When fall is here, we can expect shorter days and weather that causes us to spend more time indoors. Many people are looking for a better way to spend their time than simply watching TV.This is the perfect time of year to start a new tradition.
To meet the needs of your residents and to promote a greater sense of community, consider starting a Residents' Craft Night. Use your newsletter to advertise the start of your weekly or monthly event. Try starting with one evening a month. If it proves to be popular, you may find your residents requesting a weekly get together. Your best turnout will probably be on a weekday evening, say from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. However, you might also poll your residents to see if they would be interested in a weekend afternoon meeting time.
Provide the meeting space and some refreshments. You can recruit some of your residents to volunteer teaching the craft or directing the activity. Many creative people love to share their knowledge and enthusiasm with others. Anything from wreath making to knitting to T-shirt painting would work. It is important to remember that it should be simple enough for anyone to do. It is also a nice touch to make the craft appropriate to the season. For example, plan on making an Autumn wreath for Thanksgiving, or ornaments for December. If your community is full of families, try offering a monthly kids' craft event. Parents will appreciate the activities for their children and it offers a great way for kids to connect and make friends in their own neighborhood.
An easy way to get this started is to take advantage of the current craze of scrapbooking. Often you can find a local scrapbook supply store owner willing to come to your community to direct this activity in return for the free advertising she will receive. Encourage your residents to bring their photos and a set amount of money to purchase some supplies. They will be excited to take home a completed project.
Once you’ve gotten your residents interested, it will be easy to find others to share their crafting know-how with others. Your residents will appreciate the new friendships they make and will enjoy the opportunity to make inexpensive holiday gifts for their friends and family. Make sure you include reminders in your community newsletter every month, with the date, time, and description of the activity.