August 2010

Around Town

“Cool” Summer Breeze Brings
Swing Music to The Wartburg

It was one ‘cool’ Summer Breeze that wafted across The Wartburg Adult Care Community’s meadow on Thursday, July 15. To enjoy the free matinee swing performance of Felix & The Cats, Wartburg residents and members of “Club Wartburg” adult day program were out in full force, joined by seniors from Mt. Vernon community centers and other Westchester county big band lovers.

The concert kicked off with a blessing by Pastor Carol Fryer, Chaplain for The Wartburg followed by the singing of the “Star Spangled Banner” by Meadowview Assisted Living’s staff chorus. Residents in wheelchairs were transported by a large team of staff and Wartburg summer volunteers, including the “Blue Crew” from Mt. Vernon’s Best Buy store.

Some were joined by family and friends who wanted to share the fun.
When Felix & The Cats began to play their selections of hits by Fletcher Henderson, Benny Goodman and other popular bands, there were some audience members who could not keep themselves from dancing. Mary Bisaccia, a former dance instructor from Yonkers, often dances at assisted living, nursing homes and other healthcare settings, to entertain residents. “I follow the bands and love to move and perform,” she said.

“I am thankful that each morning I wake up and my body wants to dance and still can.”

The audience joined in the a chorus of “Hi De Hi De Hi De Hi” when the band played former Greenburgh resident Cab Calloway’s famously funny “Minnie the Moocher.”

Under the tent and The Wartburg rotunda, the audience enjoyed cool water to stay hydrated in the afternoon heat and ate ice cream sandwiches. The concert was so enjoyed, that at its end, one resident asked a staff member to move her wheelchair over to the bandstand so she could thank the performers.

This annual Summer Breeze event is part of the Mt. Vernon Department of Recreation’s summer concert series. The Wartburg afternoon concert was made possible this year with support from the City of Mt. Vernon and the A’vitar Foundation, the Hudson Valley Bank Foundation and Empress Ambulance.

The Wartburg Adult Care Community is a not-for-profit Lutheran ministry, serving people of all faiths with a full range of residential options and health-related services for older area adults and their families. The Wartburg offers skilled nursing care, rehabilitation, Alzheimer’s and dementia care, assisted and independent living, adult day services, home care, memory care, pastoral care and monthly caregiver support groups.

For more information about The Wartburg Adult Care Community, call (914) 699-0800, email info@thewartburg.org or visit www.thewartburg.org.

 

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