In celebration of the week, Frances Maddox, Activity Director at Fairfield Healthcare Center of Laurel Baye in Ridgeway and the staff held a 'Fear Factor' competition. If you are like me, you are tired of reality shows, but then I never watched them after one time. I admit to watching Fear Factor twice but then came all the others, Apprentice, Amazing Race, The Contender, Survivor, Biggest Loser and more. The Fear Factor which started in 2001, I watched only to see if people would really eat the worms and disgusting animal parts that they were asked to. The concept was for contestants to perform extreme physical, mental and gastronomical challenges. If they are unable to complete their task they are eliminated. They must also complete three hair-raising stunts in order to win. No, unlike the television Fear Factor, the challengers were not asked to eat worms, at least not the wiggly ones in the dirt.
On the first day, to kick off the competition, Edward Burton Executive Director of the Healthcare Center challenged our State Representative and Winnsboro native Creighton Coleman to the contest.
The men squared off after a handshake and let the games begin. They each lifted with a scooper from the kitty litter pan, the little globs to be eaten. They both ate the required amount of kitty litter cake made and donated by Mary Morgan Kerlagon of Russell & Jeffcoat Realty.
The second challenge was to lift by mouth as you would when bobbing for apples, not using hands, the gummy worms which were rolled in honey and crushed cookies and nestled in a nasty looking substance and dropped into a plate.
That was pretty much a tie also. All ingredients were edible. The third challenge was a 'fear-a-oke'. Each of the men had to sing, wearing a costume representing the artist. Burton's song was 'Redneck Woman' by Gretchen Wilson and he was in a long black wig, cowboy hat and red scarf. His challenger, Representative Coleman sang 'R.E.S.P.E.C.T.' by Aretha Franklin and was in a short dark wig and wearing a pink boa around his neck. Both men got into the spirit of the songs with a little hip swaying and swinging of the boa and the microphone. The audience decided it was a tie and both men received a first place ribbon and a boquet of roses that were donated to the Healthcare Center by the Manager of the Food Lion in Blythewood. There were about 10 boquets donated, for the winners of contests throughout the week. Being the gentleman that he is, Representative Coleman proceeded to hand out his roses to the nursing staff and residents. These men bantered back and forth in fun and showed what truly good sports they both are.
Later in the week many games and challenges were performed by the Center's staff and residents. One of the games was spin-the-bottle, not like we used to play as pre-teens, but whoever the bottle pointed to had to answer questions about politics, music and movie trivia. This kind of game helps the resident's minds stay alert. The Fear Factor theme was chosen for the week's activities because of the fear some of the residents have of not being able to do what they once did in their own homes. Some had lovely gardens and that is why the Center has a wheelchair garden and many other activities to make the residents feel at home.
Frances Maddox and the staff are continually finding entertainment and challenges for the residents. Some of their upcoming events include a Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras theme on February 5, a Valentine candlelight dinner for married couples with a fondue dinner, candles, wine and roses to be held February 13 and the following day will be a Valentine party for all the residents. This year being Leap Year, there will be a dress-tacky sock hop to celebrate Sadie Hawkins with old timey music so popular with the residents and a movie night with popcorn on February 29. Movie night is a popular treat and is held quite often.
The Ladies Club is working on a cookbook, to go on sale April l, to raise money for activity supplies.
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