First Mother's Day event well attended

It may have been the first year The Mission at Castle Rock Rehabilitation Center hosted a Mother's Day lunch, but the turnout was more than expected.

Shauna Erramouspe, CRRC registered dietician and dietary manager, said the two-hour luncheon, which took place Mother's Day, was a great success.

Erramouspe said not only were CRRC residents invited, but their families were encouraged to come.

"This is something new," she said. "We just tried it this year to see how the residents and community would like it."

Erramouspe was pleased with the turnout, especially from CRRC residents' families. She said a lot of them decided to spend their special lunch of chicken cordon bleu, mashed potatoes and gravy, veggies, roll and lemon cream pie, with family at the CRRC. About 56 residents attended and 60 to 70 of their family members.

In fact, one CRRC resident, Clora Arguello, had family from Colorado come to the event.

"We attended because my mother's a resident there," Clora Arguello's daughter Pearl Moon said. "It was wonderful and the food was great."

She said the CRRC had a table reserved just for all 10 of them, including several family members from Denver.

Moon couldn't say enough about the CRRC employees. She said not only was the meal great, but they went out of their way to make sure everyone, even a two-year-old at the table, had what they needed.

The reason the family brought Arguello to CRRC is because she has friends at the CRRC. Moon said she thought her mother, who will turn 93 this week, has known some of those friends for at least 60 years.

"They do wonderful events for the residents up there," Moon said. "It not only keeps the family involved, but it gets the community involved. It keeps the residents active and that's important."

Erramouspe said they center is trying out different events to see how the residents and community will respond to them. Some they may do again and some they may not.

One thing Erramouspe noticed was how into this event the community was. She saw numerous men bringing flowers or corsages in for their mothers.

"It was a really nice, calm day," Erramouspe said.