Social-Recreation Sports Banquet
Aug. 2022
One of the most anticipated events for a Lifeworks athlete at the end of the summer is the Social-Recreation Program’s Sports Banquet. About 140 guests including athletes, coaches and volunteers gathered at the Four-Points Sheraton Hotel’s Tiffany Ballroom in Norwood. Lifeworks’ CEO Dan Burke and Autism Support Center Director Brian Clark served as Masters of Ceremony. Participants had a great time socializing with friends, teammates and family members. Guests viewed a slide show of the past season, while dancing to the tunes of a D.J.
After dinner, trophies were handed out for each of the six sports; cornhole, basketball, bowling, bocce, floor hockey and softball. The award categories ranged from Bowler of the Year; Highest Single Score; Highest Average; Sportsmanship; Most-Improved as well as Team Spirit and Dedication. Kevin Murphy, a Lifeworks board member and basketball coach presented fellow Lifeworks board member and volunteer Paul Cummings and his wife Cheryl with the 2022 Ben Keister Award for their support and efforts assisting the basketball and bocce coaches and athletes. Floor Hockey Coach Andrea Boudreau, received the 2022 Recognition of Continuous Support Award for her dedication and commitment to the sports program. Speaking of dedication and commitment, the Sports Banquet would not happen without the leadership and dedication of Courtney Diamond, Associate Director of the Social-Recreation Program. Although Courtney’s presence was missed due to maternity leave, she certainly was there in spirit. We are happy to report Courtney has since given birth to beautiful baby boy named Theo! Another highlight of the evening was the raffle prize drawings. Raffle tickets sales for prizes during the evening raised $923, which go towards program costs (equipment, field rental, travel expenses and staffing).
Lifeworks is also grateful to the many community members that contribute to the success of the Sports Program, such as the Norwood Sports Center, Ryan Family Amusements in Millis, the Town of Norwood, Walpole Italian American Club and our Xaverian Brothers High School. At the end of the evening all athletes received a Lifeworks logo t-shirt. Congratulations to all for a great season! Be sure to visit our website for the latest Social-Recreation Newsletter here: https://lifeworksarc.org. You’ll find registration information for the fall sports season as well as upcoming Hip Hop dances and more.
The Cornhole Tournament Returned to Lifeworks!
Nearly 30 teams of two competed for prizes under sunny skies on Saturday, September 24th at a Cornhole Tournament fundraising event at Mick Morgan’s, Sharon. Boston Cornhole was on hand to run the competition. The event, complete with raffle prizes, was supported by Mick Morgan’s, and Wegmans. Put on hold the last couple of years due to the pandemic, the event was a great success drawing a great crowd of families, Lifeworks staff, and Mick Morgan’s restaurant patrons to cheer on the teams who played until dusk. Proceeds from the event support Lifeworks programming.
Endless Days of Summer Fun
We’ve got a slideshow view into just a few of the wonderful activities residents and day habilitation participants enjoyed over the hot summer of 2022. First, we are shining a spotlight on long time Lifeworks participant Julie Kachele who took time this summer to enjoy a few days in Newport, RI where she stayed at the Newport Harbor Hotel. Her fun-filled mini vacation included a visit to the Green Animals Topiary Garden in Portsmouth, RI touring the animal sculptures and where she enjoyed a picnic lunch. “I really enjoyed it,” said Julie. “I had breakfast at a little café near the water and dinner at an Italian restaurant. We went to two Mansions (Rosecliff Mansion and The Breakers), and I bought a pair of colorful shorts, which I like very much.” Julie was joined on her two-day adventure by Program Manager Morgan Riley who noted that she and Julie filled every minute of her Newport adventure with sightseeing, shopping on Thames Street, dining, and swimming. Julie takes on various Lifeworks projects when not vacationing. She delivers Meals on Wheels two days per week and participates in Leadership from Home online classes. She belongs to a book club and enjoys reading Judy Moody and Harry Potter novels, as well as doing word search games. A day trip to Plymouth included a Captain John Boats Whale Watch excursion which was a big hit with a group of residents from Norwood. To the delight of the watchers, the whales did breach the surface! Participants visited the sights of historical Plymouth such as the Mayflower and Plymouth Rock, and enjoyed lunch on the wharf at Wood’s Seafood. Therapeutic Horseback Riding at the Winsome Riding Academy was one of the numerous social and recreational offerings provided by the Autism Support Center and Family Support. Throughout the summer activities included a summer barbecue event, rock painting, tie dying, a magic show, mini golf, a trip to Canobie Lake Park, Drums Alive, and an Explorers program outing of blueberry picking followed by a luncheon.