Wake Robin

With so many things changing in our daily lives, Wake Robin Program and Events Coordinator Jena Necrason wanted to ensure this semester of Inquire empowered residents to deepen connections, have fun, and explore topics that surprise and delight them.

“This semester has been one of my favorites to put together.  I had to think way outside the box, using a new way of creative thinking, and the programs that emerged have brought a new sense of fun and playfulness to Inquire.”

This winter session of Inquire differs from traditional semesters of the past. Whereas before residents needed to preregister, now residents can sign up in more of a rolling admissions fashion. It’s a way to get more residents involved, and more programs and activities can be added as opportunities arise.

As usual – and what makes Inquire so exciting at Wake Robin – topic vary widely. One unique program features a presentation by Shelburne Museum’s Chief Curator, Kory Rogers. Rogers will showcase some of the Museum’s astonishing collection in a lecture titled “Early American Circus Posters.” Another unique program, “Flip the Script,” has residents meeting weekly on Zoom to read film scripts. They are currently reading the screenplay for Sense and Sensibility.

Virtual community movie script readings have been a delight!

So many Wake Robin residents love reading and writing as a lifetime hobby. Some are even published authors. It’s no wonder then that two main courses encourage residents to express themselves through written language. A poetry workshop was so successful in the fall that it’s been brought back for another round. Local poet, author, and educator Rebecca Starks will guide Wake Robin poets in a four-week workshop, in which residents offer constructive criticism to one another and “focus on the sites of energy in the poem and its further possibilities.”

A Legacy Letter writing workshop is also being brought back by popular demand. Jay Sherwin, founder of the Life Reflections Project, offers one-of-a-kind teaching as residents think about and compose a letter that allows them to “express values and transmit blessings to future generations.”

In addition to intellectual and artistic endeavors, Wake Robin’s Winter 2021 Inquire makes it a point to promote exercise and wellness. One activity draws from Wake Robin’s 20^th anniversary in 2013, when identifying markers were placed next to 20 trees on Wake Robin’s trails and main campus. However, the markers are put away for the winter, and this activity, titled “Into the Woods,” challenges residents to identify the trees themselves! The person who identifies the most trees at the end of January receives a $50 gift card to Dakin Farm!

What’s the story of your art?

Finally, one program that’s generated tremendous buzz involves a bygone tool – the disposable camera. Necrason created the “Wake Robin Photo Challenge” as an opportunity to think about photography then and now, and the current culture of being able to  re-do, edit, and alter to make our photos immediately better. She is encouraging residents to “take a time machine” back to when we saw something we wanted to capture on film with no adjustments or fixes, and the idea of working from a place of in-the-moment inspiration.  The photos will be curated and displayed in the Community Center Lobby. Some themes to catalyze the residents’ imaginations range from “The Rainbow in Winter” to “This is Vermont” to “I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends.”

The programs are already underway and residents are having a blast. Lifelong learning is an essential part of the culture at Wake Robin and this winter’s Inquire demonstrates how resourceful – and creative – our residents can be.

Model trains are popular at Wake Robin

At Wake Robin, the winter holidays provide a special opportunity to transform the campus into a merry, festive environment. The Sugar House is decorated with wreathes and lights, providing a glow to staff and residents driving in and out of Wake Robin Drive during the long winter nights. The annual Christmas tree – almost reaching the ceiling – is placed at the front of the Community Center, so it’s the first thing that greets you as you arrive. Handel’s Messiah tea has been a tradition here for years; friends and neighbors gathered virtually this year to listen in awe to the classic music.

Model trains and their train setups are also a major ingredient to the festive winter atmosphere at Wake Robin. The often elaborate, vintage train sets come from resident railway buffs who make up the Trains Committee, a group devoted to railroads, model railroading, excursions on different lines, the history of Vermont railroads and elsewhere.

Holiday train set up

Wake Robin is resident-driven in name and deed, so the Train Committee began as a simple wish of a resident to organize people with a common interest in all things involving railroads. The founders of the committee presented his plan and purpose to the Wake Robin Resident Association, and the Train Group was officially incorporated in 2018.

Since then, members of the committee have enjoyed learning about and working with model trains, as well as taking some beautiful trips by rail.

One memorable journey occurred in 2019, when 20 residents traveled across to New York to board an Amtrack train which ventured south, hugging Lake Champlain and overlooking the Green Mountains, eventually offboarding Wake Robin residents at the historic Fort Ticonderoga station. One resident remembers the trip fondly, saying “I could stick my hand out and nearly touch the water!”

Many residents trace their railroad interests back to childhood, when they would play with model railroads around a Christmas tree. Some even inherited train models from their grandparents, and one appears in Wake Robin’s lounge train setup, a ninety year old train car that runs like new and even whistles!

The model train set up takes an intense amount of attention and ample time. This year, the Community Center lounge, adjacent to the library, was made available to lay out the tracks. The Train Committee uses model trains and tracks shared from fellow residents, and designs a sort of mini village to accompany the train line. “It can take a week or ten days to make sure everything aligns and runs smoothly,” one member said. In normal times without Covid restrictions, the “train room” becomes a popular hub for friends and family – especially grandchildren – to delight over the locomotives.  For now, the Train Committee has coordinated visiting times for residents during the holiday season. It has been an event worth seeing for those just strolling by, and the passionate enthusiasts.

One members summed it up his love for trains in jest: I’m not going to heaven unless they have trains!”