Sunday Excursions Trip to Barton Orchards

Last Sunday 10/26 the Sunday Excursions group took a trip to Barton Orchards for a day of festive fun! Once we arrived we took a hayride to the Apple Shack where we collected our apple sacks, and pole extender (to help us reach some apples up high) and off we went! We were able to pick a variety of apples in two different apple fields. 

We were in for a cool surprise on the way to the third apple field! As we got closer we found out that you can either walk or take a giant slide on the way to the other apple field! Needless to say some participants and staff took on that extra adventure!

After all that apple picking our bellies were telling us it was time for lunch! We were able enjoy hot dogs, pizza, sandwiches and more. For dessert we snacked on some homemade cookies and cider doughnuts. 

The day was a little colder than most of us would have liked so to keep warm a few of us went to the dance floor to enjoy the live music and to dance, dance dance! Every day is better with a dance party if you ask me!

Next we headed over to the live animal section of the orchards where they had lamas, chickens, pigs, ponies, donkeys and more! The animals were very friendly and we were even able to pet a few of them.

To end our day we watched a chain saw artist carve a bear out of a log of wood! That was awesome to watch! Everyone had a great time enjoying a wonderful fall day. On the way out we stopped to grab a pick a pumpkin to take home. So with a bag or apples and pumpkin in hand we headed back to the SEC bus to drive home.

Totally Teens Night!

We had our first Totally Teen session of the Fall Season on 10/24 and everyone had a great time! It was even better because the Night on The Town group came over to join us, more friends to hang out with! 

The room was busy with lots of activities such as ping pong, pool, video games, foosball and we even had a special Halloween craft. Some of our teens preferred to relax and watch a movie on the flat screen TV. Everyone enjoyed pizza, chips and a dessert during the course of the night. Needless to say there were lots of smiling faces at Haindl Field House last Friday night!

A Spooky Saturday in Sleepy Hollow

The teens piled into the South East bus and made their way to the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery last Saturday afternoon. The fall foliage was in full force as the teen adventures made their way to the historic cemetery nestled snugly against the banks of the Hudson River. With our walking shoes on and the sun shining overhead we set out into the vast and rolling hills of the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.

Our tour guide told us fascinating tales of notable people interred at the cemetery like Washington Irving, author of the immortal tale of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman. We were dazzled by hidden histories of many tombs and monuments. The tour was also a hands on experience allowing the teens to get up close and peer through tomb windows placed in their heavy slab of granite entrances.

Our brave collection of friends even had the guts to enter an old “receiving vault;” a structure that’s purpose was to store the recently deceased in the cold winter months when the ground was too frozen to dig a grave. Once spring had arrived and the ground soft, then the bodies were removed from the receiving vault and laid to rest. Spooky!

As we were exiting the cemetery already thoroughly spooked we heard a faint neigh in the distance and the clip clop clip clop of hooves. As we turned, hair standing on end, we saw coming our way the Headless Horsemen himself!

But not to fear this must have been the Headless Horsemen’s friendlier cousin. Instead of taking our heads he let us take pictures with him instead.

Getting scared can really build up an appetite! The teen adventurers found a local park, settled down, and ate a lunch in the company of good friends with good tunes supplied by a nearby street fair.  All in all a great day especially since we all made it back with our heads!

Graveyard Dance

On Saturday, October 18^th South East Consortium hosted the Graveyard Dance at the Posillipo Center in Rye Brook.  The evening was filled with food, dancing and fun filled festivities to celebrate Halloween!  Participants and Staff dressed in costumes and danced the night away to our favorite DJ, Mike Petrillo.  With over fifty participants in attendance it was a spook-tacular evening!!!