“When we were restricted to our homes during the first stages of Shelter-in-Place, it was a natural choice to turn to ice cream to try to ease the stress and concerns on campus,” Kershner says. Since residents were no longer able to get their favorite flavors in the dining room, Kershner and his team turned to favorites like Dove Bars, Good Humor Cones, and It’s Its (ice cream sandwiches from San Francisco) to bring back comforting memories of years ago.

Each Thursday, two teams wearing masks and gloves “walk throughout the campus, knocking on every door to offer some edible comfort,” Kershner explains. Pushing a cart with a cooler attached and ringing a bell as they go through the 6 acre community, the ice cream delivery teams have become an important part of the week for many folks who now refer to Thursdays as “Ice Cream Day”.

Now, the “Good Humor Crew” has become highly popular as they make their rounds. Kershner says that people want to hear the full list of choices, and then sometimes ask for two. “One of our happy customers said it makes everyone feel like a kid again!” shared Mary Lou Kelpe, Life Enrichment Coordinator.

Ice cream has also become an important part of keeping the Webster House community connected. “I thought this would be a nice diversion for the residents to be outside eating a cold ice cream on a summer day,” explains Executive Director Linda Hibbs. “This is the first community social activity for our residents that have been sheltered in place.”

Each Wednesday at 2:00, about one-third of the residents meet outside for ice cream sandwiches, ice pops, or sorbet and an opportunity to meet and catch up while staying a safe distance apart. “The residents have the ability to socialize with their friends which I feel is best for their overall well-being,” says Hibbs. The ice cream is really just the cherry on top.

At Canterbury Woods, Kershner says it’s difficult to find words to describe what made these visits special. “When people open their doors and see who we are, the looks on their faces are very rewarding,” he says. “These folks were missing interaction, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.”

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Market Day, a Covia Community Services program designed to offer pop-up produce markets in accessible locations such as senior communities, senior centers, and churches, made the difficult decision to temporarily close its events starting in mid-March in light of the risk they might present to seniors and volunteers alike. But the team is working behind the scenes to provide new, creative ways to get fresh produce to seniors without exposing them to risk of infection. 

“Covia knows that our clients, residents, and neighbors are all dealing with a lot of challenges during this pandemic,” Market Day posted on its Facebook page. As a result, “During the month of April, Covia offered produce delivery for free to older adults and community members.”

In April, Covia employees and volunteers wearing masks delivered bags of produce to 1,593 seniors living in twelve locations that normally host Market Day, ranging in location from Santa Rosa in Sonoma County to Pomona in Southern California. Each delivery contained a variety of fresh produce, from blueberries to broccoli, pears to zucchini, along with a pound of rice.

“The gesture alone helped my spirits,” said a resident of Presidio Gate Apartments, a Covia Affordable Community in San Francisco. “The bananas and berries were most appreciated and the sweet potatoes were good mashed.”

“I can’t tell you how much the groceries will be appreciated by my residents,” said a staff person at Cottonwood Place in Fremont. “I’ve seen the need for food increasing. This is so generous of Covia and it is definitely needed…We will get through this all together.”

As for the Market Day team, “We can’t wait to celebrate all our volunteers when our Markets open again soon!”

Market Day is a program of Covia Community Services. Find more information about Market Day or make a donation to support this vital program here.

The post Market Day Delivers appeared first on Front Porch.

Dick S.

My two-room cave with balcony has several activity centers.

Dining Table: Read morning NY Times (2 hrs.) and magazines, open and discard mail, seating area for TV, eating.

Balcony:  Portable camping barbecue, occasional steaks or salmon.

Computer Desk: Check email, compose responses, delete spam, read Microsoft News, look at cartoons, open abstracts more detail, review financial data, color edit old travel slides (default activity).

Garden Room (low bench at bay window): Some 22 miniature orchids live in a vivarium (plastic storage box), grow-lights above and algae sludge swamp pond below.  A daily mist spray and checking for flowers takes about ten minutes a day. On the bench, in room conditions, is an African vine with a new 8-inch growth tendril, seeking a twig to wind around. Before it finds its twig, a hair clip will attach it to a circular frame – a very occasional event for this.

J. A.

Quiet. Staying at home is peaceful, with time to think, to meditate even. No need to be sociable, or to go to meetings. No need to dress appropriately. But visiting my little balcony is no substitute for walking freely outside. I miss our exercise classes, and swimming.

By the time we are released from sheltering-in-place, I will most likely have had more than enough of this nice quiet. For now, I am enjoying rereading the first two of Hilary Mantel’s books on Thomas Cromwell and looking forward to starting her recently published final volume.

Judy & Dave C.

We’re reading posts from our grand dog.

Jean B.

I am doing fine and determined not to get depressed. Rainstorm was needed and welcome, and now the sunshine is pouring in my window and I’m listening to my jazz station. A good lunch in the apartment, thanks to our great cooks and servers.

Joan U.

The view from our apartments is a huge help in combatting “I’m trapped” syndrome – trees and sky in an ever-changing panorama. I loved last night’s rolling bar.

Also, I’ve been walking.  One Palo Alto walk near Webster House is:

San Francisquito Creek

San Francisquito Creek is the dividing line between Palo Alto and Menlo Park – a placid little trickle of water until it occasionally goes wild and inundates whole neighborhoods, causing a great deal of property damage.  Walking up Palo Alto Avenue you will find several small grassy clearings where you can peer through the undergrowth and see the creek meandering over rocks between sandbagged banks.  Where Palo Alto Ave. joins Alma Street at the rail crossing there is a small park with a footpath that leads to a pedestrian bridge over the creek and into Menlo Park.  Follow the path to read signage about the history and ecology of the creek, the wildlife that is being restored, the people who lived here before us and El Palo Alto, the redwood tree that our city is named for. Crossing over the creek, you can turn right onto East Creek Drive and walk back along the creek through a neighborhood of older ranch homes with pretty gardens and whimsical sculptures. Continue right onto Willow Road toward Middlefield.  Look for the signs for the pedestrian bridge that will take you back across the creek close to Waverley Street. Don’t miss the owl box suspended over the bridge, and the pig sculpture at the corner of Waverley and Ruthven!  Turn right on Cowper and you will find yourself in front of Colette.  At this writing they are still doing take-out.

Magnus the Magnificat graciously agreed to record his impressions of containment:

“Life for me is pretty good. My human has to stay home so there are many opportunities for pets, cuddles, scritches, and lots of snacks. I need yowl but once to prompt my lowly handmaiden to hop up and accede to my every whim. I still get to go outside on my patio any time I care to. Finally, I am getting my due.”

During this time as we shelter-in-place, it can be helpful to remember all of the things we can be thankful for and the positives that surround us. Sunshine coming in the windows. Rain that is nourishing the spring flowers. A good book. Technology that allows us to connect to loved ones even as we stay home. What small things are brightening your day and bringing you joy?

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