On Thursday afternoons at Holiday Hartland Hills, you hear it before you see it: the sound of laughter, a chorus of good-natured ribbing and the clack of bocce balls rolling across the second floor.
Welcome to Bocce with Bob.
When Bob Calzone stepped into the role of General Manager at Holiday Hartland Hills in Lexington, Kentucky, he wanted to create something residents could enjoy without overthinking it. No elaborate setup. No complicated logistics. Just fun.
“Maybe it was a nod to my Italian heritage,” Bob says with a grin, “but bocce ball felt like the right place to start.”
The first Bocce with Bob was modest. Six residents came – just enough to make use of the single bocce set Bob had on hand (eight balls total, in a standard set). The next time, twelve residents showed up. Bob ordered another bocce set. Then more residents joined, so Bob ordered another.
Before long, a regular group of more than twenty residents was asking the question that would turn a casual idea into a tradition: “Can we do this more than once a month?”
The answer was an easy yes.
Today, Bocce with Bob is a weekly Thursday afternoon ritual, played indoors, seated and with a few thoughtful rule modifications so everyone can join in – including residents who use walkers.
A scoreboard tracks the action, the competition is lively and the “trash talk” is constant (often directed at Bob himself, which he takes in stride).
As the community’s General Manager, Bob is busy, as anyone familiar with senior living can imagine. There are schedules to juggle and countless moving parts to oversee.
Still, Bob views this time as invaluable. It’s intentionally blocked on his calendar as time set aside to slow down, connect and simply have fun with residents.
“That’s important,” Bob says. “Residents should always feel comfortable. They should be able to laugh with their leadership, joke, even be silly together. That’s how real connection happens.”
The game is such a staple in the community that tour prospects are encouraged to visit during Bocce with Bob for an authentic glimpse of life at Holiday Hartland Hills.
“We don’t need to be serious all the time,” Bob says. “Sometimes, having fun can be the whole point.”
Like many examples of Uncommon Hospitality, the tradition started small, but its impact has been anything but. And if the crowd keeps growing, a fourth bocce set may soon be in order.