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Joleen Jorgensen, Department head for Environmental Services

Joleen Jorgensen Joins The Mayflower Community as Department Head

The Mayflower Community (Grinnell IA) has announced that Joleen Jorgensen is the new Department Head for Environmental Services. In this capacity, Joleen will be responsible for Housekeeping and Laundry staff plus various other duties. She will report to Jack Morrison, Mayflower’s Director of Facility Operations. Joleen is coming from Winterset, Iowa where she served as

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Kate Tomczik

Grinnell College CNAs Return to Mayflower as Athletes

During the last week of Winter Break at Grinnell College, two student-athletes joined their teammates for special dinners in The Mayflower Community. For these two women, this was not their first time at Mayflower. They were part of the June 2019 Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) training class composed of College underclassmen planning to pursue medical

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The Pearson Circle after a snowstorm.

How to Survive Winter in Grinnell

The weather outside is frightful, but the temperature inside is comfortable…in The Mayflower Community (Grinnell IA). With five apartment buildings, an assisted living building, and the Health Center all connected via tunnels, breezeways, and skywalks, there is no battling the elements here. In fact, there is no impending “cabin fever.” Inside, without coats, our residents

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Grinnell College track and field teams

Grinnell College Track and Field Athletes Dash and Then Dine at Mayflower

The Mayflower Community (Grinnell IA) hosted on Thursday, January 16th, the fourth group of Grinnell College students on campus for winter break. 54 members of the Pioneer men’s and women’s Track and Field teams dined with their coaches and Mayflower resident hosts. Women’s Head Coach, Evelyn Freeman, and Men’s Head Coach, Will Freeman, have been

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Grinnell College swimmers and divers

More Grinnell College Athletes Do Supper at Mayflower

Members of the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams with their coach Erin Hurley, came to dinner last night (January 15th) in The Mayflower Community. Coach Hurley has been at the helm for 25 seasons! As has been our 15-year tradition, Mayflower hosts on-campus students and athletes during winter break when the dining services

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Grinnell College International Students hosted at Mayflower

Grinnell College International Students Dine at Mayflower

Guess who came to dinner last night? On Tuesday evening, January 14th, a group of Grinnell College international students led by Molly Ullestad, International Student Advisor, and hosted by Mayflower residents dined on a scrumptious taco bar prepared by the Mayflower Food Service staff. With the College dining services closed for winter break, the night

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The players, coaches, families, and Mayflower hosts

Grinnell College Men’s and Women’s Basketball Players Dine at Mayflower

During Winter Break at Grinnell College, both the Market Place Dining Hall and the Spencer Grill located in the Joe Rosenfield ’25 Center are closed. Therefore, the athletic teams and international students staying in Grinnell through the holiday do not have dining access. The teams include Pioneer men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s swimming

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Second class of Grinnell students in unique College/Mayflower program.

Second class of students in unique College/Mayflower program.

Pictured above: second class of Grinnell students in unique College/Mayflower program. Ten Grinnell College students began a Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) training program on Monday, January 6th in The Mayflower Community (Grinnell IA). This will be the second class of College CNAs trained by Mayflower with the first having graduated in June 2019. Under this

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oy Douglas pictured with (from left) resident John Sadler and Food Service staff, Jean Lewis, Helen Brand, Sue Allen (mostly hidden behind Joy), and Marilyn Starnes.

Joy Douglas Mayflower Retirement Event

A retirement open house was held for Joy Douglas on January 8th. Joy began working in Food Service for Grinnell’s Mayflower Community in 2007, 13 years ago. Her last day of employment was Sunday, January 5th in the main food kitchen and in the Beebe Assisted Living dining room. Joy and her husband are planning

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good deeds icons

Good Deeds Could Lead to Less Physical Pain

In the December 31, 2019 CNN weekly health newsletter, “The Results are In,” Dr. Sanjay Gupta excerpted a recent study that concluded, “Science has shown that altruistic behaviors actually improve our health.” He defined these behaviors as “…putting the well-being of others before our own without expecting anything in return.” For example, “Volunteering has been

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