April 2021 April 2021

What’s Up, Doc? April Birthdays

On April 30, 1938, Warner Bros. released a new Mary Drake 4/5 cartoon featuring as a Bettie Ferry 4/6 April Newsletter hapless hunter trying to unsuccessfully bag a Barbara Licari 4/12 humorously hyperactive rabbit named Happy. Wilma Bowen 4/13 Hilltop Commons 131 Eureka St. Grass Valley, CA 95945 (530) 272-5274 How could audiences know that this rabbit Barbara Comfort 4/16 would evolve into , one of the most Eldha Amezcua 4/16 Celebrating April From the Desk of Terri Howell recognizable cartoon characters of all time? Bev Donato 4/23 Lynn Stites 4/27 Community Administrator The rabbit in Porky’s Hare Hunt bore Easter little resemblance to the Bugs Bunny Knock, knock! April Anniversaries April 4 Who’s there? we all know and love today. This white rabbit wore no gloves, lacked Hatch. Pat Anderson 2 years Earth Day Hatch who? Bugs’ recognizable voice, and did Barbara Comfort 3 years Bless you and please cover your mouth next time. not eat a single carrot! Nevertheless, April 22 Jayne Brown 4 years Who doesn’t love a good knock, knock joke? Lucky for us, April is the rabbit was voiced by , Rena Scharf 4 years the future voice of Bugs Bunny, and the short National Humor Month and was conceived as a means to heighten Activities public awareness of the therapeutic value of humor. Studies have was directed by Ben “Bugs” Hardaway, for whom shown that laughter and joy, the benchmarks of humor, lead to Bugs Bunny was later named. It would be two improved well-being, boosted morale, increased communication skills years before Bugs made his official debut in Exercise 9:30am and an enriched quality of life. . When a redesigned rabbit was Mondays - Saturdays It is no coincidence that the month begins with April Fools’ Day, a day requested for the short, went to work Common Area which has sanctioned frivolity and amusement for hundreds of years. and sketched a rabbit based on a Bugs Hardaway HILLTOP COMMONS INFORMATION Humor as a tool to lift ailing spirits is an established notion supported design labeled “Bugs’s Bunny.” The name stuck. Office: (530) 272-5274 Bingo 1:00pm by scientific research. The curative power of laughter and its ability to When audiences got their first glimpse at the new relieve debilitating stress and burnout may indeed be one of the great and improved rabbit, the character stuck, too. Kitchen: (530) 272-2854 Mondays, Tuesdays, and medical discoveries of our times. Fax: (530) 272-5275 Thursdays Why do we love humor? Humor is free entertainment. The best things The Bugs Bunny featured in A Wild Hare already Laundry Room Hours: Common Area in life are free and that includes humor. Sure you can pay to see a great displayed many of the Bugs Bunny trademarks Daily: 7:00am-9:00pm comedy show or go check out a funny new movie, but getting a good we have come to love. When staring down the laugh really doesn’t have to cost a penny. Please remove all items from washers “Thirsty Thursdays” barrel of ’s shotgun, Bugs first utters and dryers by 9:00pm Laughter is contagious. What makes you open your mouth wide, is his catchphrase “What’s up, Doc?” in a Brooklyn- Thursday afternoons Van Schedule highly contagious and isn’t a yawn? You guessed it, laughter! Studies esque accent. The phrase was added by the door-to-door show that just hearing the recorded sound of laughter causes our facial Temporarily suspended cartoon’s director, , who had heard the muscles to naturally form a smile and that laughing with others can expression a thousand times in his native Texas. Beauty Salon Hours: help you form stronger social bonds. Masks are required for all Avery figured it a throwaway line and was more Temporarily Closed Laughter is the best medicine. Just because laughter is contagious activities surprised than anybody when it left audiences doesn’t mean it’s bad for you. In fact, quite the opposite is true. Humor rolling with laughter. As for Bugs’ obsession with IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS: can be a great tool for combating difficult emotions, slowing the aging Space is limited and munching carrots, this was a habit “borrowed” Gold Country Lift: 271-7433 (271-RIDE) process and increasing overall satisfaction with life. sign-ups are required from ’s character in the 1934 movie It Post Office: 273-3429 What are we waiting for? Let’s hear it for the knock, knock jokes, corny Happened One Night. In one scene, Gable stands The Union: 273-9565 dad jokes and chicken crossing the road jokes. Cheers to an April filled Please call the office to sign up for with enough humor to tickle even the most fickle funny bone! by a fence spouting advice to Claudette Colbert Comcast Cable: any activity while chewing a carrot and talking with his mouth 1-800-266-2278 full. The scene was so famous at the time that Gold Country Cab: 274-8294 All activities are subject to change audiences immediately got Bugs’ imitation, and it Fast Taxi: 477-7766 earned the bunny instant panache. His popularity Grass Valley Police would endure for over 70 years and he would 477-4600 (non-emergency) remain Warner Bros.’ most popular and recognizable mascot. www.raystoneseniors.com

April 2021 April 2021

Marketing Minutes Activities Stuff Culinary Corner Letter from the Editor By Sue Hudson By Traci Gelgood Traci Gelgood Marketing Director Assoc. Marketing Director Acting Activities Director Being your Marketing Director during this April showers bring May flowers… IMPORTANT REMINDER pandemic has been interesting, to say the Happy April! Easter Brunch is on Sunday, April 4th. We least. As things slowly open back up, life will Great news! We are finally able to begin will be serving baked ham, yams, Please remember to check your looking into opening things up a bit, and we start to feel a little more normal again, which scalloped potatoes, baked beans and pendants once a month by pressing have begun with our Library! It will now be the button to make sure it is working we are all more than ready for. But this is a sautéed green beans with bacon. open for you to go in and choose a book or a properly. You will NOT hear process, and we must stay vigilant in wearing puzzle, ONE PERSON AT A TIME, and masks Strawberry French toast with sausage will must still be worn. This, of course, will replace be the breakfast option, and for dessert anything, but the pendant company a mask and always social distancing, so we the need for the library cart. Because we are we are serving lemon meringue pie. will call to confirm that the button is continue to stay COVID-19 free! only allowing one person at a time, and since working. we are asking you to be brief, we are not yet Easter is a half day for the kitchen staff, Be ready to answer your phone to let permitting card games or puzzles in the so we will be leaving for the day at Our phones have been ringing with seniors the pendant company know that you Library. 2:00pm. We will be handing out box interested in a safe and stress-free life, were just testing your button when Another activity we will be starting up again is dinners when we deliver your brunch. If they call from (248) 773-0265. especially after being isolated from all friends TRIVIA. This will be on Wednesday afternoons you are unable to get your box dinner and family over the past year. Following the in the common area, beginning in a few weeks. before 2:00pm, the office or night watch It is also EXTREMELY IMPORTANT I will keep you posted. COVID protocols, Traci and I are excited to be staff will be happy to get one for you. that you let the office know if any of able to give tours again, inviting folks in to see PLEASE CALL THE OFFICE TO SIGN-UP IF your contact phone numbers have YOU ARE INTERESTED! (530) 272-5274 Thank you all for being you. what life at Hilltop Commons looks like! As changed (either yours or your family As we are able to add in more activities, we See you soon! members). always, we thank you for being so kind and will let you know. In the meantime, let me know Sincerely, friendly to the prospects as we pass by on a if you have any questions or would like to sign Thank you and stay safe! tour. Although we can’t see your smile up for any activity! Please check the front panel of this newsletter for activity details. And Jammie Barquilla (Chef) through your mask, we can hear it in your please continue to wear your mask outside of voice and see it in your eyes. We are so your apartment. blessed to have the best residents living right Stay happy, healthy and safe! Kitchen # 272-2854 here at Hilltop!

May Spring bring many smiles to your face, appreciation to your heart and sunshine to warm your soul. Stay healthy my friends! Love,

Sue