3 Activities to Celebrate Earth Day
3 Activities to Celebrate Earth Day
By Mike Cooper
This year, Earth Day is this Friday, April 22. Since 1970 it is a day on which many people around the world will show support for environmental protection. There are events in many communities on that day and throughout the week. Unfortunately, many seniors are unable to get to these events; they may not have transportation or physically cannot participate. That does not mean they can’t be involved in their own way!
Here are 3 activities you can do with your senior loved one this week to help them celebrate Earth Day:
Plant a garden. Think herb garden, or even a couple tomato plants. An herb garden would be perfect for indoors and could easily be transplanted outside next month. If you are handy, you could build a small, raised planter box where your loved one could comfortably sit or stand to help plant the garden. Not only are the herbs and vegetables good for them, they will appreciate being involved. It doesn’t get any more ‘local’ than that!- Recycle. Think about all the items in your own home that you haven’t used in years. Now think about all the things in your parents’ home that they haven’t used for decades! Why wait for something to happen to them before you go through some of these items with them? At that point, the process will be a lot more stressful because you will have suffered a loss and some things might wind up in the garbage instead of being donated or sold. Pick a closet, drawer or corner of a basement so you can go through these things with them a little at a time. Let them tell a story about the item, if there is one. Then determine if the item should be given to someone in the family, donated or sold.
- Plant a tree. This might not be something your senior loved ones can do themselves, but they can still be involved. Find out what their favorite tree is (hopefully something that grows well in your zone). If they still live in their own home, find a spot to plant a tree, even a little one, where they can see it. Maybe they could help water it from time to time. They can take pride in seeing something grow and live on for a long time and know that they were involved with it. If they live in a community where you cannot do this, maybe you can plant their tree by your house. When they come over to see you, point out the tree they that picked out – their ‘favorite’ tree.
Plant a garden. Think herb garden, or even a couple tomato plants. An herb garden would be perfect for indoors and could easily be transplanted outside next month. If you are handy, you could build a small, raised planter box where your loved one could comfortably sit or stand to help plant the garden. Not only are the herbs and vegetables good for them, they will appreciate being involved. It doesn’t get any more ‘local’ than that!
Plant a tree. This might not be something your senior loved ones can do themselves, but they can still be involved. Find out what their favorite tree is (hopefully something that grows well in your zone). If they still live in their own home, find a spot to plant a tree, even a little one, where they can see it. Maybe they could help water it from time to time. They can take pride in seeing something grow and live on for a long time and know that they were involved with it. If they live in a community where you cannot do this, maybe you can plant their tree by your house. When they come over to see you, point out the tree they that picked out – their ‘favorite’ tree.
We have a raised garden at Naperville Senior Center where our Members help to plant, water, pick and eat the wonderful vegetables we grow. We began planting April 1st, and on April 18th we had some impressive growth. We will transplant to the other side of the window in a couple weeks.
When they are not gardening, our Members socialize, verbalize, improvise, evangelize, visualize, exercise, have fun, and a host of other activities to provide mental and physical stimulation.
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You always have a chance. That chance may be slim, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t show up and do the best you can. Remember David and Goliath; the odds makers probably didn’t give David very good odds either.
At NSC, everyone has a chance; a chance to enjoy fun activities, do a little exercise and socialize with up to a dozen of their peers.
Can you believe it was just one year ago, on St. Patrick’s Day 2015, when we had our first ribbon cutting after opening our doors on February 25? We have had many successes since then! We are excited to have our 1st Anniversary Party and Business After Hours again on St. Patrick’s Day 2016 from 5:30 – 7:30 pm!
Our charter Member, Charlene, started with us the week after we opened. We love having her here; she continues to brighten our days with every visit!
We hosted a mini Walk for Life to benefit the American Cancer Society in June, and raised over $2,400 to fight cancer. We want to be sure our Members continue to exercise – and being able to do it for an important cause was a great motivator!
We provided fun activities for our Members including planting a garden (and then enjoying the fruits and vegetables of their labor), dressing up on Talk Like a Pirate Day, and having children come by before Halloween to get treats and play games with our Members.
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. Do you need a space to hold your workshop? Give Mike a call at 630-857-3017.
We hosted our 1st Annual Fall Craft and Vendor Fair in November. Thank you to all 23 vendors who joined us for a wonderful event. Our Members were even involved in making most of our crafts that were sold that day.
We hosted our own ‘Oscar’s Day Awards’ with our Members just before the Academy Awards! Our competition was fierce, but we outstanding performances!
Thomas Jefferson founded the University of Virginia. He is the only president to have founded an institution of higher learning.
former president to serve as the head of two branches of government and later swore in two other presidents.
As the song goes, “Love is in the air, in the whisper of the trees. Love is in the air, in the thunder of the sea.” As we close in on Valentine’s Day this Sunday, there are many things pink and red in stores, on television and in ads. Retailers want you to believe that your loved one will love you more with a card, candy, jewelry, or dinner out.