Template.newActivity.created = function () {
  this.subscribe('allCurrentResidents');
  this.subscribe('allHomes');
  this.subscribe('allActivityTypes');
  this.subscribe('allRolesExceptAdmin');
};

@@ -191,8 +191,132 @@
 n');%0A%7D;%0A
+%0ATemplate.newActivity.helpers(%7B%0A  'today': function () %7B%0A    // Default date today, as a string%0A    return Date();%0A  %7D,%0A%7D);%0A

Add 'today' helper