Today was cheesecake day at the Mansion, many of the residents were gathered in the activity room. I had an idea for them, and Julie Smith, the Mansion Activity Director, embraced it. Two of the residents had told me they were grateful for all of your letters and messages and photos, they wished to do something for the Army Of Good, whose soldiers had done so much for them.

I suggested a contest. The people out there, the ones sending them all of these wonderful messages, photos and gifts, would be invited to send a favorite photo of one of an animals – a dog, cat, bird, fish – to Julie Smith at the Mansion. The residents would meet to choose three winners, they would be awarded prizes.

We decided only to include messages that came in after August lst, in order to level the playing field. The photos sent in would go up on the Mansion bulletin boards.

So the contest is  underway. Send your favorite photo of animal – yours or anybody’s, dog or cat or cow or elephant or bird, etc. – to Julie Smith, Activity Director, The Mansion, 11 S. Union Avenue, Cambridge, NY., 12816. The contest will end on September 1, 2017, the winner chosen a few days later.

The photos should be smallish – roughly postcard size, as display space is limited, but the limits are flexible, there just isn’t room for huge pictures. I love this idea, they want to give something back and this is a good way for them to do it. I look forward to seeing these photographs up on the walls of the Mansion hallways.

You have brightened the lives of these people, and they would like to brighten yours. Good luck. I can’t wait to see these photos.

Note: A few weeks ago, writing about some of the residents running out of personal funds for soap and shampoo, I also said that some residents were running out of money for medication. That was an error on my part, no resident has ever run out of medication there that I know of, the staff does not permit it. I was referring to one  resident who was having issues with her insurance company, but that had nothing to do with the Mansion, and in fact, the staff resolved the dispute for her. My mistake

The residents buy toiletries like soap and shampoo out of their own personal accounts, and some do struggle towards the end of the month to buy what they need. That is no longer a problem, thanks to you, there is no plenty of soap, shampoo and body wash. But no one is left without their medication. I wanted to clarity that.

If you wish to write to the Mansion residents, here is a list of the residents who would like to receive your messages: Jean, Ellen, Mary, Gerry, Sylvie, Jane, Diane, Alice, Jean, Madeline, Joan, Allan, William, John K., Brother Peter, Helen, Connie, Robert, Shirley, Alanna, Charlotte, Barbara, Peggie, Dorothy, Art, Brenda, Bruce, John Z. You can write them c/o The Mansion, 11 S. Union Avenue, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816.