Residents at Willow Ridge Center in Maynardville are feeling the love even more these days. Admissions and marketing director Kathy Chesney said mindfulness and generosity from local organizations have given residents new in-room televisions and a new water fountain with a bottle filling station.

The water fountain comes through a grant from the Anna Atchley McClure Memorial Mission Endowment meant to encourage environmentally friendly, healthier lifestyles. Beth Sexton of the Union County Health Department called Chesney with the grant opportunity, which would provide $500 towards the $1,000 fountain. Millers Chapel United Methodist Church matched the grant funding to get the fountain at no cost to Willow Ridge. Then, Martin Shafer of The Sign Guys provided signage for the fountain.

Chesney said the previous water fountain wasn't cooling properly, and it was an outdated model that you have to bend over to drink from.

"Beth (Sexton) is a wonderful member of the community who is always looking for ways to help other entities," said Chesney. "(The water fountain) is used as much by the employees and residents as the visitors. I feel like Willow Ridge, as an elder care facility, is being embraced by our community in different ways. The 21st century approach is that (senior care residents) are still a very important and vibrant part of our community."

Local groups' involvement at Willow Ridge has also been seen in the center's TV fundraiser, raising $6,000 of the $7,000 needed to place 19-inch flat-screen TVs on wall-mounted swivel arms in every resident's room. Chesney said Willow Ridge's parent company, Genesis Healthcare, does not provide televisions. However, families have provided television for residents over the years and donated them to the center when loved ones passed away. Many were small, outdated TVs that sit on a tabletop, a problem in rooms where space is at a premium. Shafer's Sign Guys provided plaques with the donor of each new TV.

"We had an overwhelming response, mostly from the church community and some individual donations," said Chesney.

She urged patience, though. Willow Ridge has only one maintenance person, so the televisions won't get installed all at once.

"He's working as he is able to install the TVs starting with the rooms that have the worst TVs," Chesney said.

Chesney encouraged everyone to get involved at Willow Ridge. The coming season has many activities at the center, including trick-or-treating for Halloween.

"One of the best ways you can give to elders is to bring children around," she said. "Their life energy is just the best. When you're trick-or-treating, stop by Willow Ridge."

Santa Claus will also make a visit for Christmas.

"Thank you to everybody in the community for everything you have done so far," Chesney said.