May 31, 2013 (Mt. Airy, NC) ─ You could call Mylynda Joyce’s first few weeks as Twelve Oaks Activities Director “trial by barbecue.” It was September 1993 and Joyce was immediately thrown into planning an event to introduce the new senior living community to the people of Mt. Airy, North Carolina.

“I just started calling people around the community to get volunteers to come in and run the music and to get donations for the barbecue,” she said. “We put it together in two-and-a-half weeks.”

A total of 400 people showed up to check out the new facility. That was 20 years ago and it’s been all uphill from there, said Joyce who will retire as Twelve Oaks Activities Director on May 31.

“Each day has been and adventure and I will take with me lots of good memories,” she said.

Residents come from all different walks of life.

“From railroad workers to doctors, lawyers, nurses, armed forces, textile workers, steel mill workers,” she said. “They have so much knowledge of life and so many stories to tell, you’d be amazed at what I’ve learned about over the years, things I probably wouldn’t have had an opportunity to learn about without them.”

A very caring person with great compassion for the elderly, Twelve Oaks Memory Care Coordinator Johnnie Holt said Joyce has held open forums where residents are encouraged to talk about their lives from childhood on up.

“Listening to them has really helped the staff get to know and understand the residents better,” said Holt.

Humor is a large part of Joyce’s secret to success.

“Being able to laugh and talk and get them to smile and have fun, you just can’t imagine how rewarding it is,” she said.

The residents love crafting, any food-oriented activities as well as bingo.

A very caring person with great compassion for the elderly, Twelve Oaks Memory Care Coordinator Johnnie Holt said Joyce has held open forums where residents are encouraged to talk about their lives from childhood on up.

“When I die, if I’ve done anything wrong in my lifetime, Jesus will make me play bingo,” she joked. “That will be my punishment when I die.”

Originally from Elkin, North Carolina, Joyce has four children, seven grandchildren and one great granddaughter. She and her husband Delmar Ray have been married for 25 years. All three of Joyce’s children have worked at Twelve Oaks at one time or another.

At 62, Joyce is looking forward to spending time with her husband, family and great granddaughter, working on the farm she and her husband have owned for 23 years, and eventually, she hopes to return to Twelve Oaks as a volunteer.

“I couldn’t even tell you how many memories I’m taking with me,” she said. “I could write a book and it would be a best seller some of the things I’ve seen and done over the years. It’s been a journey.”

For more information about Twelve Oaks, please contact Regional Director Melissa Silverman-Connolly at (336) 786-1130 or visit us on Facebook.