We’d like to take our hat off to the Day-Break Club of The Villages, a very special group of volunteers who make a huge difference in others’ lives.
In case you aren’t familiar with this group, they provide a supervised environment where caregivers can drop off family members with special needs for a few hours each week. Day-Break volunteers provide plenty of supervision and are coordinated by the organization’s trained Leadership Team.
One of the many great things about the Day-Break Club is that it is constantly providing interesting events and opportunities for those using its services. It doesn’t take long to see that fun is the name of the game for this group. And the help they provide to caregivers in giving them a short break each week is beyond fantastic.
If you’re wondering what kinds of things the Day-Break Club does, we’ll start with a recent gathering – the group’s fifth annual Senior Prom. It’s an event members look forward to each and every year. And its one where dancing and hanging out together in a fun environment are the name of the game.
This year, Virginia Ferreri, of the Village of Buttonwood, and Bill Koehler, of the Village of Duval, were crowned queen and king. The event was held Tuesday, May 28 at the Odell Recreation Center.
Needless to say, crowning a prom queen and king every year is a rich tradition for the Day-Break Club. It’s a celebration that first started in May 2014 at the Odell Recreation Center with the naming of Melinda Johnson and Michael Elfrank as the group’s first-ever prom queen and king. And it’s one that’s continued every year since and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
A recent birthday also proved to be a big deal for the Day-Break Club. In fact, in August, members came together to celebrate Poe Corsey’s 99th birthday. She was presented a cake and flowers by club Vice President Sandra Ricciardi and volunteer Joyce Simms.
In August 2017, the group had a blast together when they attended canine weddings put on by the Dynamic Dog Club. It was an affair that saw Lollie the Pekingese finally say “yes” to Mickey Mouse the Yorkie. And Chloe the golden retriever and Murray the labradoodle, friends for quite some time, also tied the knot.
The club’s members had a great time at the event. And they even threw petals for the newlyweds as they walked down the aisle.
In May 2017, the group celebrated the Kentucky Derby with their own horse racing game. The winners were Audriene Ockington, of the Village of Glenbrook, and Kathleen Badaick, of the Village of Pennecamp. And volunteer Cheryl Roles, of the Village of Sanibel, presented the ribbons.
In past years, Day-Break members also have enjoyed watching therapy dogs compete in their own Olympics. They’ve participated in a walk to support the Alzheimer’s Family Organization at The Villages Polo Fields. And this past April they were honored as the VHA’s Volunteer Organization of the Year – a well-deserved and prestigious honor.
As we said before, we salute every volunteer who makes the Day-Break Club a reality. Caregivers who watch over those with dementia, disabilities and severe physical challenges are true angels in our eyes, but like everyone, they need an occasional break.
The Day-Break Club provides that much-needed respite and caregivers know their loved ones will be safe and have a great time while they’re doing activities together with the club. We think that’s pretty special and we want those wonderful volunteers to know their work isn’t going unnoticed and is much appreciated.
Those wishing to learn more about the Day-Break Club can visit its website at http://www.day-break-club.com. The website contains a brochure and a membership packet that can be filled out and returned at any meeting.
Members must be a resident of The Villages. For more information, call Ron Lessard at (603) 438-9460 or email him at Ronald.lessard@comcast.net.
