Fresno assisted living center inviting public to celebrate new addition to facility

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Paintbrush Assisted Living is celebrating a new addition to the property and you're invited to the party.

Approaching their first full year in operation Paintbrush Assisted Living and Memory Care is getting ready for another debut.

"We thought a pizza oven would be a neat thing for everyone to have," said Jim Wagner, Paintbrush Assisted Living owner.

Staff members said it adds to the family feel they want to provide for Central Valley seniors.

"It's not your typical assisted living. It's very homelike, it has that lodge feel, it has pictures of the surrounding area-- it's really about being home," said Marissa Quintana, executive director.

"We don't want to be an institution," said Wagner.

For Wagner and his family, time around the pizza oven has brought four generations together over the last decade. As one of the paintbrush owners Wagner says he wants to pass his family tradition to his residents.

"We all look forward to what were going to make, so we all help cook."

The locally owned facility makes it a point to use Central Valley resources. Most of the menu items served are sourced locally like ingredients from resident Marios Isnardi's garden.

"Just like to see them grow, because when I was home I had five acres that I had for just market tomatoes, tomatoes, and peppers."

Isnardi has been putting his green thumb to use since he first moved in six months ago. The World War II veteran and farmer grows everything from tomatoes to artichoke

"Then I have the red onions, then those bell peppers, and chili pepper."

Mikes Pizzeria will be baking the inaugural pies for Thursdays debut and attendees are asked to RSVP.