Willowood plans open house for tree replanting
Willowood personal care home lost its namesake tree in a storm
By Gypsy Crow
EDISON — In Edison, there is a home away from home for loved ones seeking personal care.
Willowood of Edison is a place unlike many retirement homes and personal care facilities. It is a place full of a love and care, fueled by the entire community. And to celebrate the community’s part in replanting a piece of Willowood’s identity, the facility will host a celebration for the community on June 2.
Heather Senter, director of Employee Relations and Business Development at The Pettis Group, got to know this little community while preparing for a launch of sorts of its new representative willow tree. Lightning struck the willow that the center was named after, leaving nothing behind, Senter explained. Richard West of West Foods IPA bought a new willow tree, and Senter said that people from the community came out for its planting. Others came to plant flowers.
“It amazes me how it really doesn’t seem like any other personal care facility,” Senter said of how the Edison community so often comes together for Willowood and its residents. “It seems to be an extension of the town.”
Senter said she met everyone from the post office workers who stop by Willowood just to visit the residents to the mayor, who owns the drug store in town. It is a common occurrence for churches and other individuals to come to Willowood to play the grand piano and sing for the residents or to host bingo for entertainment. Individuals have even been known to drop off baskets of fruit as a part of this community’s sense of care. Senter said that she saw on one of her visit’s that someone left “the most beautiful” flower arrangement.
Willowood is under new management now. Sesame Robinson grew up loving older people, her mother being the manager of a nursing home. Senter said that Robinson has a talent for taking care of the elderly and pays attention to the little details to assure their comfort.
The event on June 2 at Willowood will not only celebrate the new willow tree but also the new management. It is open to the community and will include a free lunch. Mayor Reeves Lane will give a speech expressing the community’s gratitude to West for donating the new tree. There will be an open house, a reception, lunch and more to celebrate a time of positivity and community togetherness.
“At a time when there’s so much negativity, it’s just refreshing to see a community that’s so full of love,” Senter said. “It does my heart good to see a community where there’s so much honor and love with people looking out for each other, especially the older people. It’s really a happy place.”
For more information about the open house or Willowood, call Robinson at (229) 220-2759. Willowood is located at 19818 Hartford St. in Edison.
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