VINTON, Va. – Christmas may not be at the top of your mind in the middle of the summer, but a skilled nursing facility invited loved ones to celebrate Christmas with residents.
Berkshire Health and Rehabilitation Center in Vinton organized a “Christmas in July” parade on Friday. According to the facility’s administrator, Ashley Pressman, more than 70 cars came by the facility.
“Anything that’s uplifting is wonderful right now, and this was a lot of fun for the residents,” Pressman said. “They were all eager and excited to see their families.”
The parade participants included Gregory Turner, who came to see his wife Betty, a resident at Berkshire.
“Her birthday was the other day, and I missed her,” Turner said. “It’s the first time we didn’t share her birthday out of 36 years.”
Turner decorated his car with wrapping paper and gift boxes, and talked to his wife from a distance during his visit.
“You have to deal with the chips the way they fall, in a sense, but it’s as difficult as it can be,” Turner said.
Preston said this was a sequel to a parade Berkshire organized for residents in March.