Last Thursday I began my Independence Day celebration with Ecumen colleagues and customers at a celebration of the grand opening of Ecumen’s new memory care community in Apple Valley.  It wasn’t the wonderful food or that big red scissors above held by Apple Valley Mayor Mary Hamann-Roland, Ecumen’s Janis Rivers and Chamber of Commerce prez Edward Kearney that will stick with me. 

Rather, the memory that will stick is of two women carrying their purses, holding hands, smiling and walking inside from the Centennial House garden and essentially "working" the room.  After I was greeted by the women and they moved on to greet someone else, one of my colleagues at Centennial House told me that every day these two ladies walk together, visit with each other and others, and tell everyone they are going to catch the bus to Brainerd, which is a getaway destination for many Minnesotans.  As they day comes to a close, they always tell the Centennial House employee that they "missed the bus" and are "wondering if they could spend the night here at this nice place."  I laughed as she told me this story.  And as I grabbed another cookie, I looked across the room, there were the travel buddies smiling, too.