For the past several months, Legacy House of Spanish Fork has been going the extra mile for their residents by checking things off their bucket lists. Marketing director Emma Sorensen said that this is a new and exciting initiative that the whole staff has had fun planning.
“We’ve been able to grant three wishes so far in three months,” Sorensen said. “First was having a resident ride in a red convertible Mustang. Another resident wanted to pet some pugs, and we had another resident who is a singer, who wanted to perform in front of an audience.”
The newest bucket list item was presented to Stacy Hunsaker, who loves getting all dolled up to go to a show. So, on September 27, the Legacy House staff pulled all the stops to make that happen by taking her shopping, giving her a makeover and taking her out for a memorable night watching World of Dance presented by BYU Onstage. Hunsaker said that this experience was the pickup she needed.
Hunsaker, 41, is one of the youngest residents at the Legacy Center that is an assisted living and memory care center that primarily cares for seniors. She is a childhood cancer survivor who told Serve Daily that she has always loved watching live shows. The night before her special outing, she described feeling a little down.
“The night before, I was having a really bad night,” Hunsaker said. “The next afternoon, they came in and said, ‘We have a pick me up for you. You look like you need one.’”
Sorensen said that putting together the special event for Hunsaker was something the entire staff was excited about.
“This was so fun because we were all able to be a part of it,” Sorensen said. “We went shopping with her on Friday and picked out a cute outfit for her. We went to a few different stores. She wanted a pink dress with pockets, which was hard to find. We didn’t find any pockets, but we found one that she looks beautiful in. Then on Saturday morning, we had our hair stylist come in and do her hair, and then one of our activities assistants did her makeup. And then she and a friend went out to lunch and then they met up with another person who took her to the actual World of Dance performance.”
The night was a success, and Hunsaker said that she had many highlights while watching the performance.
“I think the dancers that I liked the most were the ones that had a lot of pep to them,” Hunsaker said. “One of them did the song from Hairspray. They had a whole bunch of different songs that were very upbeat, and I love that.”
With an unforgettable night complete, Hunsaker told Serve Daily that she has another bucket list item she hopes to experience soon.
“You know what I would wish for? “ she said. “To be able to have my family know that I love them.”
An unexpected message from Stacy
While talking about things she hopes for, Hunsaker had a message for those experiencing childhood cancer.
“I want kids with cancer to know they’re not alone,” Hunsaker said. “… I especially want them to know that it’s not something to fear.”
The Legacy house plans to grant a bucket list item to one resident each month. Sorensen said that they are always welcoming those who would like to help, adding that they love community involvement.
For more information on what the Legacy House is doing, they can be found on social media and by going to legacyretire.com.
