89-YEAR-OLD TEACHES SENIORS HOW TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE ONE DOLL AT A TIME

 

LONGVIEW, Texas, June 14, 2012:  She uses her artistic eyes and her skilled hands to touch the lives of children with the dolls she sews from scratch.  Now, she is teaching other seniors how to create handmade dolls that will change lives.  Geraldine Triplett, 89-year-old Buckner Westminster Place resident, has sewed, stuffed and carefully made clothing for more than 100 dolls.  She is sharing her gift by teaching other seniors how to make dolls.  Together, residents at Buckner Westminster Place plan to create a dozen dolls to donate to children at Hiway 80 Rescue Mission.  The next doll making sessions will take place June 19th from 9-10 a.m. and June 21st from 2:30-3:30 p.m.

 

“When I look back at all the dolls I have made for family, friends and other children, I wonder, who she has influenced the most,” said Triplett. “I believe it is me, she really has made a difference in my life.”

 

Triplett finds true joy in creating something from nothing.  She made her first doll for her granddaughter who was born with spina bifida.  It was her favorite toy and she carried it with her to surgeries, treatments, you name it.  Triplett was so impressed with the care her granddaughter received, she decided to make a thank you doll to donate to the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children.  Triplett has crafted dolls for her six granddaughters, five great-granddaughters and countless other children over the years.  She is looking forward to this new project that will help families in crisis.

 

“I’ve always been a giving person. I like to give back to the community,” said Triplett.  “Not only will the children enjoy this, but it will also be a great accomplishment for the women at Buckner Westminster Place.”

 

Many of the residents have asked Triplett to teach them how to sew the dolls, embroider the faces and stitch the clothes.  Administrators are excited about this opportunity for the residents to learn something new while reaching out to families in the community.

 

“I am thoroughly impressed with our residents and their desire to give back to the community,” said Wes Wells, executive director at Buckner Westminster Place.  “They are inspiring all of us to look for ways to impact the lives of people around us.”

 

 

ABOUT BUCKNER WESTMINSTER PLACE

Buckner Westminster Place, a Buckner Retirement Services community, is a non-profit, faith-based senior living community offering 89 independent living apartments and patio homes for active adults aged 62 and above.  In addition, the community offers a continuum of care including 30 assisted living apartments, 25 memory care support residences and 20 private bedrooms in the Green House® homes for skilled nursing care.  Buckner Westminster Place is the only complete CCRC (continuing care retirement community) in Longview which accommodates these four levels of living and care as residents’ needs change.

 

Located near the Longview Mall and just minutes from area medical centers, Buckner Westminster Place gives residents a beautiful way to live.  The community includes a 16-acre lakeside setting with walking trails and spacious well-manicured grounds. 

 

Residents can enjoy delicious dining and warm fellowship in beautifully arranged dining rooms.  The community also has an on-site life enrichment coordinator, chapel, full-time chaplain, on-site worship services, beauty/barber salon and weekly housekeeping/linen service.

 

A partnership with the Good Shepherd Institute for Healthy Living gives residents and staff access to a wellness center that includes classrooms, a resistance pool, a track and exercise equipment.  The community provides transportation to the wellness center.

 

For more information about Buckner Westminster Place, please visit the community website at www.bucknerwestminster.org or call Blake Lambert at (903) 252-6736.

 

ABOUT BUCKNER RETIREMENT SERVICES

Buckner Retirement Services, Inc. is one of the largest not-for-profit senior living organizations in Texas dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for senior adults and their families by promoting an active, healthy Christian lifestyle while maintaining their independence and dignity. Buckner Retirement Services is part of Buckner International, a global faith-based ministry serving more than 450,000 people each year in the United States and 18 countries worldwide.