By Nicole M. Wells, Special Writer
CRANBURY — For residents of The Elms of Cranbury, this Thanksgiving was unexpectedly bountiful.
In addition to the conventional Thanksgiving menu, residents enjoyed table centerpieces handcrafted by the Home Life/Social Services department of The Woman’s Club of Cranbury.
According to its website, The Woman’s Club of Cranbury is a federated member of the New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs (NJSFWC), the largest volunteer women’s service organization in the state.
Through membership in the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, the NJSFWC is able to provide its local clubs with opportunities for leadership training, education and community service. Members work together on the local, state and national levels on various social welfare projects.
For several years, though not consecutively, The Woman’s Club has made centerpieces and place mats for The Elms, according to Arlene Duran, co-chair of the Home Life/Social Services department.
”We always try to do something for our area in one way or another,” Ms. Duran said.
The Cranbury Elms is a sub-acute rehabilitation and nursing facility that has been family owned and operated since 1960. It is located at 61 Maplewood Avenue.
The facility cares for 120 residents, 58 requiring long-term care and 62 using the facility for rehabilitation, according to the staff.
The group chose to make centerpieces this year because The Elms requested them, Ms. Duran said.
”I called and they specifically requested centerpieces for the tables,” she said.
According to Marlene Conolly, activities director at The Elms, the centerpieces added something special to the residents’ Thanksgiving.
”They were charming,” Ms. Conolly said. “They were beautiful. They looked like they were in a magazine.”
In keeping with the fall harvest theme, the centerpieces were made up of burgundy, white and gold mums, baby’s breath, greenery and multicolored fall leaves, with a turkey in the middle.
Residents’ families also commented on how the centerpieces enhanced their Thanksgiving meal, Ms. Conolly said.
Group member Sally O’Grady designed the centerpieces and they took about an hour and a half to two hours to assemble, working in-groups, Ms. Duran said.
”(Sally is) very crafty,” Ms. Duran said.
Members met on Nov. 13 at group member Carole Lindenfeld’s home to assemble them and Ms. O’Grady delivered them to The Elms the following day.
The Home Life/Social Services department of the club also worked on a statewide project recently, in which they stuffed 69 Christmas stockings for the troops.

