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Quick thinking brings Santa and photographer to Westmount when initial plans fall through
'I can't tell you how great the day went; honestly, you just had to be there'
12/11/2024
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Deron Hamel
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Above, photographer Garry Worrall and Westmount Gardens family council member Rick Hill (Santa) prepare for a photo shoot.
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When plans for a holiday market at Westmount Gardens fell through, Adnan Resh had to think quickly to ensure another activity would take its place and residents wouldn't be disappointed.
With little time to spare, Adnan, the London, Ont. long-term care community's life enrichment manager, made arrangements for Santa Claus and a professional photographer to make a visit so residents and their families could have holiday photos taken Nov. 23.
“Santa” was family council member Rick Hill, who has filled the role of Father Christmas in the past at Westmount, and the photographer was Garry Worrall, the son of a resident, who offered to take the photos for free.
“I can't tell you how great the day went; honestly, you just had to be there,” Adnan tells S&R Today. “The joy in the residents' faces and all the family support we had – (there were) many family members who came in for photos with Santa and some even bringing little ones.”
Rick and Garry were busy from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. as residents and their family members had their Santa photo shoot.
Adnan says the event was so popular some residents even came back for second photos. The resident engagement, he adds, was the big win.
“We had residents who don't normally go to programs come down, (and) we had staff engagement as well,” he says, noting most residents stayed after they had their photos taken to watch others have their photo shoot.
“We had residents scream 'Santa!' with joy, and many residents smiled and talked when they normally don't talk a lot. Some were asking Santa how the weather at the North Pole was.”
One resident even told Adnan that this was “the best day of my life this year.”
“That really stuck with me, and I was just so beyond pleased to hear that,” he says. “I think that this day will stick with me for a very long time because of how successful it was, the amount of joy there was, the family support, and how great Santa and the photographer were.”
Adnan is also extending “a great big thank-you” to Rick and Garry for taking time to help the home on short notice.
“I know both Santa and Garry had busy days,” he says, adding Rick went to White Oaks Mall to help with Salvation Army donations immediately after, and Garry missed attending a Christmas parade with his family.
“This just shows you how much love the two have for the home. I can't thank them enough.”
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