Sample Assisted Living Activity Calendar

August 2019 Assisted Living Activity Calendar

For each day, find creative activities that you can easily add to your current senior activity calendar for your nursing home or assisted living.

TIP: Click on the links in the calendar box below to see more information about each activity.

Fun Assisted Living Activity Ideas for August
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TIP: Use the following monthly themes as inspiration for activity ideas.

August is ...

TIP: Click on the following days of the month to see activity ideas for that specific day.

TIP: Click on the highlighted links below to get more information (instructions, recipes, or pictures) to assist with completing the activity.

1

Crafts: Tape-Resist Surf Boards

On this second day of the International Surf Festival in Manhattan Beach, California, assist residents with making tape-resist surf boards. Encourage residents to add their own style to their surf boards.

Do You Know Your States?

Have fun with residents as they map where the states are on this day that map-user and explorer William Clark (of the Lewis and Clark expedition team) was born. Give a blank map of the United States to each resident, along with a marker or pen. Say the name of a state and encourage residents to mark on the map where they think the state is located. Give a prize to the winner.

Ice Cream Sundae Contest

Host a fun ice cream sundae contest on this hot, summer day for your residents. For the contest, provide each participant with a sundae (ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and cherries), and award a prize to the person who finishes eating their sundae first. The only catch is that they are not allowed to use their hands.

Camp Fire Social

For this American Adventures Month, hand out granola as you gather residents around a "campfire" in your Activity Room. Encourage residents to tell funny stories about camping as kids.

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2

Seashell Collages

Provide residents with seashells to make seashell collages to hang as decoration for your upcoming summer events. Use large seashells, pieces of wood, tacky glue, and liquid watercolors for the project.

Poker Game

On this day that the greatest gunfighter of the Wild West, "Wild Bill" Hickok, was killed, host a fun western poker game night. Teach residents how to play Texas Hold 'Em Poker.

Name That Monument Social

Quiz your residents on the different national monuments in Washington, D.C. on this day that the designer of the city plan, Pierre Charles L'Enfant, was born. Serve cookies as a snack.

Beer & Nuts Nightcap

Serve a variety of beer and nuts on this International Beer Day while sharing some fun facts about beer.

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3

Bonfire Necklaces

Invite the grandchildren to make bonfire necklaces with residents for the summer. (On the website, scroll to the bottom to view the craft instructions.) Use red, orange, yellow, and brown polymer clay for the craft. Before baking the clay, use a toothpick to create a hole for stringing.

Water Pistol Play

Have the grandchildren run around in the backyard to try to escape Grandma's and Grandpa's water guns as they squirt the kids as they run past the back patio.

Basketball Challenge

To commemorate this day that the NBA was formed, encourage residents to play in a basketball challenge. Set up an indoor hoop (trash can), and divide residents into teams to play. Gradually move the basket farther away to make it more difficult. Give the winning team a prize.

65 and Over Social

Celebrate all of your residents that are over 65 on this birthday of Maggie Kuhn, who fought age discrimination after being forced to retire at age 65. Talk to residents about the age at which they retired and if any of them faced age discrimination at work. Serve watermelon as a snack on this National Watermelon Day.

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4

Crafts: Cup Dolls

Assist residents with making cup dolls on this National Doll Day using plastic party cups, wooden clothespins, paint, wooden bead, hot glue, and pipe cleaners. Encourage residents to save their dolls to give to their visiting grandchildren this weekend.

Summer Road Trip

Invite residents to go on a fun summer road trip to go sight-seeing. While on the bus, play fun road games with residents like Road Trip Bingo.

Guess That Country Song Social

To commemorate this day that country musician Jimmie Rodgers recorded for the first time, invite residents to guess the titles of the country songs that are played from a country CD. Consider borrowing popular country CDs from your local library, and serve warm cookies and juice.

Back Patio Bowling

Use plastic bottles and a foam ball for a fun back patio bowling game for your residents as the sun sets.

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5

Sponge Bullseye

Encourage residents to enjoy the warm weather with a fun game of sponge bullseye on the backyard patio. To play, use sidewalk chalk to create a bullseye on the patio and then immerse a large sponge in water for residents to toss to see if they can hit the bullseye.

Watercolor Daisies

For this American Artist Appreciation Month, teach residents how to paint summer daisies using watercolors and watercolor paper.

Summer Cocktails

Host a fun bartending class to teach residents how to make nonalcoholic summer drinks for the season.

Circus Is in Town Social

During this International Clown Week, host a fun indoor circus with games like ring toss, plastic horseshoes, magnetic darts, and bowling. Consider renting a cotton candy machine or snow-cone machine from your local equipment vendor.

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6

Attracting Butterflies

Assist residents with creating butterfly feeders to place outdoors near a large picture window to attract butterflies for this afternoon's Butterfly Spotter Social. Use plastic rimmed saucers, string, a hole punch, colorful beads, and fruit for the feeders.

Black-Out Bingo

For this National Night Out, host a fun black-out bingo party for residents to cover all the squares on their bingo cards.

Butterfly Spotter Social

Pass out butterfly spotter sheets for residents to mark the butterflies that they see from a large picture window in your facility. Serve fruit as a snack.

Fun Night Out

In recognizing this National Night Out, invite residents to enjoy the cooler weather outdoors after dinner (once the temperature goes down). Host a nightcap social outdoors on your back patio with juice and a snack.

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7

Baking Club: Sugar Cookies

Encourage residents to bake delicious sugar cookies for this afternoon's social.

Tic-Tac-Toe Toss

Recruit residents to play a fun game of Tic-Tac-Toe Toss, where residents play one another to try to win Tic-Tac-Toe by bouncing their balls into cups of water.

American Antiques

Invite a local antiques dealer to come by and display some old-fashioned equipment, like oil lamps and camping gear, for this American Adventures Month. Ask residents to share their knowledge about the equipment.

Secret Spy Social

Check for spies among your facility on this day that the female spy Mata Hari was born. Give willing participants a fingerprint card to record their fingerprints. Once done, find out what their fingerprints really mean. Serve the sugar cookies that were made earlier by the Baking Club as a snack.

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8

Crafts: Seashell Paintings

Provide residents with seashells for residents to paint in colorful bright colors. Place the finished seashells in clear vases and use as decoration throughout your facility for the summer.

Balloon Bopping

Make simple balloon boppers using large sponges and paint stirrers for residents to use to hit balloons back and forth in your Activity Room.

Humidity-Relief Social

Invite residents to stay cool during this humid, hot summer by serving ice cream cones as a fun snack.

Rockette Auditions

On this birthday of dance choreographer Russell Markert, introduce a few leg-kicking exercises in your daily Exercise Class. Line the chairs in a row and teach seated residents how to do the Rockettes kick line.

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9

Summer Centerpiece Class

Teach a flower arranging class to residents to show them how to arrange summer flowers from your garden for your Dining Room tables using fruit. Beforehand, ask Dining Services to save their watermelons and pineapples once they have hollowed them out.

Sunhat Tea Party

Invite residents to wear their sunhats and visors for a fun sunhat tea party in your Activity Room. Serve a variety of hot tea and summer citrus cookies.

Which Presidents Had Pets?

In recognition of this day that President Richard Nixon became the only president to resign from office, quiz residents with fun presidential trivia.

Politically Correct Social

In remembrance of President Nixon's official resignation on this day, ask residents to finish the sentence "If I were president, I would..." Discuss the changes that they would make and why. Serve small pieces of apple pie for a snack.

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10

Armchair Travel: Mount Rushmore

Take interested residents on a trip to visit Mount Rushmore in your Activity Room on this day that the American landmark was dedicated.

S'mores Social

Make easy microwavable s'mores for your afternoon social on this National S'mores Day.

Manicures & Make-up

Invite a local make-up consultant to your facility to get your ladies ready for tonight's big ball. Encourage your facility's staff to give manicures to the residents.

Seersucker Ball

Have fun this summer by hosting a special ball. Encourage residents to get dressed up (men in their seersucker suits with hats), and invite an entertainer to perform for the residents.

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11

Crafts: Summer Dragonflies

Assist residents with making summer dragonflies using paint, wooden beads and shapes, wood glue, and bead wire.

Nature Trip

During this American Adventures Month, take residents for an outdoor adventure at a local park.

Escape From Alcatraz

On this day that the federal government's most dangerous prisoners first arrived at Alcatraz, show the documentary The Real Story: Escape from Alcatraz (2009). Borrow the DVD from your local library or stream online.

Dog Days Social

For this last official dog day of summer, host a fun hot dog dinner for residents to enjoy. Set up a hot dog bar for residents to build their own hot dogs.

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12

Visiting the Grand Canyon

During this American Adventures Month, take residents on a trip to the Grand Canyon by showing the documentary National Geographic: National Parks Collection: Grand Canyon (2008). Borrow the documentary from your local library or stream online.

Romantic Read

For this Read-a-Romance Month, read a few romantic letters written by soldiers during World War II. Ask residents whether they remember writing to their loved ones during the war.

Eye Exercises

Lead residents in a few eye exercises during this National Eye Exam Month to help residents improve their vision.

Guess the Flavor Social

Host a fun ice cream flavor guessing social for your residents featuring various flavors of pints of ice cream. Simply cover the labels, and provide spoonfuls of each ice cream to residents to see if they can guess the ingredients.

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13

Left-Handed Paintings

In recognition of this International Left-Handers Day, encourage residents to try their skills with their left hand by painting a picture while using only their left hand. Supply residents with paint and paper and plenty of paper towels.

Women of the American West

On this day that Annie Oakley was born, share interesting facts about her and other women of the American West like Calamity Jane.

Geography Bee Social

Host a quick geography bee on this day that Berlin was divided into two parts. Serve warm cookies as a snack.

Left-Center-Right Night

In honor of this International Left-Handers Day, teach residents how to play the Left-Center-Right (LCR) dice game. If you do not have the LCR dice game, use regular dice and poker chips instead.

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14

Health Lecture

During this National Immunization Awareness Month, invite your facility's nurse to speak to residents about necessary immunization for seniors.

Baking Club: Rhubarb Pie

Encourage residents to make a delicious summer rhubarb pie, or any other fruit pie, to be eaten at this afternoon's social.

Social Security Chat

On this day that FDR signed the Social Security Act, ask residents about their feelings on social security.

Summer Yachting Social

Ask residents to wear their nautical attire for a fun afternoon social in your Activity Room. Pass around photos of mega yachts as you ask residents where they would like to travel if they owned a yacht. Serve the rhubarb pie that was made earlier by the Baking Club.

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15

Crafts: Summer Beach Bags

Encourage residents to create colorful summer beach bags using duct tape and trash bags.

Food Council

In honor of this birthday of famous American chef Julia Child, start a separate Food Council meeting for your residents to discuss food-related issues with your facility's kitchen staff, instead of bogging down your traditional Resident Council meeting with questions about food. Host the event after breakfast in your Dining Room.

Hippie Happy Hour Social

Before dinner, host a fun happy hour with nonalcoholic drinks in recognition of Woodstock beginning on this day. Ask residents if any of their kids participated in Woodstock. Then ask residents about the "Woodstock" event of their generation, or if they remember going against the norm and doing something fun and in the moment.

Sturgeon Moon Nightcap

Set up a telescope for residents to view the Full Sturgeon Moon tonight, so named because of the bounty of sturgeon fish at this time of the year. Serve juice and moon pies for a nightcap.

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16

Summer Coloring

Pass out blank coloring pages for residents to color with vibrant colored markers. Frame the finished summer pages for residents to hang in their rooms for the season.

Coffee Chat

Reminisce with residents over coffee about their best and worst summer jobs as kids.

Let's Play Baseball

In remembering baseball great Babe Ruth, who died on this day, set up a batting practice on your back patio. Invite residents to sit in chairs, all in a row. Then when it's their turn at bat, give each resident a plastic bat to hit the foam ball that you throw towards them. See who can hit the ball the farthest, before serving popcorn and Cracker Jack.

Elvis Social

Play fun Elvis tunes on this day that the King passed away. In honor of Elvis, serve his favorite snack of mini peanut butter and banana sandwiches.

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17

Granita Cool Down

Cool down your residents with a tasty treat by inviting them to make a tasty watermelon granita.

Summer Rose Bushes

Guide residents outdoors to cut a few summer roses from your facility's rose bushes or flower garden. After pruning the flowers, create flower bunches to pass out to visitors at your facility.

Davy Crockett Social

On this birthday of Davy Crockett, play bluegrass music for residents to enjoy. Serve "possum" (chicken) tenders and (ginger) ale as a snack.

Summer Nights Concert

Enjoy the cool summer evening with residents as you set up a CD player outdoors to play a few tunes from Frank Sinatra. Invite a few residents to dance on your back patio.

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18

Crafts: Hawaiian Leis

Invite residents to make Hawaiian leis to wear for the Hawaiian Lunch and Luau Social on August 21. Use colorful crepe paper and string for the craft.

Back Patio Badminton

Start up an evening Badminton Club for seated residents to play on the back patio. Pass out rackets for residents to hit the shuttlecock back and forth.

Poetry Journals

Encourage residents to make poetry journals to write their own poems on this Bad Poetry Day. For the poems, have residents begin with "Roses are red, Violets are blue..."

Spanish Language Social

Teach basic words in Spanish to residents on this birthday of Puerto Rican-born Baseball Hall of Fame player Roberto Clemente. Serve chips and salsa as a snack.

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19

Clothespin Planes

Assist residents with assembling clothespin planes to pass out to visitors at your facility on this National Aviation Day. Use wooden clothespins, foam craft sticks, and glue for the project.

Up, Up and Away

For this National Aviation Day, invite residents to discuss what it was like on their first plane ride. Pass out typical airplane food (peanuts and soda) for a snack.

Sports Cars

During this Motorsports Awareness Month, host an intergenerational activity for residents and their grandkids to make fun balloon cars. Encourage the kids to compete to see whose car is the fastest. Assemble the car using toilet paper tubes, balloons, straws, wooden skewers, jar lids, rubber bands, paint, tape, and pushpins.

I Scream for Ice Cream Social

Cool your residents down with a delicious ice cream social. Serve nuts, whipped cream, and chopped fruit as toppings.

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20

Musical Notes

On this birthday of country music star Jim Reeves, encourage residents to make their own musical instruments to use during the upcoming Band Class activity.

Baking Club: Lemon Cheesecake Tarts

Celebrate this fruity season with residents by making tasty lemon cheesecake tarts for this afternoon's social.

Band Class

Play fun music from the radio or a CD, and invite residents to use the musical instruments that were made earlier.

Folksy Social

Share interesting and folksy, light-hearted poems from poet Edgar Guest on this day that he was born. Serve the lemon cheesecake tarts that were made earlier by the Baking Club as a snack.

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21

Hawaiian Lunch

To commemorate Hawaii becoming a state on this day, coordinate with Dining Services to serve residents a delicious Hawaiian lunch, like pork with pineapples.

Worst Hawaiian Shirt Contest

Host a fun Hawaiian shirt contest among your residents to vote on the Best and Worst Hawaiian shirts.

Spam Tasting

For this day that Hawaii became the 50th state, host a tasty Spam tasting for residents to sample, like Spam fries.

Luau Social

Play fun Hawaiian music as you celebrate Hawaii becoming a state on this day. Serve tropical non-alcoholic drinks, like nonalcoholic piña coladas.

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22

Crafts: Summer Felt Picture

Assist residents with making summer felt pictures using felt pieces, glue, and frames. (View the short video to see how to use freezer paper and an iron to make the felt cuttings much easier.)

Trip to Art Museum

Celebrate this American Artist Appreciation Month by taking residents to a local art museum.

Misting Break

Keep your residents cool on this hot summer day by providing cooling face mists for them to use. Ahead of time, steep a variety of different herbs like lavender or peppermint in hot water to create a tea. After allowing the different teas to cool, pour them into mini spray bottles for residents to use.

Healthy Eyes Social

During this National Eye Exam Month, serve foods that are good for eye health, like veggies. Consider inviting an optometrist to come in and fit residents for glasses.

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23

Rolling Thunder

During this thunderstorm season, cause a few loud noises in your facility while showing residents how to play the noisy game of Spoons.

Hand-Eye Coordination

Help improve residents' hand-eye coordination during this National Eye Exam Month by inviting them to play ping pong or balloon volleyball.

Name That First Lady

To honor First Lady Dolley Madison for saving a White House portrait from the British on this day, invite the residents to guess which first lady was married to each of the American Presidents that you name.

What's Your Sign? Social

For this first day of the zodiac sign of Virgo, use a local newspaper to read the horoscopes of residents. Serve peanuts and ginger ale as a snack.

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24

Belgian Waffle Breakfast

For this National Waffle Day, coordinate with Dining Services to serve delicious Belgian waffles for breakfast.

Name That Fairy Tale

On this birthday of Argentinean author of fiction Jorge Luis Borges, quiz residents on their knowledge of fairy tales.

Italian Social

Play bocce ball (Italian bowling) with residents on this day of Italy's Mt. Vesuvius's volcanic eruption. Serve Italian ice as a snack.

Summer Hat Happy Hour

Host a summer hat happy hour for residents, and encourage everyone to wear a summer hat. Invite an entertainer to play music for the residents.

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25

Crafts: Cardboard Birdhouses

Help residents with crafting cardboard birdhouses to decorate your Activity Room using cereal box cardboard, a birdhouse template, patterned paper, colored foam sheets, craft sticks, Washi tape, and hot glue.

Red Hat Ladies' Volunteer Project

In recognition of Paris being liberated from German military control on this day, invite your Red Hatters to set up a flea market in your facility to raise money for troops overseas. Sell donated items from staff and residents, and use the proceeds to purchase care package items (e.g., toothpaste and deodorant) to send to soldiers overseas.

Cool as Ice Social

Assist the residents with staying cool this summer by serving popsicles. Ask residents if they think that the summer weather will extend longer this year.

Movie Night: The Wizard of Oz

Invite residents to watch the iconic movie The Wizard of Oz (1939) on this day that it premiered. Borrow the movie from your local library or stream online.

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26

Coffee Klatch

Serve a variety of coffees as you encourage residents to reminisce about having pets while growing up on this International Dog Day. Encourage residents to discuss whether they liked dogs that much when their kids wanted them.

Dog Tricks

For this International Dog Day, invite a friendly pooch to your facility to do fun dog tricks for the residents. Consider recruiting one of the residents' family members' pets.

Watermelon Piñata

During this watermelon season, encourage residents to make a watermelon piñata. Once completed, use it for your next intergenerational party with children.

Equality Social

On this Women's Equality Day, host a social discussing gender equality in the present, as compared to the early 1900s. Serve juice and pastries as a snack.

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27

Special Cool Treat

Recruit residents to assist you with making a cool dessert like a strawberry trifle for residents to enjoy on this hot, summer day.

Movie Matinee: Roman Holiday

Show the classic movie Roman Holiday (1953) featuring Audrey Hepburn on this day that it premiered in New York City. Borrow the movie from your local library or stream online.

Memories & Tea Social

Recognize this National Immunization Awareness Month by serving tea and butter cookies to residents as you reminisce about immunizations that they had as children, as well as some of the more popular ailments and diseases during that time.

U.S.O. Dance

On this birthday of Martha Raye, an entertainer who performed for American servicemen overseas, host a fun U.S.O. dance. Encourage residents to dress up and have fun at the dance. Ask the men to wear their military insignias.

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28

Beach Blanket Bingo

Have a fun summertime bingo party for residents. Serve tropical, fruity drinks as residents play bingo.

Men in the Kitchen

Invite your facility's men to whip up a fun afternoon snack for the upcoming social. Supply the men with cookies and ice cream and have them make ice cream sandwiches. Once done, place the ice cream sandwiches in the freezer until the afternoon social.

Spiritual Retreat

In honor of this birthday of the first American-born saint, Elizabeth Ann Seton, set up your Activity Room as a spiritual retreat. Have religious music playing in the background and read to residents from a daily devotional book.

This Day in History Social

To commemorate the March on Washington that happened on this day, start a discussion about the civil rights movement of the 1960s and how race relations are today. Serve the ice cream sandwiches that were made by the men earlier.

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29

Crafts: Fly Paper

During this hot month of August, encourage residents to help you get rid of some of those annoying flies. Show residents how to make fly paper traps to hang up. Afterwards, ask residents to notice if the fly paper catches as many flies as when they used it in their homes in the 1930s and 1940s.

Sharing Stories

For this What Will Be Your Legacy Month, invite residents to share interesting stories about their lives, like unique places that they lived or whether they were class clowns or nerds in high school.

Guess That Famous Blonde

To celebrate actress Ingrid Bergman's birthday today, invite residents to guess which famous blonde you are describing.

Herbal Snack Social

Encourage residents to help you fix a delicious herbed feta dip on this More Herbs, Less Salt Day. Provide residents with low-salt chips to dip.

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30

Legacy Books

During this What Will Be Your Legacy Month, encourage residents to make legacy books that they can give to their loved ones. (Before the activity, invite volunteers to assist residents by asking them several legacy questions, typing up the answers, and then printing them onto pretty stationery.) Invite residents during the activity to bind their pages together by using a hole punch for the pages and brads to fasten together.

Ice Cream Truck

Share ice cream treats with residents on this hot day in August.

Scary Stories

In recognition of this birthday of Frankenstein's author Mary Shelley, invite residents to give you nouns and verbs to place in a scary fill-in story. Once completed, read the scary (but comical) story aloud.

Scales of Justice Social

Talk with residents about famous Supreme Court cases on this day that Thurgood Marshall was confirmed to be the first African-American Supreme Court Justice. Serve tea and butter cookies as a snack.

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31

Baking Club: Strawberry Pie

Encourage residents to enjoy the end of this strawberry season by making a delicious strawberry pie for this afternoon's Pie Tasting.

Lemonade Stand

On this hot day, invite residents to stop by your lemonade stand for a refreshing glass of lemonade. Pass out fun crossword puzzles for residents to work on as they sip lemonade.

Pie Tasting

Invite residents to taste-test several summer fruit pies. Serve three different pies for residents to sample: the strawberry pie made earlier today by the Baking Club, a fruit pie made by Dining Services, and a fruit pie bought at a local grocery store.

Tropical Happy Hour Social

Enjoy this last day of August with a fun tropical social. Play tropical music and serve strawberry daiquiris.

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