By Colleen Caudill, Ayers Activity Assistant, Volunteer Coordinator
On Friday, October 4th, Ayers hosted their second annual Field Day event! Last year residents enjoyed games, snacks, and watching the partners do a wheelchair race. This year Ayers’ staff banded together to make it even better! Games included Fishing in the flowerbed with a hook and pool noodle fishes, Shoot a Partner; where one of Ayers maintenance dodged nerf gun bullets shot by residents, Balloon Volleyball; where residents held swatters and hit a balloon to other residents, Treasure Hunt; where residents dug through a pail of corn to find little treasured rubber duckies, Ring Toss; where residents tossed rings around pictures of various staff members, and an Egg Race; where residents held an easter egg on a spoon while partners helped them race against another resident in the garden.
Partners pre-ordered special made T-shirts for the event and also got to sign up for a wheelchair race, teams of two competing against one another for the glorious prize of a first and second place certificate and of course, bragging rights. The residents watched with interest to see who would be victorious in the relay, and were given snacks and a drink to cool off. Every resident was also given a field day medal that they can wear around their neck to show that they participated! After the relay race, the residents were moved to the other side of the lawn to watch a new addition to the event, a Dunk-A-Partner fundraiser! This was Ayers fundraiser to donate to the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Days before field day, partners voted on one another to be dunked in a dunk tank with a dollar per vote. The top three partners would be dunked in a dunk tank during field day! The competition heated up the last day and $426 was raised in total for such an amazing cause! The Administrator Shelby Jackson, Social Services Director Jordan Pickern, and Wound Care Nurse Carrie Lundy all were dunked in the tank!
The weather was perfect and the residents had a great time. We can’t wait to plan for the next Field Day!