Round Dancing Gift Moves Former Instructor

Elaine Snowden loves nothing more than “rounding,” a choreographed style of ballroom dance in which a caller announces steps to pairs as they perform in unison. The 85-year-old used to be an instructor and has had a lifetime love for the elegant, synchronized movements. As a hospice patient in Germantown, Tennessee, Snowden is now confined to a wheelchair and has difficulty communicating, but is still well-known within the Memphis round dancing community.

During a visit, Snowden’s sister consulted with Mary Landey, Volunteer Manager for Crossroads Hospice in Memphis, about a surprise that would make all the difference for a rounder like Elaine. The pair saw the perfect opportunity to give her the ideal Gift of a Day.

Landey reached out to the Memphis Rounders, a local group dedicated to the dance, to organize a performance in the ballroom of Snowden’s residence home, the Village at Germantown. The Rounders happen to be the same group Snowden instructed years ago and many members, including the group’s caller, remember her lessons fondly. One dancer brought along a 50-year-old photograph of Snowden with the Memphis Rounders which conjured up many happy memories.

“She was engaging really well and smiling the whole time,” said Landey of Snowden’s experience. “At the end when she went back to her room, she kissed her social worker’s hand.”

Even though Snowden was unable to express her gratitude by joining her former students for a dance, it was clear that this surprise was just the right tempo.

If you need more information on our Gift of a Day program, please call us at 888-564-3405 or visit our website.

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