A large crowd of clients, families, and community members came together on August 14th at Cornerstone Social Adult Day Center to celebrate the incredible stories captured in 23 unique, beautiful memory books made by Center participants as part of Cornerstone’s and MPAC’s joint Creative Aging arts program.
The Creative Aging program was led by Mayo Performing Arts Center teaching artists Susan Faiola and Dan Fenelon, who worked closely with the participants over 16 sessions to select, place, label, and adorn pictures, artwork, and commentary representative of each individual’s story.
“The results were stunning, simply priceless,” said one family member seeing her mom’s memory book for the first time.
“Art is a powerful tool,” beamed Kadie Dempsey, Director of Community Engagement at Mayo Performing Arts Center who also provided hands-on assistance in the sessions. “Opportunities like this allow for more than creative expression,” she explained. “The conversations that happen, the stories that are told, the laughs that are shared, make barriers and years melt away!”
Cornerstone Family Programs CEO Patrice Picard was thrilled with the project, saying it aligns perfectly with the Social Adult Day Center’s goals: “Building connections, providing support and finding joy are the three main objectives of our program. We deeply appreciate our incredible community partners, MPAC and the National Endowment for the Arts, who enable our clients to experience meaningful self-expression, creativity, and a strengthened sense of belonging and purpose.”
Funding for the Creative Aging program was provided by a grant from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.
About Cornerstone Social Adult Day Center:
Cornerstone Social Adult Day Center is funded in part by the County of Morris and was established to provide a safe, upbeat, and welcoming environment for aging adults who could benefit from social interaction and some assistance weekdays between 8am-6pm. Sliding fee scales, attendance flexibility, exceptional staff and door-to-door transportation make the program a hit for clients and caregivers alike. The Center is managed by Cornerstone Family Programs & Morristown Neighborhood House, a nonprofit organization with a mission of strengthening communities by helping people build better lives. The 200-plus year organization educates children and youth, empowers teens, and provides families, the aging and their caregivers with specialized support. For more information on the Cornerstone Social Adult Day Center, contact the Center directly at 973-326-7288.
About MPAC
Mayo Performing Arts Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, presents a wide range of programs that entertain, enrich, and educate the diverse population of the region and enhance the economic vitality of Northern New Jersey. The 2023-2024 season is made possible in part, by a grant the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts as well as support received from the F.M. Kirby Foundation, the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation and numerous corporations, foundations and individuals. Mayo Performing Arts Center was named 2016 Outstanding Historic Theatre by the League of Historic American Theatres, and is ranked in the top 50 mid-sized performing arts centers by Pollstar Magazine.
Article courtesy of Cornerstone Family Programs.