Staff members and residents at Covenant Shores gathered Friday for a tropical luau lunch, live music, Blue Angels viewing and “Gilligan’s Island” themed activities, as the retirement community celebrated its annual all-campus picnic.

Seven staffers, including Executive Director Bruce Erickson (Professor Roy Hinkley), Chaplain Greg Asimakoupoulos (Thurston Howell III, the millionaire)and Resident Life Director Roxanne Helleren (Mary Ann Summers), dressed up as the castaways from the TV show.

“I don’t even recognize our director,” said Joy Thomson, who has lived on Mercer Island since 1966 and at Covenant Shores since 2009.

Thomson said that living at Covenant Shores is like living at a five-star resort, a sentiment echoed by her friend Dee Paulsen.

“They have so many fantastic things planned. If you get bored, it’s your own fault,” Paulsen said.

Paulsen said she considers the other residents at Covenant Shores to be her extended family, noting that with the “wonderful staff and campus, it is so easy to meet people.”

The staff comes up with a different theme for the party every year (last year was Hollywood) and plans activities. There were contests for coconut cream pie eating, flip flop tossing, guessing the number of seashells in a jar and, of course, best costumes. There was a steel drum band and a tiki bar.

“It’s a fun tradition,” Asimakoupoulos said. “I love how the staff gets into it.”

Slideshow photos by Katie Metzger.