Kittanning Care Celebrates 80th Birthday
(L-R) Kittanning Care Center Resident Sarah Stover and Employees Jody Mortimer, Wendy Ramer, Laura Beers, Reva Crusan, Tracey Rak, Dick Tarr, Kelly Ploski were just some of the many people that took part in Shirley Klingensmith’s 80th birthday last week. The Rural Valley native (seated in the middle in purple) invited all of the residents for her first birthday party. (submitted)
By Jonathan Weaver
Shirley Klingensmith’s first birthday party was held last week among her new family at Kittanning Care Center.
Klingensmith, originally of Rural Valley, turned 80 years old June 18 and told Activities Director Mary Turner all she wanted was a picnic with ice cream, hamburgers and French fries.
“We had a big birthday party - they brought in a big cake with pink icing on it and it said I’m 80!” Klingensmith said. “I had a real nice birthday party – everything was nice.
“I never had one before!”
Klingensmith has been a Kittanning Care Center resident since the beginning of the year, according to Turner, and said the party was arranged in two days through the Kittanning Care Center “Dream Team” – a group of employees and staff members that try to make wishes for the residents come true.
Staff members raise money to grant wishes through things such as bake sales.
Turner recalled that Klingensmith – who received a pair of outfits, coloring books, crayons and flowers as gifts - cried during the gathering of staff and residents on her special day.
“She seemed very happy,” Turner said. “We’re always listening and looking (for wishes) – the next might be next week for all we know.”
Klingensmith, the last member of her family, enjoys going outside as often as she can at the Kittanning Township personal care home and play games – such as Bingo and Yahtzee -, trying to win enough money for bags of popcorn.
“I’m real happy here – I love this place. It’s beautiful,” Klingensmith said. “The first day I came in here, I liked it. My new family’s right here.”
Local News | jweaver June 25, 2015
