As I was walking the dogs early the other morning, I believe I could almost see my breath. Of course, by mid-afternoon the temperature had climbed up close to 80 degrees, but the (very) brief cold snap got me thinking.
While most people see autumn as the beginning of the end—to the summer, the year, the greenery—I have always seen it as a beginning. I suppose it is because it reminds me of the start of a new school year, which I always loved. New shoes, crisp notebooks, and freshly sharpened pencils. New books and new friends.
New opportunities.
Indeed, autumn is marking a time of new opportunities at Meadowood this year. Now that summer is over, and our summer travelers have returned, Fitness and Wellness is hard at work creating new programming for our residents. It began with the premiere performance from our new theater group, the Meadowood Players.
Formed in May as the brainchild of Fitness Director Becky Anhorn, who has a long history in theater and dance, as well as a few of our residents who had an itch to get back on the stage, the company’s first show were scenes from A.R. Gurney’s “The Dining Room.” The show was a rousing success and has everyone looking forward to the next effort.
The first week in October hails Active Aging Week, with lots of great activities including special classes like Intro to Martial Arts and Aqua Zumba, Mystery Bag Bingo, Disk Golf, a Trail Walk, wiffle ball games, and Residents vs. Staff Water Volleyball on the schedule.
The Intellectual Wellness Programming Committee will be hosting their first event in the middle of October, called “Think”, a happy hour we hope will spur some great discussion. The new year will bring speakers, salons, book discussions and more to kick off a new era of intellectual exploration here on our campus.
New endeavors also stretch into the wider community for those who are interested in forming a bowling league or playing in pickle ball round robins at a local racquet club. Several of our Health Center residents will also be participating in an equine therapy program at a local horse farm.
So as you see, autumn is not a time for retreat here at Meadowood, but a time to forge ahead with new plans and programming, and a renewed sense of purpose.
I can hardly wait to see what winter will bring!
Until we meet…
Donna