Karaoke Party at Juniper Village at Chatham

The night of Thursday, March 9th, was a real hoot at Juniper as we turned up the tunes for our first Karaoke Party!  Held as a marketing event for some of our community liaisons, it was really quite fun to see people check their inhibitions at the door and grab the mike for some crooning.  Although this was geared toward a networking event, we can't wait to roll this out as an activity for our residents.  Who doesn't like a sing-a-long?

March 2017 Events in Chatham, NJ: Your Treasure is Within

Theatrical readings, colorful costumed dancers and spectacular vocal performances bring to a close our creative expression quarterly theme with a focus on performance and honoring our inner treasure – our self-worth. With so many demands on our time these days, it’s easy to always put others first and forget to care of ourselves. Also as we get older, retire from work and in some cases caretaking, we may forget our sense of value – our self-worth. A large part of nurturing the spirit of life is providing opportunities for purpose.

This month we will put an even greater focus on identifying our continued purpose and self-worth by performing purposeful activities, reminiscing and creating opportunities to treasure ourselves. Motivational speaker Anne Naylor offers these tips to help you treasure yourself: Treasure your thoughts with kindness – nurture your thoughts of gratitude and appreciation. Treasure your feelings and emotions – observe and use them as your guide. Treasure your body – treat it well with exercise, nourishment, rest, joy and laughter. Treasure your spirit – breathe, meditate and enjoy the goodness in your life. We hope you all enjoy the treasure of your wonderful self.

Please join us as we dramatically embrace performance throughout March with our weekly drama club, outings to live theatrical performances and our Oscar-themed party. Celebrate the Irish culture in grand style with our Saint Patrick’s Day event filled with food, fun and, of course, dancing! Honor yourself and recognize Your Treasure is Within this month at Juniper Village!

Our fabulous March 2017 events in Chatham, NJ at Juniper Village at Chatham include our:

§  The Larks Sing for a lovely afternoon enjoying the chorus as this fabulous group of women sing your favorite standards and popular show tunes with great style and harmony, so don’t miss one of our most popular shows on March 9^th at 11:00 am.

§  You Sing Karaoke to join in the fun and let your inner star emerge as you sing your favorite hits by artists like Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Michael Jackson and more; this is a must try for anyone who loves to sing on March 9^th at 4:00 pm.

§  St. Patrick’s Day Celebration because everyone's a wee bit Irish on St Patrick's Day, so we will mix and match a few of our favorite Irish treats and raise our Guinness to all things Irish; join us for a traditional Irish lunch at 11:30 and stay to hear Paul & Pals entertain us all at 3:30 on March 17^th.

§  Belly Dancing Performance because belly dance is an expressive dance which emphasizes complex movements of the torso, and traditional belly dancing is essentially a spiritual movement, and the costumes are colorful consisting of scarves, coins, and veils, and this ancient art is still very popular today as a form of expression, a link to one’s heritage and as a great form of exercise, so come on and give it a try on March 26^th at 2:30 pm.

We look forward to sharing our March 2017 events in Chatham, NJ at Juniper Village at Chatham with you as Your Treasure is Within.

Love and Sweets for Valentine's Day in Chatham

What a fabulous Valentine’s Day at Juniper Village at Chatham! The mood was set by the beautiful decorations throughout the building. 5^th graders from Layfette School started us off with some handmade Valentine’s cards and elegant melodies as they sang. After, they shared cookies along with good cheer and wishes of love. That evening, Kris Phipany, a Marilyn Monroe impersonator, wowed the crowd with her stunning performance as chocolates and strawberries were served. A wonderful time was had by all!

A Very Happy Lunar New Year at Chatham

Lunar New Year (Chinese New Year) was a joyful celebration here at Juniper Village at Chatham.  The staff dressed for the occasion in Asian-inspired attire, and the dining room was decorated with paper lanterns and festive umbrellas, fans, and confetti.   However, the true credit goes to our food service staff, who made an outstanding menu with spring rolls, mandarin chicken, fried rice, and a delicious beef and shrimp stir-fry.  For fun, each resident was given an article explaining the personality traits that are characteristic of the animal year that they were born.  The year of the rooster begins!!!

February 2017 Events in Chatham, NJ: Awaken Your Passion

This month, our focus on creative expression continues with a focus on art. Art, as with beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. It is understandable that some have great artistic ability and others do not. But, at Juniper we know that everyone has a passion for creative expression, regardless of ability or age. Pablo Picasso once said, “All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” He is speaking about becoming inhibited as adults. With our various art programs we encourage uninhibited creativity as a form of therapy. Creating art affords the opportunity of self-exploration and self-expression leading to both physical and mental benefits. Creating art in any of its various forms, is also about sharing a bit of ourselves with each other. Art is one way to express ourselves, and the creations are honest and true representations of our experiences. In sharing our stories through art with others we invite communication and create lasting bonds.

Art typically encompasses painting, sculpting, and drawing. But, the act of creating art can be as simple as doodling. Art is simply the creation of something outside one’s self that often mirrors what is going on within their mind, soul, and body. We use creative arts as a way to nurture the spirit of life. Join us throughout February as we focus on great varieties of art such as photography, needlework, handicrafts, painting, sculpture and more. Please join us as we share a bit of ourselves with our weekly craft classes, experience art on an outing to an art museum, and embrace our celebratory spirit with Mardi Gras and St. Patrick’s Day parties. We look forward to helping you Awaken Your Passion this month!

Our fabulous February 2017 events in Chatham, NJ at Juniper Village at Chatham include our:

§   Watercolor Series that is once again brought back by popular demand, as Ed Schuh teaches us how to visualize and paint beautiful flower arrangements with all supplies provided at no cost, so don’t miss out on getting in touch with the artist within you every Saturday in February at 10:30 am.

§  Art, Lines & Curves with Gregory Quinn, who is a dynamic and engaging speaker, as he delivers an unforgettable interactive event that is both uplifting and inspiring; he makes people laugh or cry; he makes them think; he galvanizes, energizes... and so much more, so please join us for this wonderful program on February 9^th at 1:30 pm.

§  Brushstrokes as Judith Ebright, an art expert, focuses on some of the greatest artists in the  18^th century, so join her while she paints a story of this colorful period in time on February 10^th at 10:30 am.

§  Valentine’s Day Special because there’s no better sweetheart than Marilyn Monroe to put you in the mood for Valentine’s Day, so come see why Marilyn captivated thousands including movie stars, sports legends and even Presidents with strawberries and chocolates to accompany the performance on February 14^th at 6:30 pm.

We look forward to sharing our February 2017 events in Chatham, NJ at Juniper Village at Chatham with you as you Awaken Your Passion.

A Musical Afternoon at JV-Chatham

There was a special musical performance by the David Aaron Trio here at Juniper on Saturday, and it was a standing room only crowd.  The trio was made up of a clarinet, piano and a drummer, and they played the standards that everyone loves so much.  They also showcased a game much like Name That Tune that was a fun way of jogging our memories, but we're pleased to say that they were not able to stump our residents!!!

Music is in the air at Juniper Village at Chatham!!!

The month of January is all about music here, and it's incredible how music touches so many of us.  Our community is so proud of our music lovers, from the amateur to the professionals.  We have residents who love to listen, were regular choir members, accomplished musicians, self-taught instrumentalists, and those who were at the top of their craft.  One new resident played piano as a youth, played in his high school marching band, but had felt all along he wanted to learn the drums.  Later in life, he had an encounter with a professional jazz musician who took him under his wing.  He eventually became a local player in many small groups in the area.  Another resident is a famous composer and arranger who continues his work from Juniper Village.  As a recording artist and through his collaborations with other artists, he has had 31 GRAMMY nominations (3 times a winner), 3 TONY nominations (winner, 2000 for Kiss Me Kate), 2 drama desk awards, 3 EMMY nominations and 4 CLIO awards.  Of course, no one can mistake our little French lady who bursts into song on all occasions!  Music does make our world go round!