Senior Center News – Sept. 19, 2019
“When I am finishing a picture, I hold some God-made object up to it—a rock, a flower, the branch of a tree or my hand—as a final test. If the painting stands up beside a thing man cannot make, the painting is authentic. If there’s a clash between the two, it’s bad art.”
~ Marc Chagall
And, on the other side of the coin we have surely had the experience of driving on winding Vermont roads and feeling as though we were in a painting.
Special info
On October 3 at 12:15 p.m., there will be an A.E.D. review (automatic external defibrillator); please sign up for that in advance by calling the Center. And that same day, from 2:00 p.m. to 7 p.m., the Senior Center will host a Blood Drive in affiliation with the American Red Cross. To register to donate, please go to the Red Cross website. The Senior Center is famous for its friendly hosts, great snacks and comfortable atmosphere.
On Monday, 10/7, from 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., tickets to the Age Well Universal Restaurant Ticket Program will be available at the Senior Center for the first time. Pat Long, nutrition coordinator, will be in to dispense tickets for this popular program. You must be 60 years old, and Pat will be able to register you on the spot. Suggested donation for each ticket is $5, good for one year at participating restaurants on certain days. Please bring cash or check. This program will be offered on the first Monday of every month.
Courses starting soon
French for Travelers starts on Tuesday, 9/24, and meets at 1:00 p.m. for eight weeks. It is intended for those who know little or no French but would like to be able to use it when dining or traveling. (Do you know there are more than 25 countries where French is spoken?) Of if you can already converse in the language, there is the French Conversation Circle that meets at 2:15 p.m.
On Friday, 9/27, Moving Better, Living Better returns at 9:30 a.m. every week. This gentle exercise/movement class utilizes music and is a little hard to categorize, but it is definitely worth a visit. It aims to build strength, stamina, flexibility and postural stability, while learning how to move fluidly without causing injury. Please note that, as with most of the Center’s exercise classes, you may visit one time to see if it is right for you at no charge; fee is $10 per class.
Starting on Wednesday, 10/2, a weekly book discussion group meets from 10 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. throughout the month. It will take a guided look at Walking Each Other Home: Conversations on Loving and Dying by Ram Dass and Mirabai Bush. The authors are two masterful teachers who offer practical guidance on “how death gives us an unparalleled opening to cultivate gratitude, compassion, mindfulness, and an abiding joy in the simple beauty of living.” The group will be led by Margaret Woodruff, Charlotte Library director, and Pam MacPherson, community advocate for end-of-life care for over three decades. Registration required. No fee. Meets at the Senior Center.
The popular watercolor classes with Lynn Cummings are back again, starting with Watercolor: Painting the Colorful Autumn. It begins on Tuesday, 10/8, and runs for six weeks, from 9:00 a.m. to noon. Explore colorful, autumn-themed subjects while practicing traditional and nontraditional techniques. Some experience with watercolor necessary. Please note that payment of $185 for this first session must be received by 10/1.
Starting on Friday, 10/4, for six weeks, is Italian for Travelers (Armchair or Otherwise) with Nicole Librandi. If you don’t plan to travel and just want to be more knowledgeable about Italian language, food and culture, this is for you. It meets at 1:00 p.m., 10/4–11/18; fee is $60 for the series.
Outdoor activities
On Tuesday, 9/24, join Fall Hike #1 with Mike Yantachka. It starts at the Center at 8:45 a.m. for carpooling and heads to Raven Ridge in Monkton. There are a total of 5 hikes on Tuesdays—with one as a rain date. Each hike goes to a different location and has varying levels of difficulty. Fall Hike #2, on 10/2, goes to Rattlesnake Mountain, Willsboro and meets at 8:30 a.m. for the ferry. For more information, please call the Senior Center or drop in.
At 10:00 a.m., on Wednesday, 9/25, you have an opportunity to go Strolling in Charlotte with Janet Yantachka. Sign up for a date and meet up at the Senior Center to carpool for a leisurely walk on the Town Link Trail—a flat, gravel path. Call for weather updates after 9 a.m. Registration is requested for each week. No fee.
The last Kayaking for Women trip is on Friday, 9/27, and is headed for the Chittenden Reservoir. For more information and to sign up, contact Susan Hyde. If you missed these trips this year, make a note for next summer, 2020. Exercise, adventure and fun are somehow all squeezed into them.
This next item fits somewhere between an outdoor activity and an art event. On Saturday, 10/5, at 9:30 a.m. is a trip to Lemon Fair Sculpture Park in Shoreham. Frank and Elaine Ittleman’s outdoor art can be seen on the 1.5-mile loop that passes about a dozen large-scale pieces. With Frank as our guide, enjoy both the scenery and the artwork. Bring water, wear sturdy shoes; head home around noon, or stop in nearby Middlebury for lunch. Registration is necessary. No fee.
Wednesday Afternoon Events at 1:00 p.m.—after lunch
9/25: Artists Reception & Gathering. Artists whose work is in the 13th Annual Senior Center Community Art Show gather to discuss their pieces and their creative process. All are invited to the reception with light refreshments at 1:00 p.m. The show will be ending after this, as artists pick up their work.
10/2: Cycling Along the Dutch Coast with John Hammer. Have a look at what a cycle-barge trip along the Dutch Coast is like with visits to some cities and tips on museums.
The best times to see the art exhibit in September
Mondays at noon, Tuesdays after 12:30 p.m., Wednesdays 9:30 a.m. – noon, Thursdays after 12:30 np.m., Fridays after 12:30 p.m. Please call the Center during the week to check on Sunday availability.
Lunch Menus
Monday Munch
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. No reservations required.
September 23
Fresh tomato pie, greens, crème-fraiche chocolate chunk cookie bars
September 30
Curried citrus quinoa, greens, chocolate zucchini cake
Wednesday Lunch
All diners eat at noon. Reservations required.
September 25
Asparagus quiche, carrot & raisin salad, homemade dessert
October 3
Crispy cinnamon chicken, roast potatoes, steamed broccoli, homemade birthday cake and ice cream
Thursday Gents Breakfast
7:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Reservations required.
September 26 and October 10
Menu: TBA | Topic: TBA
Keep up to date on Menus at our website, and on Front Porch Forum, as they sometimes change.
Do visit our website, for more details and menus. If you have questions or would like to register, please call (802) 425-6345, Monday – Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. We are at 212 Ferry Road, Charlotte, right across from the post office. The Senior Center’s mission is to serve those 50 and up. Residents from other communities are always welcome. Stop in and say hello.
See you soon!
Charlotte Senior Center
(802) 425-6345