Cottages of Green Valley to celebrate resident’s 100th birthday

On Dec. 7, George Dunn, a resident of the Cottages of Green Valley, will turn 100. A birthday party with a patriotic theme will be held at the Cottages beginning at 2 p.m.

Dunn is very active with a schedule that includes writing poetry, exercising and playing the guitar.  

"George is so very patriotic and for his birthday we're going to have a patriotic theme," said Trudy Andrews, Cottages administrator. "We're going to have Boy Scouts and several singing groups will also perform."

Dunn has lived in the Cottages for four years. Andrews said Dunn has not slowed much. In fact, he only started using a walker about a year ago.

"George doesn't know that he is no longer 39," Andrews said. "He continues to be more active at the age of 100 than many people 40 years younger."

"Years ago I learned to play the guitar, but forgot how to play it," said Dunn, a native of Buffalo, N.Y. and former draftsman in a plant that made fighter planes. "I learned again a couple of years ago. I just play it now because it's a nice sound. I have an acoustic guitar. I like any kind of music."

Dunn said he especially likes the music of Roy Clark and Eddy Arnold.

Dunn also writes poetry. Most of his poems are written about the outdoors.

"I usually accompany my poems with a picture," he said. "I take about a roll of pictures a week. I pick out a good photo and then write a poem about it."

Dunn wrote a poem in honor of a dentist he saw once. He admired the dentist who took vacations and took pictures of mountains.

"She was always trying to get more out of life," he said. "She was always climbing."

His poetry has been featured in the Cottages poetry club by Cottages activity director Yvonne Brink.

"I have taken pictures of trees at Yosemite," he said. "It's amazing to me how old the trees are.  When you think that the trees are over 500 years old and that they are so massive that a person could fit into one of the grooves of the bark, it's amazing. Some of them are 22 to 23 feet in diameter.

"They're out of this world. When you go into these trees, it's like going into a tomb because it's so quiet. The air seems to grab you some way. Right away you get a humble feeling that you're so inconsequential."

The key for Dunn is his attitude and willingness to give others encouragement.

"I exercise a lot,' he said, "and walk about a mile a day in the Cottages' gardens. You have to keep moving and I try to help people, if I can. People need help, they need a hug. When you see someone walking along, you should tap them on the shoulder or give them a hug. It's just a shot in the arm for them."

"I don't know where I could be happier," he said.  "The food is good, and you can pick your buddies. This is Utopia. They have the facilities, the activities and they certainly have good care. The quarters are very good and they provide such beautiful views."

Dunn was chosen the Cottages Resident of the Month for February.

At Cottages of Green Valley, residents eat with others who live in the same cottage, which has no more than 12 residents. Each resident is provided meals three times a day.  A higher caregiver ratio ensures attention for residents, who average 83½ years of age. The Cottages have two activity directors for a community of about 100 residents. The community, which opened in 2002, has one easy care cottage, three assisted living cottages and five memory care cottages.

The Cottages is offering free in-home assessments. Further information may be obtained by visiting the Cottages of Green Valley at 2620 Robindale Road, in Henderson, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily or visiting the website, CottagesGV.com. Scheduled evening tours are available by calling 992-0000.