Visit to senior center could lead to trip on the water

Lori York, Charlotte Senior Center Director

Come in and cool down during the heat of the summer.

Or join a women’s kayaking trip, learn about dragon boats, or meet other people during lunch. All of these activities plus exercises, games and more will be happening this month at the Charlotte Senior Center.

Community Health

COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic
Tuesday, July 26, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Free Garnet Healthcare walk-in COVID-19 vaccine clinics — no appointments necessary. Vaccines and boosters are available for Moderna (ages 6 months-5 years); Pediatric Pfizer (ages 5-11); Adult Pfizer (12+) and Adult Moderna (18+).

Cooling Centers
The Charlotte Senior Center and Charlotte Library are designated cooling centers with air-conditioned facilities to cool down during hot weather. Community cooling centers help provide temporary relief and are especially helpful when the National Weather Service issues a heat advisory or excessive heat warning. During a heat advisory or excessive heat warning, notices will be placed in Front Porch Forum in addition to notices on social media and the senior center and library websites.

Pilates with Phyllis Bartling. Photo by Lori York. From left, Susan Hyde, Gail Martin, Lane Morrison, Phyllis Bartling and Kate Mesaros pilated from the senior center while other pilates participants joined via Zoom.
Pilates with Phyllis Bartling. Photo by Lori York. From left, Susan Hyde, Gail Martin, Lane Morrison, Phyllis Bartling and Kate Mesaros pilated from the senior center while other pilates participants joined via Zoom.

Programs & Activities

Kayak Trips for Women
July 22: Kayak Lamoille River
Kayak trips for active women who share a love for exploring local lakes, ponds and rivers. And it’s free; you just have to register. Weather permitting, the kayak trips will happen on the second and fourth Friday mornings throughout the summer and early fall. To register your interest, email Susan Hyde to be placed on a master list of paddlers. An email will be sent to the master list regarding the details of the specific kayak trips.

Dragonheart Vermont
Wednesday, July 27, 1 p.m.
Join Dragonheart Vermont’s executive director Nina Atkinson and team paddler Ellen Gurwitz for a preview of the Lake Champlain Dragon Boat Festival, benefitting local cancer survivors, on Sunday, Aug. 7. Just back from the Club Crew World Championships, they will share stories about competing there, representing Dragonheart Vermont and the United States.

Movie afternoons
Wednesdays, August, 1 p.m.
The listing of movies for the month is posted at the Charlotte Senior Center. Sign up to receive the Week Ahead email newsletter and you will receive notification on Fridays for the upcoming movie.

Exercise classes
The senior center offers daily exercise programs for a wide range of fitness and activity levels. A complete list of exercise programs and class descriptions is on the website.

Chair exercise
Mondays, 9:30-10:30 a.m., & Wednesdays,10-11 a.m.
These classes with Tiny Sikkes cost $10 a class. Registration is not required.

Mindfulness meditation
Mondays, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Jill Abilock offers free meditation classes via Zoom. The Zoom information is provided upon registration.

Pilates fitness
Tuesdays & Thursdays, 8:30-9:30 a.m.
Join Phyllis Bartling for pilates classes. It costs $8 per class and no registration is needed.

Strength maintenance
Tuesdays, 11 a.m.-noon, & Fridays, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Strength maintenance classes are free.

T’ai Chi Ch’uan for beginners
Thursdays, 10-11 a.m.
An introduction to T’ai Chi Ch’uan with John Creech; $8 a class and no registration required.

T’ai Chi practice
Thursdays, 11 a.m.-noon
Practice T’ai Chi with Katie Franko. It’s free and no registration is needed.

Gentle yoga
Mondays, 11 a.m.-noon
Heidi Kvasnak leads a gentle yoga class on Mondays for $10 a class. No registration required.

Volunteer opportunities

Looking for volunteer exercise instructors
RSVP Bone Builders, a program of United Way of Northwest Vermont, is looking for volunteers 55+ to lead weekly osteoporosis prevention classes at the Charlotte Senior Center. Bone Builders is a no-impact, weight training program designed to prevent and even reverse the negative effects of osteoporosis in older adults. Interested in becoming a volunteer instructor? Contact Danielle Schwer or call 802-861-7821.

The Charlotte Senior Center would not be able to provide the wide variety of programming without the support of dedicated volunteers. There are many opportunities to volunteer at the senior center ranging from welcoming and registering visitors as a reception desk host to helping out with the weekly lunch teams. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Kerrie Pughe.

Photo by Lori York From left, Colleen Haag, Sean Moran, Andy Hodgkin, Louise McCarren, Patty Blair and Glenn Willett volunteering with the Monday Munch cooking team.
Photo by Lori York. From left, Colleen Haag, Sean Moran, Andy Hodgkin, Louise McCarren, Patty Blair and Glenn Willett volunteering with the Monday Munch cooking team.

Meals
Menus are posted on the website.

Monday lunches
Served weekly. Lunch is served 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. No registration required. Suggested lunch donation $5.

Wednesday lunch
July 20, noon
Chef Arnd from the Residence at Shelburne Bay will provide lunch at the senior center on Wednesday, July 20 at noon. Suggested lunch donation $5. Registration required by noon on Monday, July 18.

Weekly Age Well Grab & Go meals
Pick up on Thursdays 10-11a.m. at the Charlotte Senior Center. July menus for these free meals are posted on the Charlotte Senior Center website at charlotteseniorcentervt.org. Registration is required by Monday for the Thursday meal. To register, contact Kerrie Pughe or call 802-425-6345.

Senior center contact info:
Lori York, director.
Kerrie Pughe, coordinator.
212 Ferry Road, Charlotte, 802-425-6345.

Follow the Charlotte Senior Center on Facebook or Instagram.