January – March 13: Before having to close when Safer at Home was enacted, we offered numerous activities for fitness, wellness, skill development, social and recreation. Many ongoing offerings like card and game groups, handiwork, line dancing, ping pong, creative writing, ukulele group, Wii Bowling, seminars and use of the computers, woodshop and pool rooms were free and welcome to drop-ins. Some other one-time offerings like entertainment, exercise, art, language, music or evidence-based health classes sometimes encouraged a donation or required fee. 540 individuals participated in 4,678 Center activities
Mid-March – December 31: One “silver lining” to the pandemic is it allowed (or rather, forced) our staff to take the time to fully focus on how to build and learn the systems available to better reach our most socially isolated individuals. Fortunately, thanks to technology and creative-thinking, we now have more diverse and sound programs and partnerships in place to provide more enrichment opportunities to more people. The following is what we offered…
Virtual Activities
By the middle of the year, we found numerous virtual opportunities to list on our website’s new “Online Activities” page highlighting opportunities for social interaction, fitness, wellness, and skill development. Additionally, we established partnerships to host some of our own. In May, we established ongoing Live Tuesday Trivia events on Facebook –18 in total, and Coffee with Mayor Swadley via Zoom, which took place monthly. Also, via Zoom, we hosted a Badger Talks Live: Ballroom Basics for Balance class, art programs on Vincent Van Gogh and Norman Rockwell with Michael Hecht, a Stoughton Community Meet-up facilitated by Agrace Hospice, and provided a series of gentle yoga classes through Stoughton Yoga. In September, we debuted The Selfie Project, where we encouraged participants to share photos of themselves to be shared in a collage on our website. With the help of WSTO we were also able to record and live broadcast Jessica Michna’s portrayal of Ma Caroline Ingalls in Mittens on a Tree. These events brought initial attendances ranging from 5 – 25 participants, and continue to get views on our YouTube Channel and Facebook page.
At-Home Non-Virtual Activities
We also considered ways we could reach out to those individuals in which internet activities were not of interest or available.
Handouts & Activity Bags: In the beginning, we put together informative articles, crossword puzzles, word searches, simple recipes and coloring pages to be distributed along with home delivered meals. In May we began adding them to our newsletter pages to offer more fun to the larger population. We also assembled and distributed activity bags with a variety of puzzles, coloring pages, notebooks, colored pencils and pencil sharpeners in hopes of brightening people’s days.
Phone Programs, Our previous Friendly Visitor Program blended into a phone-only Phone Buddy Program where volunteers would periodically check in with community members. New relationships were later referred to Catholic Charities “Phone Pals” program. We also advertised larger scale phone-in programs like Social Call, Joy 4 All Project, Well Connected and Mather Telephone Topics.
Poetry Corner: In August we put out a call for poetry! Participants were encouraged to mail or email their original poems to us. All were posted on our website and some were printed in our newsletter. Eight poets participated.
Time Capsule: In December, we welcomed contributions to be added to a 2020 Time Capsule to commemorate the extraordinary year. We received personal written accounts, poems, cheerful stickers, photos, a 2020 calendar, Wisconsin Department of Health Services’ Safer at Home Order, masks, gloves, empty sanitizer bottle, 2020 coins and we added various Senior Center publications.
Holiday cards: In November, we began organizing a collection and distribution of cards from community members who wanted to brighten the spirits of local isolated older adults during the holidays. 39 individuals or groups contributed 713 cards; 200 individuals received an envelope with a variety of cheerful holiday cards
Physically Distanced In-Person Activities
Once it became evident we wouldn’t be opening up as usual as swiftly as we hoped, we began offering drive-through and socially distanced events using personal protective equipment (PPE) and safe practices.
Kim’s Curbside Pick-up Meals: Although a meal service, additionally Kim’s curbside meal pickups was looked forward to as a fun social event for participants and staff alike. Each month, beginning in May, we provided these reserve-to-pickup meals twice a month. 1497 meals, 298 people
Foot Care Clinic: For the months of July, August and September we hosted Stoughton Hospital’s Foot Care Clinic until the service moved to their Community Health & Wellness Center. 77 instances for 68 participants
Reflexology: Beginning in August, Heidi Fromi offered one-on-one appointments. 38 appointments for 10 participants
Brat & Coney Sauce Fundraiser: In September we had our first drive-through meal fundraiser event, as well as made our first attempt at online sales. The event was a great success thanks to the help of our dedicated volunteers, including Tom Chose, who cooked up his family’s secret A&W stand recipes to be enjoyed once again by the community. We sold over 500 brats, 80 Chose’s Coney Sauce, 50 Chose’s BBQ, and 70 Kim’s Cheese Spread –with these sales and generous donations, we earned over $4,000!
Ageless Balance & Mobility Class: In October, fitness Instructor Ron Dorr offered an outdoor exercise class to nine masked, socially-distanced participants.
Drive-Thru Treat Pickups: We hosted a drive-thru coffee and donut pick-up for our volunteers on one morning in October, and afternoon Halloween candy and Winter Solstice cookies and cocoa events for anyone, –plus an additional holiday treat handmade by Kim for volunteers. Each event brought 50-70 participants.
Veterans Day Curbside Meal Event: On November 11, we honored our veterans with a complimentary pickup meal of baked potato soup and dessert. Non-veterans could reserve a meal too at a cost of $5 per order. 100 meals served
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance: Although the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and Tax (VITA) program was canceled back in March due to COVID-19, we created a no-contact drop off tax site so community members could still get needed help. 40 tax returns were filed through our Stoughton VITA site.
