The sounds of mighty Motown music and timely hand clapping echoed across the always bustling intersection of Cherry Hill Road and Greenville Avenue in Johnston.
Several motorists, in fact, pulled their vehicles from the main flow of traffic to catch a glimpse of what was going on underneath a section of the canopy-covered patio at Cherry Hill Manor.
It was the opening of Cherry Hill’s Summer Concert Series, which last Thursday evening featured the magical sounds of Candidate Rose and Band from nearby New Bedford, Mass.
“This place amazes me,” exclaimed a woman while helping a resident settle in on the sun-splashed patio. “These people don’t do anything small scale. It doesn’t matter if its entertainment, a themed event or whatever, the event is always special.”
And it’s always that way, as other visitors who have family members and friends living at the award-winning nursing and rehabilitation facility re-discovered during last Thursday night’s Summer Concert Series kickoff.
Cherry Hill’s always-attentive and ever-smiling activities department staff, headed by director Tracey Cordeiro, again put on a special event.
“This is a perfect and beautiful night,” Cordeiro said while scooping ice cream. “Our residents enjoyed the fresh air, the concert and many of them danced with the help of my amazing staff.”
Jessica Lopes and Vivian Mendonca, who Cordeiro called her dancing queens, “entertained the residents and really got them in the spirits of the evening. It really doesn’t feel like work when you’re doing what you love – and every one of my staff are here with these residents for the right reasons, and it shows.”
But the tireless activities staff wasn’t alone in helping to make the event a huge production.
Lucy and Lisa Artesani, who Cordeiro called “two of our many amazing volunteers,” again proved their help in a huge way.
“I love these beautiful ladies,” Cordeiro said of the sisters, whose mother is a resident at Cherry Hill. “They are always, always here when we need them. They made tonight special helping make the ice cream sundaes.”
While Cordeiro and the sisters prepared the ice cream sundaes, activities staffers like assistant director Loraine D’Lorenzo, Lynn Brigs, Becky Burch, Raise Fernandez, Mendonca and Lopes scooted in and around the large gathering of residents to deliver the night’s treat as they listened to Candidate Rose and Band blast away some of the most popular songs of yesteryear.
As for the band, they offered a large variety of music from Motown to old pops, jazz, rhythm and blues – “just a myriad of fun stuff,” Rose said.
Her accompaniment last Thursday evening consisted of Jay Duarte, Allin Duarte and Walter Perry, who can be found singing their nights away all over the Ocean State and into Massachusetts with groups such as Vintage Soul.
Anyone who’d like more information on available dates for Candidate Rose and Band can call 508-951-7718.
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