What does it mean to turn 100 years old?
By Maggie Fisher, SVP of Experience and Strategy
For 100 years, Morrison Living has been serving delicious food and providing superior hospitality services. Our centennial celebration offers residents, family members, friends, and associates an exciting opportunity to relive Morrison’s history over the years.
Founded in 1920, Morrison Living began as Morrison’s Cafeteria, with the first location opening its doors on September 4th. Over the past one hundred years, Morrison steadily expanded and saw an opportunity to bring our culinary expertise to over 500 senior living communities across the United States.
We’re celebrating with inspiration from resident centenarians, using historical recipes from the vault, and engaging with associates through the ‘100 Days, 100 Ways’ campaign that offers daily inspiration on how to be the best part of someone’s day. Our dining teams are serving special crowd favorite recipes of the past, updated to reflect today’s taste buds and global flavor profiles, innovative substitutions, and nutritional enhancements.
What a coincidence that September 22nd also marks National Centenarians Day in the United States. This day celebrates those who have reached 100 years old or older, rejoices in their accomplishments, and pays tribute to the impact they made on the world around them. In 2019 it was estimated that there are approximately 72,000 centenarians in the United States.
My favorite Centenarian, Georgia, was best pals with my mom, and we spent many fine days together during my childhood. Her legacy is ever-present in my family through the Greek specialties we learned to prepare in her kitchen. Over time these became our family traditions and still grace our holiday tables and family celebrations. Georgia is approaching her 101st birthday this December, and I was lucky enough to attend her 100th soiree last year. What a privilege to celebrate a life well lived with dancing, laughing, storytelling, and many an OPA! I’m already looking forward to attending the party when she hits supercentenarian.
Living to 100, or for a company to actualize 100 years of service, is no easy feat. It wasn’t always a goal of mine to make it to 100 years, but I’m all in if I can do it like Georgia. She reminds me that our elders are living storybooks—a collection of good, bad, perfect, and challenging chapters that shape our lives and build tradition. And the same goes for Morrison Living! As we reflect on the past 100 years, we’re honoring where we’ve been and how far we’ve grown, celebrating who we are today, but looking to the future and preparing for the journey ahead.
So here’s to all our nation’s Centenarians. What a blessing it is to listen, learn, share, and honor; to celebrate and remember. As 2020 has taught us, life can be short. But for those marking a centennial milestone, it can also be a long and beautiful tale just waiting to be shared.
Learn more about our hospitality experience.