Fran Schinkel, our full-time Recreation Director, plans, organizes and leads an extensive variety of arts and crafts projects, fitness, balance and endurance-building exercises, word and mind-stimulating games. She invites speakers to keep us aware of new health and wellness practices, plans lectures that promote cultural awareness and local history and connects with spiritual community leaders who provide monthly religious services. Morning programs are usually scheduled from 10:00 until 11:30AM and the afternoon programs begin after lunch from 1:30 until 4:00 PM. Evening programs, such as in-house movies, usually start around 7:00 PM.

Special entertainers perform regularly for our residents. Family members and guests are welcome to attend these programs; however, to ensure there is adequate seating, they should R.S.V.P. prior to the event.

Dressed in red hats and purple outfits, the “Scarlet Ladies of Southmayd”, as our Red Hat Society Ladies are called, often go out for breakfast or plan trips to play music with the hand bells and bring cheer to residents in our area nursing homes. (If you are not familiar with Red Hatters, their attire and carefree behavior was inspired by a poem by Jenny Joseph, entitled “Warning” whose opening lines are:

“When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.”

When the weather cooperates, especially in spring, summer and fall, outdoor trips are organized to such beautiful local attractions as flower gardens, reservoirs, butterfly farms and fruit orchards, as well as to delicious ice cream and hot dogs stands.  Outings to the beach and the boat cruise through the nature reserve on the Connecticut River are also among the residents’ favorite summer trips. We are always in need of family members or friends who are able to volunteer as a driver/chaperone.

Our monthly activities calendar is published on the 1st of each month, distributed to all residents and posted throughout the building and now on our website. Due to unforeseen circumstances, activities and/or programs may be postponed or cancelled. Please call to confirm times.

Links:
Recreation and Wellness Mission