Welcome to the new director at the Churchville Senior Center
The Valley Program for Aging Services announces that Ann Weiland has been named the new director for the Churchville Senior Center.
Welland comes to this position with decades of executive level experience working in a variety of settings including a non-profit consulting organization and two United Ways. Continue reading “Welcome to the new director at the Churchville Senior Center” »
March for Meals Scheduled for March 17
The Mu chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi at James Madison University is hosting its very first “March for Meals” on Saturday, March 17.
The March for Meals is a benefit 5k or 1-mile “march” to help our local philanthropy, Valley Program for Aging Services. VPAS is a local organization that provides Meals on Wheels among other services designed to help older adults stay in their homes and communities for as long as possible. Continue reading “March for Meals Scheduled for March 17” »
Staunton Senior Center News
Rhythm & blues Black History Program presented at SSC: Did you know that it wasn’t jazz, it wasn’t blues, and it wasn’t gospel that was the most popular form of music among African-American people in in the 1950s?
You guessed it! It was rhythm and blues! Continue reading “Staunton Senior Center News” »
Shenandoah National Park development talk at East Rock SC
James Lawson of Elkton, who is a noted historian, presenter for the JMU Lifelong Learning Institute, and a master naturalist, paid a visit to the East Rockingham Senior Center on Jan. 25 to share his knowledge about the development of the Shenandoah National Park.
For the 29 members and 10 guests/volunteers in our audience, we learned that the Park was developed by five companies and that the CCC boys actually just assisted with roadway preparations. Continue reading “Shenandoah National Park development talk at East Rock SC” »
Cranberries at the Staunton Senior Center
Even though the holidays are past, it wasn’t too late to pull out the cranberries and hold a contest at SSC. Whoever most closely guessed the number of cranberries in the jar would receive a mystery prize the next day of Center attendance.
The idea was introduced from the Breakfast for Your Brain manual, pulled out recently by Program Director Lori Pullin searching for ideas for mental health fitness exercises. Along with the contest came several math pages which were photocopied out of the manual, all concerning cranberries and other types of berries.
Center members busily solved problems with their pencils and scratch paper, performing math that may not been done for quite some time. But then engaging in new and different brain-stretching activities is always a “plus” for the brain!
More online at www.StauntonSeniorCenter.org.
Staunton Senior Center to be site of filming in January
A video crew from the Internet program called Bus 52 will be filming Three Guys with Notes, a local band that will be playing at SSC on Friday, Jan. 13 at 10 a.m.
Bus 52 journeys around the U.S. interviewing people who do creative things to make a difference. Three Guys with Notes is a musical outreach program that conducts interactive performances with drums, rhythm instruments, and Native American flutes. The leader is the son-in-law of one of SSC’s former members.
The Waynesboro Senior Center is coming that day as well as second graders from Grace Christian School. So we will have a full house and much excitement as the film crew sets up and Three Guys with Notes performs and encourages interaction with the audience. It should be a fun day!
Recruitment under way for new CSC substitute director
For the past 15 years Ann Collins, a dedicated member of the Churchville Senior Center and community, has worked in different roles to support the efforts of the Center. She has worked many years as the substitute center director and has helped the transition of several CSC directors over this past decade.
Collins announced her resignation from this position earlier this week due to personal reasons. She has been a tremendous support to the Center and to Center Director Gail Ham. Thank you, Ann, for your dedication and hard work over these past 15 years!
Recruitment efforts are underway to find a new substitute center director. An employment ad will run starting Jan. 1, 2012 in the Staunton News Leader. If you or someone you know is interested in the position, please contact SAW RD Jenn Chestnut. Continue reading “Recruitment under way for new CSC substitute director” »
Staunton Senior Center invites apartment residents for goodies
On Thursday, Dec. 22, the Staunton Senior Center invited residents of Gypsy Hill Place where SSC is located down for an informal open house.
We wanted to meet them, show them our Center, and wish them a Merry Christmas! Although only two residents took advantage of our invitation, Center members thoroughly enjoyed all the goodies, fixing plates to take home. There had been a festive atmosphere all day at the Center as there was stringed Christmas music enthusiastically played and sung by the program director’s husband and two friends and just plain merry making amongst members and staff.
We were reminded of the thoughtful spirit of this time of year as Girl Scout troop #54 dropped off some goodies the day before, so we were able to offer some of those as well as put a lot in the freezer for later occasions.
We wish everyone a most happy new year as we approach the end of 2011 and the beginning of 2012 soon!
More online at www.StauntonSeniorCenter.org.
Grand delivers Christmas cheer to Senior Center
It was another “grand gesture” on the part of Grand Home Furnishings.
“This is just our way to give back to our community locally and thank everybody for 100 years of support of Grand Home Furnishings,” said Colleen Price, the manager of the Waynesboro Grand Home Furnishings retail store, at the Waynesboro Senior Center, to which Grand had just delivered donated Snuggies, nutritional drinks, adult diapers and three rocking chairs.
Grand also brought along Santa Claus to pass out gifts to members of the Senior Center.
“Christmas is all about giving back and giving to other people. This is a great way for us to end our year and tell people thank you,” Price said. “The Snuggies will keep people warm. The rockers I’m sure will be put to good use. And we donated some time last week to wrapping gifts.
“What we really wanted to do is just give back, and we’re particularly happy to be able to give back to our seniors here locally, because these seniors are among our first customers at Grand,” Price said.
Senior Center director Janice Gentry expressed thanks on the part of the Center and its members.
“There’s no way on a nonprofit’s budget that we’d be able to afford such nice furnishings,” Gentry said. “It’s wonderful to have that donation. And I know that our homebound clients who receive those Snuggies that were donated will relish having them for the wintertime coming up.
“It’s so generous of them to do that, along with bringing Santa, and Santa taking pictures with all of our members and all of our guests here today as well. It’s just been a fabulous day,” Gentry said.
Senior Centers celebrate Christmas
Santa Claus was in town, and he saw a full house at the Waynesboro Senior Center on Wednesday.
WSC hosted a Christmas lunch for its members and members from sister Senior Centers in Staunton and Churchville.
The Centers hold similar mixers once a quarter, said Janice Gentry, the director of the Waynesboro Senior Center.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for the members to be able to socialize with folks that they don’t get to see all that often,” Gentry said.
This year’s joint Christmas lunch was the first that the local Senior Centers have held together, said Gail Ham, the director of the Churchville Senior Center.
Close to 100 local seniors took part, with the lunch supplemented by entertainment and visits with Santa.
“You come here and get together, and you can mingle with everybody. I try to mingle with everybody, crack jokes. It’s nice. I enjoy it,” Waynesboro Senior Center member Larry Ransome said.
“I think it’s just wonderful that we’re all together. It’s the Christmas spirit that everyone should have at this time, love for one another, joy and celebrating Jesus’ birth. It’s just wonderful,” Staunton Senior Center member Marilyn McGonigal said.
SSC director Lynn Harris was all smiles seeing “so many people coming and enjoying themselves and singing and seeing Santa Claus and exchanging gifts.”
“It’s just been a great way to celebrate the holiday,” Harris said.
Churchville Senior Center contests conclude in shopping spree
Businesses in Churchville are struggling this Christmas season. as they are everywhere. Members of the Churchville Senior Center decided to do something about it, at least for one business.
Karen’s Boutique is a new business residing in an old grocery store. The owner, Karen Luster, is a resident of Deerfield who provides a marvelous array of gifts and antiques in her homey shop. A woman of many talents, Karen is also a dance instructor! During the month of December, gift certificates have been awarded as prizes for the various games and contests at Churchville Senior Center.
The big shopping day will be Thursday, Dec. 22, when Karen will provide refreshments for shoppers, give a 20 percent discount to CSC members, and redeem the gift certificates. This is the first of community partnership programs that the center is planning for the coming year.
More online at www.ChurchvilleSeniorCenter.org.
East Rockingham High School SCA spearheads donations for homebound seniors
Based on a presentation in November by East Rock Senior Center Director Lisa Gooden about ways the East Rockingham High School SCA could partner with the Senior Center, a plan was set in motion by ERHS SCA Advisors Kim Dean and Natalie McCrady to have students collect personal care items for the Center’s most vulnerable clients – the homebound elderly.
In the photo taken by Joshua Gooden last Friday, ERHS SCA officers are shown holding some of the items collected: powder, Q-tips, cotton balls, and soap. Toothbrushes, toothpaste, hand wipes, tissues, shampoo, lotion, and even some cute small stuffed animals were packaged for delivery to our clients receiving home delivered meals. Also, Rebecca Holloway, the ERHS FFA advisor, donated a case of oranges and grapefruit for the project, which will be a nice treat for the recipients. SCA members also created colorful, handcrafted cards to go along with the items that will be delivered to folks. Continue reading “East Rockingham High School SCA spearheads donations for homebound seniors” »
