In this program, participants explore their emotions and how to communicate through the lens of theatre. They play improv games, read scenes from plays, and study famous theatrical works. Through this program, participants can expect to improve social skills, emotional intelligence, improvisation or thinking on their feet, creative thinking, and being a team player – all while acting out in a good way.

AMASE Choir is run by graduate music education students at Northwestern University and takes place on the university campus. (AMASE stands for Academy of Music and Arts for Special Education) The participants and volunteers from Northwestern experience what it’s like to be in a choir, as they practice and perform in a group, sing solos and duets, and prepare for a public concert to showcase what they have learned. They also build social connections with peers in college.

Participants become animators as they learn how to sketch images from popular movies, shows and cartoons. Following a step-by-step process, the participants draw characters, food, animals, and more. The final sketches are shared with the group at the end of each program. Participants can expect to express their creativity, learn to follow step by step instructions and give positive feedback to peers unprompted.

Armchair Travel is a multi-sensory, educational program designed to simulate international travel from the comfort of Our Place. Participants visit some of the world's best museums, wildlife parks, and tourist attractions, and explore the culture, customs and foods of the places they visit. As with any trip, they will send postcards, keep a travel journal and share their experiences with friends. Participants can expect to improve their understanding of the world, expand their expressive abilities through writing and speaking and learn to incorporate what they’ve seen into their daily lives. As they sample foods from around the world, they may also broaden their tastes and learn to try new foods.

Research shows that artmaking can benefit mental health. In this program, participants explore and discuss various aspects of mental wellness while doing thoughtful art projects. Participants can expect to experiment with painting, illustration, art journaling, and various other art techniques while they find ways to reduce stress and build inner strength.

Participants learn the fundamental skills of basketball and experience the joy of competitive sports and teamwork. Basketball takes place at a local park district gym where participants begin with a warm-up followed by drills focused on learning how to pass, shoot and score. They wrap up by dividing into teams for a game. Participants can expect to get a good workout while learning how to focus, follow directions from a coach and be a member of a team.

Participants spend the afternoon at the world class Gillson Beach in Wilmette. They will pack lunches at Our Place for a picnic at the beach and then join in activities of their choice including swimming, walking, getting buried in the sand, building sand castles and enjoying water, sand and fun. Sunscreen provided and regularly re-applied. Bring swimsuits, towels and sand shoes. Participants can expect to enjoy one of the signature North Shore experiences on beautiful Lake Michigan. Summer only.

This program offers participants hands-on explorations in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Projects include building with Legos, constructing paper airplanes, experimenting with food science, making slime, gardening, studying weather, and collecting items from nature. Participants also track and count various types of birds seen in the winter landscape at Our Place, both in the garden and from the room overlooking our garden and bird sanctuary. Participants can expect to learn about STEM and local birds while sharing experiences with friends.

Book Club is a literacy program that fosters enjoyment and appreciation for literature. The participants listen to and discuss novels, short stories and poems that they select as a group. Participants can expect to expand their reading experiences, explore theme, characters, and plot and become adept at expressing their views and listening to others.

Bowling takes place at a local club where participants focus on developing the fundamental skills of bowling, setting goals, and cheering on friends. Participants can expect to improve not only their bowling skills, but also turn-taking, teamwork, and social interactions.

This is a vocational and service program at Three Crowns Park in northwest Evanston. Participants engage with residents in many ways while learning vocational skills tied to working in the service sector. Participants and volunteers take residents for walks inside and in the neighborhood, lead chair exercises, play word games, and read to the residents. Participants can expect to build friendships with residents while learning vocational skills and making a contribution to our community through service.

Community Lunch is mostly about having fun with friends while eating out at local restaurants every week. Participants negotiate with friends on which restaurant to choose, aiming for variety. After choosing a restaurant, they plan their order, fill out a budget form, and make sure they have enough money to pay for their selections. They place their orders at the restaurant, pay, and keep receipts so they can track their expenses. Participants can expect to strengthen friendships, practice independent planning and ordering, learn how to navigate in a restaurant and mostly have good conversations. After lunch they take a long walk – outside if the weather is nice and at the fitness center track if it’s cold or rainy.

In this five hour program, participants explore destinations throughout the whole Chicagoland area, focused on outdoor activities and summer events. Venues include Millennium Park, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago Botanic Garden, Morton Arboretum and The Grove. Participants can expect to experience the joys of summer, explore our broader community and just have fun with friends. Seasonal.

Participants select recipes and get hands-on training in preparing, cooking, presenting and serving everyday foods for their friends at Our Place. They prepare healthy lunches that are served to all participants and staff at Our Place that day. Participants can expect to learn how to prepare simple meals that they can make at home, share those meals with friends, clean up after cooking and eating and expand their appreciation for healthy foods.

Participants will expand the ways they express their creativity through digital cameras, graphic design, digital drawing with Google drawing, and photocopiers. They will explore new subject matter, multi-media presentations, and ways to display and illustrate their creative writing. We will also create “zines” which are self-published unique works of specialized interest, usually reproduced via photocopier. Participants can expect to find new ways to express their ideas through art, writing, drawing, photography and printing.

Each week, participants make predictions about professional and college sports games and create a sheet of their choices that the group can reference later. The group also watches exciting highlights of the week's games and documentaries about historic sports teams or events. This program allows participants to spend an afternoon together discussing players, teams, news, and everything in between. The discussions about sports also encourage participants to think about other important factors in sports that they can implement in their own lives, such as teamwork, a strong work ethic, and staying healthy in mind and body.

This program combines music, rhythm, and movement for a good workout while having fun. Participants can expect to get a good workout while improving coordination and endurance and expanding their love of music.

Participants build cardio endurance, strength, and flexibility while participating in circuit training at the Wilmette Fitness Center. Participants can expect to improve their physical endurance, technical exercise skills, goal setting, teamwork, and communication skills.

For participants who like to party early we’re offering a social in the morning. The program includes preparation of healthy snacks, dancing to work up an appetite, a break for conversation and snacking and Karaoke or interactive games to wrap up. We will set a theme for every week, including Country Western, Derby Day, Earth Day and Cinco de Mayo. Participants can expect to raise their heart rates while dancing, learn how to prepare healthy snacks, relax with good food and conversation and get a jump on weekend fun.

Friday afternoon is the perfect time to kick back and relax with games and friends. We feature board games, corn hole, bocce, Karaoke and friendly competition. Participants can expect to improve their ability to think strategically, solve problems creatively as a team, work on pattern recognition, and build simple math skills, as they engage socially. They also are urged by peers to follow rules, take turns, and win or lose gracefully. They can then join in these activities with their families and at community game nights.

This program offers participants an opportunity to explore nature from our own garden. We will plan the summer garden, choosing the herbs, vegetables and flowers we will plant. We’ll choose plants for the recipes we cook in our culinary and healthy snack programs and to attract birds, beneficial insects and butterflies. In early May we will prepare the garden beds and plant seeds and seedlings which we started indoors under a grow light. Participants will continue to build their birdwatching skills by tracking and counting the types of birds that come to our garden during different seasons. We’ll keep records so we can compare year to year and see if we are attracting more birds and a wider variety of birds. Participants can expect to learn about the plants and birds that thrive in our area as they develop record- keeping and garden maintenance skills.

Participants learn the fundamentals of golf while enjoying a beautiful afternoon at the Wilmette Golf Club. The Club trainer and volunteers teach the rules, techniques, and etiquette of golf, using the driving range and putting green. Equipment provided. Participants can expect to become proficient in the basic techniques and etiquette of golf while enjoying a day on the course. Seasonal.

HeARTwords is a creative expression program that encourages participants to improve their thinking and communication skills. Thought-provoking prompts challenge participants to develop and support their ideas using writing as a tool for expression. Even participants who cannot read or write can join in with support from coaches. Within the safety of the small group setting, participants share and discuss their writing. Participants can expect to improve their abstract thinking abilities, communications skills and confidence in sharing their writing.

An elf escapes through a cave? Imagine That! A bus turns into a rocket ship? Imagine That! A princess rides a motorcycle? Imagine That! You can imagine all this and more in Imagine That! Get your inspiration from a picture and work together with friends to create a one-of-a-kind story. Then, bring it to life as you act it out! Just bring your creativity and a positive attitude and you can begin to Imagine That! Participants can expect to expand their abstract thinking skills, ability to collaborate and self-confidence in performing for others.

Participants experience engagement and choice as they build social skills in these online programs. The program opens with socializing as friends join online. The group chooses which game they want to start with, including The A-Z game, Jeopardy or a YouTube trivia. They also choose the theme of the games. There is usually enough time to play another game, so the group chooses from the remaining options. We end with all hands in 1-2-3 Our Place! Participants can expect to have an enriching hour of socializing as they practice making group decisions, following directions, waiting their turn and being team players.

Participants move to their favorite songs as they share their love of dancing. Everyone gets to choose their favorite songs and then the group dances to the beat for a fun and effective workout. Participants can expect to improve their endurance, coordination, team spirit and love of new types of music.

Kitchen Kinetics focuses on healthy living through nutritious food choices and exercise. Each week the participants hone their skills in the kitchen cooking healthy foods, practicing food safety and cleaning up. They then discuss the value of exercise and get fit with a workout routine. Participants can expect to improve their understanding of healthy food choices, experience how good healthy foods can taste, and learn to appreciate a good workout.

A hands-on training in how to use all the services offered by our public libraries. The program is onsite at the Winnetka Public Library with library staff providing instruction and support. Participants will become proficient in accessing the services of public libraries and will end the session with their own library card to their local library. They will be comfortable and confident users of library services and know how to use a wide range of online and in-person programs. They will be able to practice using online services through the Wi-Fi at Our Place.

Participants gather in the main room for a healthy lunch provided by Our Place. They chat with friends, staff and volunteers before heading off to their early afternoon activity. Participants can expect to share a good meal around conversation.

This program is all about variety and choices. Each week participants work with a different staff member to create the program for that day. They choose from a list of activities, including those that are active, creative, expressive or based on life skills. Participants are encouraged to choose some from each list over the session to gain a well-rounded experience. Participants can expect to try new things, learn to make decisions as a group, and have fun.

Music and Movement is a program that allows participants to explore the world of musical theater and dance. Each week participants focus on one musical, movie, or show as they use dancing and acting to choreograph dance routines for the chosen musical numbers. Participants can expect to build confidence and creativity through expressive dance and acting as well as teamwork and performance skills.

Participants listen to a wide variety of the work of famous musicians past and present and learn about each artist’s contributions to the world of music. They then discuss the impact of the music on themselves as individuals and on the world.

OP Dance Crew explores a variety of dance styles, including partner dances, line dances, and international dances. Dancers also practice creating unique choreography for their favorite songs. There are three rules in OP Dance Crew: try your best, be creative, and have fun. Participants can expect to get a fun workout while improving endurance, balance, rhythm and coordination. And they’ll be ready for a cruise, wedding or any celebration that includes dancing.

Our Place Press is a writing program focused on creating a monthly newsletter that is shared with our whole community. Participants write articles, poems, movie and restaurant reviews, and human interest stories based on their experiences. Readers hear participants speak in their own voice and get a window into their world. Participants can expect to improve their writing skills, expand their areas of interest and explore new ideas as they come up with stories to report.

In this five hour program, offered only in the summer, participants explore the trails at local forest preserves, nature centers and botanic gardens and learn about the unique and ever-changing wonders of the world around us. We kayak, paddle boat and walk in this physically active program. Participants can expect to relish summer outdoors while experiencing physical activities in nature. Seasonal.

Participants head out to Lovelace Park to join in games including basketball, soccer, bocce, frisbee golf and more. Those who want to learn how to fish, or advance their interest in fishing, will be coached by three students with fishing experience and a love for the sport. Lovelace Park has a catch-and-release stocked pond which is small and safe. Equipment provided. Participants can expect to improve competency in summer sports, have fun outdoors and learn the tranquil joys of fishing. Seasonal.

The Our Place Photography program allows participants to express themselves through the lens of a camera. Using digital and instant cameras, participants explore photography styles, techniques, composition, focus, and light. When the weather is good, they are outside so get opportunities to connect with the community. Participants can expect to learn how to take better photos, share their photographs with friends and improve their ability to focus.

POUND Fit brings together drumming, cardio exercises, strength training and upbeat music to improve endurance and coordination. Participants use Ripstix, which are weighted drumsticks, to pound out the beat of the music in synchrony with the group. These workouts also stimulate the brain. Participants can expect to have a lot of fun while getting a full body workout that improves their physical well-being, coordination, endurance and mind-body connection.

These were the first programs we offered when we were building the Our Place community and they continue to be wonderful entry points and ongoing fun ways for participants to have plans for Saturday nights. Socials take place from 6 till 9 and include pizza and dessert, socializing, dancing, karaoke, dessert baking and interactive games. Participants choose the activities they want to join during the evening and who they want to hang out with. Saturday Socials in particular provide low-pressure ways for participants to engage with peers in areas of their interest and to develop meaningful relationships that carry over into general programs and get-togethers outside of Our Place.

Participants choose a book they’d like to explore and then listen to Gary read aloud with different voices for the characters. Participants can sit back, relax and listen before joining a general discussion at the end of the hour. Participants can expect to experience the joy of good literature while improving their ability to visualize a story, follow the plot and learn about characters while sharing their thoughts.

Group fitness training with Coach Tom at his local studio focuses on strength, endurance and flexibility using state-of-the art equipment, bands, weights, weighted balls and walking. Participants can expect to get a workout that improves cardio, strength and flexibility.

Participants learn many aspects of art, including color theory, positive/negative space, color harmonies, design principles, and compositional rules. This program is project based, and we will begin by painting four exterior wood benches, representing the four seasons. Participants will begin by drawing their ideas on worksheets for each season, choosing subjects to represent each season. These ideas will become a group concept to produce the four seasonal bench designs that the participants will then paint. These will become functional art on the Our Place grounds. Participants can expect to learn all aspects of art theory and apply this to group projects and individual works of art.

Participants travel to the Northbrook YMCA, where they begin with a warm-up in the water followed by aquatic exercises focusing on cardio endurance, strength training and pool safety. The program ends with a fun closing activity to cool down - and if there’s time, a dip in the hot tub. Participants can expect to improve their swimming skills, confidence in the pool and overall fitness.

Participants join in aquatic activities while learning pool safety at Jane's pool, a heated and secluded pool close to Our Place. The program begins with a warmup in the water followed by exercises and relays that focus on cardio endurance, strengthening and teamwork. Participants end with a sharing activity about their day and a meditation. Remember to bring your swimsuit and a towel. Participants can expect to improve swimming skills and their comfort in the water while being part of a team. Swimming is outdoors only in the summer session.

Unwind is a relaxation program that explores a variety of techniques to calm the mind and body. Every program starts and ends with relaxing music and deep breathing. Activities may include progressive muscle relaxation, coloring, yoga, guided meditations, mindful walks, and more. Participants can expect to discover their favorite ways to relax and unwind.

Our vocational program focuses on the skills required to be a good worker and to sustain a job. We discuss the soft skills that make someone effective in a job, including how to act in a work environment, focus, following directions, being part of a team and socializing appropriately with work colleagues. We provide hands-on training in work settings. Currently we run the New Trier Township Food Pantry, where participants process and sort all food donations and stock the pantry that is open to the public. We also assist seniors at Three Crown Park with exercise, brain games and walks. Participants can expect to improve their ability to function effectively in a workplace, learn job skills and give back to their community.

The Writer's Workshop is a creative writing program focused on expression through journaling. Participants write and draw in their journals using prompts that focus on current events, special interests, and famous quotes. The prompts incorporate values so that participants can reflect on and discuss their values. Participants can expect to improve their self-reflection, expressive abilities, creativity and group participation.

Yoga practice improves the mind, body, spirit connection through breathing and movement. Our yoga sequences and poses emphasize the importance of focusing, stretching your body and mind, and finding inner peace. Participants can expect to increase their flexibility, strength, and balance while building mental and emotional endurance and reducing stress.

Zumba is a licensed dance fitness program featuring Latin and Latin-inspired music. The goal of Zumba is to move in a fun and upbeat way so you don’t even know you’re getting a good workout. We begin and end the program with stretching. Participants can expect to improve their endurance, rhythm and flexibility as well as their ability to follow dance directions, all while expanding their musical repertoire.