Margaret, who still lives independently with check-in support from her doting children and hospice team, is always in good spirits. As mother to eight and the wife of a military man, Margaret has always had a knack for taking care of things gracefully and holding down the fort. As Margaret’s 100th birthday approached, Margaret’s family knew it was time to return to their home base to celebrate. Bethany, Margaret’s hospice social worker, nominated Margaret for a Dream, knowing that we would be honored to do our part to make sure that Margaret’s 100th birthday party was one for the record books.
When Margaret’s family hosted a card shower for her 99th birthday last year, Margaret was tickled by the response of friends, family and strangers who sent their well wishes. As her 100th birthday approached, Margaret mentioned to her son, John, how nice it would be to receive 100 cards for her 100th birthday. Dreamweaver Foundation snapped into action by putting an ad in the Wahoo newspaper encouraging the community to send cards, and by calling upon our troop of dedicated volunteers to take a minute to write Margaret a card. Margaret was overwhelmed by the response, and though she has not yet counted all the cards, the kind words inside the cards have made her feel very loved and appreciated.
Margaret’s party was held on her actual birthday, April 28th at the Wahoo Senior Center. Margaret smiled as she saw her guests arrive, including her grandson who traveled from Arizona to attend the party. A professional photographer was there to capture every smile and special moment. The guests enjoyed a meal of fried chicken, coleslaw, and potato salad, before indulging in the buffet of sweet treats in honor of sweet Margaret’s birthday. As her guests sang, “Happy Birthday”, Margaret looked around the room with tears in her eyes. She was overcome with gratitude for her years on this planet and the many people who went to great lengths to celebrate her birthday.
Dreamweaver Foundation would like to thank Saunders County Hospice for introducing us to Margaret and her family through the nomination process. We would also like to thank Wahoo Senior Center for accommodating the party, Hy-Vee, Nothing Bundt Cakes, and our friends at Mary’s Mountain Cookies for providing the perfect meal for Margaret’s 36,500th day of life! We are also so glad that Amber Lihs Photography was able to capture the magic of this remarkable centennial milestone.