It is a busy week ahead. So without any further ado, here is this week’s coming attractions.
Tonight at the Center, Truman will be playing his “Country Gold”. And next Tuesday on the 22nd the Jazz Generations will be back playing the big band sounds for your dancing and listening pleasure. Doors open at 6:00, music starts at 7:00, everyone is invited and donations are suggested.
Thursday May 17th will be twenty five years to the date since the Senior Center held its first open house in 1987. To celebrate twenty five years supporting older adults in the Mid-Columbia, the Center is hosting a 25th Year Anniversary Open House – starting at 11:00 with displays and demonstrations; followed by a special dinner at noon provided by Meals-on-Wheels. At 1:00 there will be a program with invited guests John Mabrey and Bill Hulse, who were respectively The Dalles mayor and Wasco County Judge in 1987; as well as Betty Harlan who was the manager at that time of Meals-on-Wheels. The Open House will conclude with every ones’ favorite – cake and ice cream.
On Friday May 18th, the Center will host a Team Trivia Night celebrating this year’s theme for Older Americans Month “Never Too Old to Play”. The action will start at 7:00 and will continue until we finish the two rounds or the majority of folks fall asleep – which for me will be around 9:00. The questions cover three areas: Events, Culture and Sports and include all the decades from the 30’s to 2000. So you may want to bring one of your younger friends.
But there are many other activities at the Center that would fit the “play” category. Jody Cochenour (541-296-5692) is looking for more Bunco players to play every third Tuesday from 1:00 – 3:00; there is Mahjong (the Chinese version taught by Corliss Marsh) most every Friday from 1:00 – 3:00. And also at 1:00 on Fridays, the bridge group welcomes new players from experienced to beginners. And if you want to learn the computer, which could either be considered play or torture, there is help available every Wednesday from 9:00 – 11:00.
It is already time for May’s Saturday Breakfast on the 19th from 8:00 – 9:30 AM sponsored this month by The Dalles Health and Rehabilitation Center. The menu will include biscuits and gravy, bacon, scrambled eggs and fruit as well as your favorite beverage. Come and enjoy a delicious breakfast with friends and neighbors.
And there is plenty more action in the Gorge. Noon on Saturday May 19th at the Discovery Center, Jerry Tanquist is presenting his slideshow on the OR&N and The Union Pacific Railroads. Also on the 19th the Compassion Tea for the Relay for Life is from 2:00 – 4:00 at the Untied Church of Christ Congregational (541-298-1602). On Sunday the 20th, the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, a fundraiser for Opportunity Connections, will be at the Columbia Gorge Hotel from 2:00-4:00 ($25 at the door). And if none of that fits your style, there is the 16th Annual Tygh Valley All Indian Rodeo on Saturday and Sunday starting at 1:00 with a $5.00 admission.
The next 11:00 Tuesday Lecture at the Center hasn’t been decided yet, but on May 29th there will be a presentation about the highly contagious disease Pertussis – commonly known as Whopping Cough. Pertussis has reached epidemic levels in Washington and parts of Oregon (there has been one confirmed case in The Dalles). It is most serious for infants and children, but adults can also have complications from the disease. The Tuesday Lecture on May 29th will provide more information about Pertussis: what are the risks for older adults and what steps can be taken to avoid the spread of the disease.
And finally time for the answer to last week’s “Remember When’ question. It was Bob Dylan (and not Jimi Hendrix) who shook up the folk scene when he played an electric set at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. (The winner of a free Saturday breakfast is Esther Esson.)
For this week, I have asked part of the question before, but here is the whole sandwich. “They say the music died when these three musicians’ plane crashed in February 1959. What were all three of their names? Email your answer to the mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788 or include it with a picture of Waylon Jennings who was one of the band mates and gave up his seat on the flight.
Well, it has been another week, wondering if I have been here before. Until we meet again, don’t take for granted what you encounter every day.
