Category Archives: Posts

Gretchen Schreiner; Nicky Midlash; Katelle Donkor; and Mary Jane Shroyer, Grinnell College Director of Health Professions Community; and (back row) Vickie Wieck, RN, Mayflower Associative Director of Nursing; Kevin Gubner; Elizabeth Wesselborg; Katherine Tomczik; Kellie McGriff, BSN, Mayflower Associate Director/Administrator; Bella Butzirus; Linda Peng; Alyssa Hyndman; Sterling Yang; and Cheryl Little, Iowa Valley Director of Health Education

Grinnell College Students Complete CNA Work

Thursday, June 13th marks the final day for classroom and clinical work for the nine Grinnell College students who have been on an intensive Mayflower Community training program to be certified as Nurse Aides (CNA). The nine underclassmen were chosen to begin training on May 20th under the tutelage of Vickie Wieck, RN, Mayflower Assistant

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rose strip along the north end of Mayflower Lane

Mayflower Gardens and Roses

Talk about blooming! In addition to the five other beautiful gardens on the Mayflower Community (Grinnell IA) campus, there are two specialty gardens that are lush and budding. As pictured above, the rose strip along the north end of Mayflower Lane is vibrant with a variety of rose colors. This rose garden originally was developed

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Mayflower’s Kellie McGriff introduces Jackie Hutchison

Mayflower Wellness Month Session #2: Mindfulness in Daily Living

The second information session in the series of four presentations regarding “healthy minds/healthy bodies” at The Mayflower Community will feature Danielle Sadler, a Grinnell licensed acupuncturist. She has graduate training in pain treatment methods. Danielle will describe what mindfulness is and what research is showing about how it can help manage pain, stress, and anxiety.

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Americorps candidates

AmeriCorps Training at Mayflower

On Friday, June 7th, 45 new AmeriCorps volunteers received training over lunch in the Mayflower Community. Under the direction of Grinnell College’s Melissa Strovers and Elizabeth Hansen, the Grinnell AmeriCorps Partnership brings together community non-for-profits, area employers, the Grinnell-Newburg School District, and community volunteers to support kids and families in Grinnell. The partnership aims to

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grinnell college students presenting menus for Mayflower open dining concept

Grinnell College Students Design Open Dining Menu

In preparation for The Mayflower Community’s new Open Dining program, Scott Gruhn, Director of Food Services, worked during the spring semester with a team of Grinnell College students to create a computer application to manage the menu. The students shared their work at an end-of-semester presentation to an audience of other students in the computer

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Health Center residents ordering supper with Amber Speirs (left: Karen Stevenson, Joyce Hintermeister, Diana Long, Rudi and Phyllis Munitz)

Open Dining a Reality in the Mayflower Community

Last February, The Mayflower Community began building a cooking kitchen in its Health Center to be able to introduce “Open Dining” to its residents. Open Dining is the concept of providing restaurant-style menu-type ordering of meals at any time of the day, 7:00am to 7:00pm, for residents of the Mayflower community. Open Dining began in

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Warren Louden's Memorial Peony Bush

A Tribute to Warren Louden

Local citizen and retired farmer, Warren Louden was an avid gardener. Below is pictured a tribute to his work on the Mayflower campus—a flowering peony bush. Born on a farm in Jasper County, Warren and wife Kathryn farmed 54 years in the Newburg area. They moved to a Mayflower Community (Grinnell IA) apartment in 1994.

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Kenny Steffens joined by Scott Gruhn and Jack Morrison at his retirement party

Kenny Steffen Gives 22 Years to Mayflower

After 22 years working on the Facilities staff of The Mayflower Community (Grinnell IA), Kenny Steffen retired on Friday, May 31st. He served as an electrician, HVAC specialist, and general repairperson. One of Kenny’s specialties was installing showers in Mayflower’s traditional apartments. All were built originally with bathtub/showers. Over time, Kenny has helped replaced all

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Jackie Hutchison, a licensed physical therapist

Wellness Information Sessions at Mayflower

During the month of June, Grinnell’s Mayflower Community will present Thursday afternoon information sessions designed to expand thinking about healthy living alternatives. The gatherings will be offered from 2:00-3:00pm in the Carman Center on the second floor of the Mayflower Health Center, 600 Park Street. There will be no charge for the sessions, some of

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resident Stan Greenwald and wellness coordinator, Heather Coffman

Seniors Fitness Tests Completed

A number of Mayflower Community residents received fitness assessments and wellness recommendations on Wednesday, May 29th. Led by Kayley Thompson, UnityPoint Health-Grinnell wellness specialist, five UnityPoint wellness staff members performed the five-point testing. (Editor’s note: Even though it looks like Stan is trying to talk Heather out of having to do the hard work, he

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