Bingo winner and August fun from the C.O.A.

[COA Beaver Island]

It is August and it is my hope all Beaver Island Commission on Aging clients and even residents who may be clients in the future are enjoying the summer so far. I know I am, with all this great weather and plenty of summer fun to be had on this unbelievable gem of an island we all reside on the fun seems to be endless.

It is August and I have few activity announcements along with some promotion of a couple of August games I want to convey to C.O.A clients.

First of all, I would like to congratulate Dian King, of St. James Township. She was the Commission on Aging’s social distancing BINGO grand prize winner for the month of July. Dian won a $30 gift certificate at Circle M. All Bingo winners receive two meal vouchers and their winning bingo cards will be entered into the grand prize drawing that takes place at the end of the month. August Bingo cards are now available for pick up.

Earlier I posted about some events the Charlevoix County Commission on Aging is providing for all its clients in the county including Beaver Island. Those are the ‘Travel Club’ and the ‘Pals Program’. The virtual Travel Club is an activity designed to take you away from it all by giving participants the opportunity to learn about other parts of Michigan, our country and the world. The Charlevoix County Commission on Aging Virtual Travel Club will give all those who sign up to participate a sample of interesting places in the world, state and country to take vacations from the comfort of your own home. Each month over the course of the next year we will feature food, points of interest and other highlights of various travel destinations for you to experience. Pick up your packet today from the Beaver island C.O.A. office.

The Pals program is basically pen pals with someone from Charlevoix County. What we do is take those who apply and pair them with someone from east Jordan, Boyne City, Charlevoix or lovely Beaver Island. Participants can communicate by phone, email, video chat, or even good ole letter writing. Want to meet someone new from your county who is a client of the Commission on Aging? We have the packet for you at the Beaver island C.O.A. office. All these new activities are free for clients.

Finally, here is what I have planned for August. Of course, Social Distance BINGO continues through the end of September. I have planned two activities that relate to dates in August for Beaver Island C. O. A. clients. August is National Picnic Month and the first Saturday in August is National Campfire day. For National Campfire day I have planned an activity that relates to storytelling around the campfire. It is a fun and lighthearted game that is designed for us to escape adulthood. The game is called: “There once was a skunk...” However, I would rather rename the game “There once was a beaver…” I think that name is more fitting for campfire storytelling here. The game is simply played by participants getting in a circle and one person starts by saying, “There once was a beaver…” then clockwise, you go around and each person adds another line to the story with, “Fortunately…” Then someone new continues the story starting with “Unfortunately…” Continue the story as long as you can, rotating between sentences starting with “fortunately” and “unfortunately,” For instance, the story might unfold like this:
“There once was a beaver who took ballet lessons.”
“Fortunately, he looked very good in a tutu.”
“Unfortunately, he got dizzy very easily and often tripped on his tail.”
“Fortunately, a drink of root beer always cleared up his dizziness.”
“Unfortunately, root beer sometimes made him flatulate uncontrollably.”
Because I am restricted from hosting gatherings my plan is to play the game by Zoom. I have sign up sheets and handouts for us to play. If internet limits video, we can still participate by phone. I just need to know who wants to participate by coming by and picking up a handout.

Finally, for National Picnic Month in August my plan is to continue story telling but with the focus on each of you. For all beaver island C.O.A. clients willing to participate in this I am looking for you to share an ideal or favorite picnic story on Beaver Island. It could be a story about what you love to do when picnicking on Beaver Island or a memory of a perfect picnic day. Something along those lines. Maybe it was with family or a reunion type picnic. Maybe a community barbecue or the first picnic date? I think the activity could be fun for those who want to participate. Stop by the C.O.A. office and pick up the form fill it out and return it or just tell me the story and I will write it down. At the end of the month I hope to take all the stories shared and make some sort of remembrance article to share with our loved ones. Come on let’s have fun with this and tell our stories of picnicking on Beaver Island.
I hope to hear from many of you soon and have a great rest of your summer. Stay safe and stay healthy everyone.