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PHOTOS: Senior citizens have a bit of canceled Keizer festival brought to them

Brittney Shoemaker, an administrative assistant at the Avamere Court at Keizer assisted living facility, carries a bundle of irises to give to residents on May 15, 2020. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter)

Senior citizens in Keizer got a taste of the city’s annual festival on Friday, as volunteers delivered irises to six nursing homes.

The Keizer Iris Festival, an annual May celebration of the city’s flower and heritage, was postponed this year to August amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Scott Mills, a Keizer resident who does marketing for Signature Healthcare at Home, said he’s seen the city’s seniors enjoy the festival parade and take trips to the iris garden for years and wanted to find a way to bring a piece of the event to their rooms.

Mills and Cassie McAllister, Signature’s executive director, picked up 700 irises from Schreiner’s Iris Gardens Friday morning.

They delivered the flowers to local nursing homes: Willamette Lutheran Retirement, Emerald Pointe, Village at Keizer Ridge, Avamere Court at Keizer, The Arbor at Avamere Court and The Oaks at Sherwood Park.

They left flowers with workers outside the homes to distribute individually, minimizing the risk of spreading any illness.

Mills said his goal was “just bringing a bit of that smile, a bit of that festival to them because they’ve been closed up in the house for so long.” – Rachel Alexander

Scott Mills, of Signature Healthcare at Home, delivers a bucket of irises to be given out to residents at Avamere Court at Keizer assisted living facility on May 15, 2020. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter)

Cassie McAllister, and Scott Mills, of Signature Healthcare at Home, ready buckets of irises to be given to residents at the Village at Keizer Ridge assisted living facility on May 15, 2020. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter)

Cathi Coffman, executive director at The Arbor at Avamere Court assisted living facility, holds an armful of irises to be given to residents on May 15, 2020. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter)

Dawn Hull, left, director of sales and outreach, and Cathi Coffmann, executive director at The Arbor at Avamere Court assisted living facility, count out irises to be given to residents on May 15, 2020. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter)

Tracy Jackson, social services director, accepts a bucket full of irises to pass out to residents at The Oaks at Sherwood Park assisted living facility on May 15, 2020. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter)

Scott Mills, of Signature Healthcare at Home, delivers a bucket of irises to be given out to residents at Avamere Court at Keizer assisted living facility on May 15, 2020. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter)

Dawn Hull, left, director of sales and outreach, and Cathi Coffmann, executive director at The Arbor at Avamere Court assisted living facility, examine the irises being delivered by Signature Healthcare at Home employee Scott Mills on May 15, 2020. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter)

Scott Mills, an account manager at Signature Healthcare at Home, films a short video with Dawn Hull, left, and Cathi Coffmann, of The Arbor at Avamere Court assisted living facility, while delivering irises on what would have been the first day of the Keizer Iris Festival on May 15, 2020. The festival was canceled because of the coronavirus. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter)

Cassie McAllister, of Signature Healthcare at Home, counts out irises to be given to residents at the Village at Keizer Ridge assisted living facility on May 15, 2020. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter)

Irises ready to be distributed at the Avamere Court at Keizer assisted living facility on May 15, 2020. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter)

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