By Rose Chavez/PREVIEW Columnists
The Community Foundation of the San Luis Valley along with the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) are working together to administer infrastructure grants to small community based organizations like Archuleta Seniors Inc. that have a track record for providing effective, culturally responsive, and relevant programs and services to communities who have historically been underrepresented, underserved or under resourced in Colorado.
These funds are to be used for one or more of the following eligible projects: data technology needs including data collection and technology infrastructure; professional development for staff and board members; strategic planning and organizational development for capacity building, fundraising and other services; communications; and existing program expansion, development or evaluation.
Funds are not eligible to be used on the following expenses: capital improvement projects, real estate or land acquisition, payment of debt, advocacy or lobbying, organizing, and endowments or reserves.
Archuleta Seniors Inc. (ASI) is a recipient of $14,000 in DOLA funds to support the development of a five-year strategic plan. The ASI board of directors, staff and Pagosa community will work together with a facilitator to engage in the strategic planning process throughout 2024.
For more information, contact ASI executive director Rose Chavez at rosa@psseniors.org.
Healthy aging yoga therapy class series
This winter, a healthy aging yoga series will be offered as a hybrid class at the Pagosa Senior Center on Mondays from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Classes will be structured by therapeutic yoga tools and techniques with chair movement, standing stretches, gentle postures, breathing practices and reflective meditative moments.
Monthly themes for the series will include topics such as sustainable strength for healthy aging individuals, brain health, heart and cardiovascular health, mental and emotional well-being, community connections, and stress management, to name a few.
Classes will be educational for participants to utilize practices in daily life and are meant for all levels of experience with yoga.
The class is hosted by local yoga therapist AJ Connors, with a hybrid focus for the winter months, blending in-person, online and, occasionally, recorded classes. Zoom sessions will be streamed at the Senior Center to provide the community experience to practice together or can be accessed at home if weather is a factor.
Mats and chairs will be provided at the Senior Center; some blocks and Therabands are available, too. The addition of yoga props is always welcomed.
We are requesting that individuals who are new to joining the series arrive early for intake inquiries and to please communicate with AJ directly by emailing ajconnorslove@gmail.com.
Yoga therapy monthly themes and tentative schedule
January: Healthy Aging and Brain Health.
February: Heart Health Month and National Cancer Prevention Month.
March: Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month and Brain Injury/Health Month.
April: Stress Management Month, Cancer Control and Parkinson’s Awareness Month.
May: Mental Health Awareness Month, Older Americans Month, Stroke and High Blood Pressure Awareness.
June: Alzheimer’s and Brain Health Awareness Month.
A tentative yoga therapy schedule for the next few months follows, with in-person subject to change.
Jan. 29: In person.
Feb. 5: Zoom.
Feb. 12: In person.
Feb. 19: Zoom.
Feb. 26: Recording.
March 4: Zoom.
March 11: Zoom.
March 18: Recording (potentially Zoom).
March 25: In person.
April 1: Zoom.
April 8: Zoom.
Mindful drawing
Mindful drawing is an easy-to-learn, relaxing and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns. Join our friendly instructor, Roberta Strickland.
Classes are every Wednesday at 1:15 p.m. in the Senior Center. This activity is open to all ages. Help us create an intergenerational community. For those under 18 and/or with disabilities, you are welcome to join us, but we kindly ask you to please bring an adult chaperone with you.
Bingo
The Senior Center will be hosting bingo twice a month on Friday afternoons from 1:15 to 2:30 p.m.
Bingo will be on Feb. 9 and Feb. 23.
The price to participate is free and we ask you bring yourself and a friend for joyful fellowship. We will provide prizes from local businesses for all winners and snacks will also be provided.
No RSVP is required; just show up. All ages are welcome, but we ask those 18 and younger to come with an adult chaperone.
For more information, contact us at (970) 264-2167.
T’ai Chi Chih and mindfulness-based meditation
The Senior Center will be offering T’ai Chi Chih with accredited instructor Patti Popovich each Thursday from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., and longtime local practitioner Udgar Parsons will offer mindfulness-based meditation classes from 3 to 4 p.m. in the dining hall to support older adults who want to discover purpose and fulfillment in this transitional phase of life.
T’ai Chi Chih and mindfulness-based meditation are not martial arts, but rather tools for self-healing. Softness, flow and effortlessness are the guiding principles in these practices.
All classes will be free for older adults (age 60 and better) and will last approximately one hour in the dining hall.
No special clothing or equipment is required for either class.
For more information, call (970) 264-2167.
Senior Conversations
Join us Mondays at 1:15 p.m. for a series of “Senior Conversations” with local Bill Salmansohn.
He will lead the group through mindfulness exercises and discussion of various topics pertaining to aging in Archuleta County. Explore and discover for yourself answers to your questions and concerns.
The meeting will be held in the Senior Center in the dining hall. Snacks will be provided.
Pagosa Springs Scrapbooking Club
The Pagosa Springs Scrapbooking Club holds monthly meetings the second Saturday of each month at the Senior Center.
It meets each month from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to be creative, share ideas, connect with friends, learn new techniques, share supplies and indulge in a potluck lunch together.
Bring your scrapbooking projects — or any crafting project that you may want to work on with the group. If you would like to be added to the mailing list to receive notifications each month of the upcoming meeting along with handy tips and tricks for scrapbooking, please send your request to copenhavercreative@gmail.com.
Share lunch Monday through Thursday
Join us at the Silver Fox’s Den, aka the Community Cafe, in person for daily hot/cold meals Mondays through Thursdays at the Community Center between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. It is open to all. Pickup is available all week, including Fridays.
Our dining hall is open to all ages and welcomes you all with kindness and warmth. We provide hot/cold meals for anyone in the community interested in a nutritious and delicious meal. For those 60 or older we request a suggested donation of $10, but no one will be turned away. There is a $10.50 charge for guests under the age of 60.
Meals include a main course, side dish, fruit/dessert, garden salad plus beverage. Some popular menu items include Frito chili pie, pork tenderloin with harvest chutney, Singaporean pork ribs, vegetarian lasagna, Hawaiian shrimp with coconut rice and always a beautiful green salad. Many of our items are locally sourced and organic.
Our chef works with a team of local food professionals to hand-prepare your meal for dine-in service in our cozy dining room (with an amazing view of the San Juans) or for takeout (via our convenient drive-through). Our menu changes daily.
To reserve your meal for the day, please make your reservation via text or phone call to (970) 264-2167 by 9 a.m. weekdays.
Community Cafe menu
Thursday, Jan. 25 — Crispy codfish with tartar sauce, green beans, dinner roll, garden salad, fruit and milk.
Friday, Jan. 26 — Pork kielbasa, German potato salad, sweet and sour cabbage, garden salad, fruit, Bavarian cream puffs and milk.
Monday, Jan. 29 — BBQ pulled pork, creamed corn, southern biscuit, garden salad, cottage cheese and fruit, and milk.
Tuesday, Jan. 30 — Beef chili and beans with cheese, cornbread, peach cobbler, garden salad, fruit and milk.
Wednesday, Jan. 31 — Baked cod, broccoli hollandaise, dinner roll, garden salad, fruit, bread pudding with rum sauce and milk.
Thursday, Feb. 1 — Thai chicken with peanut sauce with snap peas, brown and wild rice, garden salad, mango coconut bread pudding, and milk.
Friday, Feb. 2 — Potato leek soup with ciabatta bread, cottage cheese, fruit, garden salad and milk.
Grab-N-Go meals
Dine-in and Grab-N-Go meal reservations and cancellations are required. Please call or text by 9 a.m. the morning of the day you want to pick up a meal. A suggested donation of $10 helps to sustain our program. For ages 59 and younger, the cost is $10.50. No one will be turned away for their inability to donate. Please call or text us at (970) 264-2167 to make a reservation.
Meals on Wheels
We deliver fresh Meals on Wheels five days a week (and provide frozen Meals on Wheels for weekends) to homebound Archuleta County residents. Call or text us at (970) 264-2167.
Mobile food pantry service discontinued
The Mobile Food Pantry Service has been discontinued due to funding shortages. Older adults needing a ride to a local food pantry should contact the MET to schedule a ride with its paratransit service. For more information, contact Lavonne at (970) 264-2250.
Text reservations
Don’t forget that we offer a convenient texting service for you to communicate with us. Text us at (970) 264-2167. When texting, please include your name, phone number and the days you want a meal. If you are canceling a reservation, please include your name, phone number and the days you want to cancel.
Texting services are available for dine-in meal reservations, Grab-n-Go meals and Meals on Wheels recipients.
COVID-19 test kits available
Stop by the Senior Center to pick up a pack of six free COVID-19 tests kits for your personal use. These kits are available to anyone in the public who needs affordable access for health promotion and disease prevention.
Mahjong
Mahjong is a 19th century Chinese tile-based game that is commonly played with four players. Each player receives 13 tiles with a goal to make matching sets and pairs (like poker). To win, a player must form four sets and one pair.
Come to the Senior Center to learn or play every Tuesday at 1:15 p.m.
Medicare call by appointment
For anyone who needs help enrolling and navigating Medicare plans, the San Juan Basin Area Agency on Aging helps with parts A, B and D. They can also help you with fraud concerns and troubleshooting any billing issues you may be having. By appointment only. Please call the Medicare line at (970) 264-0501, ext 2.
Bridge
The longest-played bridge game in Archuleta County takes place on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1:15 p.m.
Bridge is a four-player card game with partners sitting opposite each other around a table. It is a trick-taking card game using a standard 52-card deck. Come alone or bring a partner.
