Senior Center News – June 17, 2021

 

“The beauty of that June day was almost staggering. After the wet spring, everything that could turn green had outdone itself in greenness and everything that could even dream of blooming or blossoming was in bloom and blossom. The sunlight was a benediction. The breezes were so caressingly soft and intimate on the skin as to be embarrassing.”
~ Dan Simmons, Drood

The Senior Center has begun a ‘soft opening.’ Priority is being given to those groups that have not been able to gather on Zoom: Bridge, Mahjong, Strength Maintenance, Tai Chi -Advanced. By the end of this month, Essentrics and Pilates classes will be back in person.

Some courses will continue Zooming though the summer, such as T’ai Chi for Beginners, all the Italian courses, Gentle Yoga, Mindfulness Meditation Practice and Writing Your Life Story. Others have not yet decided. Yes, this transition period is a little confusing—but we’re on the way. Please call if you have a question.

Limited meals will start in mid-July with reservations necessary. A more regular schedule will depend on the creation of new, volunteer cooking teams. If you are interested in finding out more about cooking teams (volunteering for as little as one day a month), please call the Senior Center at (802) 425-6345. There is no age limit.

Courses starting in June
If you act really, really quickly, there is still time to register for any of the courses below. The registration deadline is Friday, 6/18—for all of them. For how to register and pay, see the information at the end of this article.

6/23. Conflict Resolution with Mark Williams. Register by 6/18. Fee – $48. Wednesday mornings, 11:00 to 12:00 p.m. Dates: 6/23–7/28. (six weeks). Using role-playing and mediation exercises, participants in this six-week course will learn practical skills, such as: how to calm an angry person down, how to empathize with a person with whom you disagree, and more. (All meetings for this course will be on Zoom.) ~ Mark Williams is a licensed couples counselor; however, please note that this course is not intended for couples.

6/23. Books of the World with Steve Goldstein. Register by 6/18. No fee. Wednesday afternoons, 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Dates: 6/23, 7/7, 7/21, 8/4 & 8/18. In five twice-monthly sessions, you will travel around the world reading and discussing novels by international authors that are rich in theme and sense of place. Titles we will cover (in order) are: Atonement (England), Ian McEwan; My Sister, The Serial Killer (Nigeria), Oyinkan Braithwaite; The Narrow Road to the Deep North (Thailand and Australia), Richard Flanagan; Pachinko (Korea and Japan), Min Jin Lee; and The God of Small Things (India), Arundhati Roy. Bring your curiosity and willingness to share your thoughts. (Note: This course will start on Zoom and is likely to switch to an in-person class). Steve is a veteran journalist, an experienced book group facilitator and a visitor to 73 countries. Co-sponsored by The Charlotte Library.

6/25. Italian. Four different courses for all levels. Registration deadline: 6/18. If you have any questions about which class fits your skill set best, please contact Nicole Librandi.

Italian for Continuing Beginners with Nicole Librandi. Fridays, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Dates: 6/25–7/30 (6 weeks). Register by 6/18. Fee: $48. You’ve studied a bit of Italian? Are you beginning to put sentences together and carry on basic conversations? Do you spend your free time watching Italian movies and singing along with your favorite Italian songsters? Then this class is for you!

Italian – Intermediate with Nicole Librandi. Fridays, 2:30 p[.m. to 3:30 p.m. Dates: 6/25–7/30 (six weeks). Register by 6/18. Fee: $48. If you’ve studied Italian, but if your knowledge of the language is rusty, then this class is the right place for you. We’ll have fun with the Italian language and culture together, through conversation, reading, writing and taking virtual tours of Italian art, music, style and cuisine.

Italian – Advanced  with Nicole Librandi. Fridays, 4:00 p.m., to 5:00 p.m. Dates: 6/25–7/30. (six weeks). Register by 6/18. Fee: $48. Join this class to strengthen your knowledge of Italian through conversation and grammar updates. Enjoy Italy virtually as you use Italiano in conversation, writing, reading, films, games and songs. Class is conducted almost exclusively in Italian.

Italian for Total Beginners with Nicole Librandi. Fridays, 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Dates: 6/25–7/30 (six weeks). Register by 6/18. Fee: $48. You’ve never studied Italian? Do you dream of traveling to Italy and ordering your morning cappuccino? Now is the time to begin your study of Italian—and have fun along the way!

6/25. Kayaking for Women. Destination: Berlin Pond with Raymonde Mayhew and Patricia Lavery. For more information, please email Susan Hyde. Registration required. Maximum is determined by leaders. Paddlers need to provide their own boats for all trips. No fee.

For expanded course descriptions see the printed summer schedule or visit the Senior Center website. The mission of the Senior Center is to serve those 50 and up; some course enrollments are limited, and if a course is not full, younger participants are welcome to enroll. Feel free to leave a message anytime at (802) 425-6345; voicemail is checked frequently.

Ongoing classes continue year-round. Check out the website and consider signing up for an online exercise or health course—which can be joined at any time during the season: Chair Yoga (M, W); Essentrics™ (W, F); Gentle Yoga (M); Pilates (Th); Pilates Plus (Tu); Tai Chi for Beginners (Tu, Th); and Mindfulness Meditation Practice (W). And, if a course is offered twice a week, you can opt for participating on just one of those days if you wish.

Talks at 1:00 p.m. – Wednesdays
These free talks are continuing online throughout the summer. They do not require advance registration and closed captioning is included. The Zoom invitation/link to each talk is posted on the website the day before. Can’t make it? Talks are recorded and posted for two weeks afterwards on the website.

6/23. Ethiopia Travels: History, Culture & Scenery with Sheri and Rich Larsen. During their three-week trip in 2019, there was a lot to see. In the north were the archaeological sites in Axum, wildlife in the Simien mountains, the castles of Gondor, the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela. A private tour in the south included visiting a number of tribes and the opportunity to observe many interesting birds.

6/30. Biking in the Dolomites with Don Porter. Follow a troupe of intrepid bikers on a short sprint in Italy through some of the most beautiful mountain terrain in the world. From the spectacular high alpine meadows of Alpe di Siusi (a UNESCO world heritage site) to the famous and demanding Sella Ronda (a 9,186 ft. altitude change), explore this extraordinarily majestic region on cyclist’s wings. Don Porter is an aspiring outdoor explorer away from his financial advisory desk.

7/07. Kolyma – Siberian Road of Bones with Louise McCarren. Located in the Russian Far East, this 1,300-mile dirt road from Magadan to Yakutz was built to deliver prisoners to the infamous Gulag.

7/14. South Africa before Mandela with Mark Williams.

Plant sale
One person who was accidentally omitted from the list of helpers for the Plant Sale last month was Cindi Burns. Thank you for support and for all your hard work.

Could we really be at the end of the yellow brick road – at the gates of the Emerald City?

How to Register for a Course
All courses are online—and all require registration in order to receive the invitation/link.

To register, email your name, mailing address, and phone number. Be sure to type in the title of the course in the subject line of your email. You will receive confirmation that you are registered. The invitation/link for the course will be sent to you by the instructor the week the class starts.

How to Pay

  • If there is a fee, kindly pay by check (made out to CSC) and send to: CSC, P.O. Box 207, Charlotte, VT 05445. Be sure to note the full title of the course in the memo line of your check.
  • For ongoing exercise courses, please pay at the end of each month for the classes attended. Unless otherwise stated, tally your attendance and figure $5 per class hour. (This price will continue through the summer months.)
  • For all courses with specific starting and ending dates, please pay at the start, and note the fee listed in the course description.
  • Questions? Need help with Zooming? Please email or leave a message at (802) 425-6345.

Charlotte Senior Center
(802) 425-6345