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Dreams with no age limit

An assisted living facility resident is the first beneficiary of a new group's program to fulfill seniors' unmet wishes.

By CATHERINE E. SHOICHET
Published July 6, 2004

PINELLAS PARK - While many Americans were still recovering from their Fourth of July revelry Monday morning, Christmas came for one Pinellas Park woman.

Marjorie "Jodi" Russell was only expecting a small surprise when she entered the auditorium of the Helen P. Piloneo Assisted Living Facility at 10 a.m. But 30 minutes later, she had talked on the phone with a long-lost high school classmate and reunited with her brother, Robert Lambert, after 17 years apart.

"Oh my God," the 67-year-old Russell said, crying and covering her mouth with her hand as her brother walked through the door. "Oh my God."

Family members and fellow residents looked on as they embraced.

"I didn't know what to say," Russell said after their tearful reunion.

Lambert's surprise visit to the facility where Russell lives came after weeks of planning by board members of Second Wind Dreams of Pinellas County, a new chapter of a national organization that helps seniors who have financial or physical difficulties.

The nonprofit group arranged for Lambert, 65, to fly in from Des Moines, Iowa, on donated frequent flier miles.

"He didn't have the money to fly here, and she didn't have money to go there. She couldn't even afford the long-distance phone calls to go and talk to him," said Dawn Winder, a contracted nurse at the assisted living facility and vice chairwoman of the new Second Wind Dreams chapter.

"It was hard to keep it a secret," said Winder, who had told Russell to expect a small surprise Monday. "She kept asking about it. She kept saying, "It's like waiting for Christmas."'

Russell's wish was the first to be granted by the chapter. Its board members were on hand to watch the reunion, and to tell other residents at the 100-bed assisted living facility about the program.

"Just because you reach a certain age doesn't mean you don't have dreams," said board chairwoman Donna Cutting.

After Cutting's presentation, several residents of the facility, which is owned by the Pinellas County Housing Authority, already were dreaming.

One said he would like to visit MacDill Air Force Base. Another said she would like a stove.

Cutting said Second Wind Dreams hopes to grant those wishes with the help of donations from local organizations and individuals.

"Our goal is to change the perception of aging," she said.

Russell said she never expected her wish to be granted.

"There's other people more deserving than I am. Everyone has a dream," she said. "I hope they'll get theirs."

On Wednesday, Russell and Lambert will head to Fort Myers and go on a murder mystery train ride together.

Meanwhile, the siblings are planning to catch up on the nearly two decades that have passed since they last saw each other. Russell said she was looking forward to telling her brother about her 14 great-grandchildren.

"We'll just sit and talk," Lambert said. "We have a lot to catch up on."

[Last modified July 5, 2004, 23:26:10]