Talk About It Light in the Darkness

Serving Active
Older Adults
Since 1972
Talk About It
Light in the Darkness
Many people look into the months
of winter and see darkness and
doldrums. The aftermath of the Holidays
are talked about in terms of depression
and sadness. But for many cultures
around the world, winter celebrations
bring light into the cold and dark.
Winter Solstice is the shortest day
of the year with much darkness, but it
celebrates the coming of more sunshine
ahead. The winter solstice was
commemorated by the early Romans in a
seven-day celebration called
“Saturnalia” that included gift-giving,
slaves served by masters, and the closing
of schools and courts. Another tradition
during the Christmas holiday is “Yule.”
The Feast of Juul (pronounced yule)
began in Scandinavia and a special log
was put on fires that were lit to
symbolize heat, light and life that comes
from the sun.
When this year’s Winter Solstice
arrives on December 21, remember that
despite the darkness, days from then on
will grow longer, bringing warmth and
sunshine.
Travel now from Europe to Asia ...
Chinese New Year is the biggest
event on the Chinese calendar. It floats
Inside this issue:
Happenings Upcoming
Happy Hearts
Interview
Fun Photos
Craft Bazaar
Pg 2
Pg 2
Pg 3
Pg 4
Pg 5
through the months of January and
February, falling this time on January 31,
2014. Red is a special color and Chinese
children receive coins in red envelopes on
New Year’s. Fireworks – more light! –
are also a huge part of the celebration.
Chanukah is the Jewish holiday of
lights. Ancient Jewish leaders known as
the Maccabees defeated the Syrians in
164 BC. During the fight, the Maccabees
found themselves with only one night of
lamp oil. A miracle occurred and the oil
lasted eight nights, until it could be
replenished. Jewish families use a
menorah during the holiday, lighting one
candle for each of the eight nights and
giving gifts to each other.
Usually a holiday that takes place
around the same time as Christmas,
Chanukah this year falls on the day
Winter 2013
before Thanksgiving. The holiday fell
before Thanksgiving only once before, in
1899, and will happen only one more time
in 2089, then never again, according to
Rabbi Jason Miller at ReformJudaism.org.
Finally, Christmas brightens
neighborhoods as well as individual
homes. Single candles or three-stem
candelabras are lit in front windows; trees
in the yard are wrapped in white bulbs;
even reindeer shine in Gypsy Hill Park,
commemorating loved ones. Check out the
traffic lights and see if they don’t look
‘Christmassy’ after the early sunsets.
Light is a natural spiritual inspiration,
especially in the world fraught with
darkness in the natural and man-made
realms. So, as the old saying goes, embrace
the winter season, for it is in the dark one
truly sees the light.
Talk About It
Page 2
Happenings Upcoming
Christmas Programs
Christmas music with Teresa
Whitesell
Wednesday, Dec. 4; 10:30 a.m.
Member Luncheon
Annual member holiday luncheon
at the Wood Grill in Harrisonburg.
All members who attend a
program at the Center at least once
-a-week eat for free. All others pay
$10.
Thursday, Dec. 5
Leave SSC: 10:45 a.m.
No other activities planned.
Diane & Company Tap Dancers
Wednesday, Dec. 4; 12:15 p.m.
Christmas Craft with Vickie
Wednesday, Dec. 18; 10:15 a.m.
Christmas & Other Music with Bill
Harouff
Wednesday, Dec. 18; 12:15 p.m.
Ornament Making with Shelly Lam
Thursday, Dec. 19; 12:15 p.m.
Rhythm & Blues Christmas with
Ken Lane
Friday, Dec. 20; 10:00 a.m.
Emergency Planning and
Winterizing Your Home
Tuesday, Dec. 17; 10:45 a.m.
Day Trip to Waynesboro Senior
Center
Christmas Music with Larry & Jim Thursday, January 16
Thursday, Dec. 19; 10:45 a.m.
Happy Hearts — Happy Humans
February is Heart Health
Month, which makes sense as we
celebrate the great heart holiday –
Valentine’s Day. Remember, there
are better ways to love your heart
than Valentine candy!
Nutrition
Don’t worry about all those
fancy vegetables – think about your
favorite “green.” Cucumbers,
lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, sweet
peppers – what do you like best?
Eat more of that. And if you want
to experiment, go for the kale,
arugula, and watercress.
Whatever you like, the most
nutrients are available when the
food is eaten raw, but if you prefer
it cooked, just don’t OVER cook.
Boiling the greens until they are
nearly brown and completely soggy
depletes the nutrition.
Other heart healthy foods:
almonds, apples, blueberries, and
fish, especially salmon.
Exercise
A four-letter word in many
people’s minds! It doesn’t have
to be that way, however. Like
eating healthy food, find what
you LIKE to do. Time spent
gardening, walking your dog,
flying a kite, dancing to a
favorite song will be beneficial.
How did you do things when
you were a 10-year-old?
Did you help plant a garden?
That might be difficult if you’re
living in an apartment, UNLESS
you have porch and a planter or a
window with plenty of light.
Find out more about planter
gardens in the library or online.
Did you help make bread?
Get back into the great reward of
fresh, healthy bread while working
that heart muscle to knead the
dough. Find your mother’s old
recipes, borrow a library book, or
check the Internet.
Did you walk to the store?
Living further from stores makes it a
challenge for this one, but try
parking 3 spots further away than
you would normally. Walk the
perimeter of the store more than
once, or go up and down each aisle
(skip the packaged foods!).
You may need to do these
things more slowly than when you
were 10 years old, or make other
adjustments for stiff fingers and not
being able to stand for long periods
of time, but you can do these simple
steps for heart health. Try something
today.
Talk About It
Page 3
Talkin’ With Member Irene H.
Many young women get married and
move away from home. Irene, originally
from Chiapas, Mexico, chose to include a
little adventure when taking that big step;
she married Harry, a man from the U.S.,
and moved to be with him in Virginia.
Moving around wasn’t unusual for
Irene. She grew up in several different
Mexican states including Vera Cruz and
Chiapas. She was the baby of four children
(three girls and a boy), younger by 10
years than her closest sibling. She moved
to Mexico City as a teenager and lived
with an older sister. Mexico City surprised
Irene. It was very different than the small
town she grew up in; a town that was “like
Churchville” in size, she said.
In Mexico City, Irene went to work
for the electric company, but she had other
dreams.
“I wanted to marry (an American)
and have a little girl with blue eyes,” she
said.
While the blue eyes didn’t happen,
she did have two daughters: Liliana and
Jenny. In the early years of her marriage,
Irene took a break in employment. For two
years she and her family lived in a place
with only an outhouse. For Irene, living
without plumbing was an education, not a
problem.
“I didn’t care,” Irene said. “I wanted
to learn about everything.”
The family moved to Greenville in
the 1970s. “I put my roots in Greenville,”
she said.
When Jenny was 11, Irene took a job
in Verona at a clothing factory. She retired
in 1991. She loves to read, watch movies,
and television shows like the Katie Couric
show and Dancing with the Stars. Every
book and show is an opportunity to
improve her adopted language, English.
“Every day I (try) to learn new things,” she
said.
New experiences have been her’s
since joining SSC. Some of Irene’s favorite
activities have been talking with people her
own age and taking trips out of town. She
especially enjoyed the Center’s trip to the
Maury River as it reminded her of her
childhood when she would swim in a local
river. With daily temperatures often over
100 degrees, it was the best way to stay
cool, she said. She loves fashion, but has
to travel outside the area for the sort of
clothes she likes. This can be difficult
In case of
inclement
weather …
Winters in the Valley are,
shall we say, unpredictable. It
could be mild in February and
wild in May. Whatever this year
brings, the following is what you
can do to find out if the Center is
open or closed.
A decision will be made the
morning of any snowfall as to
whether the Center will be open
or closed and whether meals will
be delivered.
without transportation. However, she
finds a way each year before Christmas
to shop in Charlottesville and
Harrisonburg.
Last year she moved to North
Carolina to live with her daughter
Liliana, but always yearned for her home
in Virginia. Seven months later she
returned home; to Greenville and SSC.
Center members have become her
“second family.” With a big smile she
added, “I met my fiancé here.”
He is Michael R., a man whose
smile shines as brightly as Irene’s when
he mentions her. Together they enjoy
one of Irene’s favorite activities,
dancing. The oldies like swing and
jitterbug keep them moving. “We dance
in the living room.”
They danced up a storm at the
Center’s fall dance, as well.
Nowadays they spend three days a
week at SSC. Irene plays Dominoes
while Michael exercises with an
instructor from The Y. Each day they
find something to laugh about and learn
about. When asked, Irene wasn’t able to
think of what she would like to have
change over the next five years. In her
eyes was confusion, as if to say, “what
else do I need than what I have?”
What else, indeed.
After 7:30 a.m., call the
Center’s main number:
540-886-4634.
A message will play with
an announcement of closing
and meal delivery.
Talk About It
Fun Photos
The fall was awash with good times. The new canasta club (above left) enjoyed by Sharon P., Mark
H., & Mary M, got a rousing start and continues a
couple of times each month—check the calendar
for dates and times. To the right are photos
from the annual fall dance including volunteer
Anna Stell & Maurice Whitlow (top), and
Connie B. & Elizabeth L. Joining in a month
of music in October was the Yes Choir
(below), singing to a full house of members
Page 4
Talk About It
Page 5
Holiday Craft Bazaar
and Yard Sale
Saturday, Nov. 23
8 a.m. – noon
Staunton Senior Center
300 Churchville Ave.
Find unique holiday gifts: new handmade crafts for all
seasons including, aprons, baby blankets, baby softy toys, table runners,
placemats, potholders, tote bags, jewelry with Swarovski crystals, fabric gift
bags, handcrafted holiday decorations and more; and gently used treasures:
small wood & iron corner hutch, piano bench w/handstitched needlepoint
cover, lamps, benches, needlecraft kits, decorative items, baked goods and
lots more.
Lots of parking on Albemarle Ave., in front and behind building.
All proceeds benefit SSC programs.
Quilt Raffle
Tickets
available
now at
SSC!
Tickets:
$1 each
six for $5
(size: 89.5” x 107”)
For directions or further information, call
886-4634.
300 Churchville Ave. Ste. 63
Staunton, VA 24401
Phone: 540/886-4634
Lynn Harris, Director
E-mail: lynn@vpas.info
Staunton Senior Center is operated
by Valley Program for Aging
Services and is supported by
federal, state and local
governments and the generosity of
area residents.
Participation in SSC programs is
open to any self-sufficient person
age 60 or older, and is not based
on income. Most programs are
free of charge; a few have a small
fee.
Regular hours are Monday
through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 1:30
p.m. Lunch is served at 11:30 a.m.
Transportation is available within
the city of Staunton, and some
Augusta County areas. A
voluntary donation from members
is accepted for meals and
transportation; others are welcome
to join us for lunch for a $4 fee.
Serving active older
adults since 1972.
Upcoming Holidays —
SSC Closures
Thursday, Dec. 5
10:45 a.m.
Member holiday luncheon at Wood Grill
Tuesday/Wednesday, Dec. 24 & 25
Christmas Day
Wednesday, Jan. 1
New Year’s Day