Brett Banter

Just want to let everyone know that Troy Cannaday from the Woodlands at Furman will be on Your Carolina this morning to talk about the Woodlands at Furman Challenge.

This is the walking/running challenge that the Woodlands at Furman has opened to all seniors in the Upstate. Learn more about the event here and make sure to watch Your Carolina starting at 10 a.m. today.

But more importantly, tell your friends to sign up for the upcoming races.

As part of the Woodlands at Furman's effort to increase activity amongst the Upstate's senior population, they are proud to announce the following lecture series.

Dr. Bill Pierce, a marathon supercoach and Furman professor, will be lecturing at the Woodlands at Furman on March 18 and April 1 on the benefits of running and walking for seniors. Both events start at 11 a.m. Contact the Woodlands at 864-371-3100 for more information.

The event is part of the Woodlands at Furman Challenge, which is an open competition for Upstate seniors being done in conjunction with the Greenville Track Club. Learn more about the event on the Challenge's Facebook site.

The Woodlands at Furman, a senior living community located in Greenville, is pleased to announce the inaugural Woodlands at Furman Challenge for 2011.

The Challenge is being done in conjunction with the Greenville Track Club. Walkers and runners over age 65 will automatically be entered into the Challenge when they enter one of these Greenville Track Club races: The Greenville News Run Downtown, Green Valley, The Reedy River Runs, Furman 5K, Greer Earth Day, The Spinx Run Challenge, the Furman Red, White and Blue Shoes, Michelin 5K and Paris Mountain Road Races.

More information on the races can be found on the group’s website, www.gvltrackclub.clubexpress.com.

Points will be awarded based on finish in age brackets, overall age and participation. The goal is to make sure everyone has the opportunity to earn points regardless of skill and age. The top male and female participants will be awarded The Woodlands Challenge Cup and get their names added to a plaque to be displayed permanently at The Woodlands at Furman campus.

A luncheon honoring the winners and other participants will be held at The Woodlands at Furman campus following the 2011 Paris Mountain Road Races.

The Woodlands is sponsoring the Challenge because of its commitment to healthy senior living in the Upstate. It is a Life Care community that added Masterpiece Living in May. Masterpiece Living assists visionary communities who are already leading the industry with their wellness commitment, to become places where residents and staff alike seek to better themselves. Residents in Masterpiece Living communities are enriched by opportunities afforded through an integrated approach to lifestyle enhancement.

The Woodlands at Furman wants all Upstate seniors to enjoy a healthy retirement.

The Greenville Track Club is the state’s second-oldest running club. The club’s goal is to provide the running and fitness community with a schedule of top quality events in which area residents can reach fitness and life enrichment goals through participation or volunteering.

The Woodlands at Furman is a non-profit, mission driven continuing care retirement community owned and operated by a local board of directors and managed professionally by Greystone Communities. The 22-acre campus, adjacent to Furman University, opened in March 2009 and consists of 132 apartment homes in addition to The Arboretum, a separate, but attached section of the Woodlands, opened in June 2009. The Arboretum includes 32 assisted living apartments, 16 memory support suites and 30 skilled nursing suites. Residents enjoy a wide range of amenities - enabling them to continue an active and engaged lifestyle. For more information, please visit www.thewoodlandsatfurman.org or call 864-371-3100.

We are having a great day here at Brett. We are working on two very cool projects that will be rolled out at the end of the year that will really get people in the Upstate talking. I can't really get specifics on them, but they involved two great organizations -- The Woodlands at Furman and Habitat for Humanity.

We are very excited and had two brew an extra pot of coffee to help stimulate some ideas. Onward and upward!

All vinegar comes from alcohol.

I bet you didn't know that. Neither did I until this morning when I attended Chef Patrick Wagner's cooking demonstration at the Woodlands at Furman. Chef Wagner was one of the presenters Tuesday during the campus's week-long anniversary celebration.

Wagner, who is the head of the Culinary Institute of the Carolinas, whipped up a series of fantastic dishes that were both nutritious and delicious. (oh that was a bad writing cliche). A large crowd of Woodlands residents and guests peppered (pun intended) him with questions about his cooking style and choices. In what can best be described as typical of the Woodlands lifestyle, the voices asking the questions were a mix of Southern, Mid-Atlantic, Midwestern and Northeastern dialects. Diversity is a good thing.

So what else did we learn besides that all vinegar comes from wine? We learned the alcohol it comes from really isn't that good, which is why it is made into vinegar, Wagner said.

We also learned about baking rice. Most people steam rice on their stove top, but Wagner gave a little secret to avoid rice from overcooking. Put it in the oven. That way heat comes at it from all side as opposed to just the bottom.

Make sure to check back with the Woodlands for more of the week's schedule.

The Woodlands at Furman kicks off its one-year anniversary celebration this week. There is some great stuff going on, so if you are a senior and looking for a new place to stay, check us out at www.thewoodlandsatfurman.org

The Woodlands at Furman is proud to announce its one-year anniversary celebration is coming up in two weeks. The celebration is geared toward Upstate seniors and will be highlighted by a keynote speech by the founder and president of Masterpiece Living, Dr. Robert Landry.

Other events include golf, bike rides, a concert with Jack Roper and a cooking demonstration. So, if you are of retirement age, come check out this event.

The big announcement that we have been working on for weeks is finally here. Woodlands is now a Life Care retirement community. This puts the Woodlands essentially in an entirely new world when it comes to providing services for its residents.

Get more here. You will be amazed.