The Maya Summer Celebration went really well this year! We had more neighbours join us than last year, which made us very happy. One of the most special things was seeing people of different ages come together, from one of the oldest seniors in our complex to a newborn baby who was only two days old. It was a good reminder that our community includes people at many different stages of life, and we all have something to share with one another.
This year, we continued our music trivia game and friendship bracelet station, which were popular last year. We also added keychain-making as another option. These activities gave neighbours a chance to have fun, be creative, and connect with people they may not usually spend time with. We also organized a human slot machine game, with some of our teenagers volunteering to be the hosts. It was great to see the younger generation step up and help make the event fun for everyone.
We faced a few challenges while planning. The day before the event, we realized that some of our senior neighbours had not received our emails. Thankfully, one of our planning group members went around to their units to invite them in person. This reminded us that not everyone receives or checks emails, and personal invitations are important when trying to reach everyone in our community.
Some of our planning group members also had family emergencies and could not carry out the activities they had planned. We had to make changes at the last minute and decided to organize the human slot machine game instead. Since games were a big hit with both younger and older neighbours last year, we knew this would be a fun way to bring people together. We learned that being flexible and working together can help us overcome unexpected challenges.
The grant also helped us provide food and activities while keeping the event welcoming for everyone, including neighbours who may not be able to contribute food because of financial reasons.
Overall, the Maya Summer Celebration was a wonderful opportunity for neighbours to reconnect and meet people they may not have known well. We are happy to see more people joining us and hope to continue building a stronger, more connected, and welcoming community at Maya Housing.
