by George Wiley This story is dedicated to our former executive director, Dave Tosch.
Old Joe Hankins angrily stomped out of the ophthalmologist’s examining room, through the office, and tried to walk through a closed door. He stepped back, fumbling for the doorknob and loudly declared, "Nobody is going to cram me in a blankety blank hospital bed for a month!" Wes and Claire Johnson followed Joe out to the sidewalk urging him to reconsider, but he would not. The young eye doctor had explained to Joe that in this year of 1960, a person losing their sight to cataracts could have them removed. Unfortunately, it then entailed a month in the hospital. Joe refused even to think about it. by Lydia Agidius, Program Director Hello again! I hope everyone is staying warm and enjoying the new year so far. This is a time of new beginnings, new goals and new experiences that will last a lifetime. It's often during this season of reflection that I find myself thinking about the monumental moments of my life. I often return to the same few: the day I met my husband, the day I got engaged, my wedding day, and the day my babies were born. But what I've noticed over the years is how easily we as humans get caught in the cycle of working tirelessly toward that next big thing—the “one day” goal that will bring us happiness. We pour ourselves into it and once it’s achieved we quickly move on to the next goal, often without pausing to savor the accomplishment we’ve just reached.
by Russ Alman, Director of Communications and Development ![]() No, I can’t read the title of this month’s tech tip either. Despite what some people around the senior center think, I do not speak Greek (though I do speak Geek!). But the title translates into English as “No, you are not stupid.” The point of the title is the old adage, “It’s Greek to me.” As someone who does not speak Greek, that title is totally unrecognizable. I don’t know the Greek alphabet and have no idea how to pronounce it without the help of Google Translate. Also, I know almost nothing about Greek culture or customs. If you took me to Greece and dropped me off in downtown Athens to fend for myself, I would have no idea how to read the street signs, ask for directions, order food or find a bathroom. I would be very intimidated and exasperated. I am not stupid. I have a master’s degree and a strong English vocabulary. I am perfectly capable and willing to learn about different cultures and the basics I need to communicate. Though I don’t plan on becoming fluent in Greek, I’m sure if I learned a few phrases and better understood their customs, I’d feel more at ease if I visited there. ![]() Executive Director Here we are, well into the new year and things haven’t slowed down one bit. The lack of snow (so far) this year has kept us vibrant and alive with activity and it has been so good to see everyone continue to remain busy and involved. The Christmas lights outside of our building have gone dark and the decorations inside have been replaced with signs of the expectation of Valentine’s Day. I am the kind of person who craves as much sunshine as I can possibly get, so it is also with immense pleasure that I announce Daylight Saving Time is only five short weeks away! Indeed, we continue to move on into 2025. As the season continues to change, we also embrace change within our facility. You may have noticed a new face at the reception desk. David, who has been helping in the Second Chance Thrift Shop and is the mastermind behind The Friendship Brigade, our card-making club, will be tending the front desk from 2 to 4 p.m. on Mondays. He will soon be joined by another volunteer, Kathy, who will be at the desk on Tuesdays and Fridays from 2 to 4 p.m. Let’s make sure to welcome them both and give them plenty of grace as they learn this new role. We'd like to thank East Wenatchee Senior Living and Colonial Vista Senior Living for their continued sponsorship of our Western Day lunch. They have been supporting our lunch program for over five years by paying for the food we provide (roast beef with all the fixings) and in exchange, we allow them to set up a booth to talk to our lunch attendees. They also volunteer and help us serve lunch to the tables. This lunch is hugely popular and usually sells out in advance.
WENATCHEE -- The Wenatchee Valley Senior Activity Center is pleased to announce it has received a grant for $23,000 from the Legacy Funds Grant program managed by the Community Foundation of NCW (CFNCW).
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livewire PDFsMany of the articles in our News section are digital versions of articles in our monthly newspaper, The Livewire. You can view digital PDF copies of the newspaper in its entirety by selecting editions below:
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