In this week’s class meeting, we discussed the progress of our NAP projects and preparations for the dances at Casa de Manana and Mary West centers. We had two different themes for the dances: A Night on the Red Carpet for Casa de Manana, and St. Patrick’s Day for Mary West.
For the NAP project, our group had visited Golden Hill on a Sunday morning and observed the landscape of the neighborhood adjacent to Balboa park. We noticed that Golden Hill had wide sidewalks with street trees, making parts of the county highly walkable (the steep hills appeared unfriendly for pedestrians). We also noted that many grocery stores in the neighborhood were small businesses rather than big corporations. We visited Golden Hill again on a Saturday morning a week after our first visit. This time, we intended to visit a senior center rather than wandering the streets. Online information about Golden Hill recreation center pointed us to the Golden Hill Recreation Center that offered various programs for youth and adults, but there was not a senior center. The recreation center looked like an elementary school with colorful walls and designs, suggesting that the center targeted children and teens more than adults and seniors. We did not have a chance to talk with the residents as we did not see many people out on Sunday and Saturday mornings.
On Friday night, we put on an Oscar-inspired Night on the Red Carpet dance at Casa de Manana. The two-person Hot Pursuit live band heated up the cold night with music from classic movies. Some Casa de Manana residents showed off their moves on the dance floor while others enjoyed watching the performances. The ensuing raffle was exciting as the seniors liked the prizes, but it was a little frustrating for seniors who did not win the raffle. The residents loved the photobooth and the small Polaroid photos that they could take home. The event was lovely, and I look forward to attending the St. Patrick’s dance at Mary West Center on March 10th!
For the NAP project, our group had visited Golden Hill on a Sunday morning and observed the landscape of the neighborhood adjacent to Balboa park. We noticed that Golden Hill had wide sidewalks with street trees, making parts of the county highly walkable (the steep hills appeared unfriendly for pedestrians). We also noted that many grocery stores in the neighborhood were small businesses rather than big corporations. We visited Golden Hill again on a Saturday morning a week after our first visit. This time, we intended to visit a senior center rather than wandering the streets. Online information about Golden Hill recreation center pointed us to the Golden Hill Recreation Center that offered various programs for youth and adults, but there was not a senior center. The recreation center looked like an elementary school with colorful walls and designs, suggesting that the center targeted children and teens more than adults and seniors. We did not have a chance to talk with the residents as we did not see many people out on Sunday and Saturday mornings.
On Friday night, we put on an Oscar-inspired Night on the Red Carpet dance at Casa de Manana. The two-person Hot Pursuit live band heated up the cold night with music from classic movies. Some Casa de Manana residents showed off their moves on the dance floor while others enjoyed watching the performances. The ensuing raffle was exciting as the seniors liked the prizes, but it was a little frustrating for seniors who did not win the raffle. The residents loved the photobooth and the small Polaroid photos that they could take home. The event was lovely, and I look forward to attending the St. Patrick’s dance at Mary West Center on March 10th!