July Journies

What an incredibly busy and action-packed month for me! I’ve absolutely loved getting out into the community, exploring new places, and spending quality time with my friends.

One of the major highlights was taking a day trip to Wilrose. It was so much fun to hang out with friends at another centre and see what they've been up to! I also had a wonderful time exploring the Historic Village, which is always such a neat place to wander around, and heading to the Greerton Library to look through some awesome books about planes.

Giving back to the community is always important to me, and I was proud to help out by volunteering at the Welcome Bay Community Centre during their "free clothes day." I also spent some productive time at the Merrivale Community Gardens, doing some weeding and enjoying some lovely, warm sunshine.

We’ve also been working hard on our green spaces. We even visited a staff house to dig up some plants, which we brought back to add to our very own gardens at Arohanui! On the quieter days inside, I've loved relaxing and challenging people to a game of Connect 4.

To keep active, I headed to Yatton Park for a great walk and some exercise in the fresh air. But best of all, I got to indulge my absolute favorite hobby, taking photos! We visited a beautiful reserve for a special photo shoot, and I had the best time getting behind the camera and capturing some incredible shots.

It’s been a fantastic month filled with so much variety, and I can't wait to see what next month has in store!

June Updates

 It has been an incredibly fun and busy month here at Arohanui, filled with anticipation and creative energy as we geared up for our highly anticipated Masquerade Ball. The weeks leading up to the big event were a complete whirlwind of preparation, and I absolutely loved getting hands-on with all the details. We crafted unique masks, baked batches of special cupcakes, and I especially loved seeing the stringing up of the sparkling fairy lights to ensure the venue looked absolutely magical. When the big day finally arrived, the entire atmosphere was buzzing with excitement, and it was so rewarding to see all of the hard work truly pay off.

The ball itself was a spectacular, unforgettable celebration where everyone dressed to impress. The women looked absolutely stunning in their pretty ball gowns, and the men looked exceptionally sharp in their suits and ties. We were lucky to have a brilliant DJ named Mark, who brought fantastic energy and kept the dance floor alive. One of the absolute highlights of the day was the thrilling arrival of two mystery guests; we all had a wonderful time trying to guess their identities before they finally revealed themselves as Cassie and Maree, our lovely former staff members! It was such a heartwarming surprise to see them. We celebrated the reunion and danced the day away, treating ourselves to delicious blue mocktails, tasty savouries, and a special cupcake.

In between the epic chaos of the ball, I have stayed wonderfully busy with plenty of other rewarding activities. I have proudly continued my volunteering at the Welcome Bay Community Centre, where I love helping to sort through the clothing donations and catching up with visitors to tell them all about planes. Back at our center, I've also been putting our brand-new, free-standing basketball hoop to good use! It makes for a fantastic game, and I was so into the zone that I happily played for a whole hour straight, practicing my shots and staying active.

I’ve also kept busy with my usual fun weekly sessions, which always bring a lot of joy to my days. Lately, I’ve been focusing my creative energy on my ongoing mosaics project, and I’ve also had a wonderful time exploring the magical story of Charlotte's Web alongside Amy. To top it all off, I went on a special little mission for our Hunter Gatherer group, embarking on a fun adventure to source a new cordless hot glue gun for the center. It was a highly successful outing, capping off a truly amazing month full of learning, volunteering, and making wonderful memories with friends.

Photos to follow

Mays Adentures

 What a fantastic and busy month it has been! I have absolutely loved being able to get out and do so much, keeping on the move and making the most of every single day.

One of my absolute favorite outings was a trip to the Decor Garden Centre, where I got to meet a very cute parrot. Being the self-appointed "Chief of Things That Fly," it definitely caught my eye! I also headed out to a beautiful park for some hunting and gathering, and I am almost certain I spotted an owl hiding in the trees.

Out in the community, I’ve been continuing my volunteer work at the Welcome Bay Community Centre. It gets pretty busy there, which I love because it gives me a great chance to chat and connect with different people. I’ve also been out sailing this month. There is nothing quite like getting into those little sailboats and heading out onto the water, it feels amazing to have the sun on my shoulders and the wind on my face.

Back at the centre, I’ve been keeping just as busy making and doing all sorts of creative projects. There has been plenty of plane making, including painting planes with loads of fun blue bubbles! We’ve also been car washing and building racetracks. One of my proudest projects has been in mosaics, where I've been carefully crafting Kiwiana jandals for our gardens. The jandals are actually shaped from my very own feet! I sanded the wood and picked out the tiles all by myself. I really love working with my hands and helping to create cool features for our outdoor spaces.

Speaking of the gardens, I’ve also been doing a bit of important "supervision" out there, keeping a close eye on the progress and, of course, keeping a lookout for any cool birds. It’s busy work, but a whole lot of fun! To top it all off, I’ve really enjoyed doing more work on my special photo album dedicated to things that fly. It’s been so rewarding working toward that goal.

I've had a wonderful month and I can’t wait to see what fun adventures next month brings!

Photos to follow

-N.O.

Owl in a tree

 Today at hunting and gathering we may of seen an owl in a tree.

AN 

WBCC

Working hard at the Welcome Bay Community Centre.

-N.O.

 

Sensory

working at the car wash and plane wash was so fun, wishy-washy.TA
 

Mosaics

 so much fun creating my jandles wall piece, with all the tiles.TA