Long-term and short-term residents at Life Care Center of East Ridge recently began canning produce as an activity and a fundraiser for the causes that are important to them.
Every Monday from 10 a.m. to around 2:30, the group goes about canning and making treats, following a wide variety of recipes. They have made salad dressing, barbecue sauce, apple butter, apple pie filling, pickled okra and strawberry topping, among other things.
“The peach salsa is phenomenal,” raved Christian McDonald, the activity director who coordinates the group’s efforts.
Facility activity associates receive donated produce or buy items, often locally grown. The residents decide what to make, based on what they would like to eat or what vegetables and fruits are in season.
The residents sell the completed product for a few cents more than it cost to make. The extra either goes into buying more produce or to organizations the residents choose to support. They have donated to Operation Christmas Child and Operation Homefront, for example.
Resident Lillian Scott had never tried her hand at canning until she came to the facility, though her mother used to can peaches when she was young.
“I enjoy canning because I get to make delicious items with the other residents here,” Scott shared.
Her favorite so far was the apple pie filling that the residents got to use in baking Thanksgiving pies.