Nominate a Menno Place Team Member for an Award!
It’s time to n recognize outstanding team members for the 2025 Team Member Appreciation Awards.
Traditional Christmas Service: Carols & Readings
Family and friends are invited to join our residents for a traditional Christmas service of carols and readings.
Blue Christmas: A quiet reflective service
Christmas can be a difficult time of year. Residents, families, friends and staff are invited to join us for this gentle service.
MEMO: Christmas Gifts
MEMO
Date: December 4, 2025
To: All Apartments Residents
Re: Christmas Gifts
___________
Dear Menno Apartments Residents,
‘Tis the season to celebrate, and for many of us that involves gift-giving. Here is my annual reminder about Menno Place policies.
Gifts for Staff
There is no expectation of gifts for staff. Staff are not permitted to receive individual gifts from residents or families. If you wish to give a gift to the staff, here are some guidelines:
- Gifts must be able to be shared by all the staff (e.g. chocolates, cards, pizza lunch, flowers).
- Please do not give gifts to individual staff members as they are not permitted to accept it
- Financial gifts (tips/cash/gift cards) to individual staff members are NOT allowed to be received.
Fundraising – Donations to Menno Place
If residents wish to make a financial contribution to Menno Place, donations to the Mennonite Benevolent Society can be made at any front desk (charitable donation receipts are available for gifts over $20). This year we have a project raising funds to replace aging lifts on the long-term care side of our campus. More information is at https://www.mennoplace.ca/lift/ While gifts are gratefully received, there is no obligation or pressure to give.
Leonard Klassen,
Manager of Community Enrichment – Life Enrichment Team
Let’s rise to lift others this #GivingTuesday
Your #GivingTuesday donation will be matched while matching funds last, doubling your impact!
Christmas at Menno Place: 2025 Events & Activities
It’s December! The season of Advent has begun and you’ll find Christmas all over the campus at Menno Place.
From trees and decorations brightening the halls to special chapel services, live music, holiday parties, Christmas movies, even a chance for the residents to get a photo with Santa here on campus, there’s something for the child in all of us.
- In Menno Hospital East 2 they’ll be doing Christmas baking.
- There’s a Christmas Tea happening in Terrace East
- Menno Home East 1 is making wreaths (with chocolate)
- The Pavilion is hosting a children’s Christmas piano recital
- Menno Hospital West 2 is going on a bus trip to see the Christmas lights
- Home East 2 is having a Christmas party
- Primrose Gardens is hosting a choir
And that’s just the beginning. As you’re putting together your Christmas plans you can find the holiday happenings for each area of campus in the monthly recreation calendars. The December calendars are up – you can find them through the link at the top of this website:
Residents can sign up for bus trips and other activities with the recreation staff in their area. In the apartments the Life Enrichment Associates are also available to help. If you have any questions about Christmas activities please don’t hesitate to reach out.
The chaplains have put together a full month of special chapel services each Tuesday in the month of December. Some weeks feature live music along with the chapel service. Families and friends are always welcome to join us for any of these services.
If you or your loved one is looking for a gentler space in the midst of the holiday season our annual Blue Christmas Service on December 16 offers a quiet, reflective space particularly well suited to those who may be lonely or grieving at this delicate time of year.
You can see the full chapel calendar below and find more Christmas resources and Advent readings here: https://www.mennoplace.ca/christmas/
Dementia Series – Educational Session on December 5th
Dear Families,
We are pleased to invite you to the first session of our Dementia Series, an educational program designed to enhance understanding and support for individuals living with dementia.
📅 Date: Friday, December 5th
🕥 Time: 10:30 a.m.
📍 Location: Menno Hospital Chapel
👩⚕️ Presenter: Dr. Atul Nanda, Geriatric Psychiatrist
Dr. Nanda will lead this informative session, offering valuable insights into dementia care and management. We strongly encourage family participants to attend this session and benefit from Dr. Nanda’s expertise.
We look forward to your participation.
Kind regards,
Smitha Varghese, Director of care, Menno Home and Hospital
MEMO: Office Hours Update
MEMO
Date: November 13, 2025
To: All Apartments Residents
Re: Office Hours Update
_____________________________
Dear Menno Apartments Residents,
Effective November 15th, we are implementing regular office hours in each apartment building. I want you to know what time of day you will find a Life Enrichment Associate (LEA) at the office.
Primrose 9:00-10:00am, 1:30-2:00pm
Terraces 9:00-9:30am, 11:00-11:30am, 1:30-2:00pm
Pavilion 9:30-10:00am, 2:00-2:30pm
At other times, there is a good chance you may find an LEA at the office, but no guarantees. All the LEAs have tasks that require them to be away from their desk (for example, coordinating moves, fixing TVs, team meetings, etc.).
As always, if you need something, please call the Life Enrichment Team phone number: 604-851-4004.
This number rings in all the buildings. If no one answers, please leave a message. This number is monitored on workdays between 9:00am-4:00pm.
I am very appreciative of Ange, Angela, David, and Noucky. Any of them can assist you regardless of what building you live in. We are here to serve you as best we can.
Leonard Klassen,
Manager of Community Enrichment – Life Enrichment Team 604-851-4004
Let’s rise to lift others this #GivingTuesday
Your #GivingTuesday donation will be matched while matching funds last, doubling your impact!
MEMO: Resident Lounge Spaces
MEMO
Date: October 31, 2025
To: Terrace East and Terrace West
Re: Resident Lounge Spaces
_____
Dear Residents of Terrace East and Terrace West,
I am writing to inform you about the reconfiguration of the 1st and 2nd floor lounges in Terrace East. Our goal is to make these changes by November 1st. We are committed to providing resident space in the building for you to use and enjoy.
Terrace East 1st Floor Lounge will be reconfigured as a lounge. We have a large-screen TV with cable available. We encourage residents to visit and hang out in this space. As part of this, most chairs will be removed from the front entrance lobby to ensure safer movement of people through that small space. Please, make yourself at home in the 1st Floor Lounge.
Terrace East 2nd Floor Lounge will become our primary recreation activity room. Looking for bingo? It will take place here. Watch your recreation calendars for all the events that will happen in the 2nd Floor Lounge. When there is no scheduled activity, please feel free to use the room. Why not invite another resident to play a game?
As a reminder, there is a lounge space on every floor in Terrace East, along with the Terrace West Bistro and the Terrace West Puzzle Room on 2nd Floor. These spaces are for you to enjoy and use. Your visitors, of course, are welcome to join you in any of these spaces.
Many of you have asked what spaces we have for staff. We have two staff rooms, centrally located between Terrace East and Terrace West that are available for our staff to take their breaks.
I also would like to encourage you to interact with other residents. I was recently asked if residents could self-organize a time to play games, or organize a book club. The answer is a resounding YES. We encourage you to interact with each other and build community.
To summarize, here are the common resident spaces in the Terraces:
- Terrace East 1st Floor Lounge/TV Room
- Terrace East 2nd Floor Activity Room
- Terrace East 3rd Floor Activity Room / Craft Room / Pool Table
- Terrace East 4th Floor Exercise Room
- Terrace East 5th Floor Puzzle Room and Outside Patio
- Terrace East 6th Floor Library
- Terrace West Bistro with Coffee and Juice Machine / Shuffleboard
- Terrace West 2nd Floor Puzzle Room
I also want you to be aware that we are in the process of getting more furniture for these areas. Thank you for your patience as we properly plan for what is best suited in our building. Pass along any ideas you may have.
I’m looking forward to seeing these resident spaces used and enjoyed. I’ll look for you when I walk past.
Leonard Klassen,
Manager of Community Enrichment – Life Enrichment Team 604-851-4004
