,” says Matt Mauthe, Administrator. “It will give us all a chance to get outside, it’s a nice campus improvement, and it will be something we can enjoy year-round.”
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| “You gotta give something back,” philosophizes Herb Williams, another active member of the Resident Council who is thrilled with the Arbor Day plans. “You can’t always take away. You gotta put something back.”
Even in the giving there is receiving. “I sit in the sunroom a lot,” smiles Resident Linda Peters. “It will be nice now to sit there and look at our tree.”
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Caption: “You gotta give something back,” says Herb Williams, resident of Rest Haven South, about the upcoming Arbor Day celebration.
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Not only does Ella Van Prooyen have fond memories of childhood Arbor Days, but “giving back” by planting a tree has a deep personal meaning as well. In 1950 she and her husband lost their one-day-old baby girl. Her husband expressed a wish to honor his infant daughter with a living memorial.
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Caption: Linda Peters enjoys the sunroom at Rest Haven South and is looking forward to the added beauty a blue spruce will provide.
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He and Ella selected a tree together, chose the perfect location for it, and planted it in the back yard. “A week later, my husband died too,” remembers Ella. “But that tree is still alive and strong, and now it reminds me of both of them.” The Van Prooyens’ memorial tree was a blue spruce, just like the one chosen for Rest Haven South’s campus.
Rest Haven South is located at 16300 Wausau Avenue in South Holland, Illinois. For more information, call 708-596-5500.
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ABOUT REST HAVEN SOUTH
Rest Haven South is a skilled nursing facility committed to promoting independence by providing Christ-like nursing care and service to seniors. Founded and supported by local churches, Rest Haven South is part of the Rest Haven Christian Services family of ministries. For more information about Rest Haven South, please visit www.resthaven.com.
ABOUT REST HAVEN CHRISTIAN SERVICES
Founded and supported by local Reformed and Christian Reformed churches, Rest Haven Christian Services has served thousands of retirees in the past 90 years. Rest Haven Christian Services offers the complete spectrum of senior services, including Independent Town Homes, Independent Living, Assisted Living, Sheltered Care, Alzheimer’s Programs, Intermediate Care, Home Health Services, Hospice Care, Respite Stays, Rehabilitation Services, and Skilled Nursing Care. Rest Haven is committed to providing excellent service that enriches life and preserves independence. For more information, please visit www.resthaven.com.
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