Jun. 8—A row of residents sat outside Waterford Place Health Campus on Tuesday afternoon. Some held signs with phrases such as "surfs up 2022" while others swayed to the sound of steel pan drums. Most everyone at the party was adorned with a lei.

The crowd was gathered in celebration of Trilogy Health Services' Wellness Week — an annual party held by the senior living company. En route were 37 bike riders who were attempting to ride 200 miles in three days.

Starting in Anderson around 10 a.m., the first half of the cyclists arrived at Waterford around 2:30 p.m. The rest would soon meet up at the campus.

As the cyclists finally arrived, Nick Fuson, an employee at the senior living facility, led them through Waterford's driveway on a bike. One resident, who wanted to only be known as Joyce H., was buckled into a chair attached to the modified bicycle and waved with the cyclists.

Throughout the 200-mile journey, the cyclists would make stops at 12 Trilogy locations. After Kokomo, the cyclists would end their day in Peru. Wednesday, their first stop was Monticello, followed by two Lafayette stops and finishing in Crawfordsville.

The final leg of the trip started with a visit to Greencastle. Then, they traveled to Mooresville before finally reaching Indianapolis.

Although this is the 10th year Trilogy has held the bicycle tour, it was the first time Waterford hosted a party for the cyclists.

After discussing possible themes, Waterford Place decided upon a Hawaiian party.

"I think everyone wants a little Hawaii in their life," said Rachel Bishir, executive director of the campus.

A buffet of pineapple salsa, pulled pork, teriyaki chicken and pineapple upside-down cake was served to visitors. Jesse Huntzinger, director of food services at Waterford, said the menu was inspired by a luau he had attended in Maui.

"It was fun to try and recreate that experience," Huntzinger said.

The chef explained the facility focuses on "scratch cooking," rather than opting for pre-made food.

"I'm passionate about food," Huntzinger said, adding that he had been cooking for more than 20 years. "It's about making an experience that is enjoyable and memorable."

Ditching her bike for a seat at one of the party's tables, Lisa Stewart Eriks, a former vendor for Trilogy, said the ride had been enjoyable during the first leg of the journey. The weather had been treating the athletes well, other than a strong headwind.

The cyclist explained it was her seventh time participating in the 200-mile tour. Although she was retired now, Trilogy still invited her to participate in the event.

"I love the camaraderie of the team," Eriks said, adding the tour gave her something to train for.

Another cyclist, Brad Estes, was participating for his second year. After leaving the company, he hadn't been able to participate since the first tour in 2013. Now the CFO of Synchrony Health Services, a subsidiary of Trilogy, he said he was excited to participate in another tour.

"We love being out here. It's a celebration of our employees and it's a celebration of our residents," Estes said. He predicted the next two days of the tour would be "awesome."

Daniel Delph, manager of foundation outreach and events for Trilogy, was participating in the tour for his eighth year.

"It's a beautiful day. It's windy," Delph said. "We have a lot of camaraderie, a lot of smiles in our team. The stops to campuses have been amazing. The energy from the residents and our own staff has been fantastic."

Delph said he likes participating in the tour because it gives him a chance to spread the message of wellness.

"Wellness is important because health is important," Delph said. "I mean, if you don't have health, you're just going to suffer in other aspects of your life."

James Bennett III can be reached at 765-454-8580 or james.bennett@kokomotribune.com.