A Look Back to Gain Perspective

In the two years since we received our permit to begin construction on the Naperville Senior Center space so much has happened! It seems like just yesterday when Pam, Emily, Zach and I spent Christmas 2014 with our hardhats on looking at the drawings and realizing this was really going to happen!

With our two year anniversary coming up on February 25^th, it is a good time to reflect on everything that has happened, while looking forward to a prosperous new year!

• Our charter Member, Charlene, started with us the week after we opened and she still brightens our day and provides us with lots of laughs with every visit.
• We have had many Members join us in the last two years. On any given day we could have 10-25 Members enjoying games, crafts, exercise, singing, dancing and a hot noontime meal. We are grateful to have each and every one of them with us!
• In June 2016 we hosted our second annual mini Walk for Life to benefit the American Cancer Society, and raised $4,590 to fight cancer. We want to be sure our Members continue to exercise, even if it is small steps, and being able to do it for an important cause was great motivation. Some of our Members’ families even joined in on the fun!
• Our Members again planted a garden that thrived throughout the spring and summer months. We regularly served our bounty to our Members as part of a healthy, nutritious lunch. They literally were able to enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of their labor!
• We provided fun activities for our Members including pet therapy, dressing up on Talk Like a Pirate Day, and having children come by before Halloween for a costume parade and to get treats and play games with our Members.
• Our Members enjoyed a variety of concerts throughout the year including a bagpipe concert on Bagpiper Appreciation Day, DJ Karl Knutson singing standards, and Christmas concerts from the Young Naperville Singers and The Samuel Edgar Band.
• We have hosted several Continuing Education (CEU) Workshops after hours for nurses, therapists and social workers. We are happy to provide this amazing venue for the community when they need to come together to gather and learn. If you know of a group who needs a meeting or socializing space, let them know about Naperville Senior Center!
• We hosted our 2^nd Annual Fall Craft and Vendor Fair in October. Thank you to all the vendors and shoppers who joined us for a wonderful event. Our Members were even involved in making some of our crafts that were sold that day.
• Along with our friends at Aurora Business United, we hosted a Business After Hours event with the Lisle Chamber of Commerce in August. We had a fantastic turnout; thank you to everyone who came to network, socialize and check out our facility.
• We were also able to host two St. Elizabeth Seton Choir Christmas parties. The two dozen voices singing truly sounded like a choir of angels. This past Christmas, both of our children made it home and it was one of the best days of our lives!

It’s hard to believe we were able to fit so much into the last 12 months. We know 2017 will be even more amazing for us and our Members! Our hope is that everyone has a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!

If you haven’t had a chance to join us at one of these events, just contact us to schedule a quick tour or a FREE 3-hour trial at our facility so you can see what we have to offer and understand the Naperville Senior Center experience, “Home Away From Home”.