Rodney Hofman opens one of hundreds of Christmas cards sent to him and fellow Dungeness Courte Memory Care residents following a request from Hofman’s family members on social media. (Photo courtesy of Dungeness Courte Memory Care)

Rodney Hofman opens one of hundreds of Christmas cards sent to him and fellow Dungeness Courte Memory Care residents following a request from Hofman’s family members on social media. (Photo courtesy of Dungeness Courte Memory Care)

Hundreds of Christmas cards sent to care facility

Family’s request on Facebook brightens many seniors’ day

SEQUIM — A Christmas wish posted on social media came true — with some unexpected and abundant seasonal cheer — for the family of a Sequim man and his fellow senior care facility neighbors.

Rodney Hofman, a U.S. Air Force veteran, has plenty of holiday well-wishes for himself and others at Dungeness Courte Memory Care after some of his family members recently sent out a request for Christmas cards for him on Facebook.

At last count on Wednesday, Hofman and friends had received 423 cards, sent from across the nation and even internationally.

Hofman’s daughter, Janel Hofman Edmiston, said she came up with the idea and posted on a couple of Facebook group pages as well as her own page.

“We had this inspiration because one of my dad’s favorite activities in the memory care home was to re-read his birthday cards from October — or (read) the same National Geographic magazine over and over again,” Edmiston said in an email.

“We thought he might like some Christmas cards for something new to read and enjoy.”

Edmiston’s daughter Carolyn, a 22-year-old graduate student at California State University-Long Beach, posted a similar request on her neighborhood Nextdoor group. From there, it was shared with a few other groups, and eventually in England and other countries, Edmiston said.

The response from neighbors, she said, was amazing: more than 200 initially agreed to mail him various cards, letters, candy and gifts.

Hofman has received cards, scratch tickets and even a Seahawks Christmas Ornament, one he proudly displayed on his Christmas door wreath, noted Jan L. Orr, Dungeness Courte Memory Care’s director of community relations.

The giving didn’t focus solely on Hofman. His daughter and granddaughter asked in their post if people would be interested in sending well-wishes to others at Dungeness Courte.

“While we are excited and thankful for the response for my dad, it’s especially wonderful that many also sent cards to ‘any resident,’ and any of the residents were able to join in the fun,” Edmiston said.

Some teachers are sending packets of cards to the Sequim residents from their students, she said.

When the card-opening began Dec. 16, Hofman opened them one by one, and then other residents joined in, Edmiston said.

“According to one caretaker, this was a lot of fun for residents, and they enjoyed being social and reading together,” she said. “It made their day(s) brighter.”

Born in Bellingham, Hofman graduated from Ferndale High School in 1952 before he served in the U.S. Air Force.

Edmiston said her father flew more than 150 combat missions in the Vietnam War, earning a bronze star in the process.

Hofman flew for United Airlines following his retirement from the military, and he flew locally with the Civil Air Patrol. He and his wife Madelyn, who is now a Sunland resident, moved to Sequim in 1993 and built a house on Bell Hill.

Hofman was diagnosed with dementia in 2015 and Alzheimer’s disease in the past year, Edmiston said. He’s been at Dungeness Courte since Nov. 6.

Because of COVID-19 restrictions, only Madelyn has been able to visit — and that on a limited basis, said Edmiston, a California resident.

The card-giving has been a pleasant surprise, she said.

“The response was overwhelming; people seemed thrilled to be able to send a card … and felt involved in a positive way to brighten up someone’s day,” she said.

One Facebook post noted: “Today is my birthday and I know what it feels like to feel so distant from someone who (you) want to care for. We lost my husband 20 months ago to leukemia … I feel like my best present hands-down, was your post!”

Edmiston said many who responded have or had family members who are veterans, or who have or had dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.

“Many have also thanked us for the opportunity to give, especially among times that are hard for many,” she said. “This story has been uplifting to many and has put people in a ‘Christmas spirit.’ ”

________

Michael Dashiell is the editor of the Sequim Gazette of the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which also is composed of other Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News and Forks Forum. Reach him at editor@sequimgazette.com.

More in Life

A GROWING CONCERN: Work now to avoid garden problems later

WITH THE SEVEN reasons to prune last week, you should be ready… Continue reading

Eva McGinnis
Unity speaker set for Sunday

The Rev. Eva McGinnis will present “Living Our Prime… Continue reading

Bode scheduled for OUUF weekend program

The Rev. Bruce Bode will present “Ritual Pause” at… Continue reading

ISSUES OF FAITH: A photograph of a place, a memory and a feeling

THEY SAY A picture is worth a thousand words. Recently, while looking… Continue reading

Tim Branham, left, his wife Mickey and Bill Pearl work on a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle entitled “Days to Remember.” The North Olympic Library at its main branch on South Peabody Street in Port Angeles sponsored a jigsaw puzzle contest on Saturday, and 15 contestants challenged their skills. With teams of two to four, contestants try to put together a puzzle in a two-hour time limit. Justin Senter and Rachel Cook finished their puzzle in 54 minutes to win the event. The record from past years is less than 40 minutes. The next puzzle contest will be at 10 a.m. Feb. 8. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
Piece by piece

Jigsaw puzzle contest in Port Angeles

HORSEPLAY: Planning can help prevent disaster in an emergency

ISN’T IT TRUE in life, when one door closes and appears locked… Continue reading

A GROWING CONCERN: In pruning, why and where matter

WELL, DAY 10 still has no frost and the mild temperatures are… Continue reading

ISSUES OF FAITH: Freedom and the stranger

FREEDOM AND OPPRESSION are at the very heart of the Torah portions… Continue reading

Jamal Rahman will discuss teaching stories and sacred verses that transformed his life at 11 a.m. Sunday. Rahman will be the guest speaker at Olympic Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.
Olympic Unitarian Universalist Fellowship speaker set

Jamal Rahman will present “Spiritual Wisdom and Practices for… Continue reading

Pastor Omer Vigoren set for retirement

Bethany Pentecostal Church will honor retiring pastor the Rev.… Continue reading

The Rev. Glenn Jones
Unity in Olympics program scheduled

The Rev. Glenn Jones will present “Come Alive in… Continue reading

Shanna Bloom, who lives at the intersection of Fifth and Cherry streets in Port Angeles, plans to keep her American flag lights up well into spring. "These aren't Christmas lights anymore," she said. "They are patriotic lights now." (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
Patriotic lights

Shanna Bloom, who lives at the intersection of Fifth and Cherry streets… Continue reading