There is something about nature and the outdoors that brings people together. Gena’s love for the outdoors started as a young girl. She grew up in Omaha as an only child, but felt like a member of a big family when she spent her summers in Louisiana with her aunt, uncle and cousins. This was her chance to do things that siblings did together like fishing, camping, and her favorite, catching frogs.
Gena carried over her love for the outdoors to her four children. When Gena wasn’t working as a nurse, which she remembers was much of the time, she took her children fishing and camping. She loved making many memories in the outdoors of Minnesota as a family.
For years, Gena has struggled with renal disease and has resided at Florence Home. Gena tells April, Social Services Director, how much she misses her family. It’s been nearly two years since they have all been together. April quickly nominated Gena to receive a Dream from Dreamweaver Foundation in hopes of reuniting the family. Of course, Gena didn’t want to have her family reunion just anywhere, but a cookout in nature.
In late July, Gena, her four children, grandchild, aunt, uncle, and mother got together at Hitchcock Nature Center for a special afternoon. It was the perfect day for a family gathering in the Loess Hills of Iowa. Gena arrived stunning as always in a beautiful blue ensemble from Von Maur accented with silver jewelry. Before chowing down, Amber Rae captured timeless family photos with rolling green hills in the background. Finally, it was time to eat the buffet of hamburgers, Italian sausage, pasta salads, fruit, veggies, chips, dessert and Gena’s favorite, her daughter’s deviled eggs! For hours, Gena enjoyed the company of her family, reminiscing about old memories and creating new memories.
Thank you Florence Home, Midwest Medical, Hitchcock Nature Center, Von Maur, Amber Rae Photography and Hy-Vee for partnering with Dreamweaver to fulfill Gena’s Dream.
