The Senior Times
Marshall County
Senior Center
Note
From the Director
Is everyone as
sick of snow as I am. For a month with only 28 days, February seemed to
last forever. On a brighter note, Spring is just around the corner. At
least the calendar says so.
We bought some
new software. We are trying a new format for our newsletter. Let us know
what you think.
For our upcoming
activities, we still have the old stand-bys such as ceramics, cards and
bingo, but we also have a water-color painting class, a drawing class, a
jam session,
Wii and corn hole. For April we are planning a Spring Dinner Dance. We
haven’t had one of those for ages. We are also looking ahead to the
Month of May for lots of activities to celebrate Older Americans Month.
Look for details concerning our activities in the newsletter.
Call for Volunteers
The former Sanford School on 3rd
Street has now become The Sanford School. It is still in the developing
stage but ultimately will be a self-sufficient center dedicated to
providing community based services, resources, and educational
opportunities for individuals and groups of all ages.
The Sanford Center is looking for
volunteer art instructors to teach different types of art.
Instruction will be offered for
all age groups and skill sets. We are looking for volunteers at all
commitment levels, even if you only have one extra hour per week. If you
would like to volunteer your talents, call Joyce at the Senior Center at
304-845-8200.
Memories
The Senior Center had asked
previously for individuals to write down some memories from their youth.
We had hoped to compile them and publish them into a book for everyone to
read. We only had a few participants, so we will be
including them in our newsletters. It is still not too late to be
included. Just jot down some of your favorite memories from your life and
we will publish them in the Senior Times.
The following is some memories from our receptionist, Zelma Imhof. Please
enjoy.
Oh, how I wish I could go back
for just a little while to the carefree days of my childhood. My twin
sister and I were the youngest of 10 children. We could just pretend we
were on a trip to almost any-where.
We would have funerals for little
birds and sing songs. Our nieces and nephews would come and visit and we
would play church. We would swing on the grape vines. Our mom would beckon
us to come for lunch. Hot biscuits and jelly would delight us all.
All of us had chores. We packed
wood, picked cherries and fed the chickens. We had to pull grass for the
pigs. We had to go down the "holler" to get the mail. We would
come home and drink water from the well. We would sometimes get a bucket
and have a water battle from the rain barrel just to hear someone
yell and mom would laugh.
We would eat green apples and
pick berries to eat. We loved to play hide and seek and Anty over the
House.
My dad was a little more subtle
but he loved to play dominos. He could play until everyone else was tired
and left the table.
The sausage making took some work
but we couldn’t wait to hear mom say it’s on the table. We would eat
until we couldn’t eat any more. Mom always made home-made ketchup too.
We would wash up and go to bed and dream.
We had such nice neighbors, the
Currys and the Doaks. We would carry Mrs. Doak’s mail and every Friday
she would give us a quarter. Our friends Charles, Pauline and Merle
Anderson, or cousin Hilda Jean
and or big sis Betty were al-ways there for me too.
We had Christmas plays at school
and PTA meetings. I played guitar and sang. Standing on stage in front of
the school was like being on the Grand Ole Opry.
Things have changed since way
back then for me. I now have grown kids and grandkids too. I can now watch
my grandkids play in the run and hunt for pretty rocks and sing and dance.
Life’s celebration will never
end.
Unlike most of the other non-foolish holidays, the
history of April Fool's Day, sometimes called All Fool's Day, is not
totally clear. There really wasn't a "first April Fool's Day"
that can be pinpointed on the calendar. Some believe it sort of evolved
simultaneously in several cultures at the same time, from celebrations
involving the first day of spring.
The closest point in time that can be identified as the
beginning of this tradition was in 1582, in France. Prior to that year,
the new year was celebrated for eight days, beginning on March 25. The
celebration culminated on April 1. With the reform of the calendar under
Charles IX, the Gregorian Calendar was introduced, and New Year's Day was
moved to January 1.
However, communications being what they were in the days
when news traveled by foot, many people did not receive the news for
several years. Others, the more obstinate crowd, refused to accept the new
calendar and continued to celebrate the new year on April 1. These
backward folk were labeled as "fools" by the general populace.
They were subject to some ridicule, and were often sent on "fools
errands" or were made the butt of other practical jokes.
This harassment evolved, over time, into a tradition of
prank-playing on the first day of April. The tradition eventually spread
to England and Scotland in the eighteenth century. It was later introduced
to the American colonies of both the English and French. April Fool's Day
thus developed into an international fun fest, so to speak, with different
nationalities specializing in their own brand of humor at the expense of
their friends and families.
In Scotland, for example, April Fool's Day is actually
celebrated for two days. The second day is devoted to pranks involving the
posterior region of the body. It is called Taily Day. The origin of the
"kick me" sign can be traced to this observance.
Mexico's counterpart of April Fool's Day is actually
observed on December 28. Originally, the day was a sad remembrance of the
slaughter of the innocent children by King Herod. It eventually evolved
into a lighter commemoration involving pranks and trickery.
Pranks performed on April Fool's Day range from the
simple, (such as saying, "Your shoe's untied!), to the elaborate.
Setting a roommate's alarm clock back an hour is a common gag. Whatever
the prank, the trickster usually ends it by yelling to his victim,
"April Fool!"
Practical jokes are a common practice on April Fool's
Day. Sometimes, elaborate practical jokes are played on friends or
relatives that last the entire day. The news media even gets involved. For
instance, a British short film once shown on April Fool's Day was a fairly
detailed documentary. about "spaghetti
farmers" and how they harvest their crop from the spaghetti trees.
April Fool's Day is a "for-fun-only"
observance. Nobody is expected to buy gifts or to take their
"significant other" out to eat in a fancy restaurant. Nobody
gets off work or school. It's simply a fun little holiday, but a holiday
on which one must remain forever vigilant, for he may be the next April
Fool!
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March 1
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8:00 am
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Ceramics
and Cards
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March 2
|
8:00 am
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HUD
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10-12
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Painting Class
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March 3
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10:00 am
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Book Club
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1:00 pm
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Jam Session
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5:00 pm
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Euchre
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March 4
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9-12 am
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Better Hearing
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March 5
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9:00 am
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Painting
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March 8
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8:00 am
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Ceramics and Cards
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March 9
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10-12
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Painting Class
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1:00 pm
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Board Meeting
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March 10
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1:00 pm
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Fun Bingo
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March 11
|
10:00 am
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Corn Hole
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March 12
|
9:00 am
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Painting
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| March
15 |
8:00 am
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Ceramics
and Cards
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| March
16 |
8:00
am
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HUD
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| |
10-12
am
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Painting
Class
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| March
17 |
5:00 pm
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Euchre
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| March
18 |
9-12
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Better Hearing
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| |
5:00 pm
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Washington Lands Satellite
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| March
19 |
9:00 am
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Painting
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| March
22 |
8:00 am
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Ceramics and Cards
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| |
4:00
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Avon
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| March
23 |
10:00 am
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Wii Bowling
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| |
6-7 pm
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Alzheimer Support Group
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10-12
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Painting Class
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| March
24 |
1:00 pm
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Nickel Bingo
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| March
25 |
Noon
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Moundsville Satellite
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| March
26 |
9:00 am
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Painting
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| March
29 |
8:00 am
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Ceramics and Cards
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| March
30 |
10-12 am
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Painting Class
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| March
31 |
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| April
1 |
9-12 am
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Better Hearing
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| April 2 |
Closed
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Good Friday
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| April
5 |
8 am
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Ceramics and Cards
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| April
6 |
10-12 am
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Drawing
Class
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| April
7 |
10:00
am
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Book
Club
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| |
1:00
pm
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Jam
Session
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| |
5:00
pm
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Euchre
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| April
8 |
8-12
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Employee In Service
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| April
9 |
9:00
am
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Painting
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| April
12 |
8:00
am
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Ceramics and Cards
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| April
13 |
10-12 am
|
Drawing Class
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| |
1:00
pm
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Board Meeting
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| April
14 |
1:00 pm
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Fun Bingo
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| April
15 |
9-12
am
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Better
Hearing
|
| |
5:00
pm
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Washington
Lands
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| April
16 |
9:00 am
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Painting
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| April
19 |
8:00
am
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Ceramics and Cards
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| April
20 |
8:00 am
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HUD
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| |
10-12 am
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Drawing Class
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| April
21 |
5:00 pm
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Euchre
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| April
22 |
10:00 am
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Cornhole
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| April
23 |
9:00
am
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Painting
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| April
24 |
6-10
pm
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Spring
Dinner Dance
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| April
26 |
8:00
am
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Ceramics and Cards
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| April
27 |
10:00 am
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Wii
Bowling
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10-12
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Drawing
Class
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6-7
pm
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Alzheimer
Support Group
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| April
28 |
1
pm
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Nickel
Bingo
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| April
29 |
Noon
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Moundsville Satellite
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| April
30 |
9:00
am
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Painting
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Upcoming Activities
Because May is Older
Americans Month, we are planning on having many activities at the
Senior Center throughout the month. Some things to look forward to
in addition to our regularly scheduled activities are:
Senior Health Fair
Pancake and Sausage
Breakfast
Spaghetti Dinner
Gardening Day
Look for more details in
the May/June newsletter.
Drawing Class
We will be offering a
beginner’s drawing class every Tuesday in April from 10 am-noon.
It will be taught by Donna McLaughlin. The class will
start with the basics of drawing and work up to a still life. All
materials will be provided. The cost will be $13 per class. To
register, call the Senior Center at
304-845-8200
Painting
Class
Corn Hole
St. Patrick’s Day
Party
On Wednesday, March 17th we
will be having a St. Patrick’s Day Party at 1 pm. We will be
serving Irish desserts and playing Irish games. Come join the fun.
Spring Dinner Dance
We will be having a Spring
Dinner Dance on Saturday, April 24th at Grand Vue Park. Dinner will
begin at 6 pm. Dance from 7-10 pm. Music will be provided by a DJ.
Tables can reserved for a
party of 8. Must have 8 to a table.
Transportation is
available.
Tickets are $ 12.00 each
and will be on sale until April 16th.
Robert W. Jackson Senior
Conference
The Robert W. Jackson
Annual Senior Conference will be held on Wednesday, Thursday and
Friday, May 26-28 at the Cedar Lakes Conference Center in Ripley,
WV. The theme of the conference is "Age Strong—Live
Long." Along with attending workshops and activities
reflecting this theme, participants may want to take advantage of
the opportunities Cedar Lakes offers for outdoor activities such as
fishing (WV fishing license required), horseshoes, hiking, badminton
and many others. Workshops have been scheduled for
Nutrition, Legislative Updates, Emergency Preparedness, Personal
Safety, Health Topics, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, Zumba,
Line Dancing and much more. There will also be a hands-on digital
cam-era class. Bring your camera with you. Bingo will be held on
Wednesday and a Dance will be held on Thursday night with DJ Herb
Bell. Cost is as follows:
Holt Lodge: $190 per person
or $125 each for 2 people
Cabins: $150 each or $105
each for 2 people
Dorms: $90 per person.
The Marshall County Senior
Center is available to provide transportation if need be. To
register or for more in-formation, call the Senior Center at
304-845-8200 by May 1st.
Recipe Ingredients:
4 (10 count) cans biscuits
1 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 Tablespoons cinnamon
Nuts (optional)
Bundt pan
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut biscuits into
fourths. Mix cinnamon and sugar. Shake biscuit pieces in
cinnamon/sugar mixture (Ziploc bag works well). Pour 1/2 melted
butter in Bundt pan. Layer bread and nuts alternately. Pour
remaining cinnamon/sugar over top and add rest of melted butter.
Bake 45 minutes. Cool slightly before removing from pan. (This is
fun to make with children. They love to "pinch" off pieces
of the finished product.)
FAIR and Lighthouse
The Marshall County Senior
Center wants to remind everyone that we still have the Fair (Family
Alzheimer’s
In-Home Respite) and Lighthouse programs available. The Fair program
provides up to 16 hours a week of companionship for Alzheimer’s
clients while the Lighthouse program provides up to 15 hours of
personal care for clients. Fees for the programs are based on income
and start at $1.00 per hour. To reserve your or your loved one’s
spot on our waiting list, please call the Senior Center at
304-845-8200.
Cornhole
Tournament
If
you don’t know what cornhole is, it is a game in which players take
turns pitching
small bags filled with corn (or beans) at a raised platform with a hole in
the far end. A
corn bag in the hole scores 3 points, while one on the platform scores 1
point. Play
continues until a player reaches the score of 21. The platforms measure
4'x2' and are
generally made of wood, although plastic can be a suitable replacement.
The bags are
generally 6x6", made with duck cloth, and filled with dry feed corn.
We had our game at the Senior Picnic. It is a lot of fun. Were
hoping to start men, women and mixed leagues age 55 and older and play
other senior centers in the future. Equipment is available for
practice everyday except for Tuesday mornings. Trophies will be awarded to
the winning team.
Nintendo Wii
The Nintendo Wii has continued to be a big hit at the Senior Center.
Everyone loves bowling, but a few adventurous people have tried golf and
tennis. We also have a variety of carnival games like darts and shuffleboard.
For those unfamiliar with the Wii, If you haven’t tried playing
the Wii yet, stop in and we will set it up for you. It is available everyday
of the week, but we will have an organized Wii game day for every Tuesday
at 10 am.
The Senior Center was awarded a grant through the West Virginia
on the Move (WVOM) program. One of the objectives
of WVOM is to promote physical activity in the State of WV. With
this grant, we have purchased a Nintendo Wii Sports System to enhance
physical activity opportunities for our Senior Citizens. A Wii game
system is played on the television. It has a motion-sensitive controller
about the size of a television remote control. This controller can
be swung like a tennis racket, a baseball bat, etc. You use your
arm motion to control the action in the game. We will have bowling,
baseball, tennis, and a variety of other games for you to play.
Wii will be available for play any day of the week, and we will
be scheduling regular activities also.
The Sanford Center, Inc.
The goal of the Sanford Center is to be a self-sufficient center
dedicated to providing resources, educational opportunities, and
community based services for individuals and groups of all ages. The
Center is to be self-sufficient. Its only source of income
will come through rent, fundraising, and grants funds. The Board of
Directors and committee chairs need your help to accomplish this
feat. If you are interested of want to know to know more please
contact the following appropriate committee chair. Citizens of
Marshall County should be honored by being given the chance to have
a much needed community center for all ages.
Organizational Development-Joyce Howard (304-845-8200)
Funds Development-Della Deskins (304-845-8182)
Property Management-Rick Healy (304-843-1784)
Maintenance-Bob Blake (304-845-5683)
Public Relations-Kim Kidd (304-845-3991)
Website
You can find us at www.mcseniorcenter.com Check back frequently to see
what's new.
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