05/04/2026
The possibilities to be anything, go anywhere, and experience it all were endless at our Imagine If…Signature Experience! 💭🚀💫
From the very start, we leaned into curiosity and possibility. Imagine if we were scientists? 🧪 We rolled up our sleeves for hands-on chemistry fun with special guest Stephanie Ryan, a PhD chemist, and discovered just how amazing everyday items can be. Then, we had the chance to discover what life would be like if we were Ornithologists! 🦉 We set off on an adventure to the Eagle Creek Ornithology Center. In this specialized nature center, visitors can observe native Indiana birds through large wildlife-viewing windows and explore educational exhibits. For two hours, we learned all about different kinds of birds and eagles, becoming total experts by the end. 🌿 Then we asked… imagine if we could step back in time?! With a little help from a Village of WestClay neighbor, Stan Hurt, we traveled back in time to learn all about the Civil War. He donned his Civil War attire and gave us a re-tale of events, complete with photographs and artifacts for us to see! And just when we thought it couldn’t get more magical—imagine if the ballet came to us? 🩰 The Indiana Ballet Conservatory brought some classical and contemporary dances to our community for us to enjoy. Incredible pirouettes and rond-de-jambes really made our Members smile and clap their hands for these talented young dancers! 👏 We then couldn’t help but imagine what it would be like to dine in a theater, so our social team worked their magic, and we soon discovered it all. We ventured out to The Prewitt, an upscale restaurant and lounge that was renovated from a 1927 movie theater in downtown Plainfield, Indiana. Our time there featured craft dining, artisanal cocktails, and a live showing of Mary Poppins on the big screen. 🎬 The menu focused on modern twists of classic American dishes, including charcuterie boards, short rib egg rolls, steak, salmon, and signature desserts. There was a little something to fulfill all of our culinary imaginations! We next let our imaginations soar as we pictured what it would be like to be astronomers! 🌠 We explored the Goethe Link Observatory, a true hidden gem of Indiana history that our Members found absolutely fascinating! The observatory was built in 1939 by Dr. Goethe Link. He built this private observatory because of his deep passion for stargazing. When it was built, its 36-inch telescope was one of the largest in the country. The mirror was actually a test version of the one used for the world-famous Palomar Observatory in California. The coolest thing we learned? Researchers here discovered over 100 new asteroids during the mid-20th century. And, the grounds were just as cool as the observatory. Dr. Link’s wife, Helen, who was a world-renowned botanist, planted thousands of daffodils across the rolling hills of the property. 🌼 When it was time for the big event, Astronauts Joe and Trilce descended upon The Stratford for a memorable evening, swapping their dinner attire for space suits. 🧑🚀 Underneath a brilliant Milky Way, they visited our Members, surrounded by swirling planets and rocket ships, making dinner among the stars feel like it was really coming to life! 🪐 There’s always something new to discover, dream about, and experience together in our community! 🤩
