Photo by Karin Elton Evonne Seivert directs “Goldilocks,” portrayed by Evelyn Hively, a resident at Boulder Estates, in a skit as Lew “Baby Bear” Weeks looks on. The skit was part of a 60-minute presentation by Seivert who urged the audience to smile and laugh every day.

MARSHALL — Any Boulder Estates residents who felt stifled from being cooped up inside Friday afternoon got a breath of fresh air in the form of Evonne Seivert.

Seivert presented poems, skits and words of encouragement to the residents.

“It’s great to be alive,” she said. “If you see someone without a smile — give them one of yours. Give three people a compliment, but make sure it’s sincere. We need to be outgoing, we need to give to others and we need to be happy ourselves.”

Seivert handed her microphone to each resident and asked them what they were good at.

One resident said she creates baby afghans for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Another said she likes to talk to people even if she doesn’t know them. Spike Ufkin said he was “good at taking a nap.” Others mentioned sewing, cooking and holding grandchildren. Delores Arends said after 66 years of marriage, 10 kids and many grandchildren, she likes to “sit and relax.”

When Seivert thrust the microphone in front of Myra Colburn, Colburn said, “What do you want me to do, sing a solo?” She then proceeded to sing a few bars of “How Dry I Am.”

Seivert asked for volunteers for a “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” skit. Evelyn Hively quickly said she would play Goldilocks, but Seivert had a bit more trouble finding volunteers to play the three bears. She had to Shanghai Tom Louwagie, Donna Weeks and Lew Weeks into portraying Papa Bear, Mama Bear and Baby Bear respectively.

The skit, which relied heavily on the improvisational skills of its players, hadn’t even started before the laughs started. Seivert placed a fuzzy golden wig on Hively and said it was more of a Frizzylocks. She placed floppy-earred bear hats on the good-natured Weekses and Louwagie. The acting troupe received a well-earned round of applause from the audience.