1

Wilmington Senior Center

1901 N. Market Street Wilmington, DE 19802

(302) 651-3400 www.wilmingtonseniorcenter.org info@wilmingtonseniorcenter.org

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Non-Profit Organization

U.S. Postage

PAID

Wilmington, DE

Permit No. 430

A COMMUNITY FOR LIFE!

Happenings

Wilmington Senior Center November 2015

Inside this issue

Activities Calendar

November Birthdays Caregiver Information

$tand By Me 50+

2

Please bring small bills to pay for trips and lunches since the receptionists cannot make change for large bills. (Nothing larger than a $5.00 dollar bill)

WILMINGTON SENIOR CENTER

PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

Meal Reservations 651-3400 Must be made by 12:30 p.m. the day prior to the meal

Cost: $2.00 for 60 and older; $4.75 for under 60

Bus Transportation 651-3400 Must be made by 8:00 a.m. on the day of pickup

Activities Coordinator 651-3424 Gretchen Broadwater Pay for trips Tuesday-Friday, 10:00-noon & 1:00-2:00

Cares and Concerns of Members 655-2528 Irmina Hudson

Supportive Services

Grandparent Resource Center Caregiver Resource Center 651-3420 Patricia Anderson-Rice

$tand By Me 50+ Financial Coaching and Economic CheckUp Kathleen Rupert 651-3401

Diana Acevedo 651-3427

Employment Services 651-3440 Sandria Burton

Lafayette Court 651-3429 Regenia Rochester

City Styles Thrift Shop Donations 651-3460

Administration 651-3460 Sue Getman, Executive Director

Beth Ray, Executive Secretary

LUNCH RESERVATIONS

Lunch reservations for all members and staff

must be given to the front desk by 12:30 the day prior. If you need to cancel after lunch has been

ordered, call right away. We will then know the meal is available if anyone else wants to purchase it. Unsold meals are billed to the Center at the

$4.75 price.

Lunch cost for those under age 60 is $4.75. Lunch cost for those 60 and over is $2.00.

TRIP RESERVATIONS Please sign up and pay for trips/events by the

designated deadline. Your bus seat is guaranteed only when the fee is paid.

If the minimum number of participants is not met by the deadline the trip/event will be cancelled and payment will be returned. A late fee will be

imposed on those not meeting the deadline date providing the trip/event has a sufficient number

registered. Refunds will not be made without 24 hour notice.

Current WSC members are placed first on the Center’s 16 passenger bus for day trips. Non-

members may attend a day trip if there are unpaid seats after the trip’s deadline.

“LIK

E” U

S O

N F

AC

EB

OO

K! “

LIK

E” U

S O

N F

AC

EB

OO

K!

3

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

11/2 Stuffed Pepper with Marinara Sauce Mashed Potatoes Hot Cinnamon Applesauce Wheat Dinner Roll

11/3 Breaded Pollock Peas Sliced Carrots Potato Bread Fresh Pear

11/4 BBQ Chicken Baked Beans Seasoned Greens Yogurt Cup Mini Corn Muffin

11/5 Beef Burgundy over Egg Noodles Key West Veggies Pineapple Tidbits 12 Grain Bread

11/6 Open Faced Hot Turkey Sandwich with Gravy on White Wheat Bread (1) Mashed Sweet Potatoes Brussel Sprouts Mandarin Oranges Cranberry Sauce

11/9 Chicken Patty with Mozzarella & Parmesan in Marinara Sauce over Penne Pasta Italian Blend Veggies Poached Pear Half Wheat Dinner Roll

11/10 Pot Roast with Gravy Roasted Baby Potato Bakers Peas & Carrots Ultimate Grain Honey Bread Orange

11/11 Fire Braised Chicken Stew Mixed Salad with Onion & Tomato Peach Cobbler 12 Grain Bread

11/12 Herbed Pollock Macaroni & Cheese Stewed Tomatoes Banana Yogurt Sundae

11/13 Salisbury Steak w. Gravy Mashed Potatoes Green Beans Chocolate Pudding 12 Grain Bread

11/16 Chicken Supreme With Gravy Sweet Potatoes Peas Orange Cranberry Sauce

***11/17*** Roast Turkey w. Gravy Bread Stuffing Sweet Potatoes Green Bean Almondine Cranberry Sauce Pumpkin Pie w. Whipped Topping Dinner Roll

11/18 Salmon with Lemon Dill Sauce Baked Potato Capri Blend Veggies White Wheat Bread Rice Pudding Sour Cream

11/19 Oven Fried Chicken Mashed Potatoes with Gravy Green Beans Banana

11/20 Hamburger on Bun with Lettuce & Tomato Minestrone Soup Fresh Pear Crackers

11/23 Broccoli Stuffed Chicken Southern Potatoes with Onions & Peppers Gravy Sliced Carrots Fresh Pear

11/24 Meatloaf with Mushroom Gravy Corn Italian Spinach Applesauce White Wheat Bread

11/25 Bag Meal CLOSE AT 1:00 PM

11/26 CLOSED HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

11/27 CLOSED

11/30 Crab Cake Roasted Baby Potato Bakers Stewed Tomatoes Pineapple Tidbits Yogurt Tartar Sauce

All meals subject to change. All meals contain 1% milk

Meals are ordered according to projected number; over that number, back-up meals will be available.

Suggested minimum donation for persons 60+ is $2.00 People under age 60 must pay $4.75

City Fare Menu November 2015

4

MONTHLY ACTIVITIES November 2015

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri

2

9:30 Strength Building

10:30 Wii Team Bowling

10:30 Board Games

3

9:00 Quilting

10:15 Chair Exercise

11:30 GRC Support Group

1:00 Bingo

3:00 Red Hat Meeting

4

10:00 Cinnamon Stick Craft*

10:30 Open Wii Games

1:00 Computer Instruction

5

10:45 Bible Study

1:00 Bingo

6 9:30 Health Fair at

Hockessin PAL*

12:45 Bingo

9

8:45 Safe Driving Refresher

Course*

9:30 Strength Building

10:00 Commodity Food Delivery

10:30 Wii Team Bowling

1:30 Line Dancing Class

10

9:00 Quilting

10:00 Spice up Your Life Program*

11:30 GRC Support Group

1:00 Bingo

11

9:30 Sing Along with Sue*

10:00 Council Meeting

10:30 Open Wii Games

11:00 Members’ Meeting

1:00 Computer Instruction

12

10:45 Bible Study

1:00 Caregiver Support

Group

1:00 Bingo

13

10:00 Movie Time in

Dining Room

12:45 Bingo

16

9:30 Strength Building

10:30 Wii Team Bowling

10:30 Board Games

17

9:00 Quilting

11:30 GRC Support Group

1:00 Bingo

4:00 Board of Directors

5:30 GRC-LINKS Program

18

10:30 Open Wii Games

11:00 Birthday Party

1:00 Computer Instruction

19

10:45 Bible Study

11:00 Hicks Anderson

Thanksgiving Luncheon*

1:00 Bingo

20

9:30 Festival of Trees*

12:45 Bingo

23

9:30 Strength Building

10:30 Wii Team Bowling

10:30 Board Games

24

9:00 Quilting

10:15 Chair Exercise

10:30 Thanksgiving Trivia*

11:30 GRC Support Group

1:00 Bingo

25

1:00 WSC Closes for

Thanksgiving

26

WSC Closed for

Thanksgiving

27

WSC Closed for Thanksgiving

30

9:30 Strength Building

10:30 Wii Team Bowling

10:30 Board Games

* See more

information about

presentations, trips

and activities on the

following pages.

Daily:

Word Puzzles, Cards, Dominos

and Games and Exercise Room

open. Pool table located in

Exercise Room.

5

ACTIVITIES N

G

L E

WSC: Experts at Living Well

Gretchen Broadwater, Activities Coordinator (651-3424)

DID YOU KNOW? Benjamin Franklin lobbied to make the turkey our national symbol. The Bald Eagle, however, was

chosen (thankfully!). The sound of a female turkey is “click” while the male turkey’s sound is “gobble”.

ACTIVITIES & PRESENTATIONS

4 Cinnamon Stick Craft, 10:00 in the dining room. We’ll make these to decorate the Center’s tree for the Festival

of Trees as well as one for ourselves. 9 Safe Driving Refresher Course, 8:45-1:00. Participants

should arrive no later than 8:45 and bring their driver’s license and a check for payment. AARP Members should also bring their membership card. The class fee for AARP

Members is $15.00 and Non-Members is $20.00. Participants may bring a beverage and snack or sandwich

with them for a class break. Call 651-3400 to sign up in advance.

10 Spice Up Your Life, a nutrition program presented by

Ginny from City Fare at 10:00. 11 Sing Along with Sue, 9:30. Join us as we sing favorite

hymns in the Dining Room. We’ll also practice holiday songs so we can help lead the singing at the Holiday Dinner Dance. No experience necessary - the only

requirement is to enjoy singing. 24 Thanksgiving Trivia, 10:30. Come learn some fun facts that you can surprise your friends

and family with over Thanksgiving dinner. 25 Center Closes at 1:00

26 & 27 WSC Closed ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SNEAK PEEK

December 9 Sing Along with Sue

11 Holiday Dinner Dance 17 Old Country Buffet & Holiday Light Tour 24 & 25 WSC Closed for Christmas

31 WSC Closed for New Year Holiday

As of print date the schedule for the Sunday Breakfast Mission Choir and Pulaski School Children’s Chorus have not been confirmed by those organizations.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You may be interested: Free final dress rehearsals are scheduled for upcoming plays at the Wilmington Drama League:

“Shrek the Musical” on December 10

“Resolutions” on January 28 “John and Jen” on March 9

“Little Women the Musical” on April 21 “Closer” on June 9

Most productions start at 8:00 p.m.

NOVEMBER TRIPS Sign up at Front Desk!

6 Health Fair at Hockessin PAL

Center. Bus will leave at 9:30

and return at noon. Fee for bus transportation is $1.50.

19 Hicks Anderson Thanksgiving Luncheon. Bus will leave WSC at 10:30 and

return before 2:00. Transportation fee is $1.00.

MUST SIGN UP IN ADVANCE TO SIT AT OUR RESERVED TABLE whether driving yourself or

taking our bus! 20 Festival of Trees will take

place at Cokesbury Village. Total transportation and

entrance fee of $5.00 is due upon signing up. Bus will leave at 9:30 and return at noon.

6

NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS

3 Brenda Mills, Elsie Speller

4 Missouri Molock, Diane Rutter 7 Shirley Giles

8 Sylvia King 9 Calvin Mathis

10 Maxine Shaheed 13 Barbara Howard

16 Blair Benson

18 Elinor Richards 20 Maureene LaFate

22 William Holloway 23 Sandra Carpenter

24 Doris Brown, Linda McCledon 25 Alice Butcher, Carmen Campbell, Juanita Harris

26 Toni James 30 Diana Acevedo

NOVEMBER BIRTHDAY INVITATION If your birthday is this month, please join us at the monthly

birthday celebration on November 18 at 11:00 a.m. Lunch is free for members (not for staff-unless also a paid member) who

are celebrating their birthdays this month.

Please call 651-3400 to make a reservation by Wednesday,

November 11 so we’ll have enough meals. You must call because you won’t be automatically included in our lunch count. (City

Fare sends birthday cake only for those who have ordered lunch.)

WELCOME TO

OUR NEW MEMBERS: Rita Hall

Barbara Ponzo-Flamer William Pulliam

VOLUNTEER

INFORMATION If you are interested in

volunteering with us at Wilmington Senior

Center, please complete a volunteer application

and submit it at our Front Desk.

Wii BOWLING TEAMS NEED SUBSTITUTE

BOWLERS See Gretchen to sign up!

SUGGESTION BOX

If you have ideas for programs, activities or

changes, please write a note and

put it in the lobby suggestion box.

Volunteer Opportunity

Division for Visually Impaired

The Division for the Visually Impaired is seeking dedicated volunteers to help them in

their Instructional Materials Center which is located at 300 Cornell Drive in Wilmington.

The Center is responsible for creating large print, Braille, and electronic media for

visually impaired clients. They need volunteers to help as administrative/library

aides, archivists, and greeters. They also need help assembling educational materials

for students.

Qualifications include basic computer skills,

telephone etiquette, printer/copier experience, and filing/organizing experience.

The hours of operation are Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Volunteers can

assist for as little or as many hours as possible.

For further information, please contact

Richard Huber by phone (302) 577-2083 or by email at Richard.Huber@state.de.us

Welcome to New Driver

Robert Johnson joined our Staff as the bus driver on Thursdays and Fridays. Ruth Dawson will continue to drive on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

7

Funding for the Caregiver

Resource Center comes from the

Division of Services for Aging and Adults

with Physical Disabilities

as a result of the National Family

Caregiver Support Program, Title III-E of

the Older Americans Act.

Support for Caregivers...

is available. Call 651-3420 for

more information.

Grandparent

Support Group meets Tuesdays from

11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Caregiver Support Group

meets on the 2nd Thursday at 1:00

p.m. This month’s meeting will be on

November 12th. The Cancer Support

Community is

presenting “Frankly Speaking -

Ten Tips for Caregivers”

CAREGIVER’S CORNER

The theme for National Family Caregivers Month November 2015 is “Respite: Care for Caregivers”

Respite – the chance to take a breather, the opportunity to re-energize – is as important as any other item on your caregiver’s to-do list. People

think of respite as a luxury, but considering caregivers’ increased risk for health issues from chronic stress, those risks are a lot costlier than some

time away to recharge. Respite is the key to your own well-being. Respite protects your own health, strengthens family relationships, prevents burn-out and allows your loved one to stay at home up to three times longer.

No wonder respite is one of the most frequently requested support services for family caregivers.

R is for “Rest and Relaxation”

Everyone needs a little “R and R” – especially family caregivers. Relaxing is the best way to return refreshed to handle your many

responsibilities as a caregiver. E as in “Energize” Caregiving is often round-the-clock 24/7. Respite isn’t simply “getting a

few hours off.” It’s necessary to help you reenergize, reduce stress and provide care for your loved one.

S as in “Sleep” Caregivers often have sleep problems. Address sleep problems and

insomnia before they take too great a toll on your health. P is for “Programs that can help you” Respite – which can be in the home or out of the home – can be hard

to find but there are programs available to help you. I as in “Imagination”

Let your mind run free; read a book; see a movie. You have been so occupied with the nuts-and-bolts of caregiving that refreshing your mind will actually help you be a better caregiver.

T as in “Take Five” ...or better yet, take ten. Do you find yourself saying, “I wish I

had just ten minutes to myself”? Don’t feel guilty. You need a reprieve – a few minutes to temporarily disengage.

E is for “Exhale”

A simple breath in and then a long exhale can help you focus and increase your vitality. A few deep breaths can give you more energy,

reduce stress, and lift your mood.

A Celebration of Caregivers

Thursday, November 10, 9:00-11:00 a.m. Easter Seals, 61 Corporate Circle, New Castle

Catered Breakfast and Presentation: “Refill Your Energy Tank”

Free but you must pre-register at 221-2087.

8

COLLECTING SPECIAL ITEMS Thank you for your continued

support of donating recycled eyeglasses and hearing aids for

the Lion’s Club and soda can tabs for Ronald McDonald House.

Please leave them with Gretchen.

“Box Tops for Education” are the pink and yellow certificates

you find on grocery boxes and labels that provide funds for

participating schools. WSC has begun to collect them for

Shortlidge School. Look for the collection box with a sample

certificate in the lobby.

GIVE BIRTHDAY GIFTS

TO WSC! As we get older there’s less we

need or want for our birthdays, but our loved ones like to give us presents. As an alternative, why

not suggest to your family that they make a donation to

Wilmington Senior Center in your honor? Your birthday will become

an even bigger cause for celebration!

BLOOD PRESSURE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM

is designed to raise awareness of high blood pressure in the African

-American community. If you’d like to volunteer as an

ambassador, call 320-6800. -------------------------------------

INCLEMENT WEATHER Announcements about WSC

closings due to bad weather will

be broadcast by: WDEL (1150 AM),

WSTW (93.7 FM), WILM (1450 AM) &

WJBR (99.5 FM). The Center’s switchboard

(651-3400) will also be informed of the closing.

WILMINGTON SENIOR CENTER

APPRECIATES:

Recent Donors

Other

Members who continue to provide “goodies” or

supplies for members’ morning coffee. In September the following were contributors: .

Sonja Anderson, Sylvia Golden,

Irmina Hudson, Frances Hunt

Our appreciate also goes to those continuing to donate old eyeglasses to the Lion’s Club, pull tops from cans for

Ronald McDonald House and “Box Tops for Education” for Shortlidge School.

Jeremy Abelson

Andrew Barton David Baumberger

BBC Tavern & Grill Joyce Bembry

Jennifer Bethoney

Jennifer Brandau Elise Ciarlo

Patricia Clarke Maureta Sims Collins Mary & Ed Coombs

Joseph Cuocolo Michael Daley

Melanie & Vincent Daniels Dave Davis

Lozelle DeLuz

Penny Eldridge Louise Foley

Bill Getman Sue Getman

Valerie Gilliam Jennifer Graber Susan Greeley

Keelyn Griffin Barbara Haberman

Jeanie Hayes

Nitika Jassal Gerry Jones

Cathy Klocko Amy Lincoln

Wendi McMullen

Tricia McQueeney & Jay Graybill Francoise Mendelsohn

Edie Menser Toni Bush Neal Janet Pippert

Patricia Purcell Beth Ray

AnnMarie Ropp Don Ropp Sue Ruff

Velma Scantlebury-White Fred Sears

Bernadette Sims Sonia & Gilbert Sloan

Standard Distributing Co., Inc. Davie Stetler

Genelle Trader

Toni Vandegrift Serena Williams

9

Three Ways to Maintain Good Credit

Your credit history is your financial reputation. And just like your professional and personal reputations, your credit history takes many years to cultivate, can be easily damaged, and will follow

you the rest of your life. Maintaining good credit is important. Nearly everyone will need to borrow money from a lender at some point — say, for buying a car — and your credit history determines whether you qualify for a loan and, if you do, what interest rate you pay. It can make or break your

application for a credit card. A prospective landlord can check it to judge whether you’ll be a responsible tenant. Potential employers may request your credit reports to see if there are any red

flags.

Luckily, many resources are available to help you learn how to successfully establish — and maintain — a healthy financial reputation. Here are three tips for creating a stable foundation for good credit.

1. Monitor your credit reports: Understanding your financial habits — such as payment history and spending patterns — can help you improve them! Your score is generally based on information in

your credit reports. Mistakes on your credit reports could hurt your credit score, so check them regularly. Make sure to check that your reports don’t contain any errors, such as incorrect contact

information, closed accounts listed as open, or an item like an unpaid debt listed twice.

If you find something wrong in a credit report, you should contact both the credit reporting agency

that produced it and the creditor that provided the information.

2. Pay your bills on time: This is one of the simplest ways to keep your credit score strong — yet,

with the bustle of everyday life, it can be easy to lose track of time and miss payment deadlines. Set up auto-payments or electronic reminders to ensure that you won’t be hit with late-payment penalties. Paying bills late can hurt your credit score, which in turn can raise your interest rate —

meaning that you’re out even more money.

It’s a common misconception that the best way to improve a credit score is to pay off all of your

accounts and close them. Get up to speed on your payments and stay on schedule, but be careful when closing accounts. Doing so eliminates some of the credit available to you, making balances

appear higher when compared with the combined credit limit of all of your accounts. Also, if you managed an account well and made payments on time, closing it will remove all the positive benefits of your responsible credit behavior on your reports and score.

3. Don’t get close to your credit limit: Credit scoring models look at how close you are to being “maxed out,” so keep your balances low in proportion to your overall credit. Experts advise keeping

your use of credit to no more than 30 percent of your total credit limit. That means that if you have $12,000 of available credit on one open account, you shouldn’t use more than $3,600.

You can decrease your credit utilization ratio over time by paying as much of your credit card balance as possible each month. If you can, pay more than the minimum balance due; this will increase your

available credit and decrease your utilization ratio faster.

Call $tand By Me 50+ for a free credit report in New Castle County 302-651-3401 in Kent/Sussex Counties 302-415-1542.

(https://www.usa.gov/features#item-211818)

10

ANNUAL HOLIDAY DINNER DANCE

Sponsored by WSC Membership Council

Friday, December 11, 2015

5:00-9:00 p.m.

Donation: $10.00

Tickets will be on sale: October 5, 2015 to November 20, 2015

Contact:

Marie Dash 302-655-8979 Ella Huff 302-2990-7397 Ann Brathwaite 302-575-0639 Laura Jones 302-658-9434

Delores Spencer 302-656-8416 Frances Hunt 302-2887-5998

MEMBERS’ COUNCIL MESSAGES

Welcome to new Council Members Ann Brathwaite and Frances Hunt.

BY-LAWS AMENDMENT

An amendment to Article XIII, Section 1 has been proposed. A revised amendment was formally read and published at the 10/14/15 meeting of the Members and will be published in the November

2015 and December 2015 newsletters. A final will vote will take place at the Members’ Meeting on 1/13/16.

Proposed Amendment to Article XIII, Section 1 of the By-Laws

ARTICLE XIII - MULTI-PURPOSE FUND Section 1: Sunshine Fund

The Sunshine Fund is to be used for members who are sick and/or shut-in, and upon the death of someone in the member’s family, i.e., spouse, child, mother, father, sister and/or brother, to

provide a bereavement donation to that member. The member must be in good standing. Cards will be sent to the sick and shut-in members.

A monetary donation is to be given to the Wilmington Senior Center member in the amount of

$15.00. If two (2) or more members in the same family share the same loss, each member is entitled to receive a monetary donation of $15.00. Each member must be in good standing, i.e., a paid-up member according to the current records of the Wilmington Senior Center. The amount of

the monetary donation is subject to change at the discretion of the Membership Council by a majority vote.

If the deceased party was a member in good standing, and has no family currently active with the Wilmington Senior Center, the donation, upon approval by the Membership Council may be donated

to their ancestral family or their religious family (church, synagogue or temple).

Note: this amendment was necessitated because the most recently adopted by-laws did not include guidelines for honoring a member in good standing who did not have family currently active with the center. Results of a related survey were overwhelmingly in favor of making a donation to the

member’s ancestral or religious family if and when this situation occurs.