Here at our senior community, there are lots of opportunities to cheer people up and to be cheered up! The subject of Cee’s Week 6 of her On the Hunt for Joy challenge is Cheer Someone Else Up.

My brother-in-law is in a barbershop group and every Valentine’s Day he spends the day doing “singing Valentines” with his quartet. Here they are entertaining my sister and others at our table last Valentine’s Day. (Unfortunately, I cropped most of the people at the table out of this photo!)

This is something my brother-in-law (the short bald guy on the left) loves to do. Not only they get paid by the people who order the singing Valentine, but he loves seeing the expressions of surprise and joy on the faces of the recipients! (I don’t think he charged for serenading his wife, however!) The quartet also sings at homeless shelters and in parks on Veterans’ and Memorial Day. Their barbershop chorus gives two concerts a year, which are always well-attended!

A German “oompah” band entertained the residents here for Oktoberfest with a lively concert of German and Austrian folk music. Here, the leader of the group demonstrates how he plays the Alpine horn.

Sometimes we have speakers or actors putting on a “one-man-show” like this tall Lincoln impersonator. Here he poses with my friend, Marcia, who thoroughly enjoyed his performance!

There’s nothing like a New Year’s Party with friends and a glass of bubbly to cheer people up as they look to the New Year with hopes it will be a good one! This party was held at 11:45 AM (not PM because many older residents go to bed early!) and everyone was invited. We could also invite guests, so here is Dale sitting with two friends of mine enjoying the party. The one on the end in purple loves coming here to visit because she lives on a fixed income. These events are very special for her in particular!
Another event in December was an Irish party with a band playing traditional tunes, and hosted by a couple of residents of Irish descent. It was free for all and a lot of fun!