By Phyllis Johnson
Free legal consultations will soon be available in the Hilltowns. Attorney Brittany Sergent, of Senior Legal Services at the Legal Aid Society, spoke at the Hilltown Seniors meeting on Jan. 9 to describe the new service.
Private, personal sessions with a lawyer will be offered at the Knox Town Hall on the second Wednesday of every month. Questions about health care, bills, landlord disputes, contractors, wills, and many other civil issues can be discussed free of charge for anyone over 60 years of age.
This service is for civil law issues only; so if you just robbed a liquor store, you need more help than we can provide. An appointment is necessary, so call Pat Lightbody at 872-9400 to schedule your visit. You may make a contribution to Legal Aid if you wish, but it is not required.
Help for vets
Veterans living alone can get assistance with snow shoveling, repairs, and other chores. Call Charlotte Fuss at 861- 8960 for more info.
CARE
Governor Andrew Cuomo recently signed the Caregiver Advise, Record and Enable (CARE) Act, which will require hospitals to allow patients to formally designate a caregiver before they leave the hospital, or are transferred to another facility. It will also require hospital workers to provide the caregiver with instruction or training on how to perform tasks for the patient at home, such as changing bandages or administering medication.
The new law requires hospitals to record the name, phone number, and address of the caregiver in the patient's medical record. The hospital must then notify the caregiver of the patient's upcoming discharge at least 24 hours in advance, and offer instruction in the after-care tasks designated in the patient's discharge plan.
We hope this will make it less likely that anyone gets discharged with no way to take care of themselves once they get home.
Advocacy Day
There is a Statewide Legislative Conference and Advocacy Day planned for Feb. 2 to encourage passage of a proposed $177 million New York State aging services budget. Supporters will be coming from around the state to meet with legislators in the halls of the State Capitol and Legislative Office Building.
Join the statewide advocacy effort, and call or write your legislator. More information can be found online at HYPERLINK "http://www.agingny.org/EducationEvents/"http://www.agingny.org/EducationEvents/, or from your county Department for Aging.
Difficult people
Another opportunity offered by the Aging Alliance is a webinar on “Dealing Effectively with Difficult People.” It will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 20, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. This Internet session will provide practical tips and strategies when working with those difficult people (and we all know some of those).
Speaker Alan Krieger, of Krieger Solutions, LLC will give useful tips to help defuse tensions and improve the way we work with others. Pre-register at HYPERLINK "http://www.agingny.org/EducationEvents/"http://www.agingny.org/EducationEvents/.
Internet access
On the subject of who gets to watch Internet movies at home, we may be getting some much-needed relief here in the rural wasteland, as a result of the Public Service Commission’s approval of the merger between Time Warner Cable and Charter Communications.
Under the terms of the agreement, Charter Communications will improve high-speed broadband access in rural and urban communities, provide more low and moderately priced Internet service packages to consumers, and deliver free broadband Internet access to community centers in underserved areas.
These conditions are supposed to make service available to virtually all customers in Time Warner’s and Charter's current franchise areas, make service more affordable for consumers, and offer free broadband connections community centers in underserved areas.
We hope some of this will trickle down to rural Albany County. Municipalities will be asked to submit proposals this spring to Regional Economic Development Councils; the councils will then recommend funding. Every REDC will have money to spend, so we have a fighting chance. Thanks to State Senator George Amedore for pushing this initiative.
Menu
The lunchtime menu for next week at the Hilltown Senior Center is here. Swap tales with friends, and enjoy a lunch that you don’t have to cook. Doors open at 11 a.m., and lunch is served promptly at noon. Mondays and Tuesdays, we have games and cards, and on Fridays, Nancy Frueh serenades us with live music.
Speaking of lunch, please remember to call in your reservations. We use the reservations to order the correct number of dinners, so that there is enough for everyone.
— Monday, Jan. 18: Because it’s Martin Luther King Day, there is no lunch.
— Tuesday, Jan. 19: Meatloaf with gravy, mashed potatoes, broccoli, whole-wheat bread, milk, and peaches.
— Friday, Jan. 22: Potato-crunch fish, grren beans, mashed sweet potatoes, whole-wheat roll, milk, and mandarin oranges.
Please call 24 hours in advance to 872-9400 to reserve lunch. Email HYPERLINK "mailto:[email protected]" , or sign up when you come in. Tell us how many are coming, your name, and your telephone number. If you’d just like to come and help out, give Mary Moller a call at 861-6253, or email her at HYPERLINK "mailto:[email protected]" , and put “volunteer” in the subject line.
Lunches are provided by Helderberg Senior Services, the Albany County Department of Aging, and Senior Services of Albany. The Hilltown Senior Center is located at 1360 Helderberg Trail (Route 443) in Berne.
To paraphrase a current joke, “I love New Year’s resolutions! I especially like the whooshing sound they make as they slide by.”
So it’s New Year, at least according to the Gregorian and Julian calendars in use by the popular press. Of course, if you need a fresh start because you’ve already loused up this year’s resolutions, there are several others to choose from: Chinese New Year is on Monday, Feb. 8, and this will be the year of the monkey.
Ethiopian New Year, called Enkutatash, is celebrated on Sept. 11. The Thai New Year is April 13 or 14, and is called Songkran; in Cambodia, the dates are the same, but the name is Chaul Chnam Thmey. The Jewish and Islamic calendars both use the same date for the New Year, but vary widely regarding what year number it is. There are others, but you get the picture.
My real question is, why do New Year’s resolutions so closely resemble the thought process used for diets (which in many cases are the same thing)? It’s not the goal-setting I object to; there’s absolutely nothing wrong with aspiring to a better life, however you define that.
What gets me is the double or nothing, success-failure dichotomy that we so often impose. There are Puritans in the woodwork whispering that I am flawed, not good enough, and need to be held rigidly and sternly to some absolute, unattainable standard.
I find myself buying into this form of logic far too often. I secretly suspect that I am a lazy slug who will do nothing with her life but read cheap novels, eat bonbons, and grow fat unless I am whipped out of my complacency.
The truth is that this is hogwash (and by the way, what does one use to wash a hog, and why isn’t it any good?). Why can’t we re-frame the whole thing and vow to be kinder to ourselves and others?
If I’m forcing my poor body to drag around too much weight, or struggle to breathe, wouldn’t it be kinder to reduce the amount of work it has to do? Couldn’t the New Year be about care rather than constriction?
I think this whole resolution process needs to be turned around, so we are trying to appreciate ourselves and one another rather than judge. But then, that’s just my opinion.
In any case, I wish each and every one of you a pleasing, warm, and comfy New Year, filled with all the things you need and hope for.
Coming events
The Hilltown Seniors meeting will be Jan. 9 at the Hilltown Senior Center on Helderberg Trail. Lunch follows the meeting, so remember to bring your own table service.
There will be a speaker on consumer fraud at the Jan. 12, Helderberg Senior lunch program. Knowledge is power, so come and learn how to defend yourself against cheats and con artists.
Menu
And, the lunchtime menu for next week at the Hilltown Senior Center is here. Begin the New Year with friends, and enjoy a lunch that you don’t have to cook. Doors open at 11 a.m., and lunch is served promptly at noon.
— Monday, Jan. 11: Beef Stroganoff, egg noodles, Brussel sprouts, fruit punch, whole-wheat bread, milk, and Mandarin oranges;
— Tuesday, Jan. 12: Chicken cacciatore, tossed salad with Romaine, pasta, wheat or Italian bread, milk, and applesauce cupcake; and
— Friday, Jan. 15: Spaghetti with meat sauce, cauliflower, whole-wheat bread, milk, and tropical fruit.
Please call 24 hours in advance to 872-9400 to reserve lunch. E-mail , or sign up when you come in. Tell us how many are coming, your name, and your telephone number. If you’d just like to come and help out, give Mary Moller a call at 861-6253, or e-mail her at , and put volunteer in the subject line.
Lunches are provided by Helderberg Senior Services, the Albany County Department of Aging, and Senior Services of Albany. The Hilltown Senior Center is located at 1360 Helderberg Trail (Route 443) in Berne.
Is everybody happy now that winter is here? I know we all joked about the warm weather, but there were a lot of people with respiratory problems.
I hope the cold has knocked the germs out of the air. We will just bundle up with a good book and watch the birds.
On Saturday, Jan. 9, we will be having our first meeting of the new year at the senior center. We will be having a representative from Legal Aid.
Our trip to Washington, D.C., which runs from April 1 to 4, still has openings. Call Shirley Slingerland at 797-3467 for information and reservations.
We will be making plans for further outings for the year.
It was reported that the senior meal program now has a new vendor and the meals are much better. Maybe we need some kitchen angels like the Altamont Seniors have to help us out.
Did everyone get a Social Security update for 2016? Isn't it wonderful that there wasn't a cost-of-living raise? I don't know what country they live in.
So, let’s see. We can't go in an adult living community because the cost is for the rich. There are over 40,000 senior citizens in Albany County who are abused. First of all, how do they know this? And, if this is correct, why isn't something being done?
But wait — Albany County is going to form a panel and spend how much money to come up with a plan? According to the Commissioner of the Department of Aging, said at a meeting, a senior is a senior. I am still shaking my head.
So, remember to come to our meeting at 10:30 a.m., to enjoy the company and the food.
A question: Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavoring, while dishwashing soap is made with real lemon?
At my age, I really do not need any more plastic chickens. Or calico ducks, or hiney-waving Santas, or fake-lotus candles. I have a sufficiency of china shepherdesses, and I don’t want to tell you what size I now wear in clothing. Enough, already!
I had occasion to go into one of our nation’s “bargain big-box” stores recently, and experienced something close to culture shock. There was just so much stuff! Layers and layers and tiers and tiers of shiny, bright-colored, tacky, and unnecessary things, all screaming for attention and trying to convince me that they were just what I, or someone near and dear, had to have this holiday season.
Stand down, I say!
Am I immune? Heck, no! I come from a long line of pack rats, and can justify any purchase in three seconds flat. I watch “Hoarders” and “Doomsday Preppers” on TV just to assure myself that I’m not as out of control as they are. But seriously, folks, we need to stop for a minute and look at ourselves.
There are voices of reason amid the insanity, albeit they are in the minority. I just heard about “Giving Tuesday” as a sequel to Black Friday, Small-business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. It encourages us to make a donation to the Red Cross, the SPCA, or some other charity, instead of another beribboned tchotchke.
At the risk of overkill, I’d like to add another to the list: How about “Ten-Mile Thursday”? On that day, any gift you buy has to be purchased within 10 miles of your home. If you want to really be local, limit it to things that were actually made within the 10-mile radius.
For those of us out in the country, it would probably mean simpler gifts, more things made by hand, and perhaps more edibles. There are numerous craft shows coming up; take a short trip, avoid the malls, and see what delights are on display by the hometown folks.
“Artisan” and “homemade” are synonyms; it’s just the fashion that changes. Homemade gifts were given because it was all the pioneers had; they were cash-poor. Only the rich could afford “store-bought,” so that became the ultimate.
Now, we have access to so much cheap merchandise that “artisan” is in, because it costs more in time and skill to produce. Full circle. You don’t have to drive 30 miles and pay outrageous prices in a gourmet shop to have wonderful, quality presents.
It has always been this way, I suspect. We are all so insecure that we need to impress others with our largesse, and have people think better of us because of our show. Royals forbid commoners the use of purple, and ermine; robber barons built multiple lavish houses and summer places, dot-com millionaires have high-tech hideaways, and we spend too much on junk just so we can feel better about ourselves. No one ever died wishing they had bought more stuff.
Holiday doings
And speaking of buying local, the Hilltown Seniors will be having a holiday party at Maple on the Lake on Dec. 12th at 11:30 a.m. Dinner choices are roast beef, stuffed haddock, or turkey. The cost is $10 for members, and $20 for others. Call me at 872-9370 to make a reservation.
The Altamont Seniors party will be at the Elks Club on Carman Road on Tuesday, Dec. 8. Lunch is being provided by the Christmas Angels from the Altamont Senior Center. Festivities begin at 11:30 a.m.
The Rensselaerville Seniors treated themselves to a holiday meal at the Quarry Restaurant on Dec. 1; reports are that a delicious time was had by all.
Lunch
A new nutrition newsletter is available at the Hilltown Senior Center. It includes tips and a recipe every month, and is put together by Denise Kolankowski, the nutritionist at the Albany County Department for the Aging. Denise has been to the lunch program several times already, and has joined us for some tasty meals. The new meal provider is Albany Senior Services, so come check out its culinary expertise.
The lunchtime menu for next week at the Hilltown Senior Center is here. Swap tales with friends, and enjoy a lunch that you don’t have to cook. Doors open at 11 a.m., and lunch is served promptly at noon. As usual, we have games and cards on Monday and Tuesday, and music by Nancy Frueh on Friday.
— Monday, Dec. 7: Baked ziti, tossed salad with romaine, whole-wheat bread, milk, and applesauce;
— Tuesday, Dec. 8: Open-faced turkey sandwich, mashed potatoes, butternut squash, whole-wheat stuffing, milk, and vanilla pudding; and
— Friday, Dec. 11: Chicken Florentine, brown rice, California blend vegetables, pineapple juice, whole-wheat bread, milk, and an oatmeal cookie.
Please call 24 hours in advance to 872-9400 to reserve lunch. Email [email protected], or sign up when you come in. Tell us how many are coming, your name, and your telephone number. If you’d just like to come and help out, give Mary Moller a call at 861-6253, or email her at [email protected], and put “volunteer” in the subject line.
Lunches are provided by Helderberg Senior Services, the Albany County Department of Aging, and Senior Services of Albany. The Hilltown Senior Center is located at 1360 Helderberg Trail (Route 443) in Berne.
Location:
Our Oct. 10 meeting was held at the Berne Senior Center. The tables were beautifully decorated with fall colors.
There was no report from the sunshine committee, which is a wonderful thing. Let’s keep it that way and remember to get your flu shots.
This month, we celebrated birthdays for Connie Skinner, Fred Shimmer, Margie Wright, and Millie Rossman. We also had an anniversary, Fran and Henry Brezenski. Best wishes to all.
It was also announced that Scott Wright turned in his firemen's uniform after serving 40 years — 40 years of answering that call and serving your community. We thank you for your service.
Coming events
Our November meeting will be at the Knox Reformed Church for our Thanksgiving dinner. The cost is $6 for members and $12 for non-members. Call Shirley Slingerland at 797-3467 for reservations.
The Christmas party will be held at the Maple on the Lake. More information will follow.
We are asked to bring a pen and new Christmas card. These will be delivered to the homeless veterans.
Also, please bring donations for the food pantry.
On Oct. 24, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Albany Law School, there will be people there to answer all senior concerns regarding legal questions.
Soggy fun in Philly
Shirley Slingerland reported on the Philadelphia trip. The rain did not dampen their spirits as they made their way to the Liberty Bell and Freedom Hall
It was reported that some girls had to use blow dryers to dry out their shoes. Now that is a first.
They did see some interesting sights on their tour. I’m sorry I missed it!
The next trip and final one for the year is to the Hilton Christmas Show on Nov. 23. The price is $48 for members and $58 for non-members. We need nine more people to make this trip a go.
I am having a trip to Turning Stone on Oct. 22; call me at 872-2448.
October fare
The Westerlo Reformed Church will have a pork dinner with homemade cream puffs on Oct. 17.
The Berne Fire Department will be have its roast-beef dinner on Oct. 18.
The NEAT (Not Eating Alone Tonight) dinner will be Oct. 19.
The Lutheran Church in Berne will have its breakfast on Oct. 24.
So, if you are hungry in the month of October, it’s your own fault. The meals are delicious and the price is right.
Enjoy autumn
Remember to go for a ride around the Hilltowns this week. The leaves are outstanding as I am looking out my
window. I have to get my camera and send pictures to relatives in Virginia and Florida.
Quote for the week
A woman's mind is cleaner than a man's. She changes it more often!
Last Friday, we had our six-month anniversary for the lunch program, and I am rather proud of our success. We have served nearly 1,000 meals, and, thanks to surveys from all of us, the food keeps getting better.
Over 170 of us have chowed down since the program began, and neighbors from Altamont and New Scotland now join us on a regular basis. We have put in more than 760 hours of volunteer work, plus all the help with table-clearing and cleanup that has been taken on by our attendees (Thanks, Vern, and others!).
Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara joined us for the celebration, as did Knox Deputy Supervisor Nick Viscio. They are both strong supporters of senior services, and Nick is especially interested in our issues with Internet access, cable, and transportation out here in the hills. He also worked very hard to bring much-needed rental assistance money to support our low-income residents, many of whom are seniors.
There will be a public forum on Rural Broadband Expansion (TV and Internet) at the Knox Town Hall on Oct. 8 at 6:30 p.m. All are encouraged to attend, and representatives from Time-Warner, the Regional Chamber of Commerce, Santabarbara, Hilltowns supervisors Mike Hammond and Kevin Crosier, and several others will be there to hear our needs and concerns.
Senior meeting
The Hilltown Seniors had their monthly meeting on Saturday, Sept. 12 and were treated to Swedish meatballs, scalloped potatoes, gelatin salads, and a truly superb zucchini cake (who made that, and can we have the recipe?), among many other dishes.
Lunch is always potluck, and coordinated by a revolving crew of members, so nobody gets burned out doing all the work. The next meeting will be Saturday, Oct. 10.
Pat Lightbody’s basket-making class is Tuesday, Sept. 22, and I can hardly wait to see what we’ll be creating. A cat or dog basket would be super, but I think I’m being a little too ambitious for a beginner (sorry, Toto and Fluffy!).
Whatever we do, it will be a great sense of accomplishment to leave with something that I made myself. As you all know, I’m a big fan of low-tech self-sufficiency.
The grocery bus to Walmart and Whole Foods Market at Colonie Center is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 30, followed by Oct. 14 and Oct. 28. If you call CDTA at 437-5161, they will even pick you up at home. Hang onto this number; our transportation maven wasn’t available, and it took four phone transfers at CDTA to get to the right person. However, once you connect, they are vey helpful.
Proctors Theater in Schenectady will be hosting a free concert on Oct. 20, featuring the Empire State Youth Orchestra. Come hear some really good music, and provide some applause for the next generation’s Bernsteins and Tchaikovskys. Call Charlotte Fuss at 861-8960 to reserve a seat on the bus.
The Xmas show (yes, it’s creeping toward that season) at the Troy Music Hall will be on Nov. 23. Contact Shirley Slingerland for more information at 797-3467.
Senior Summit
I said I’d update you on some more of the programs that we saw at the Senior Summit, so here goes.
Healthy Capital District Initiative exists to help seniors and others with insurance needs. They have information, assistance, and applications for all of the Medicaid insurances, including Medicaid Savings, Spend-down, Buy-in, and Nursing Homes.
They can also advise you about Medicare Savings programs, and Qualified Health Plans. Originally, their free services were targeted to low-income persons, but with passage of the Affordable Care Act, they now help anyone of any income level or age.
As I have been occasionally heard to say, “Asking is for free, as long as you can handle the answer.” Information is power: power to control our own lives, and make the best decisions for ourselves. If you live in Albany, Schoharie, Schenectady, or Saratoga counties, and have any health insurance questions, call Nichole Church or Kathleen Clarke at 462-1459.
Are you registered to vote? We have forms at the senior center! Nuff said!
Lunch
Oh yes, we do have the menu for next week, which was the original purpose of this column, and good food is never to be neglected. Swap tales with friends, and enjoy a lunch that you don’t have to cook. Doors open at 11 a.m., and lunch is served promptly at noon. We have games and cards, and wonderful live music on Fridays from Nancy Frueh and Ken Hallenbeck.
Monday, Sept. 21: Chicken with mushroom sauce, mashed potatoes, peas, whole-wheat roll, milk, and fruit cocktail;
Tuesday, Sept. 22 Hungarian goulash, noodles, broccoli, rye bread, milk, and sugar cookie;
Friday, Sept. 25: Chicken cacciatore, peppers, tomato sauce, penne pasta, baked tomato, whole-wheat roll, milk and lemon pudding.
Please call 24 hours in advance to 872-9400 to reserve lunch. E-mail plightbody@nycap.rr.com, or sign up when you come in. Tell us how many are coming, your name, and your telephone number. If you’d just like to come and help out, give Mary Moller a call at 861-6253, or e-mail her at helderbergseniormeals@aol.com, and put “volunteer” in the subject line.
Lunches are provided by Helderberg Senior Services, the Albany County Office for the Aging, and the Peter Young Housing Industries Program. The Hilltown Senior Center is located at 1360 Helderberg Trail (Route 443) in Berne.
Location:
The Senior Summit in Albany was definitely worth the trip. I learned a lot, and we will be scheduling some of the presenters to come to lunch and give us some assistance and information.
For instance, we can have someone come with applications for the Home energy Assistance Program, and weatherization applications. There is a home-repair program through the Rural Housing Alliance, and numerous services through Veterans Affairs and the Albany County Veterans Bureau.
One of the ones that was new to me, and that I really like, is Senior Hope. It is a counseling and addictions program targeted exclusively to seniors. How nice to be able to talk to someone who knows that Glenn Miller is not the name of a new bakery, and understands the particular issues that we face as seniors.
The addictions counseling is also a necessary answer to a problem that we don’t often talk about. With all the medications that some of us take, and the falls and ailments we can get, it’s far too easy to get used to grabbing a pill or a little glass of something every time we get stressed, or hurt, or lonely.
The trap is that all those things work just fine — at first. Then the servant can ever so gradually become the master.
Who can you turn to when you begin to suspect that there might be a problem? Some of us are too proud, or too scared, to admit that things have gotten out of control.
It is a literal lifesaver to have a safe, confidential place where we can talk to someone who knows what we are facing, and understands, and can help. Their office is in Albany, and the telephone number is 489-7777.
In the health area, please be sure your calendar is marked for the flu shots at the Knox Town Hall on Sept. 15 from 1 to 3 p.m.
Coming events
Hilltown Seniors will be meeting and lunching on Saturday, Sept. 12, at the Senior Center. Bring a dish to share, or just show up. President Madeline Bradt is sure to have something interesting planned, and there are several trips coming up in the near future.
Primary Day is Sept. 10, and we have voter registration forms at the senior center. Don’t come whining to me about the government if you don’t vote!
Yes, you are only one person, but you are still one person, and many “one persons” are what make changes in our style of government. A lot of guys (and gals) died so you could keep that privilege; don’t dishonor them by not using your vote.
OK, I’m through yelling at you. Now on to the fun!
Pat Lightbody will be teaching a basket-making class after lunch on Tuesday, Sept. 22. I’m already signed up, and so are a bunch of your friends. It’s free, thanks to the Albany Department of Aging picking up the tab, so come and learn something new and useful!
Lunch
The lunchtime menu for the next quarter has finally arrived, thanks to an e-mail from Chef Mashama. Come and swap tales with friends, and enjoy a lunch that you don’t have to cook. Last week’s chicken teriyaki was really scrumptious, so check it out. Doors open at 11 a.m., and lunch is served promptly at noon. Don’t forget games the on Tuesdays, and live music on Friday.
Monday, Sept. 7: Labor Day, the cook’s day off, no lunch;
Tuesday, Sept. 8: Hot turkey sandwich,, gravy, broccoli, whole-wheat bread, milk, and peaches;
Friday, Sept. 11: Baked ziti, romaine salad with Italian dressing, apple juice, whole-wheat Italian bread, milk, and grapes.
Please call 24 hours in advance to 872-9400 to reserve lunch. E-mail plightbody@nycap.rr.com, or sign up when you come in. Tell us how many are coming, your name, and your telephone number. If you’d just like to come and help out, give Mary Moller a call at 861-6253, or e-mail her at helderbergseniormeals@aol.com, and put “volunteer” in the subject line.
Lunches are provided by Helderberg Senior Services, the Albany County Office for the Aging, and the Peter Young Housing Industries Program. The Hilltown Senior Center is located at 1360 Helderberg Trail (Route 443) in Berne.
Helderberg
By Phyllis Johnson
Hey! Summer people! Did you know that there is a bus in the Hilltowns that will pick you up at the senior center in Berne (or maybe even at home) and take you to the store every two weeks?
There is, and it goes to Wal-Mart, and then to Whole Foods at Colonie Center. All you have to do is call CDTA in advance at 437-5161, and sign up. The next trip is scheduled for Wednesday, July 29, so you have plenty of time to get on board. Why bother with driving and parking when you can be chauffeured?
Charlotte Fuss, our intrepid Senior Services advocate from Knox, will have farmers’ market vouchers for eligible seniors at our lunch on Monday, July 20. These vouchers are good at all registered farmers markets in Albany County.
I know there’s one in Altamont, and you can get a list of others when you pick up your voucher. Fresh local farm veggies are the best.
The lunchtime menu for next week at the Hilltown Senior Center is here. Don’t forget to invite your snowbird friends and visiting RVers. Come and enjoy a lunch that you don’t have to cook. Doors open at 11 a.m., and lunch is served promptly at noon.
We still have games and cards on Monday and Tuesday, and Nancy Freuh brings us live music every Friday. Upcoming events include chair yoga, gardening classes, and computer skills (as soon as we get our Internet connection for the center).
I’ll send pictures of our bluebird house construction project to “The Enterprise” as soon as they are available. We had fun.
Monday, July 20: Potato crusted baked fish, Mediterranean salad, fettuccini Alfredo, whole-wheat bread milk, and Lorna Doones ;
Tuesday, July 21: Turkey with gravy, mashed sweet potatoes, cauliflower, corn bread stuffing, whole-wheat bread, milk, and tropical fruit;
Friday, July 24: Beef burgundy with brown gravy, noodles, Brussels sprouts, parsley carrots, whole-wheat brad, milk, and peaches.
Please call 24 hours in advance to 872-9400 to reserve lunch. E-mail plightbody@nycap.rr.com, or sign up when you come in. Tell us how many are coming, your name, and your telephone number. If you’d just like to come and help out, give Mary Moller a call at 861-6253, or email her at helderbergseniormeals@aol.com, and put “volunteer” in the subject line.
Lunches are provided by Helderberg Senior Services, the Albany County Office for the Aging, and the Peter Young Housing Industries and Treatment Program. The Hilltown Senior Center is located at 1360 Helderberg Trail (Route 443) in Berne.
Our June 13 meeting of the Hilltown Seniors started with a moment of silence for a long time member, Ruth Mudge.
She always had a joke to tell me and I always admired her get up and go. We will miss her.
The anniversary dinner was well attended and everyone enjoyed the meal and fellowship. Alyce Gibbs and Jane Poelzyk were thanked for the wonderful job that they did with setting up this beautiful occasion.
Our next event is the senior picnic that will be held at the Knox Town Park on July 11. We will be having a chicken barbecue. Letters went out to all the members with a return request of July 1. There will be no walk-ins accepted.
August 18, we will be going to the Perthshire in Amsterdam for a clambake. I, personally, can't wait for that. I love clams anyway I can get them. The cost is $40.
It was reported that Liz Tobiassen and Skip Skinner need cards of encouragement.
Birthday greetings were sung to Bill Dibble, Dot Dibble, and Ruth Snyder.
Anniversary congratulations went out to Lois and Ed Wood who are celebrating 64 years of wedded bliss.
And we had one new member Janice Barton.
Next week news will be about our cruise on the Hudson River that we went on this past Tuesday.
Just a little laughter: I was at the senior center today and failed a health and safety course that was put on for us old fogies. One of the questions was, "In the event of fire what steps would you take?"
“Big ones” was apparently the wrong answer.
I’m so pleased! Arlene’s Artist Materials in Albany has really put together a nice package for our Acrylic Painting class on June 30. We could have just ordered a kit online, but buying locally supports all of us locally, so I called Arlene’s first.
Not only did they come up with a better package, it even costs less than the kit would have. (Don’t panic. You don’t have to pay anything; the paints and supplies come free with the free class).
Each artist (yes, you!) will get 12 tubes of paint, an easel, two canvas boards, and two brushes. All you need to bring is the willingness and a sense of adventure. There are still a few spots open, but call now to be sure you get in!
Next month, we will be building bluebird boxes on July 7 with the folks from Thacher Nature Center, and Gardening in Containers on July 21 with the Master Gardeners from Albany County Cooperative Extension.
By the way, next week’s lunchtime menu for the Hilltown Senior Center is here. Swap tales with friends, and enjoy a lunch that you don’t have to cook. Doors open at 11 a.m., and lunch is served promptly at noon.
Menu
Monday, June 22: Potato crusted baked fish, Mediterranean salad, fettucini Alfredo, whole wheat bread, milk, and Lorna Doones.
Tuesday, June 23: Turkey with gravy, mashed sweet potatoes, cauliflower, cornbread stuffing, whole wheat bread, milk, and tropical fruit.
Friday, June 26: Beef Burgundy, brown gravy, noodles, Brussels sprouts, parsley carrots, whole wheat bread, milk, and peaches.
Please call 24 hours in advance, at 872-9400, to reserve lunch. Email plightbody@nycap.rr.com, or sign up when you come in. Tell us how many are coming, your name, and your telephone number. If you’d just like to come and help out, give Mary Moller a call at 861-6253, or email her at helderbergseniormeals@aol.com, and put “volunteer” in the subject line.