Autumn is always a busy season at the Wellington Terrace.
We are sad to see our Duet Bikes and Campus Golf Cart stored away for the winter; many residents were able to enjoy at least one ride out on the trail this summer, and we look forward to more rides next year. Our Homewide and Special Events programs continue to keep everyone motivated to get out and socialize with others. On the Sunday mornings when the Catholic Communion service is not being held in the Chapel, a group of residents meet in the Fireside Lounge for interesting discussions in ‘Hot Topics by the Fireside’. On Monday afternoons we’ve added a ‘School Days’ program again this fall, taking residents back in time to those school days full of reading, writing and ’rithmetic. Our Ice Cream Parlour program on Saturday afternoons has been replaced with a Brain Teasers program in the Fireside Lounge.
With the colder weather arriving, our Wednesday evening programs have been moved inside; our Patio Nights were a great success, and will be returning again next year. Now on Wednesday evenings, we are offering a program called “Around the World”, and each week the Recreation Staff will be showcasing a different country, with various information and discussions.
Our Adventure Club outings continue to be offered throughout the fall; heading to destinations geared toward the cooler weather, such as shopping malls, various restaurants, and country drives.
On Friday, October 10th we held a Service of Giving Thanks, and on Friday, October 24th we will be enjoying an Oktoberfest Celebration as well.
On Oct. 21 our Residents’ Council will be hosting an Autumn Craft Show and Sale in our Clearing from 1:30 to 3:30; residents, volunteers and staff will have crafts and baked goods available for purchase, and all proceeds go to our Resident Recreation Fund. Of course, each year we enjoy seeing some of the residents, staff and volunteers dress up for Halloween, and we are looking forward to listening to Bill Beattie and Friends at our Halloween Celebration on the 31st of October.
Neighbourhoods continue to offer unique recreational and therapeutic programs as well. Residents on our Birch Dale neighbourhood have been enjoying games on our new Wii system, visits to our Snoezelen Room, a new weekly euchre match, some dining clubs, and a monthly Book Club meeting.
On Apple Valley, some staff members have donated and put up fall decorations. As well, some of the residents have been playing Bid-Euchre each week.
The Walnut Grove residents have seen some new programs come onto the monthly calendar, such as Tea Time, Crafts, Mental Aerobics and Short Stories. They will also be busy preparing some baked goods to submit to the sale on Oct. 21. On Maple Ridge on Monday mornings, residents will head back to the kitchen for Friends in the Kitchen baking program. On Tuesday afternoons in Maple Ridge, residents will be gathering to do some much-needed organizing with their sorting crew. Also coming back after the summer break is the ever famous bowling program on Thursday mornings, and in the afternoon some dedicated volunteers will be offering bingo, as well as a Reading Corner.
Some Oak Glen residents went on the bus for an outing one morning to see some horses on a farm in Belwood, where they enjoyed feeding the horses and donkeys carrots and petting the bunny rabbits. Thank you to Larry Moseley, owner of Penn-Tawsha stables, for allowing us a visit to enjoy his facilities and for providing information about his horses. As well, one sunny afternoon in October Larry also graciously offered to come over to the Wellington Terrace to bring over a couple of horses for all residents to enjoy. This was a very special program, allowing residents a chance to see horses up close at our Home. Thank you, Larry, for offering this service to the residents.
In our Volunteer Services, we are very saddened with the passing of three of our volunteer members in recent months: John Bartlett, who took residents on bike rides last summer, as well as entertained our residents with his musical talents; Doreen Stahlbaum, a very dedicated and long-standing volunteer at Second Time ‘Round; and May Maddess, a resident volunteer who, along with her family, organized and tallied our Zehrs Tapes. We will miss them dearly, and we send our sincere condolences to their families.
We continue to offer a great variety of volunteer opportunities; in particular, we are currently looking for volunteers at our Second Time ‘Round store who would enjoy a four hour shift on occasional Saturdays, or a 3 hour shift one Thursday each month.
As always, dining room assistance is appreciated for all meals, particularly in the evenings. For more information on our volunteer opportunities, please contact Mary Black Gallagher at (519) 846-5359, extension 266, or by email at maryb@county.wellington.on.ca. Thank you to all of our current members of the Volunteer Team of Wellington Terrace; your assistance and support is always very much appreciated.
From all of us at Wellington Terrace, we hope you enjoy a happy and healthy autumn season.
Compiled by the Staff of the Life Enrichment Department
