November Blog: Thanksgiving Party

• On November 26th I volunteered for the Senior Center's Annual Thanksgiving Lunch. On this day, the Center serves a Thanksgiving lunch to 200 people and provide entertainment. Usually the center only serves about 120 people a day, so this was one of the busiest days of the year.

• I first helped order ticket numbers, which are distributed to seniors at a "first come, first serve" basis. Seniors lined up for these tickets before the center even opened, so these ticket ran out fast. It was difficult for the employees to keep hectic crowd so organized but they managed it well.

• Before lunch, the center had a band playing oldies but goodies hits for the seniors to dance too. It was a woman singing and a man playing the keyboard. They played songs like Achy Breaky Heart, Sway, New York New York, and the Chicken Dance. The seniors had a lot of fun dancing with friends and in couples. 

• Employees later walked around to converse with the seniors and to take pictures of the holiday event. The center also held a raffle for gift baskets. The Mayor of West Covina, Fred Sykes, later came to greet the seniors. Everyone seemed to be having a great time. The atmosphere was great because of the sense of community, the decorations, and nostalgic music. It would be nice for the center to have more events like this during the months less populated by holidays. 

• I later helped to serve lunch which was roasted turkey, stuffing, buttered peas and mushrooms, juice, and a slice of pumpkin pie. At the end of the day, I helped to clean up and began decorating the facility with Christmas decor. The center won't be open again until December 1st so I doodled some "Merry Christmas Charlie Brown" cartoons.

EQ

1. I reviewed the rule of three for writing an EQ.

2. Review the EQs, do they follow the rule of 3?

• A: It is concise but good.
• B: It is not specific enough because there are different types of criminal investigations.
• C:  It is not strong enough to do research on because "liking a certain hairstyle" is an opinion and is different for everyone.
• D: It makes sense and one can take a stand on it.

3. My EQ: What is the most effective way to cater to current seniors successfully at a senior center?

Lesson 1 Reflection

1. Positive Statement: What are you most proud of in your Lesson 1 presentation and why?

• I'm most proud of the interest I  noticed in my audience when I talked about the different generations of seniors and their distinct seniors.

2. Questions to Consider: What assessment would you give yourself on your Lesson 1 Presentation? Explain.

• AE: I felt that I deserved this because I met the requirements and I felt that mine was original because of the way I displayed my information.
• I did my slideshow in the format of a social media profile explaining different aspects of the project such as my Answers, Mentorship, Interests, Learned, Important Issues pertaining to all seniors, and Why My Topic Applies to Everyone.

3. What worked for you in your Lesson 1?

• Personal stories of my experience at the Senior Center seemed to be entertaining to the audience.

4. What would you have done differently to improve your Lesson 1?

•  I would have come up with a better hook. Almost everyone else who presented just asked a question. So if I did a different hook, it would have been more original. I would also incorporate more sources.