The Most Wonderful Time!

As we trimmed the trees and decked the halls, we all stood astonished that another year is coming to a close.  Halloween and Thanksgiving seemed to all but sneak right by and here we are with only three weeks before 2015 is upon us.

With that said, the overall feeling here at New Pond Village appears to be one of joyfulness and community.  Parties, gatherings and events of late - all celebrating different occasions - have lifted moods and spirits in such a way that even the most frigid New England weather cannot compete with.

Below you will find photos beginning with Halloween and ending with our annual tree lighting ceremony that took place just last Thursday at the gazebo. 

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to all!

~ The Vibrant Living Department

Katie, Marilyn, Annie and Mary

HALLOWEEN 2014

Is that Dining Services Director Bob Hill?  
Look closely...New Pond Village resident Chuck Fagan makes a terrific stunt double for our Executive Chef!

As John Rampino played music during  the social hour, residents could be found dancing in the streets!

Witches, witches everywhere...
Lucky for us they are all good witches!

The crowd was so large for the Halloween Social,
the dancing spilled out of the Village Club
and onto Main Street.

VETERAN'S DAY 2014

It has become an annual tradition each Veteran's Day to honor residents of New Pond Village that served in the military. The Vibrant Living & Dining Services departments work together to provide a gourmet luncheon exclusive to veterans.  The day began with a cocktail hour where attendees were encouraged to bring memorobilia from their time in the service.  The room quickly filled with residents sharing stories of the past as guitarist and vocalist J.D. Foster played patriotic music in the background.  Following the cocktail hour, everyone was ushered into a reserved section of the dining room for a delicious lunch prepared by our talented Dining Services team.  The day concluded with a sing-along concert with vocalist and pianist Cici Hunt leading the way.  Thank you all for your service.

Eileen Quinn shared this beautiful picture of her and her husband Timothy Quinn during their time in the service.



Resident Charles Fagan on Veterans Day

Another great service photo from the past...
resident Helen O'Hara (left) and a friend.
 

 

THE SANDWICH GLASS MUSEUM

 

Hundreds of unique glass ornaments made by the region's finest local and national glass artists, adorned Christmas trees in the Contemporary Gallery at The Sandwich Glass Museum. Residents were transported into a magical display of color and childhood memories and experienced a truly enchanting time at the Museum.

Residents listened as a professional
glassblower explained the delicate process.

A live demonstration of the process was given by our presenter.

One of the many gorgeous glass ornaments on display.

Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Walpole anymore...

That "feeling" of being transported to another land seemed to resonate with both residents and associates during our most recent theme dinner, Somewhere Over the Rainbow. The atmosphere was lighthearted, fun and filled with bright colors. Residents unleashed their creativity and transformed into characters from the movie. We saw Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man, Lion and even Romeo made a cameo as Toto! There were witches (both good and bad), munchkins, Aunt Em and, of course, the flying monkeys that served the dinner!

It was quite something to put this event together during the 75th Anniversary of the classic film with food, music and fun. I think I speak for most when I say we all had a wonderful time. Enjoy the photos below and always remember, "there's no place like home..."

 

 

 

Patricia Perry of Sneak Peek Productions Presents: "Witches"

Did you know that the majority of homes, graves and artifacts associated with the Salem witch trials are not actually located in Salem?  The next town over, sleepy, relatively conservative Danvers, was known until more than half a century after the trials as Salem Village and was home to most of those directly involved. 

Patricia Perry delivered a fascinating program loaded with many more interesting facts and stories you won't find in most textbooks. Our audience examined witchcraft through history from the perspective of the accused and the accusers, with that special Sneak Peek Productions twist, of course...see the photos below to find out which audience member was accused of witchcraft!

 

 

It's hard to believe that tomorrow is Halloween!  A costume party and social hour is planned for 4:30pm in the Village Club and I will do my best to get the photos posted as soon as possible. 

THE TOP TEN REASONS WHY WE LOVE SEPTEMBER

Although we are always busy and running around, September has TRULY been one of the busiest times we've had in recent months.

We compiled a list of ten highlights from the month in words and pictures...enjoy!

 
#10.  Fall Family Fun Day
 
Residents, family members, associates and friends enjoyed pumpkin and face painting, a popcorn bar, and a New England Patriots home opener social featuring 25 cent hot dogs.  Many thanks to Laurie Blake of Home Instead Senior Care and her troop of high school volunteers who helped with so many aspects of the day!
 
In addition to the above-mentioned activities, we were thrilled to welcome Peter Yvanovich of New England Inventory and Appraisal Services to host our Antiques Appraisal.  Peter has a wealth of knowledge and experience that he was happy to share while evaluating and appraising items that attendees brought with them.

 #9. A new bus!
 
It's finally here! Our beautiful new bus has arrived and is ready to take us on all kinds of new adventures. 
 

#8. Nature Walks
 
A walk without destination has the potential to uncover the loveliest things.  A big thank you to Anne Cavalieri for capturing the beauty of our community in the photos below.  These shots were all taken right here at New Pond Village - a reminder that sometimes the most beautiful things are right in front of you...

 
#7. Jack Craig
 
Musical talent collides with extensive knowledge in every program he presents.  Our most recent experience with Jack did not disappoint as he took us through the magic and music that is Brigadoon.  Residents were thrilled to learn that Jack will be back on a consistent basis in 2015 and is already booked for a program every other month!

 
#6. Outdoor Exercising
 
There is truly something about breathing in that fresh autumn air in New England.  We recently took our Nordic Walking poles and walked through the beautiful Bird Park in Walpole.  Led by Karen Swan, residents spent close to two hours exercising followed by a lunch at Panera Bread.

 
#5. Apples
 
Residents got a tasty education in apples recently.  There are so many different types of apples and each come with their own characteristics - in our crowd, the Fuji Apple was the favorite.  After learning the differences, it was time to chop them up and turn them into a delicious apple crisp. Yum!

 
#4.  Mary Richardson
 
Former Co-Anchor of WCVB's Chronicle, Mary Richardson, was joined by her colleagues from Norwood Hospital to discuss memory loss and aging.  Hayley Claflin, nurse manager for the older adult unit at Norwood Hospital, accompanied Mary in explaining the differences between standard forgetfulness and more significant memory loss. Residents and associates were given the opportunity to take photos with Mary at the conclusion of the program.

 

 
#3. Jordan Rich
 
Jordan Rich, host of WBZ AM 1030's The Jordan Rich Show, continues to enlighten and educate us  with his monthly book reviews.  Jordan's success is evident as his crowd grows noticeably bigger each month.

 #2. Dancing
 
The Wildewood Jazz Band did not disappoint.  The talented group delighted residents with their smooth covers of well-known songs on the eve of the autumn equinox.  The dance floor quickly filled up with those itching to step to the beat.

 
#1. New Pond Abbey
 
Lord Grantham has been murdered...with a KNIFE!        Many thanks to Maintenance Director John Curtin who helped us kick-off our very first murder mystery by excitedly informing the crowd of poor Lord Grantham's untimely demise. The amazingly talented Judith Kalaora, owner of History at Play, rounded-up 3 equally talented actors to assist her in recreating a Downton Abbey inspired event.  Residents participated in this interactive program and a wonderful time (and many laughs!) ensued.

 That's all for now - see you in October!