Western Home Communities

02/01/2026

01/30/2026

As January comes to a close—National Hobby Month—we’re sharing a Thalman Square story we love. 🧵💛
Meet Norma, a lifelong quilter whose creativity has stitched its way through generations. From seasonal wall hangings (including her newest heart piece!) to 28 Christmas stockings for her kids, grandkids, and spouses—and even a wedding dress worn by both daughters—Norma’s hobby is truly a gift.
Read her story here:

January is National Hobby Month , a perfect time to celebrate the pastimes that bring joy, purpose, and connection. At Thalman Square , Norma Hager’s lifelong hobby does all three—one carefully pinned stitch at a time. A lifelong love of quilting Norma’s story with sewing began early. She star...

01/30/2026

🍩 Donut Day at Thalman Square 🍩
Residents serving some sweet smiles and having a hole lot of fun!
😄✨It was a sprinkle-filled day of laughs and joy 💛

01/29/2026

📣 Join UNI President Mark Nook at Thrivera — Feb 5
We’re excited to welcome University of Northern Iowa President Mark Nook for our next Design Your Life: UNI Update. President Nook will share what’s ahead for UNI, including details on Panther Town planned near the McLeod Center, along with plans to increase enrollment and support community development.
✅ Free and open to the public — we hope you’ll join us!

01/27/2026

A little baking fun at Windhaven! 🍰🍒
A small group of residents baked a delicious chocolate cherry cake, filling the space with the sweetest smell—and even sweeter smiles. 💙😊

01/19/2026

A group from Western Home Communities joined Pack the Dome: MLK Day of Service at the UNI-Dome, partnering with UNI, the Volunteer Center of the Cedar Valley, and the Northeast Iowa Food Bank to pack food for the Food Bank’s BackPack Program—supporting kids across northeast Iowa.
Proud to serve alongside so many in our community! 💜💛

01/16/2026

🎩🤠 Happy National Hat Day from Thalman Square! 🐊🎩
Our residents celebrated in style—with fun hats and a little friendly competition! We hosted a bean bag showdown: Cowboys vs. Crocodile Dundees… and it was a close one.
🏆 Final score: Cowboys win 93–87!
Check out these fantastic hats (and even better smiles) in the photos below! 📸✨

01/15/2026

🥯 Happy National Bagel Day! 🥯
Our Prairie Wind residents celebrated in the best way—a bagel bar loaded with all the favorites and plenty of tasty toppings to choose from. From sweet to savory, everyone built their perfect bagel (and went back for seconds 😉).
Nothing like good food and good company to start the day! 💛

01/15/2026

🎉 Congratulations to Suzanne Makinster on 45 years with Western Home Communities! 🎉
If you’ve ever visited Jorgensen Plaza, chances are you’ve been welcomed by Suzanne at the front desk. Her warmth, dedication, and friendly smile have made a lasting impact on countless residents, families, and guests.

01/13/2026

Happy National Rubber Duck Day! 🦆✨
We’re celebrating with one of our Independent Living residents, Dave Kirkle—and his one-of-a-kind rubber duck collection! Every duck has its own unique look and personality, and Dave loves sharing the fun with others.

So if you spot a duck “floating” around one of our buildings there’s a pretty good chance it came from Dave. 😉💛

Thanks for spreading smiles, Dave! Drop a 🦆 in the comments if you’re celebrating with us today!

01/12/2026

We had a paws-itively sweet visit at Thalman Square today! 🐾💛
Jazzy the sheepdog stopped by to say hello, share some snuggles, and brighten a few afternoons—tail wags included. 😄🐶
Thanks for spreading so much joy, Jazzy!

01/12/2026

What a wonderful Friends Program this month at Western Home Communities! 📚✨
A heartfelt thank you to Villa resident and Christian historical fiction author Cherie Dargan for sharing about her Grandmother’s Treasures series—stories tied to a secret stitched into an old family quilt. 🧵
We also loved hearing about her newest release, The Recollection, a holiday-themed novel set during the Great Depression in 1933.
Thank you, Cherie, for an engaging and memorable program—and thank you to everyone who joined us! (Photos below 📸)