What can you do for someone who spends a lot of their time taking care of someone else? What else, but give them a little break and some all out pampering. That is what happened on May 2nd, 2009 at the Caregivers Day Out event. A record number of Caregivers from across Ford and Iroquois counties gathered at Creekside Prairie in Cissna Park for a day of respite, education and some tender loving care.
Each caregiver attending received a door prize. One lucky attendant won the grand prize of an overnight stay at Timber Creek Bed and Breakfast in Paxton Illinois. Breakfast and lunch were provided to the caregivers along with use of the Hickman Aquatic facilities including the pool, whirlpool and sauna.
Numerous activities were provided for the caregivers. Ellen Peterson and Janice Allensworth demonstrated Mary Kay products. Lisa Leigh gave a presentation on preserving memories through scrapbooking. Lonnie Dirks from Iroquois Memorial Hospice presented journaling ideas and taught ways to express and write down personal feelings and describe emotions. Crystal Rabe and Katonna Cook provided Reike hands on Healing, Energy Balance, and Applied Kinesiology Testing. Gayle Blanck of Healing Arts provided Aviana Mindful Touch and massage. Penny Wilken of Milford provided paraffin wax treatment to the caregivers feet while Erin Reutter of Margos Salon and Day Spa in Paxton provided sea salt hand massage and paraffin wax hand treatments while Ashley Warlow provided manicures. Heather Mickelson provided Tastefully Simple Food samples and Ellen Luhman from the University of Illinois Ford-Iroquois Extenstion Office provided Healthy eating and drink samples. Two large televisions and Wii game systems were made available through Iroquois Memorial Hospice and Home Health and Rent-A-Center of Watseka for the caregivers to see how well they are taking care of their bodies by using the Wii fit games.
Other businesses that gave donations for the day included: Creekside Prairie in Cissna Park, Iroquois Memorial Hospice and Home Health, Gilman Nursing Center, ASTA Care Center of Ford County, Heartland Health Care Center, First Trust Bank, Dr. Heyman, Iroquois Federal, Iroquois Financial and Iroquois Insurance, Timber Creek Bed and Breakfast, Heritage Woods, Superior Cleaners, Celebrations, Monical’s Pizza, DaVinci Coffee House, The Picket Fence, Flower Cart, The Gathering, Inside Out, Walmart, Berkot’s, Garden Gate Flowers, Illiana Back Yard Fun, Miss Karol’s, The Flower Shak, VIPS, Heavenly Creations, the ARC, Main Street Gifts, Snyders, Mandy’s Candies, Gary’s Barber Shop, Quality Grocery Store, All American Athletics, Beltone, TJ Signs, Rent A Center, Lia Sophia-Aracelli Lopez, Bakers Pizza, Pizza Hut, Dougs Pharmacy, Country Thyme Tea Room, Sunny Bloomers, Lynda Guinnee, Sheldon Health Care, Lisa Leigh-Creative memory Supplies and Heather Mickleson with Tastefully Simple. “We want to thank all of these businesses for their very generous support,” said Tammy Barragree Caregiver Advisor. “It was a wonderful day and we couldn’t have done this without all of this support.”
Co-sponsors for the event were the Ford-Iroquois Public Health Department and Home Health, Iroquois Memorial Hospice and Home Health, The Gilman Nursing Center and the ASTA Care Center of Ford County.
