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WALK ACROSS AMERICA REACHES NIAGRA FALLS
Meeeting Place Seniors say “California or Bust”
Newport – The picture of some of the team standing in front of Niagra Falls may not be real, but the smiles, and the hard work are. Seniors from The Meeting Place adult day program are pursuing a summer activity of Walking Across America.
Led by Activities Coordinator, Jenn Barnes, participants walk on the track at IROC on Monday afternoons. Each lap corresponds to miles on a map, and the route is planned to get them to San Francisco by the end of summer. Team Members have T-Shirts with their Walk Across America 2009 Logo, printed and donated by Pat Hunt, Inc.
Walk Across America combines exercise, story telling, scrap booking, and some simple competition. A map on the wall at The Meeting Place has the route marked, and each week, push pins with flags show progress along the route.
“Mom was worried about the walking,” reported one daughter whose mother’s previous attempts at the track were met with the frequent need to sit down. “But she came home on Monday and reported walking an entire lap without sitting.”
Team members are joined by caregiver staff from The Meeting Place who accompany them as they walk, providing support and assistance if needed and encouragement as required.
As they progress through twelve destinations such as Nashville, Santa Fe, and Las Vegas, the group will have a chance to look at pictures, listen to music, see brochures, and tell stories. A cowboy lunch is planned for the day they reach Oklahoma City, home of the American Cowboy Museum. Along the way, digital pictures will record the trip by overlaying indiviual shots with background destinations.
The Meeting Place is a Vermont-certified Adult Day Service operating at the historic church at 100 2nd street in Newport. There are current openings, so famlies with interest should call 334-7604 for more information.