Making New Memories with Second Wind Dreams
How does a centenarian hit a baseball? Sounds like the start of a great joke, but it’s what Second Wind Dream and Quail Summit achieved this summer.
Through Second Wind Dreams, Quail Summit listens to the wishes of residents and endeavors to make their dreams materialize. Second Wind Dreams is an international non-profit organization that enhances the quality of life for those living in Eldercare Communities and works actively to change the perception of aging.
This is how Second Wind Dreams works… Joe Bader says, “I would love to hit a real baseball one more time.” Quail Summit employees listen and then share the wish with the committee. The Second Wind Dreams committee digs a bit deeper to learn that Joe Bader will be 102 years old in October, he is a World War Two Veteran and he loves baseball. Bader served in the US Army for 44 months in Okinawa, Japan and in Alaska. As a youngster, he went to many Rochester Red Wings games with his father and later took his own family to games. Bader played baseball in high school where he earned the nickname “Scoops” for his short stop skills. Bader later played third base for the US Army in Okinawa and Near Denali National Park in Alaska. Bader has 6 children, 14 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren. The Second Wind Dreams Committee met and agreed that baseball, family and military service should be the factors included into Joe’s Second Wind Dream.
Second Wind Dreams and Quail Summit reached out to the Rochester Red Wings to
plan a special day for Joe Bader. July
14th,2019 was the big day which included a private
batting practice session with Red Wings Batting Coach Stu Cliburn. A special seating section for Quail Summit residents
and employees along with the Bader friends and family. Rochester Red Wings memorabilia and a special
military tribute to Bader for his military service was also a part of this
special day.
Joe Bader said, “I could not wait!” from the moment he learned about his Second Wind Dream. He recalls “I hit about 25 baseballs at batting practice and some of them were good ones.” It was heart touching to hear Bader say, “I didn’t think I would ever do that again. They treated me like a king. I got to hit balls and be honored in front of about 7000 fans. The baseball announcer read the details of my military service history to honor me and did a proper military salute. It was very special. I would have been happy with a hot dog – they gave me much more.” Making the even more special, forty-one members of Joe’s family also attended the Red Wings batting practice and game to cheer Joe. Their shirt read Scoop’s Team. Joe’s son Tom Bader said, “I didn’t think he could do it, he really surprised me.”
Quail
Summit Director of Life Enrichment, Wendy Ubbink said
“It was exciting to be part of planning something so special – it’s not every
day that a 101-year-old gets to relive hitting a professionally pitched
baseball. Joe is an amazing person. It was awesome watching Joe’s
expressions as he prepared to hit the ball.” Ubbink has been a volunteer with Second
Wind Dreams for the past three years. Ubbink
said “Tim Doohan of the Rochester Red Wings was so good to work with on this
dream. After all that they did for us to
make this special dream come true for Joe, they even sent a Thank you letter to
us for bringing Joe to them. They were amazing
people and so well prepared with every little detail.”
Gloria Harrington, Executive Director at Quail Summit said “Talk about hospitality, everyone should be as organized as the Rochester Red Wings. They were truly wonderful in making Joe’s dream come true.”
Over the past 19 years, Second Wind Dreams and Quail Summit have worked together, dedicated to bringing seniors to the forefront of society and making them feel what they are…special. The Second Wind Dreams program began with the work and passion of P.K. Bevile Ph.D. She co-wrote Second Wind, a heart-warming look at the wonderful stories of people within eldercare and nursing communities.
Quail Summit appreciates the contributions of:
Marilyn S. Howard, Crystal Ranson, Constance S. Serrett, Amy K. Brancato, David J. Burgess, Donna Nielsen, Beth Gladding, Jennifer Klein, Molly White, Lori Thompson, Missy Bancroft, Jim Birch, Julie Chiccino, Jim Birch, Byron H. Delavan, Stacey Figueiredo, Christopher Glatz, Richard Hawks, Jr., Jennifer Klein, Kandy Logouri, Martin Muehe, Esq., Rocco Pietropaolo, Terry Rockwell, Marianne Timms, Christopher Glatz, Wendy Ubbink , Alice Berry, Gloria Harrington and countless other dream partners, businesses, friends and loved ones who have made so many dreams come true.
If you would like to join the committee as a volunteer or make a contribute to support the work of Second Wind Dreams at Quail Summit, please contact Donna Nielsen at [email protected] or Terry Rockwell at [email protected] .
