December 2015

Spectrum Generations W. S. Cohen Community Center

22 Town Farm Road, Hallowell, ME 04347 Phone: (207) 626-7777

Consumer Helpline: 1-800-639-1553 (TTY) 1-800-464-8703

Web: www.spectrumgenerations.org Email: cohen@spectrumgenerations.org

The Central Maine Area Agency on Aging • Aging and Disability Resource Center

COHEN CENTER HAPPENINGS

Max Says… “Buy a calendar and support

Meals on Wheels!”

The Cohen Center has created a 2016 calendar featuring some of the pets that Meals on Wheels recipients have.

Order your calendar today! They are $15 each and will help support the Cohen Community Center Mission &

Holiday Closing

Spectrum Generations will be CLOSED on Friday, December 25 to celebrate Christmas.

Craft Corner to benefit the Nutrition Program

Do you need to get a jump start on your holiday shopping? During the month of December the Cohen Center will be offering an assortment of home-made items, such as scarves, ornaments, quilts and much, much more! The table will be set up in the lobby area with suggested donations on each item. Help us feed our homebound friends! Any questions, please see Lynda Johnson or April Taylor.

Order Your Holiday Pies Let us take the stress out of your holiday baking by preparing delicious handmade pies including apple, blueberry, pumpkin, and more as well as breads and rolls. Stop by the Cohen Center for full details and an order form. Payment in full is due at the time the order is placed. We accept cash, checks, and most credit cards. Order holiday pies by Dec. 19, and pick them up on Dec. 24, by noon.

Weather Cancellations

Please call 1-800-639-1553 for a recorded message announcing agency storm related closings.

Watch or listen to TV channel 6 or 8 and on FM radio stations 93.5,

104.3, 92.3, and 98.5.

Spa Night Fundraiser

The holidays are a hectic time. Cohen is pleased to be offering a fund raising event to help someone you care about recover. January 15th will be our Spa evening, an evening of pampering. Is there a special woman in your life? They will do banner duty during the holidays and deserve to be treated to a special evening to show how much you appreciate the effort they have put in during the holiday season. Friday evening, January 15th at the Cohen Center should be their evening. Included in the evening is wine, hor d ’Oeuvres, a live harpist, massages, aromatherapy, laughs, makeup, hair, and nail tips and treatments. It promises to be great. All proceeds go to help the Cohen Center achieve its mission. Tickets are available a the center $50 each. This makes a great Holiday Gift. Buy two, so she can bring a friend!

Regular Programs

Wood Carving Learn with Master Carver, Rene Pomerleau. Mondays 12:45 to 2:45. Cost is $3. From the novice to the expert, all are welcome.

Partner Cribbage Games Mondays 1:00 to 3:45. Cost is $3.

Mahjong Mondays & Wednesdays at 1:00; or watch and learn how to play. Cost is $3.

Rug Hooking Tuesdays 9:00 - 3:00; Bring you own supplies. Cost is $3.

Knitting/Crocheting Needlework Tuesdays 1:00 - 3:00. Cost is $3.

Customized Computer Lessons Wednesdays, 12:00 or 1:45 based on availability. Bring your laptop. Private one-on-one computer lessons customized to your needs. Each lesson is 1.5 hours. Cost is $10 each. Call 626-7777 for your appointment and come learn with Les.

Game Day Wednesday’s 1:00 to 4:00. Bridge, Mahjong, Cribbage, Yahtzee, Dice, or organize your own team for other card or board games. Cost: $3.

PLEASE CALL US AT 626-7777 TO PRE-REGISTER FOR ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

Local Advisory Council (LAC): Thursday, December 17, at 9:00. LAC members assist us in planning events and activities, help us identify unmet needs in the community, connect people with the agency programs, assist with advocacy efforts. The Council is led by Vicki Saint Amand. Call Dave at 626-7777 FMI

Book Discussion Group: Meets at 12:30 pm on Friday, Dec 4th and Dec 18th.. Free.

TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly): NEW WINTER HOURS: Meets at 9:00 - 10:00 each Friday. Weekly fees are $3. Yearly dues to TOPS is $32. First TOPS visit is free.

Tai Chi - Starting January 6. $5 per class or $3 if you sign up and pay for the series. Monday & Wednesday’s at 9 am. Call us and sign up! 626-7777

Bridge Club Thursdays 1:00 to 4:00. Cost: $3. Call Fran at 495-3490

Table Tennis - Wednesdays at 10. Asking $2.00 donation

Tai Chi For Better Balance Starts in January

Evidence based Tai Chi has many benefits. Among them - Relief from some of the physical affects of stress. It promotes deep breathing. Reduces bone loss in menopausal women. Improves lower body and leg strength. Helps with arthritis pain. Reduces blood pressure and improves balance. Requires mind and body integration through mental imagery. Sign up now! $5 drop in fee or $3 per class if you sign up in advance for the series.

“Remember Me” Spirit Readings

Would you like to connect with your loved ones who have passed on or do you just want to experience a Spirit Reading? Medium Francine McEwen uses her clairvoyant abilities to connect with loved ones who have passed to Spirit. Francine’s Readings have brought comfort and healing to those who are grieving. The Messages received from Spirit help us understand that our loved ones never really left us, but have passed on to the Spirit world and are waiting to connect with us. Readings will be offered on the 2nd and 4th Friday of each month from 1:00 to 4:00 PM and are $25 for each 1/2 hour. Call us at 626-7777 for your private appointment. No walk-ins.

A day spent at the Cohen Center is a great day!

Volunteer Holiday Social To honor our amazing volunteers we will be hosting a Holiday Volunteer Social on Mon., Dec. 15, from 1:30 to 3:00. Look for your invitation in the mail and please RSVP to Lynda at 626-7777. If you are not currently a volunteer for Spectrum Generations Cohen Center, give Lynda a call and learn about the many opportunities we have to offer! Thank you for your time & dedication!

AARP Tax Aide Assistance for Those Aged 50+ or Disabled

Call us at 626-7777 after Jan. 1

to

book your Tax Aide appointment for Tues. or Thurs. from 9:00am to 1:00pm starting Feb. 3. This free

service is for low to moderate income taxpayers aged 50+ and disabled persons.

Legal Questions? Estate planning and elder law attorney Craig Stevens will be here on Wed., December 16th,

9:00 to 10:00 to answer questions about powers of attorney, last

wills & testaments and how to protect assets from nursing home costs. Call to make your free 15 minute appointment.

Financial or investment Questions?

Make your free 15 minute appointment with an Investment Advisor

Representative of Maine Center for Wealth Management, LLC, for Wednesday, December 16th from 10:00 to 11. Appointments are required for both of the above services. Please stop by or call 626-7777 to schedule your appointment.

Looking for a Nurse Do you know a nurse who has a few hours a month to donate to Cohen? The nurse who was doing our foot clinic has retired and we are looking for someone. Please call Dave for more information.

SPECTRUM GENERATIONS IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PROVIDER

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

The AARP Tax-Aide program is looking for volunteer Greeters/Facilitators. The position entails greeting taxpayers as they arrive and assisting them with the intake form. Hours are 9:00 – 1:00, Tuesdays and Thursdays, February 2 through April 12. If interested or have questions, contact David Fuller at 685-9128.

Ornaments! Please help us sprinkle some joy to those who so deserve, and yet who are so isolated. By sponsoring a handmade ornament, you will be bringing a smile to your homebound elderly neighbors when our Meals On Wheels driver delivers their hot meal, along with a beautiful handcrafted Christmas Ornament purchased by you. Only $5.00 purchases one ornament, which also helps pay for the cost of one hot nutritious meal. This year, children from area schools such as Pittston Elementary and the Farrington School K Club, along with the Cohen Center’s Adult DayBreak program are helping us to make this event a true success!

YES, I would like to support the Ornament

Project. Please accept my donation of:

4 ornaments at $20.00

8 ornaments at $40.00

15 ornaments at $75.00

Other $_____________

Name:___________________________

Address:_________________________

Town:___________________________

State: Zip:_______________

Phone:___________________________

Please send your donation to:

Cohen Center Meals on Wheels

22 Town Farm Road

Hallowell, ME 04347

Thank you for your generosity!

Knitting Group Recognized Our knitting group has been knitting purple caps for infants since 2011. They have donated over 400 caps every year for babies in the Kennebec and Somerset Counties. This year they have been awarded the Community Partner Award of the Maine Children’s Trust. What a great honor for a group doing great work. Thank You!

Writing class starting again

Such a success it was—we are continuing it. Jean Boudreau is offering a writing class starting Monday, January 11th at 1 pm. Learn or improve your ability to write your own story, $30 for eight sessions.

Coming in August

Lighthouse tour here at the center.

Take a walk in the Vaughn woods

PLEASE CALL US AT 626-7777 TO PRE-REGISTER FOR ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

A day spent at the Cohen Community Center is a great day!

For COHEN Drop off your returnable bottles and cans in the CLYNK can in the entry. Better yet, pick up one of the pre-labeled CLYNK bags for your home. They are in the coat closet on the shelf. No fuss—no Muss, and the Cohen Center receives the funds.

Thank you for supporting us!

The Downeast Brass Quintet

The Downeast Brass has performed in many New England

settings. Audiences have been impressed by these fine Maine

performers on the concert stage, at weddings, festivals, and on

parade. They have performed at private parties at the Governor's

mansion in Augusta, Maine, at the Mount Washington Hotel in

Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, the famous Moxie Parade, and

Governor Baldacci's inauguration ceremony, among many other

appearances. Their wide

range of musical styles

makes them the preferred

musical choice for many

occasions.

Tickets will be raffled off

during the week of

December 14th for the

concert on December 20th.

How can you help? Often, we are asked what types of things do we need or how someone can help us at the center. A new bulletin board has been installed in the hallway near the bathrooms. It will contain requests for what can be done around the Cohen Center. Please take a look and see how you might help - also - use the white board to make your own suggestions. Own goal is to help keep the information flowing.

Winter Events at the Cohen Center

We have an exciting winter planned here a the Cohen Center. These events are not only great fun but all net proceeds go to helping us provide our programming. Spa Evening, January 15th - Treat that special person in your life to an evening at our spa. Tickets are $50 and make great Christmas presents! Valentine’s Dinner & Dance - Friday, February 12th. A wonderfully romantic dinner, catered by Cohen on the Meadow followed by dancing to a live band. Tickets are $50 each and include wine, dinner, and dancing. Mystery Dinner Theater - March 18th. Whodunit? Someone at dinner has been murdered and someone at dinner has done it. A wonderful dinner by Cohen on the Meadow and a mystery to boot! A great way to spend an evening and support our programs. Tax Day Casino Night - Friday, April 12th. A professional casino group will be here with tables to help us celebrate the end of the tax season. Come for the fun of it and support our center. A great fund raiser. 8th Annual Cohen Center Health Expo - May 27th. This is a great opportunity to see what organizations are available to help you stay healthy. Free

Medicare 101 Clinics Are you new to Medicare or do you want to learn more about the Medicare coverage you have? We offer a monthly clinic to discuss Medicare options for plan coverages, benefits, how to avoid penalties and ways to help pay for your Medicare plans. Our certified State Health Insurance assistance Program (SHIP) specialist will provide a 90 minute session. We do not sell insurance, but provide education about Medicare. Registration is required. Significant others are welcomed, but must be registered for the Medicare Clinic, too. A $15 donation is suggested per person.

Please note: any interested party requiring a translator at this clinic must contact the Cohen Center two weeks before the clinic so

appropriate accommodations can be made.

Community Dining

Lunch is offered Tuesday - Friday 11:00 to 12:30. The suggested donation for age 60+ or disabled is $5.00; Under age 60 the cost is $6.00 unless otherwise stated.

Age 4 to 12 is $4.00, Age 3 and under is free.

Tuesday, Dec 1 - Pot Roast Bonnie Hendsbee

Wednesday, Dec 2 - Roast Pork Loin

Thursday, Dec 3 - Chicken Alfredo Country Gentlemen Friday, Dec 4 - Cheese Ravioli Monday, Dec 7 ** - Chicken Caprese, $8 Tuckie Marvin

Tuesday, Dec 8 - Baked Haddock Wednesday, Dec 9 - Chicken Parmesan

Thursday, Dec 10 - Beef Tips +$1 Deb Sandler

Friday, Dec 11 - Vegetable Chili Swingtime Monday, Dec 14 ** - Turkey/Tuna or Hummus Joyce Fessendon Sandwich, $8 Tuesday, Dec 15 - Lemon Ginger Pork

Wednesday, Dec 16 - Meatloaf

Thursday, Dec 17 - Chicken Florentine Country Gentlemen

Friday, Dec 18 - - American Chop Suey Bonnie Hendsbee

Monday, Dec 21** - Appetizer Sampler., $8 Tuckie Marvin Tuesday, Dec 22 - Chicken Fricassee

Wednesday, Dec 23 - Baked Haddock, +$1 Thursday, Dec 24 - Chef’s Choice Deb Sandler Friday, Dec 25 - Closed

Monday, Dec 28 ** - Beef Tips, $10

Tuesday, Dec 29 - Honey Mustard Chicken Mike Theriault

Wednesday, Dec 30 - Shepard’s Pie Thursday, Dec 31 - Hearty Fish Chowder

Listen to the Radio for our Menu Listen to Don Brown each week day morning on radio station FM 93.5 True Oldies for full menu details for the Cohen Center and the Muskie Center in Waterville. ** Monday lunches are provided by Cohen on the Meadow and are not part of the federal nutrition program. Each Monday a different item from the catering menu will be featured. The cost will vary and is listed with the items.

The United Way of Kennebec

Valley proudly supports Spectrum

Generations Nutrition Program!

PLEASE NOTIFY US TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO AN EVENT IF YOU REQUIRE SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS

Caregiver Support Group Caregiving can be a frustrating, lonely road. Stress, worries, guilt... These can be some of the normal feelings when caring for someone else's health and personal needs. It can be a physical and emotional challenge. Our Family Caregiver Support Program is here to listen, to care, to help. The support group meets on the 2nd Tuesday of each month, from Noon to 1:00. All are welcome. For more information, call Liz at 1-800-282-0764 Ext. 1656.