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St. John's Lutheran Community Activities Director Emily Hardison curls the hair of Mary Evans. - Provided

A St. John's staff member puts makeup on Mary Evans. - Provided

St. John's Lutheran Community Activities Coordinator Amber Carberry curls the hair of resident Gladys Vietor. The women had their hair and makeup done for Mother's Day week. - Provided

St. John's Lutheran Community Activities Director Emily Hardison smiles with resident Betty Jones after Jones had her hair and makeup done the week of Mother's Day. - Provided

St. John's Lutheran Community resident Jeanne Wendell smiles after having her hair and makeup done. - Provided

Women residents at St. John’s Lutheran Community got an extra special treat for Mother’s Day earlier this month with the opportunity to get dolled up thanks to staff who volunteered their time for the effort.

Emily Hardison, activities director for both the St. John’s site off of Minnesota Highway 13 and the site at Fountain Lake, said last year Amber Carberry, one of the activities coordinators at the organization’s Fountain lake site, had the idea to do Glamour Shots with the women residents.

This year, because the residents haven’t had their hair cut or set in months because of COVID-19 limitations, and many family members haven’t been able to see their loved ones, they had the idea to do hair and makeup for the women. Then afterward, staff would take a picture of each woman and send it to family members.

“That way the residents feel like they got dolled up a little bit,” Hardison said.

The effort took place over four days — two days at each site — and included staff volunteers because volunteers otherwise are not allowed into the site with current limitations.

“They were all smiles,” Hardison said of the residents.

Staff members wore personal protective equipment, including eye protection and face shields, and each of the curling irons had to be disinfected between use, she said, among other measures.

When completed, staff had each of the women look in the mirror.

“You could tell that, whether or not they liked the reflection they saw, you could tell it made them feel good,” she said. “They would smile differently than normal for sure.”

Hardison thanked the staff members who volunteered their time to make it happen.

“Not only did the residents have a good time doing it, but the staff who volunteered their time had a blast, too,” Hardison said.

Copies of the photos are expected to be sent to family members soon, along with a small letter. Families that want to make additional copies of the photos will have the opportunity to do so.

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