06/08/2026
❤️ A Tribute to Home at Cook’s Court
We recently had the honor of receiving a heartfelt poem written by one of our residents, Betty, who at 97 years old beautifully captures what life at Cook’s Court means to her.
Cook’s Court, a senior affordable housing apartment community co-developed by Beyond Shelter, Inc. and the Minot Housing Authority, was created to provide not just housing, but a place to belong. Betty’s words remind us exactly why this work matters.
From bingo nights and birthday celebrations to shared meals and everyday connection, Cook’s Court is more than an apartment building. It’s a community. It’s home.
💙 We’re proud to share Betty’s tribute below:
My Tribute to Cook’s Court
by Betty, 2026
97 years old
Going down Second Street S.E., there is Cook’s Court,
a good place to retire, I’m happy to report.
There are 30-plus apartments behind these four walls;
they’re connected together by two long halls.
You say, “I’d like to live there, what do I do?”
Just call Minot Housing and they will help you.
They will ask you questions and you answer them all;
you will have to wait, but they will give you a call.
It’s been ten years since Cook’s Court opened the door;
they have done real well, we wish them many more.
Meanwhile at the Court, there are activities to choose
or just sit back in your chair and take a short snooze.
We play bingo and that’s a lot of fun;
sorry you missed it, you just might have won.
Each month we sing “Happy Birthday” and have cake and ice cream;
we’re all getting older, you know what I mean.
Several times a year we are served a good meal;
many thanks, Stephanie and Laura, boy what a deal!
We have exercise to keep us all in trim;
that’s a lot better than going to the gym.
This is just a sample of what we do here;
it really helps some of us get through the year.
This is our home and we like it a lot;
we’re like a big family, believe it or not.
We all make the choice to have a good day;
to be a good neighbor, what else can I say?
Let’s thank Cook’s Court and give them a cheer
aren’t we all glad that we can live here?
Thank you, Betty, for sharing your voice and reminding us all what home truly means.
