Morning Visits with The Adult Day Center of Somerset County
“Our lives are the tapestry of all our experiences and I never walk away from a morning with the seniors without adding a couple of stitches to my tapestry.” Volunteer and Board Member, Cynthia Barkman eloquently stated. “It takes 2 seconds to start a conversation that often leads to a colorful and interesting story about their lives – it’s important to remember that before they reached the stage of their lives where they benefitted from a day center, they led full, independent lives and these are the stories I love to hear. It matters not whether it’s a gentleman who was an accomplished surgeon or a gentleman who spent his working days in the garment district, that couple of hours I spend with them enriches my life in ways difficult to describe and I can only hope that they enjoy it as much as I do.”
The Adult Day Center of Somerset County started visiting Mane Stream in 2018. All of the participants are non-riders, so they spend their time here interacting with our herd and the small team of volunteers who are there to provide assistance. One such volunteer is Julia Greifeld who has true empathy for this group due to her own personal reasons. Julia enjoys seeing everyone happy and relaxed at the barn. “The best is watching them with the horses. Everyone is willing to interact with our angel horses and give the brushing and patting a try. Some of the people in each group are animal people and talking about the horses brings back happy memories of dogs, cats, and even some horses that have been a part of their lives. They seem to love the calmness and serenity of our gentle sweet horses and I think that this little interlude in their day really makes them feel happy and at peace. The weather this spring has been beautiful for their visits and we have had lovely picnics outside which has been fantastic!”
Another volunteer who has stepped in to help when the seniors visit is Leroy Hunninghake. While his main task is to help the Barn Manager with chores, Leroy has a wonderful report with the seniors. Leroy shared, “I am fortunate to be available in the barn to spend some time with the Somerset seniors. Thank you! I'm always amazed how Mane Stream's gentle giants can turn a senior's initial awe/fear into love so quickly! I’m looking forward to their next visit!
So you now understand why WE GIVE THANKS for the seniors that visit Mane Stream!!
