SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – On Wednesday, Jan. 29, tai chi class participants from numerous towns served by Senior Solutions gathered in the Great Hall at the Springfield Medical Center to celebrate lunar new year, or what the Chinese refer to as their Spring Festival. Attendees practiced tai chi, enjoyed some sweet treats, and rotated among several stations set up in the hall to make traditional Chinese decorations and write their wishes for the new year.
According to the Chinese zodiac, 2025 is the Year of the Snake. Event organizers Jo Bregnard and Sue Rubel have hung a large snake wall decoration in the Great Hall near the stairs. Taped to the snake are wishes participants have for the year 2025. The snake will be displayed for the month of February, and the public is invited to add their wishes to the snake. Slips of paper, writing implements, and tape have been left by the window for you to add your wish.
Jo and Sue would like to thank the following people for helping make this event a success: Bob Flint, for giving permission to use the Great Hall for this event; Senior Solutions, for sponsoring the event, and specifically Liza Eager, the new nutrition and wellness director, for assisting; tai chi teachers Helena Wu, Leah Gessner, and Tamasin Kecic, who brought some of their class participants from Londonderry, Ludlow, Guilford, and Chester to join Springfield tai chi-ers; Anne Bower, one of the cofounders of Tai Chi Vermont, who Zoomed in remotely to the event and demonstrated Yang style tai chi; everyone who attended either in person or remotely; and finally, Ted Foster and Richard Barber, who helped with setup and breakdown of the hall.
Happy Lunar New Year to all, and please add your wishes to the snake. The more wishes we add, the more luck we have in 2025.