Repopulate your garden at senior center plant sale

Don’t forget the senior center’s annual plant sale. It’s a perfect time to stock up on annuals and perennials, while catching up with neighbors.

With the warmer weather, how about joining the gentle walking group or brushing up on language skills in preparation for a planned trip?

The women’s kayak group is looking for volunteers to help lead the trips. This is a great opportunity to volunteer while spending time out on the water.

Annual plant sale
Saturday, May 25, 9 a.m.-noon
Stop by the Senior Center’s annual Plant Sale and stock up on a great selection of annuals and perennials at great prices. Rain or shine. If you’re dividing perennials in your garden, pot (and label) a few to donate to the sale. Drop off plants at the Center any time between Friday, May 17, and Friday, May 24. Need help digging? Please call 802-425-6345 and leave your name, address and phone number. A team member will call to arrange a time to dig your plants. The group will be digging plants through May 22. Questions? Email Polly.

Shape-note singing
Sunday, May 26, 12:30-2:30 p.m.
Traditional a Capella, four-part harmony sung for the joy of singing, not as a practice for performance. Search “sacred harp” on YouTube for examples, then come and sing with us. Introduction to shape notes and scales is recommended and offered 30 minutes before each first Sunday singing. Contact Kerry Cullinan to schedule. Free. No registration required.

Exercise activities

Women’s kayak trips
It is time to plan the kayak trip season. The kayak trips will start in June. The organizers are looking for some volunteers to lead or co-lead some of the kayak trips. Interested in learning more, please email Susan Hyde.

Walking and gentle hiking group
Thursday, May 23, 9 a.m.
Enjoy the beauty of nature. Come walk at a gentle pace with other seniors. The group will meet each month for a congenial non-strenuous walk. Location to be determined based on conditions of the local walks. Meet at 9 a.m. in the parking lot of the Charlotte Senior Center. Questions? Call Penny Burman at 916-753-7279. Free, but registration appreciated.

Pilates fitness
Tuesdays & Thursdays, 8:30-9:30 a.m.
This pilates class, for folks 55 and over, is designed to be challenging and safe. Phyllis Bartling leads the class through upper-body strength work with hand weights and mat exercises with the focus on working core muscles to improve balance, strength and posture. Cost: $10 a class. No registration required.

Yoga strength-building practice
Wednesdays, 11 a.m.-noon
Join Heidi Kvasnak for an integrative practice that builds strength and stability while maintaining a sense of ease and spaciousness in both body and mind. The class will practice longer-held postures that strengthen muscles, bones and core, as well as breath-led flowing movement, including sun salutations. Prerequisite: Must be able to easily get down to and up from the floor with or without props. Cost: $10/class. No registration required.

Languages

French conversation
Mondays, 2:30-3:30 p.m.
Parlez-vous français? This is an intermediate group of French speakers who meet weekly for French conversation. As the group grows, there may be opportunities to split according to skill levels. Questions? Email Roberta Whitmore. Free. No registration required.

German conversation
Tuesdays, 3-4 p.m.
Möchtest du dein Deutsch üben? Come join this group to meet other German speakers and practice your German. No agenda, just a casual conversation. All experience levels are welcome. Questions? Email Dan York. Free. No registration required.

Spanish conversation
Tuesdays, 10-11 a.m.
¿Hablas español? This group meets weekly. At each session one member of the group will announce the topic of conversation for the following week. Come join the group for conversation in Spanish. Questions? Email Bernice Wesseling. Free. No registration required.

Games

Backgammon league
Tuesdays, 6-8:30 p.m.
Backgammon is a tactical table game with a 5,000-year history. The group welcomes players at all levels. If you have questions, please contact Jonathan. Cost: $3. No registration required.

Brain games
Fridays, 2-4 p.m.
There are many ways adults can stimulate their brains to increase mental health, improve memory skills and contribute to overall well-being. Research finds that positive interaction with others and engagement in stimulating group activities sharpens cognition and increases memory ability. Join us to play various games, share laughter and enjoy one another’s company. Some games are available, but also feel free to bring your own. Free. No registration required.

Duplicate bridge
Mondays, 12:30-4 p.m.
This group plays an intermediate level of duplicate bridge using the basic American Contract Bridge League conventions. Names are drawn for partners, and friendly games ensue. Those unfamiliar with duplicate bridge are welcome and paired with an experienced player to help for a few weeks of open dialogue training. The group is always looking for new players who have basic bridge knowledge. Cost: $3. No registration required.

Samba canasta
Tuesdays, 12 p.m., & Fridays, 12:30 p.m.
Samba is a new version of canasta that has quickly become very popular due to its variety of melds, which keeps the game interesting. If you are curious to learn how to play samba, call Sandy Armell at 802-425-3248. Free. No registration required.

Meals
Menus are posted on the website.

Monday lunches
Served weekly. Lunch is served 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., or until the food runs out. Suggested lunch donation $5. No registration required.

Weekly Age Well Grab & Go meals
Pick up 10-11a.m. on Thursdays at the Charlotte Senior Center. Registration is required by Monday for the Thursday meal. $5 suggested meal donation but not required. To register, call 802-425-6345 or email.

Senior center info:
The senior center offers programs for adults 50 and older from Charlotte and surrounding communities. Priority is given to seniors, but programs are open to adults of all ages. Programs include weekly lunches, daily exercise classes and many opportunities to connect through board and card games and art and language programming. Interested in receiving a weekly reminder about what is happening? Sign up for the email newsletters. The “Week Ahead” email is sent out on Friday mornings with activities, lunch menus and special programs for the upcoming week.

Lori York, director
Tracy Brown, coordinator
212 Ferry Road, Charlotte, 802-425-6345