"That brought back so many memories, both sad and happy. I'm going to be thinking about this the whole afternoon. Thank you so much for coming. It was the best program we've ever had here."
"This reminded me so well of the good old days. Why, I hadn't heard Vaughn Monroe or the Andrews Sisters for I can't remember when. Thank you. This was really grand."
These are the kinds of things we hear at every presentation of "When Swing Was King," Vital Signs Ministries' entertainment and friendship program geared to senior citizens in assisted living facilities and nursing homes. And the enthusiasm of yesterday's audience at Walnut Grove Retirement Community was no different. Indeed, the residents expressed their appreciation of the program so strongly that the Activities Director signed us up for a monthly gig right there and then!
Aha, "When Swing Was King" scores again!
Actually, what happened yesterday has frequently happened. After all, when an Activities Director has a chance to land a quality presentation, one that stimulates people in so many ways (eyes, ears, memories, social relationships and uplifted spirits) -- and you get it completely free of charge, why wouldn't you take immediate advantage?
We're taking the program to another new facility this afternoon. Well, I should say that it's one that we've never been to with "When Swing Was King" anyhow, but we have been there several times to conduct worship services way back in the 1980s. Might this be another case where we're asked to come back on a regular basis or have Claire and I reached a saturation point?
We are currently up to about 8 places where we take "When Swing Was King" every month with several other facilities bringing us in every other month, every quarter, or for special occasions. That means about 12-15 presentations every month. Yipes! There are only so many spaces in the calendar and, as you know, Vital Signs Ministries does have quite a lot of other responsibilities also. So...we'll see what we can work out.
(Remember we only started "When Swing Was King" last year and designed it for only one nursing home -- the one where my Mom was living. Man, has this thing taken off!)
And you? You keep praying for us. Ask the Lord to give us favor with these seniors and with the staff members of the facilities. Ask Him to open up ongoing friendships. Ask Him to sustain our health and energy, to provide finances for Vital Signs so that we can continue the pace, to give us the best technical equipment and procedures, and to move the staff members at the various facilities to give their best efforts to keep "When Swing Was King" a rousing success.
For more details on "When Swing Was King," see this.
