Maple Crest, Bluffton senior living retirement community, last week officially welcomed nine new residents through a party titled “Welcome in the New Year Baby!” 

Dr. Oliver Lugibihl opened the event with several poems about the seasons and surprised everyone at the end of his speech by providing two bottles of old-fashioned Sassafras Tea for the refreshment time. 

Larry Burkhalter, on the violin, and Joanne Niswander, accompanying on piano, provided entertainment, beginning with “Cradle-Song” by Johannes Brahms (in keeping with the baby theme). 

Also following the baby theme was a two-part matching game, involving both baby/childhood photos and statements about each new resident to match with that resident’s name. 

The most unique fact revealed at the party was that June Campbell and her twin brother were each placed in a peck basket on an oven door for warmth when they were born on a January day below zero degrees.

Other interesting tidbits about the new residents follow:

• Phoebe Clapper, the 13th child, was named by a town official who came to the family farm to obtain her name after her birth. 

• Greg Moser had no idea upon his arrival at Maple Crest that his second cousin, Larry Burkhalter, was also a Maple Crest resident. 

Now the two of them enjoy breakfasts together, as well as time with their other cousin, John Murray. All the connections made at the “Welcome Party” seemed to validate the words of the closing poem “Make new friends, but keep the old; One is silver, the other is gold.”