Residents of area senior living community Discovery Village At Boynton Beach have recently begun receiving some very special deliveries: “Balloon Buddies,” courtesy of South Florida balloon artist Lenor Ryan. Ryan, through the national “Adopt a Grandparent” program, now aims to handcraft and personally deliver a buddy to each of the 57 residents of the community’s Assisted Living neighborhood. She dropped off the first three this past week, much to the delight of residents and team members. Nine, additional buddies will be coming soon.
“I just think this is such an awesome thing,” said Mary Allen, Assisted Living Administrator at Discovery Village. “The past year has been trying for seniors in all settings, including here in our community. Ongoing concerns regarding COVID-19, separation from families and loved ones, and for many, the need to isolate here at our community for such a long time proved taxing. We relied heavily upon FaceTime and other, digital technologies to maintain those outside connections, but having something tangible like this is a small act of kindness that will have a much larger, positive impact.”
Ryan had no prior connections to Discovery Village, but learned about the Adopt a Grandparent program following the illness and loss of her father last year. Due to mandatory visitation restrictions in hospitals and long-term care communities, she was unable to be with him for the final 16 weeks of his life. Following his passing, she set out to do some good for seniors and loved ones who were facing challenging circumstances, and so began this Balloon Buddy initiative.
For a $20 donation, Ryan will create a Balloon Buddy and gift it to a resident of Discovery Village. For anyone who purchases five buddies, she will create and deliver the sixth one for free. Donations are being accepted on Ryan’s website, LightsCameraSelfies.com.
Located at 4735 NW 7th Court, Discovery Village At Boynton Beach offers Independent and Assisted Living options, as well as its proprietary SHINE® Memory Care program. The community is owned and operated By Bonita Springs, Florida-based Discovery Senior Living, which currently manages a national, multi-brand portfolio of more than 70 communities in 15 states.
