Meg Newhouse, Ph.D., nationally known pioneer in Third-Age LifeCrafting and “conscious elder hood” praises Legacy Lights.

Village of Light pilot funded by Ovation Communities of Milwaukee, WI

Indeed, our workshops can be transformative. But, if it’s simply a positive inflection point in each participant’s life, that’s also great! Never underestimate the power of multiple positive inflection points, because that’s how societies transform for the better.

Our lamp making is part art, part craft, part play and part intention. While participants bring thoughtfulness and intention to the lamp making process, it’s an activity that feels “light” rather than heavy; an enjoyable respite with ample time for creativity, play and laughter.

What’s a TIP workshop like? Here’s some background information….

Our workshops consist of two components:

1) Lamp construction, and

2) “Process” surrounding the lamp-making. “Process” refers to time spent in discussion, wisdom-sharing, reflection and journaling.

David is a physician and entrepreneur from Milwaukee, WI. David’s medical background is emergency medicine, but he is also trained in Integrative Medicine.

You can think of the lamp as the tangible physical “product” of the workshop (the hardware), but equally important is the “process”, which is not only how we create the lamps but even more important, how we surround this creation with layers of meaning, healing, connection and inspiration. Yes, the lamps are beautiful, sometimes distractingly so, but the “software” of the workshop - the process - is even more important.

Our lamp-making process, with its emphasis on teamwork, helps participants connect in an informal setting, fostering community and conversations.

With the generous assistance of the Jewish Home and Care Center Foundation, Ovation Communities is proud to be the first senior living community in the country to host Legacy Lights Initiative workshops.

In February we conducted an experiential Focus Group of Elders to begin our Legacy Lights Initiative. Nine elders participated, 4 were older than 90 years; 2 participants were in their 80’s, and 3 were in their 70’s.

This Thanksgiving we’ll tell our four adult children about their great-nth-uncle, Edward Winslow, who at age 26 penned the only contemporaneous account of the first Thanksgiving in a December, 1621 letter: “Our harvest gotten in…so that we may rejoice together,”….