This year, Regency House activities director Kayla Radvany hopes both the inside and outside of the assisted living facility will be full of decorative, festive Christmas trees.The sight of decorated trees is always a clear indication of the Christmas season, and Kayla Radvany wants to make sure the residents at Regency House Assisted Living Center in Hixson are full of Christmas cheer.
The activities director is starting a new initiative called A Parade of Trees to get a Christmas tree for each of the center’s roughly 50 residents, though the trees will be displayed around the facility as opposed to in residents’ rooms.
“Everyone here really loves Christmas, so I’m trying to make it the best Christmas they’ve had in a long time,” she said.
Radvany is asking businesses, churches and other organizations as well as individual members of the community to donate a tree to the assisted living center on Hamill Road.
The deadline to reserve a spot is Nov. 18. Each tree’s placement will be based on the donor’s additional monetary donation: $20 gets a battery to power the lights for the tree, $40 gets one of a limited number of electric spots so a battery isn’t needed, and $80 gets a special spot outside the entrance to the facility.
The money will go toward the facility’s activities fund, which directly benefits the residents by paying for outings and trips.
If Regency House makes its goal of a tree for each resident, Radvany said that could be enough to pay for a whole year’s worth of activities for the seniors.
Just after Thanksgiving, the donors will come together to decorate their trees Nov. 28-30 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The tree can be decorated however the donor wishes. Each tree will have information about who donated it.
Then, the community is invited to join for the lighting of the trees Dec. 1 at 6 p.m.
Radvany said Regency House has never gone this far for Christmas in the past, and she’s excited to see just how much holiday cheer the community will show the residents.
“We have some residents that do put up their own trees, but it’s hard for some of them,” she said. “We’re just trying to get the whole building in the spirit of Christmas.”
For more information about donations, contact Regency House Assisted Living Center at 870-0050. The facility is located at 2062 Hamill Road.