KAWARTHA LAKES-Welcome to Tim Hortons, can we take your order?
That’s what residents of Canterbury Gardens Retirement Residence in Peterborough heard on Monday as staff brought a Tim Hortons drive-thru to their door.
“I saw that someone had done this somewhere else and decided I was going to bring this to our home.” Jenn Adlam told Kawartha 411 News.
Adlam is the Activity Director at Canterbury Gardens. It’s her job to keep residents active and alert.
She and her assistant Meghan spent hours painting a large cardboard box to look like a Tim Hortons drive thru, even adding the awning. Then they attached it to a rolling cart.
The idea initially was to have residents come to the atrium to place their orders. However new COVID gathering restrictions forced them to think outside of the box, literally. They decided to take the cart door to door with staff dressed up in Tim Hortons uniforms.
“The response was fabulous.” Adlam says. “Some were shocked, one lady got tears in her eyes and then I teared up. She couldn’t believe that we had gone to this effort for them.”
Adlam says some residents remarked they hadn’t had Timbits for years.
Tim Hortons donated all of the supplies including the coffee and Timbits. They also donated the uniforms for staff to wear while working the “drive thru”.
“Some actually thought we were Tim Hortons employees.” Adlam says.
The cart survived the trip and after some reinforcements Adlam plans to make this a regular treat for residents.
“It was an amazing afternoon that turned out way better than we thought. That’s what working in activities is about for us.”
Adlam has worked at Canterbury for eight years. She says the pandemic has hit residents hard and made her job more challenging but also more rewarding.
“I think as time is going on it’s definitely been challenging, the miss their family but they appreciate our effort. It’s been hard. We are used to doing things in groups but now it’s just one on one and that social connection has been hard to carry on so you have to get creative.”
This isn’t Adlam’s first “creative” effort. Last summer she also came up with a lemonade stand for the residents. That also went over well.
Don MacDonald and his family Mary and Greg Blair own the Tim Hortons that provided everything from coffee and tea, to Timbit’s and even uniforms.
“It is with huge appreciation to Don MacDonald and his family Mary and Greg Blair that this day was such a success.” said Canterbury Gardens.
Congratulations to all!
