Activity Update
March 2026 Newsletter Article—Activity Department
“The snow has not yet left the earth, but spring is already asking to enter your heart…The trees are bare, but they are already living and breathing.”
–Anton Chekov—
March comes in strong with all the anticipation and promise of spring! At Montrose Health Center, our activity department is alive with the freshness of spring life! St. Patrick’s Day always brings Irish joy into the season. In addition to a party on the 17th, we have activities to bring out the Irish in each of us—making shamrock shakes, craft projects, and games like “Truth or Blarney?” and Irish Rhymes. March Music is in the air: our wonderful church groups—Liberty Baptist, Living Waters, Church of the Nazarene and Remembrance all encourage our heart with the gift of spiritual songs! The delightful gentlemen of Noisy Neighbors Band who play all our old favorites so well, and the lively line dancer groups keep our feet tapping. Celtic Music by Stace & Larisa will feature hardanger fiddles, fiddles and more with Irish and Scottish airs. March also brings a first-time appearance at MHC by southern Iowa favorites—Lori & Joe King. (Have you heard of the Grand Ole Opry?) Throw in a little indoor gardening and hopefully some front porch sitting and several bus rides for more smiles. Yes, indeed, spring is asking to enter our hearts here at Montrose Health Center—one heart at a time!
Happy Spring,
Laura Zechin, Activity Director
Dietary Update
Hope everyone is staying warm out there! As it starts to warm up, we are starting to think about our salad bar. We will start our month salad bar this month with many new salads. We are so excited here at MHC. Salad bar is one of the residents’ favorites. It’s also the kitchen staff’s favorite time because we get to be creative and make new fun recipes. Below I will share one of our upcoming recipes. I hope you give it a try!
Sauerkraut Salad
- 32 ounces Sauerkraut
- 1 cup celery diced
- 1/2 cup onion chopped
- 1/2 cup green pepper chopped
Dressing
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup vinegar
Instructions
- Rinse and drain sauerkraut and squeeze out excess moisture.
- In a large bowl combine sauerkraut, celery, onion and green pepper.
- In a small bowl whisk together sugar, oil and vinegar; mix well. Add to sauerkraut mixture.
- Cover and marinate in the refrigerator at least 4 hours or overnight before serving.
Nursing Update
Dear Residents and Families,
As we wrap up the month of February, I want to take a moment to reflect on what a wonderful month it has been here at Montrose Health Center.
Our residents enjoyed a calendar full of engaging activities that brought so much laughter and connection throughout the building. We were especially grateful to welcome several talented musicians who shared their time and gifts with us. Music truly has a special way of bringing joy, sparking memories, and filling our halls with energy.
One of our favorite activities this month was creating “Love Shacks” together. Residents had such a great time decorating, crafting, and sharing stories while making them. It was a beautiful way to celebrate the season and spend meaningful time together.
As we look ahead, we are eagerly anticipating warmer weather and all the opportunities that come with it. We are excited about several new and different activities planned in the coming months and look forward to spending more time outdoors and continuing to create special moments for our residents.
Thank you for your continued trust and support. It is an honor to care for your loved ones and to be part of this community.
Warmly,
Jensen Riley
Director of Nursing
Montrose Health Center
Activity Update
March 2026 Newsletter Article—Activity Department
“The snow has not yet left the earth, but spring is already asking to enter your heart…The trees are bare, but they are already living and breathing.”
–Anton Chekov—
March comes in strong with all the anticipation and promise of spring! At Montrose Health Center, our activity department is alive with the freshness of spring life! St. Patrick’s Day always brings Irish joy into the season. In addition to a party on the 17th, we have activities to bring out the Irish in each of us—making shamrock shakes, craft projects, and games like “Truth or Blarney?” and Irish Rhymes. March Music is in the air: our wonderful church groups—Liberty Baptist, Living Waters, Church of the Nazarene and Remembrance all encourage our heart with the gift of spiritual songs! The delightful gentlemen of Noisy Neighbors Band who play all our old favorites so well, and the lively line dancer groups keep our feet tapping. Celtic Music by Stace & Larisa will feature hardanger fiddles, fiddles and more with Irish and Scottish airs. March also brings a first-time appearance at MHC by southern Iowa favorites—Lori & Joe King. (Have you heard of the Grand Ole Opry?) Throw in a little indoor gardening and hopefully some front porch sitting and several bus rides for more smiles. Yes, indeed, spring is asking to enter our hearts here at Montrose Health Center—one heart at a time!
Happy Spring,
Laura Zechin, Activity Director
Dietary Update
Hope everyone is staying warm out there! As it starts to warm up, we are starting to think about our salad bar. We will start our month salad bar this month with many new salads. We are so excited here at MHC. Salad bar is one of the residents’ favorites. It’s also the kitchen staff’s favorite time because we get to be creative and make new fun recipes. Below I will share one of our upcoming recipes. I hope you give it a try!
Sauerkraut Salad
- 32 ounces Sauerkraut
- 1 cup celery diced
- 1/2 cup onion chopped
- 1/2 cup green pepper chopped
Dressing
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup vinegar
Instructions
- Rinse and drain sauerkraut and squeeze out excess moisture.
- In a large bowl combine sauerkraut, celery, onion and green pepper.
- In a small bowl whisk together sugar, oil and vinegar; mix well. Add to sauerkraut mixture.
- Cover and marinate in the refrigerator at least 4 hours or overnight before serving.
Nursing Update
Dear Residents and Families,
As we wrap up the month of February, I want to take a moment to reflect on what a wonderful month it has been here at Montrose Health Center.
Our residents enjoyed a calendar full of engaging activities that brought so much laughter and connection throughout the building. We were especially grateful to welcome several talented musicians who shared their time and gifts with us. Music truly has a special way of bringing joy, sparking memories, and filling our halls with energy.
One of our favorite activities this month was creating “Love Shacks” together. Residents had such a great time decorating, crafting, and sharing stories while making them. It was a beautiful way to celebrate the season and spend meaningful time together.
As we look ahead, we are eagerly anticipating warmer weather and all the opportunities that come with it. We are excited about several new and different activities planned in the coming months and look forward to spending more time outdoors and continuing to create special moments for our residents.
Thank you for your continued trust and support. It is an honor to care for your loved ones and to be part of this community.
Warmly,
Jensen Riley
Director of Nursing
Montrose Health Center