ARLINGTON — Regency Care Center in Arlington treated its residents and guests to some seasonal fun on Monday, March 17, with a St. Patrick’s Day meal and festivities, courtesy of the local Haggen Food and Pharmacy.

“We need to give a huge plug to Haggen’s,” said Molly Weiland, activities director for Regency Care Center in Arlington. “They delivered 20 pounds of cabbage and 10 packs of corned beef, along with all of our punch and dessert.”

Weiland explained that the Arlington Regency Care Center’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in years past were much more modest, mostly limited to green punch or dessert, rather than a full-course meal.

Molly Johnson and Linda Rieck are among the Regency Care Center residents who can actually boast some Irish heritage, and they both expressed appreciation to the event’s organizers for bringing in Marvin Cortelyou and Jim Gibbs, a.k.a. the Smokey Point Rainbow Singers.

“This is excellent,” the wheelchair-bound Johnson said. “I love music and dancing, even though I can’t dance anymore.”

“The singing is my favorite part,” said Rieck, who was just as surprised as Johnson to find the Regency Care Center dining area decked out in shades of green that afternoon.

Rieck’s guest, Sandy Turner, also appreciated being able to celebrate her Irish heritage, and even learned a thing or two from the brief history of the holiday that was provided before the meal.

“It wasn’t the same history of St. Patrick that I heard in Catholic school,” Turner said. “I didn’t know he was brought to Ireland as a child by pirates who had kidnapped him.”

“Our residents just loved the festivities,” Arlington Recency Care Center Administrator Jenny Mack said. “It was a great party and a great time, and we have Haggen’s to thank for it.”

“This was our first partnership with them, but we look forward to working with them again,” Weiland said.