Data confirms that activity and exercise can lead to a longer life. But activity and exercise can also lead to a more meaningful and more fruitful life.

Moravian Manor's upcoming event promotes activity and interaction, which is very much in keeping with the local retirement community's mission.

"When people move into Moravian Manor, they move here to live," said Jennifer Shutt, who's been Moravian Manor's director of community life for 18 years. "It's important to engage your brain and mind and fingers. That's how you age well. Just because seniors are retired doesn't mean they can't contribute to our society."

Moravian Manor Communities is staging this year's edition of its annual Festival of the Arts from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 8, in the multipurpose Steinman Hall on its campus at 300 W. Lemon St., Lititz. The event, which is free and open to the public, is designed to showcase the artwork of Moravian Manor residents and local artists and stimulate interaction among residents and between residents and members of the local community.

"We are a community within a community," said Shutt. "Our best asset is Lititz. We have a lot of residents who can contribute to the community. Moravian Manor succeeds when Lititz succeeds. We don't have a community center on campus; we use the Lititz recCenter. That synergy between Moravian Manor and the community is what makes us all succeed."

Among the handcrafted creations that will be on display and for sale at the Festival of the Arts are stained glass; sea glass jewelry; ink, watercolor and acrylic paintings and prints; wood crafts; greeting cards; ceramics; weaving; leathercraft; Wheat Straw art; fabric art; pastel and mixed media; photography; and quilts. The event will also feature a sale of gently used books.

Food will be available at Moravian Manor Communities' Gallery Cafe.

"These artists are very talented," said Shutt. "This is not a craft show. This is an art show. The quality of work that they're putting out is pretty remarkable."

The festival will flaunt the creations of 20 artists, a dozen of whom reside at Moravian Manor and eight of whom reside in surrounding local communities.

"These people are creative, very creative," said Shutt. "A lot of these people didn't work in the art field, but in their retirement, they have turned to the arts. They have worked on their crafts."

More than 100 local community members are expected to join the artists, other Moravian Manor residents and their families for a celebration of the arts. A portion of the sales will go toward Moravian Manor's benevolent fund, which helps finance the retirement community's residents who have run out of money.

"When the artisans agree to participate, the fee for their tables goes to the benevolent fund, and so do part of their proceeds," said Shutt. "I'm always very happy when people come on our campus and see what Moravian Manor is all about. People at Moravian Manor are looking for ways to engage people in the community. This is a very community-minded retirement community."

The Festival of the Arts was established at Moravian Manor in 2021. Up until this year, the resident artists' works were displayed on the porches of their independent residences.

"The idea came from the artisans who live here," said Shutt. "They wanted to have an arts show. I have always said that it's not my job to tell you how to live your retirement. You tell me how you want to live in retirement, and my job is to make it happen."

Opened in 1975 as an extension of the mission of the northern province of the Moravian Church, Moravian Manor is a faith-based retirement community that offers varying levels of senior care. Currently, more than 450 individuals are living in independent residences at Moravian Manor.

"We excel in anticipating changing lifestyles and in the needs of the people we serve," said Shutt. "We're here to help people grow and live their best lives. We provide services and activities that enhance the journey of aging. We're just lucky to have all these artists living in our community, and we want to keep them creating."

For additional information, go to http://www.moravianmanorcommunities.org.