On June 13th, 2025, Willow Pond Senior Living celebrated Father’s Day with a heartfelt and nostalgic ‘Fishing Trip’ to honor Fathers and Father figures. What started as a well-planned morning fishing activity, turned into a surprise-filled afternoon of sweet treats, laughter, and meaningful connections.
Residents, families, and friends gathered behind the Willow Pond Senior Care at the community pond for a morning of fishing and outdoor bonding. The event was designed to reflect the simple joys, casting a fishing line, a cookout, and sharing stories with loved ones. “This isn’t a formal affair,” said Sara Chandler, Activities Director. “It’s about making and sharing memories of summer fun. Our residents love to go fishing and while we offer it year round it is nice to have the community fishing day to celebrate our relationships within and outside the facility
Rain and clouds made for a slow morning on the water, and while a few anglers stuck around, the crowd had mostly cleared by 2:00 p.m. as the Meme Pops Ice Cream Truck from Brooklet showed up to steal the show. A veteran-owned business, Meme Pops has been visiting Willow Pond monthly since March 2024, offering sweet treats and community spirit. “Community helping and thriving within a community,” said Chandler
Residents lined up with much joy, they may not have caught any fish, but we definitely caught some smiles. Who can compete with ice cream?
The plan shifted and made the day memorable. Residents and families enjoyed the sweet treats, laughed and reminisced about their own fishing adventures.
Chandler shared, “Every Father’s Day, we fished until our hearts were content. It is where I learned a lot of life lessons. The biggest lesson was when we finished fishing, it was the grandchildren/children who had to skin, prep and cook the fish for the fathers.”
Friday’s fishing trip was far from lost. In fact, it was a perfect example of what Willow Pond does best, turning unexpected moments into lasting memories.
“Taking time with your family is something that feeds the emotional, social, physical and spiritual needs of the soul. When residents cannot make it to the family fishing hole, we bring the adventure to them. We create those activities to give them a retirement worth bragging about”, added Chandler.
Whether it is bait on a hook or sprinkles on a cone, Father’s Day at Willow Pond is all about love, laughter, and the sweet taste of family.
