We made a Toast to our Future Together! The final C-3 Meeting on March 5 was exciting and satisfying. 63 older adults, artists, MAH staff and advocates joined together to celebrate and complete our work together. Stacey reviewed and renewed our vision of the whole process from last August through next September. Ashley asked for help getting the word out. She will be providing a recipe page of suggestions  about how to to invite friends and families to enjoy the exhibition

Jeff shared an overview of related events coming this Spring and Summer.  Then he asked everyone to join him in a workshop. The focus was to give him advice for the upcoming programs. C3 members enjoyed tasty snacks and a sneak preview of the artwork that they had helped create. This is the artwork that will be on display during the exhibit.  Artists Ry, Cid, Wes, Gina and the Pajaro Valley Quilting Association all shared C3 work. Some seniors dropped off their personal paintings for the exhibition. Everyone got a chance to take an old-school Polaroid photo that will be include in the wall of C3 participants. If you didn’t get to take your picture taken then, please pose for the Polaroid photographer at the C3 members special opening on April 4, from 4-7pm.

After the workshops, munching and milling about the art, we joined in a giant final circle. Four of our guests sang a beautiful ballad in Spanish about.  Then we all raised our Champagne glasses for a toast…but wait…the glasses were all empty. Why? Because that is what the exhibition is about. Noticing the empty glass of another person, and taking the time to fill it with bubbly, sweet connection. So that’s what we did: we filled each other’s glasses with organic, locally bottled sparkling apple cider. Jeff recollected that this day was a lot like a rocket mission launch. Do you remember the Apollo missions? We all celebrated our C3 Mission: to replace isolation in our county. With party poppers in hand we all said the most important words of any lift off: 10…9…8… Well you can see the result in the photos above. Cake was eaten, smiles and hugs were exchanged.

We’ll all come together with our friends and families at the big C3 and MAH members’ opening on April 4 from 4-7pm. Register here if you are going to bring a friend or family member!