Director's Message - November 2024

One of our Stay Active and Independent for Life (SAIL) classes performed a public demo of their exercise routine during the Senior Health Fair on Sept. 27.

​BRrrr... It’s official. Summer is gone, and fall is here in full force. Although I am so grateful for the cooler weather, I’m not a fan of the shorter days. ​

Speaking of the chilly weather, I’m sure many of you have noticed the new thermostats gracing our walls in the senior center. These thermostats are controlled with a program, and they are all individually set based on their location and the scheduled events for any particular day. Until the warm days are completely gone, these thermostats are set with both heat and air conditioning. If a thermostat is changed outside of the app (adjusting it from the wall unit), it disrupts the pre-programmed schedule and the next event coming into the room will either be too cold or too hot. I know the temptation can be great to adjust the thermostats, especially if you have a similar thermostat at home, but I ask that you see me so that I can make any needed changes. These thermostats were provided to us with a PUD rebate, and we are already saving money on our power bill. Yahoo! 

 With the start of fall, our events at the senior center are beginning to ramp up. In less than two weeks, our annual Holiday Craft Fair will open its doors, billing as the largest one yet. We have over 135 booths this year, and there will be something for everyone. We have even included food trucks and a coffee cart for those that need a little “something” to keep their energy up. Put Saturday, November 9th on your calendar, and be there when the doors open at 9:00 a.m.  

 The Second Chance Thrift Shop will also open the annual Christmas Cottage on the morning of November 9th. It takes a lot of work to make the change from a typical thrift store to that of a Christmas shopper’s wonderland. Space will be a little tight around the center, and access to the thrift store from the main entrance of the center will be closed until after Christmas. Make sure you get the chance to check it out, though. Be there early this season while the selection of Christmas decorations is at its best.  

As our fall events kick into gear, so do Senior Center closures.  We will be closed on November 11th for Veteran’s Day, and we will close for the Thanksgiving holiday at 1:00 p.m. on November 27th and re-open on Monday, December 2nd. Make sure to join us for Thanksgiving lunch with all the trimmings on the 27th and sign up at least 24 hours in advance so we know how much to prepare.   

Medicare is undergoing major changes this year. For those needing to enroll for the first time, or wanting to make changes to their existing plans, there are several opportunities for help. Springwater Insurance is offering multiple seminars between now and early December in the Social Hall to help you understand the available options. Look for their ad in this newsletter or contact them to find upcoming dates and times. SHIBA is also back and will be at the Senior Center into December. There is no need to pre-register for this as the availability is on a first-come first-served basis. The dates and times for SHIBA can also be found in this month’s newsletter. 
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Our travel program has been very active this year, and there are already five trips planned for 2025.  The first trip of next year is to Costa Rica and, although this trip was full a short time ago, four spaces have recently opened up. If you are looking for somewhere warm and adventurous to get you through the winter doldrums, reach out to our Program Director, Lydia, and she will give you all the details. For those of you who wanted to go on the Christmas Markets of the Danube river cruise but didn’t get registered before it filled up, there will be another opportunity next December for the Christmas Markets of the Rhine. Don’t wait to sign up as this trip will most likely sell out before spring.  

​As a final note, I want to express my gratitude for the Building Campaign donations that continue to come in. We are greater than half way to our goal of $400,000, and this is in no small part due to the generosity of our membership. We will get there and when we do, make sure those pool cues and ping pong paddles are ready! 
 
~ Lisa Blair

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