News
Hello from all of us at PNC! Today I would like to share another story about a resident at PNC that “ROCKS!” The resident I would like to tell you about, is Richard Reimer…
Richard was born in Cavalier, ND and raised on a farm a few miles west of there. He had two older brothers, two younger brothers, and one younger sister. On the farm, his family had dogs, cats, chickens, and even sheep. However, out of all the animals they had, his favorite was his German Pointer named Scout.
One of the memories Richard shared with me was that for his birthday his mom would bake him a homemade chocolate cake. They would eat it with ice cream and play games to celebrate. Richard was a Cavalier Tornado his entire school career and graduated in 1976. His favorite teacher was his 3rd grade teacher, Mrs. Watson, because she was “really nice.” During school, he always dreamt about being a car mechanic. Luckily for Richard, he was able to do mechanic work with his brothers on the farm. He enjoyed doing everything from repairing engines to doing oil changes.
Richard’s favorite thing to do when he lived in Cavalier, was attend local basketball and football games to cheer on the Tornados. He also really enjoyed going to the movies at the historic movie theatre on Main Street. When he wasn’t at a “flick,” helping on the farm, or sporting his black and orange, he loved to cook! To this day, he still has his favorite recipes memorized. In fact, at the end of this article, you’ll find his “famous” recipe for Sloppy Joes. His other favorites that he can recite from memory are recipes for Meatloaf, Chili, and Fudge. So, hit me up (figuratively), if you want those as well…
One fun fact about Richard is that he is wicked-good with numbers. In fact, when we play a game where I have to add numbers and keep score, I count on him to give me the totals. He often shouts out the answer before I can even say the first number in my head. When I asked him “What is one piece of advice you have for young people today?” he replied, “Don’t Smoke or Drink!” My favorite answer Richard gave me when I was asking him questions, was the answer to my question “What is one thing you would want people to say about you?” He replied, as he giggled, “That I was tall and handsome!”
If I gave out grades to residents, Richard would have “A’s” in almost every subject. The only thing he would get a “B” for is “sports teams” only because he is an MN Vikings fan instead of a Chicago Bears fan. Other than that one hiccup, Richard is one of the friendliest and most kind-hearted people I know. He greets everyone by name and is always willing to give other residents a helping hand. He is so kind, that he will even tell someone they have a “bingo” when they don’t notice it themselves. When another resident or someone he knows from the community dies, he is the first to ask for a sympathy card to send to the family.
There are numerous reasons why Richard is awesome, and for that, we think he “Rocks!” After getting to witness the kindness of Richard over the last several years, I can indeed say that when someone asks me what he’s like, I will reply “He’s tall and handsome!”
Richard’s Sloppy Joe Recipe:
2 ½ lbs Hamburger
2 Onions- Chopped
1 ¼ cups BBQ Sauce
1 ¼ cups ketchup
4 TBSP Brown Sugar
1 TBSP Mustard
1 TBSP Worchester Sauce
Shake of Garlic Salt
1 can Sloppy Joe Sauce
Optional: Chopped Green Pepper
- Brown the hamburger and drain the grease. Mix all the ingredients and simmer for 25 minutes.
Past News
Greetings from your friends at PNC! Although I am sure it is already marked on your calendars in BIG BOLD PRINT, I will remind you that Friday, January 26th is National Activity Professional Day, so seize your opportunity to celebrate, and do something fun!
Today, I am going to take the opportunity to tell you a little bit about our wonderful Activity Assistant, Kelsey Buechler. She is an amazing young lady who became part of our PNC family in May of 2023. I’m not sure if she knew what she was getting herself into, but she has taken on every challenge that crosses her path with a pep in her step and a smile on her face.
Kelsey is a hair-curler, nail painter, game referee, card player, dice shaker, crafty artist, my Blackjack assistant, bingo caller extraordinaire, mail deliverer, room-bingo dobber person, comedian, goodie maker, coffee pourer, Nurse Aide, listener, and a mess cleaner. She has the patience of a saint, even when I ask her to do something that I “claim” is in her job description. She has a smile that warms the hearts of both staff and residents. She has a way of making everyone feel like a winner even when they did not in fact win the game. Kelsey is also crafty, which is a bonus for our activity department. I swear she can take a button, feather, glitter, and a pipe cleaner and create a masterpiece that makes Leonardo DaVinci look like an amateur.
The best part of Kelsey is her kind heart and dedication to the residents of PNC. She treats them all like they are her own family and goes above and beyond every day to make sure they know just how special they are. In fact, when she’s gone, I hear comments like: “Kelsey would never do that!” or “That’s not how Kelsey plays this game.” And of course, “When is Kelsey coming back?” Although these comments make me wonder if I’m simply “chopped liver,” they make me happy to know how well Kelsey takes care of our residents, and how much they love her.
Kelsey is what I would call a day-brightener… Saint Mother Teresa once said: “Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God’s kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.” Thank you, Kelsey, for being a living example of this quote. We appreciate all you do for PNC!
Hola from Pembilier Nursing Center! May is starting out to be quite eventful for our residents. In the first week alone, they made 120 May Day Baskets for the k-8th grade students at North Border Walhalla. Not to brag, but the ladies that helped assemble the baskets cranked them out in no time! They swiftly passed the tiny cups down the assembly line filling them with a variety of decadent treats such as tootsie rolls. Once word gets out, I wouldn’t be surprised if they get called in by ProBiotein to help assemble their microbiome bars! Wednesday, some residents handcrafted magnets that they decided to sell to staff to raise money to buy merchandise for their Christmas shop this year. The Christmas shop provides a place for our residents to “purchase” gifts for themselves or for their loved ones. Anyways, let’s get to the super exciting part of the week… Cinco De Mayo which we celebrated with a fiesta on Friday. We began the fiesta like any other party usually starts… a fun craft! Residents decorated adorable cacti’ that they will proudly display in their rooms. After the craft was completed, we cranked up the Mariachi music and the real partying began! We feasted on chimichangas and chips with salsa and guacamole. The residents washed all of the delicious food down with a tasty Margarita aka Ginger Ale with lemonade. To give them the most authentic experience possible, the drinks had lime slices and the residents were given the option to eat the worm! Sure the worms came in various colors and were purchased from the candy aisle at a local store, but it was still a worm. Our amazing residents were even able to play Cinco De Mayo bingo while partaking in the other festivities! I will share a few of the photos from our photo booth, but much like Vegas, what happens at the fiesta stays at the fiesta…
Adios for now,
Heather Duerre
Greetings from Pembilier Nursing Center! As I adjust to my new role as Activity Director, I am reminded of just how blessed I am. Some people think that all an activity person does is play games with the residents… while that is part of it, this job entails much more than calling bingo numbers. In fact, this may come as a big shock, but some people don’t even like to play bingo! Crazy I know, but it’s true. Just like any of us, our residents all have different likes and dislikes. Some love to participate in group activities while others prefer the comfort of their own room. In their rooms, they keep busy doing activities of their own choosing. Some crochet and knit, some watch old westerns and dream about chasing down the bad guys, and some enjoy putting their minds to the test with crosswords. There are even a few that are high-tech and spend time on their cell phones, tablets, and computers! Our residents also get one on one visits where we have the opportunity to get to know them better. Everyone has a past that can shed light onto the person they are today. We try to keep life for our residents as active as possible with the knowledge that everyone is unique with a variety of interests. On that note… If you or someone you know has a special talent (playing music, singing, art, etc) that they would like to share with our residents, please reach out to me at 701-549-3831.
~ Heather Duerre