By J.R. Ridwell/ Editor

Residents, employees and guests at Hatley Health Care in Clanton let fly with dozens of purple balloons during the annual balloon release event May 13 to kick off Nursing Home Week.

Chilton County Probate Judge Jason Calhoun read a proclamation naming this week as Nursing Home Week before the balloons were loosed.

“When you release something, it’s the starting point of something new,” said Hatley activities director Mechelle Jackson. “You are closing one door and opening another. We do this for Nursing Home Week every year, and the residents love it. It is a tradition.”

The event was sponsored by Comfort Care, which supplied the balloons and the refreshments for after the ceremony.

Hatley has a theme each weekday during Nursing Home Week with May 13 being Music Monday.

“We had a ‘name that tune’ contest,” Jackson said. “We had a couple members dressed up like KISS. We had Joan Jett and the Village People. They enjoyed all that. We have Preston Frazier (the One Man Band) here today as well playing music.”

The other themese are Hillbilly Tuesday, complete with bluegrass music, Wacky Hair Wednesday, Throwback (to the ’70s) Thursday and Hatley T-shirt Friday.

“The Perfect Peaches dance team from Senior Connection are coming (Thursday) afternoon,” Jackson said. “After lunch (on Friday), Hank Williams IV will be here performing.”

Jackson said she enjoys seeing “the whole community” come together for the event, whether it be in person, providing food or door prizes throughout the week.

“Most of the community donates the door prizes when we call to get them,” she said. “The residents love it, and I want the employees to really feel they are celebrated. It brings every employee in every department together.”