Realizing that celebratory events normally emphasize the mothers of the residents, the staff of the Dania Beach facility decided to place the spotlight on the fathers of the residents or those who had a strong father figure in their lives. Once the residents heard of the Father’s Day event, they immediately took the reins and began asking their loved ones to bring all manner of food for the event. With hamburgers and buns being supplied by the facility, the residents were able to build a hearty menu of fish, ribs, chicken, coleslaw, potato salad, collard greens, macaroni-and-cheese, corn, baked beans, fresh salads, chips, watermelon and several desserts, all of which was brought by their families. On June 23, over 100 residents and their guests attended the event which included Frisbee, football and basketball. “The residents and their families expressed their appreciation and some were heard to say that this was the first time in many years that they felt like they had come home,” said Dania Beach Director Ana Gispert. Counselor/Cooks (from left below) were Samantha Papin, Tarnell Moreley, and Garvi McGee.
