For the third year in a row, Tim Siemens witnessed first-hand the delight of seniors who were able to watch Thursday’s tractor parade, brought right to their doors by Erwin Wiens and Dorothy Soo-Wiens, and members of the local farming community.
“Four-storey apartment balconies were just packed,” says the CEO of Radiant Care, which includes Pleasant Manor. “I’ve never seen as much activity outside the home, with cars and people lining the streets all around it.”
Long-term care residents were bundled up and portered outside, he says, and others could watch from their windows.
“We had hot chocolate, portable propane heaters so people could enjoy the warmth — it was just delightful all around.”
Cotton Construction trucks and staff were there to ensure the new gravel surface that had been laid just that morning on the construction site stood up to the weight of the tractors, and some of their pickups were filled with their wives and children, Siemens says.
He and his wife went for dinner at Bricks & Barley before the parade started, “and the conversation was the tractor parade, people asking each other if they had a spot on the route.”
What he saw when he watched the parade, he says, “was a local group of people wanting to make a difference in the lives of others, and from the Pleasant Manor perspective, we’re just tickled pink that we’re a prime part of the route.”
It’s been a difficult few years for residents throughout COVID, he says, and Radiant Care’s strategic plan is now to “recover, restore and rebuild. This event helps restore a sense of community that was lost. It feels like it’s wrapping its loving arms around the people who live in town.”
“It’s just a delight to see,” he adds, “our board, our residents, our tenants, our staff, are all ecstatic to be included.”
Some staff intend to make it an annual team-building event, he says, turning it into a pot-luck dinner leading up to the parade.
“It’s had such an impact on the way of life in this community. Can you ask for anything more? It’s absolutely amazing what Erwin and Dorothy Soo-Wiens have done in bringing another event to the residents of Pleasant Manor, an activity for people who would otherwise miss out.”
Under its plan to recover, restore and rebuild, the Pleasant Manor calendar is jam-packed with activities, with the Radiant Care Foundation sponsoring many events at Pleasant Manor, rising to the challenge of giving residents what they want — music, dinner out, among other activities, he says.
“And for people to bring an event to others who are not able to participate because of frailty, wow! We are so thankful for a community that remembers its seniors, its builders, and can serve them in such a practical and meaningful way.”
He mentions “the smile on Mrs. Klassen’s face, the smile on Billy Dick’s face — it was priceless. And they’re just two representatives of a good group of people watching from inside and outside, people who have chosen to live in our home, and now we’re being blessed and honoured by a group of people who remember them, and are impacting their lives through an event like this.”
“Everyone is saying the same thing — it’s amazing to see. The tractors are tangibles,” Siemens says, as each one of them moved slowly through the grounds of Pleasant Manor, at a perfect pace for the seniors, who had a great view — especially of the 18-wheeler “that lit up like the North Pole. I said to Dorothy, 60 registered tractors this year — is it going to go to 120 next?”
But what people also saw, even more importantly, he added, “was a vibrant community looking after its people.”