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Upcoming Events
Join us Friday, October 12th for our 4th Annual Oktoberfest featuring German cuisine, Oktoberfest beer sharing, and polka music by Madison's own The Big Squeezey! Click here for more information on upcoming events including the next Happy Hope Yoga class on October 6th!
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Volunteer Spotlight
Thursday, September 13th brought us a fun filled morning The Clogging Grannies! These ladies' ages range from 66 to 85 and they tear it up! We were blown away - and continue to be blown away - by our talented volunteers and family of friends. Read the full story below!
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Our family of friends keeps surprising us with amazing fun and talent! Michelle has been a faithful volunteer since her mom was one of the very first residents at Hope & A Future. She comes from a large family, consisting of many gifted and wonderful people. Michelle comes to spend time with the residents and staff once a week and she always brings something fun for us to do. Whether its a craft project, a game, an outing, or a swim, we always have a wonderful time with Michelle. Her aunt Bev happens to be one of the fabulous Clogging Grannies, and on a glorious Thursday in September, Michelle arranged for them to come and clog for us in our own dining room! They were an absolute blast and - if we play our cards right - might make a special appearance at our Christmas party this year! Stay tuned!
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T.I.I.N. Talk
Therapeutic, Interactive,
Intergenerational Neighborhood
Hope & A Future's pioneer women, Karin Krause & Paula Reif, reflect on the beginning stages of our intergenerational neighborhood in Part Three of our blog series, "The History of Hope & A Future". Click Here to read this month's entry!
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Resident Update
Before/After Brad's
30 pound weight loss!
What a transformation! By the end of October, Brad will have been living at Hope & A Future for two years. During that time, he has lost 30 pounds by making sometimes difficult, but beneficial changes. Read Brad's secrets below!
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Brad has always lived a very active and social lifestyle. He's been a swimmer in the Special Olympics and a faithful member of his Doin' R Thing bocce ball team and bowling league for many years. He was an integral part of last year's fundraiser to get a heater and pool vac for Hope & A Future's pool. Thanks to your faithful support and generosity, the fundraising goal was achieved and the pool has been more popular than ever in 2018! Brad swam laps on every possible afternoon throughout the summer in addition to making gradual changes to his diet. These changes did not come without protest, but as Brad started feeling better and stronger for his activities, he started taking pride in the differences in his diet. He has noticed less joint pain and a higher energy level since making intentional lifestyle changes. Part of Brad's shift in energy is due to the help of his CPAP machine, which helps with his sleep apnea. He has switched from regular Pepsi to diet, caffeine free Pepsi - gradually cutting down until his current routine of having one a day after lunch with his chocolate chip cookie. He calls this, "the usual" - "chocolate chip cookie and a diet P." Another of Brad's "usuals" is his scrambled eggs with mustard and black pepper every morning. He has started collecting eggs straight from the chickens and often scrambling them himself in the mornings. He has a special Tupperware, designated and labeled as the "egg getting bucket". Walking to the chicken coop to check for eggs multiple times a day has added steps, sunshine, and fresh air to Brad's daily routine.
Brad is quite the popular guy, and often likes to catch up with friends and family by going out to lunch. These outings used to make it easy for Brad to "cheat". This issue was resolved when Brad started a new routine of cutting his burger in half and putting half of his fries into a to-go box, which he takes home and eats for dinner. He has also cut his M&M portions in half when he goes to the movie theater. Learning portion control has made Brad happier, healthier, and very proud of his accomplishments. The giant cheeseburger in his "after" photo above is proof that you can still have the things you love and want, as long as you learn what your body needs and adjust portions accordingly. His success has been and continues to be an inspiration to many.
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