A Summer Afternoon of SSA Camaraderie

It’s 11:00 AM on Tuesday, August 11, and only a few people have arrived for our annual SSA Summer Picnic. With 28 RSVPs, I begin to worry that perhaps only a handful will come.

But gradually, more familiar faces appear—some we haven’t seen at meetings for quite a while and others who have only recently joined our stroke support group. As everyone mingles and catches up, entrées and delicious side dishes begin filling the serving tables. Soon, we’re enjoying lunch together and sampling the wide variety of dishes everyone has brought to share.

Then it’s time for the raffle, featuring our traditional succulent arrangements and a bag of goodies from Trader Joe’s. This year, we add something new: guessing the number of jelly beans in a jar. Eliut comes remarkably close, guessing 110 when the actual number is 108!

By 1:00 PM, more than 35 people have gathered, enjoying good food, conversation, laughter, and the special camaraderie of our SSA community. After cleanup, as I load my car with tables and supplies, I look over and see about eight people still sitting together, enjoying one another’s company. It warms my heart and seems like the perfect ending to another wonderful SSA summer picnic

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