The October Yard of the Month award (sponsored by the Dysart Development Corporation) goes to Sunnycrest Care Center. Currently, Sunnycrest is decorated with a fall theme — featuring a scarecrow, pumpkins, and dried corn stalks. The employees change out the decorations for each season or holiday.

The award winning display has truly been a group effort — from the staff, to the residents, and even to the Boy Scouts?everyone has worked together to achieve the beauty. Sunnycrest has also received some family donations and the staff have donated items too. Director Pete Kleinsteuber explains that the goal was to make an older building as home-like as possible for the residents?which can be hard to do.

Window boxes have been installed along the exterior of the building. They are planted in the spring by volunteers and the residents can look out their windows to see beautiful flowers throughout the spring and summer. The staff can water the flowers from the exterior of the building so they are not intruding upon the residents.

The courtyard is the most remarkable outdoor area of Sunnycrest. At this time of year, it may look bare but in the summer it is like a rainforest with greenery everywhere. A small fountain provides the relaxing sounds of water flowing and a wooden pergola is decorated with a string of mason jar lights that the residents painted?providing a calming ambience for staff and residents alike.

During the summer, Sunnycrest has a garden in the courtyard where they enjoy harvests of cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, watermelon, pumpkins, and more. The summer menu is filled with produce from the garden?whether it be cucumber and tomato salad or salsa made on site.

Many residents were avid gardeners before moving to the care center and enjoy the opportunity to help garden at Sunnycrest. Just as the staff intended, they are able to feel more at home at Sunnycrest.