On Christmas morning, Linda Petty brought her pet to the facility to deliver presents to the residents on a wooden sleigh, spreading holiday joy and affection. Mark Muir, executive director, brought his kids to assist: 12-year-old Maddie, 9-year-old Jason, 7-year-old Shane, and 4-year-old Lucy. Petty’s granddaughter, 8-year-old Cheyanne, also took part.

The children donned elf hats as they helped fill the sleigh and went around to each room to present residents with their gifts, assisting with opening the presents when the residents needed help.

“I’m not sure what brought more smiles – seeing the children and the donkey or receiving the gifts,” said Petty. “Each resident received the gift of Christian love with a handshake, a hug or a kiss.”

After delivering presents to all the residents at Citadel Care Center, the team went next door to Citadel Assisted Living and went room to room there. When the residents opened their doors, they were surprised with the jingle and laughter of their Christmas blessings. Some could not believe their eyes.

One lady said, “I do believe that’s Santa with a donkey… and elves! Holy cow, is that a donkey?”

After the deliveries were complete, the gang became hosts and assisted serving the residents and their families a special Christmas lunch.

“I love the residents like they’re my family,” said Petty. “I want them to have a good Christmas.”

As for the children, Jason Muir said it best. When he arrived home, he shared with his parents, “This was the best Christmas ever!”

Residents made red, white and blue pom-poms leading up to the event, and associates and family members decorated the facility bus with the pom-poms, an American flag and a Whatever It Takes And Then Some banner.

Each resident wore patriotic colors, and those who served in the military wore caps with their branch of service represented.

With flags waving from the bus, the Citadel Care Center team proceeded through the parade route in Mesa.

Mesa Mayor Scott Smith announced the teams as they approached the grandstand, and a B-17 and two P-51 Mustangs flew over the crowd. The parade featured more than 100 entries, including distinguished veterans, a fallen-soldier memorial, East Valley JROTC groups, high school bands, military vehicles and equestrian groups.

Among Citadel Care Center’s veterans were Michael Barre and Jim Kuntz.

Barre served in the Navy for five years, starting in 1942 and fighting in the Pacific theater of World War II.

“He had tears in his eyes when I asked him what his thoughts were regarding the parade,” said Linda Petty, activity director. “He said, ‘It was fantastic. It was hard to believe all those people came to see us.’”

Kuntz served in the Army for four years in the Korean War. He was amazed at all the soldiers who came out to greet them, some of them disabled.

“It made me feel proud to be American,” Kuntz said.

The facility participates in the event, which raises funds for the Alzheimer’s Association, each year. This year, 22 residents, family members and volunteers from Citadel joined the thousands of walkers. While the walk for most people went for three miles, residents took the one-mile shortcut in their wheelchairs.

“The residents said it was fun and inspiring,” shared Linda Petty, activity director.

Citadel Care Center participants wore special team T-shirts, and Life Care’s local facilities and divisional office hosted a booth in which associates gave out stress balls.

After the walk, the group went to a ’50s diner called 5 & Diner and enjoyed mouthwatering hamburgers and milkshakes.

“The residents said it was ‘a bit of heaven,’” said Petty.

Citadel Care Center in Mesa, Ariz., brought several residents to the walk, including 107-year-old Emily Schneider. A camera crew from Channel 10 News approached Schneider and presented her with two paper cups, one for each presidential candidate, and asked her which one she would choose.

“I voted last Tuesday for Romney,” Schneider said. “I feel his outward expressions speak well for him. I feel God is his No. 1 priority, and he is what we need to get America back on track.”

Schneider has voted in every election since she reached voting age. When she was 18, Calvin Coolidge was president. She was born under Teddy Roosevelt’s presidency.

Though Schneider was a little shy about speaking in front of the camera, she said it was worthwhile. The segment aired on Channel 10 that evening.

Citadel Care Center encourages residents to vote. Several months before an election, associates determine which residents would like to vote and provide registration assistance if needed. They request absentee ballots when needed, and they coordinate assistance from Maricopa Elections to visit the facility to set up a polling station.

This year, 20 residents voted at the facility on Oct. 30.

“We make every effort to provide residents with non-partisan information regarding issues and candidates prior to an election,” said Linda Petty, activity director. “We offer any assistance needed for residents with disabilities and make sure that all information is kept confidential. Residents feel it is their civic right to vote and look forward to it.”

Joining the U.S. Air Force as a nurse at age 21, Peake embarked on a career that would not only help others but bring her close to important moments in American history.

Peake’s first assignment was as a staff nurse on the neurological ward at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. Since her enlistment was only for two years, when that time was complete, she went with her former nursing school classmate to Belmont, Calif., where she worked at a hospital.

The love of military service, however, called Peake back. Eighteen months after her move, she reenlisted with the Air Force with the rank of captain and was assigned to March Air Force Base near Riverside, Calif. It was there she had one of the most awesome experiences of her life.

Peake was the charge nurse of a multi-service ward, and on March 19, 1968, she was notified that her assignment for the day had changed. She needed to accompany an internal medicine physician to Palm Desert, Calif., to help assess a health problem of former President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

“I was kind of shocked,” said Peake. “I didn’t know what I was getting into. It was kind of a hurry-up, grab-your-hat, come-on-we-have-to-go type of thing, and I didn’t really know what his condition was or what was going to happen.”

How did this honor fall on Peake? Her ward was the one that had been chosen to care for Eisenhower if he should require hospitalization while he was in Palm Desert for the winter. He had long-standing health problems, and any medical issue was quickly assessed by a doctor.

Luckily, this time his problem only required a few days of rest at home under the watchful eyes of health care professionals. Capt. Peake and her roommate, Lt. Karen Heaberlin, who was also stationed at the hospital, stayed in the guest house next to Eisenhower’s house.

“Eisenhower was a very smart man, very kind, a family man,” said Peake. “He was very easy to talk to, and he didn’t particularly enjoy talking about when he was president, but he loved to talk about when he was a soldier.”

After a few days, he was feeling better, and the ladies returned to their usual assignments. Several days later, they both received autographed copies of Eisenhower’s latest book, “At Ease,” along with a note of appreciation for their care.

It wasn’t the last time Peake would come to the aid of the five-star general. A month or so later, Eisenhower had to be hospitalized in the intensive care unit at March Air Force Base. He asked for the nurses who had cared for him in Palm Desert, so Peake, Heaberlin and a third nurse were responsible for his around-the-clock care. Mamie Eisenhower also arrived at the hospital and stayed on the ward originally designated for the General while her husband recovered.

When Eisenhower recovered enough to return to Washington, D.C., he requested that his nurses accompany him as his guests. They flew with him to Andrews Air Force Base and traveled to Walter Reed Hospital, where there was a special suite waiting for Eisenhower, complete with large rooms, a fireplace and silver glasses and trays for medication distribution. His three nurses stayed in the nurses’ quarters at the hospital, where they had a personal tour of the national sites.

“We were driven around the city by two Secret Service men,” said Peake. “They were not from Ike’s detail but from the Washington group because they knew the city better, and of course we saw every national monument.”

They took a VIP tour of the White House, Gen. Eisenhower’s home in Gettysburg, Pa., and the halls of Congress, where they witnessed Sen. Robert Kennedy debate the Civil Rights Bill. Each evening, they would return to the hospital and tell the general about their experiences.

After four days in Washington, the nurses were flown home.

Peake was reassigned in September 1968 to the 20th Casualty Staging Flight at Tachikawa Air Force Base in Japan, where she played another important role in U.S. history, caring for wounded soldiers flown in from the Vietnam War.

The staging unit took in casualties and then either flew them by helicopter to area hospitals for care or to a hospital in the United States close to their homes.

“The patients turned over every day – flights out in the morning and in during the afternoon and the same the next day,” said Peake. “We took care of a lot of patients in a short time. But it was rewarding taking care of the Vietnam casualties and giving them the care they needed. We enjoyed our work. We were with a good group of people; we all worked together, and if the nurses on duty needed help when the flights came in, those of us who were off duty would go in and help them.”

During this time, Peake served both as a staff nurse and as a charge nurse and was promoted to the rank of major.

Peake served in several more locations after the war, retiring from the Air Force in 1984 after 20 years of service. She had achieved the rank of lieutenant colonel, as well as earning four Meritorious Service Medals and three U.S. Air Force Commendation Medals.

“I certainly enjoyed it,” Peake said of her time in the military, “and I certainly got to travel a lot around the world. I got to do a lot of things that I wouldn’t have done had I not been in the service.”

Peake moved to Arizona after leaving the military and continued nursing work as a civilian from 1988 – 1998.

A resident at Citadel Care Center since 2011, Peake stays active at the facility and stays in close contact with her friend Heaberlin.

Annie, a miniature donkey, came down the halls of the facility carrying a homemade “sleigh” and gifts, while activities associates and volunteers delivered Christmas gifts to all the residents.

The residents have looked forward to Christmas with Annie, owned by Activity Director Linda Petty, for the past seven years. Annie, who is only about 21 inches tall, walks up and down the halls and visits in residents’ rooms just as a big dog would. In fact, according to Petty, many residents initially mistake her for a dog.

“She loves visiting at Citadel Care Center and receiving ear rubs,” said Petty. “The residents’ expressions are always very rewarding.”

As Annie and the sleigh went to each resident on Christmas morning, the unconditional love of the donkey reached out to the residents as they touched and petted her.

“It was a reminder of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who offers His love and unmerited favor,” said Petty. “No matter who we are or what we have done, His arms are always open to welcome and forgive. After all, Jesus truly is the reason for the season!”