We arrived in New London, CT last night so we would there for the workshop this morning at Beechwood Manor Rehabilitation and Nursing Center.  This is a beautiful place with a caring staff.  Jeanne picked Ethan and I up at the hotel at 8:30am and we were there by 8:45am.  We started working right away with the therapists – teaching them some simple tricks and exploring the therapeutic value of each one.  I’m always amazed and encouraged by the positive response “magic therapy” receives when presented to therapists! They laughed as they learned each trick…and then realized just how beneficial these tricks will be for their clients.

We did this same type of workshop last week in Fredericton, New Brunswick.  The DAILY GLEANER sent a reporter and the article made the front page of the area paper.

Today, there were a couple of reporters who came over to Beechwood Manor from THE DAY newspaper.  They watched the therapists learn and then they watched the clients struggle to master each trick.  The smiles, laughter, and satisfaction of each person was evident throughout the room.  I met so many wonderful people, each with their own story, their own challenges, and (now) their own magical talents.  “Bingo Mary” learned a few tricks…and she’s 108 years old!

After a couple of hours, it was time to head back to the hotel and pick up Keith and Cindy.  We needed to get on the road this afternoon.  It’s a short drive to New Bedford, MA (slightly over an hour) and we wanted to arrive in time to get the truck to the loading dock of the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center before traffic got too bad.  Keith made a call to Justin, the TD, and he met us to help us get into place.  This will make load in for the Friday performance so much easier!

Before we even arrived in New Bedford, we received an email from the reporter from THE DAY newspaper in New London, CT.  Seems they had their article online before the middle of the afternoon!

It was a great day and tomorrow should be fun!  The STANDARD TIMES (New Bedford newspaper) selected us as a BEST BET for family entertainment this weekend.