Nursing home residents enjoy Mother’s Day Tea

Special to Leader-Press 
 
Jr. Miss Five Hills Naomi Williams carefully folded the napkins and placed each one decoratively on the plates that rested in front of each chair as if anticipating the arrival of their special guests. Williams hosted her second annual Mother’s Day Tea for nursing home residents at Copperas Cove Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on Saturday, through her platform of service of caring for the elderly.
“I chose to hold a tea because I wanted the mothers in the nursing home to feel special and loved for another day,” the 5-year old said. “I had fun with it last year so I wanted to try it again this year.”
Williams, with the help of the Five Hills royalty, served both a black tea and a blueberry honey tea.
“We had homemade cookies and gave wooden roses. This year, I got to help pass out the cookies,” Williams said. “I most liked making cards and passing out the roses and giving hugs.”
Each of the royalty crafted handmade cards for the event and each resident attending the tea received a wooden rose that would not deteriorate over time. After the tea, the titleholders visited the rooms of residents physically unable to attend the tea. They handed out their homemade cards and placed corsages made by Young Miss Five Hills Angelica Torres on the residents’ wrists. 
Little Mister Five Hills Landon Mariano was the only king attending the event and was especially popular with the residents as he visited each of the tables and engaged in conversation with the residents. 
“I had a fun time putting sugar cubes in the tea,” the kindergartener said. “I learned to not be shy and to talk to everyone.”
Area Director of Marketing Trae Cunningham said the event has a positive impact on the residents’ emotional and mental well-being.
“The ladies love it. Some of their family are not able to visit. The Five Hills Royalty are their family for a day and they feel special,” Cunningham said. “The residents have looked forward to this event for weeks.” 
Williams is planning a Father’s Day event in June to ensure all of the male nursing home residents feel loved and appreciated. 
“I want them to feel special too,” Williams said. “Maybe with Ice cream because boys like ice cream.”