Thank you to Stearns County Parks Operations Coordinator
Sarah for our guided walk at the Mississippi River Park.

Join us at the Warner Lake Park on July 17th at 10am. Register by calling thee Whitney Senior Center Front Desk at 320-255-7245.

Pictures from Carl on our walk - Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Jan's garden plot - the Community Garden is looking awesome!

Slender Speadwing picture courtesy of Carl

What's Happening at Whitney

RSVP Volunteers were happy to 'mask-up' and safely help our local United Way assemble Care Kits for Seniors at Whitney Senior Center. These kits will be included with the meals given out through the Catholic Charities Senior Dining programs. They include resource information for seniors, deck of cards, puzzles, snacks, a greeting card & stamp and other fun items. Ten of our great RSVP volunteers helped with the assembly and had fun with this project. Thanks to United Way of Central Minnesota and Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud, MN for supporting our senior community in this way.

At this time the Whitney Senior Center is still closed, but we are still here to help you. We do not have dates for when we are opening. Your safety is our upmost importance. We will continue to keep you updated through the weekly e-newsletter.

Please take advantage of the Senior Friendship Circles and the many opportunities to connect with us virtually. If you need assistance, please do not hesitate to call. We are staffed Monday through Friday 8am to 4:30.

AARP Tax Assistance- Continue to be suspended at this time. We do not anticipate them returning this summer.   Please consider making other arrangements if you have been holding off on getting your taxes done.

For additional information utilize the following websites:
MN Department of Revenue
IRS.GOV.
https://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/aarp_taxaide/

We are still collecting masks. We are also distributing the masks - one per person. If you are in need of a mask, please give us a call.

If you are looking for a way to put your time and talents to good use we are looking for community members willing to make and donate cloth masks for at risk community members. In partnership with other Human Service organizations we are asking you to consider helping with this important task. The link below from the CDC indicates how masks are used and beneficial. It also shows a number of patterns for making masks. Completed masks can be dropped off at Whitney Senior Center West Door (1527 Northway Drive, St. Cloud) in the covered bin marked MASKS. The bin will be available Monday-Friday 8-4:30p.m. Please give us a call if you are willing to help with this project. We can be reached at 320-255-7245.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html

Senior Dining Frozen Meal Distribution Monday-Wednesday 11:00 am -12:30pm

Wonderful frozen meals are available for curbside pick-up from 11a.m.-12:30p.m. each Monday-Wednesday from the East Wing Parking lot of Whitney Senior Center. These nutritious meals are prepared by Catholic Charities and made available each week. To register and/or reserve meals call 320-229-4584.

Here are eight tips to help ensure you stay safe during the summer months.

Keep Hydrated. Older adults are more prone to dehydration because they aren’t able to conserve as much water as they could when they were younger and their sense of thirst becomes less acute as they age. Drink at least 8 glasses of water or sports drinks daily and avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks, which are dehydrating.
Stay cool. High temperatures can be life threatening. If your home isn’t air conditioned, visit a friend or relative’s home during high temps.
Dress appropriately. A summer wardrobe should be full of light-colored, loose-fitting clothing. Choose cotton and other natural fabrics that are more lightweight and breathable than synthetic fabrics like nylon and polyester. Wearing a wide brimmed hat will help keep the sun off your face and neck.
Wear sunscreen. Apply a sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher at least 15-30 minutes before sun exposure. Look for a sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB rays. Reapply frequently if engaging in water activities.
Preserve your vision. Sun exposure can irritate eyes and cause vision damage. Sunglasses should always be worn when exposed to the sun.
Avoid sun during peak hours. Plan outdoor exercise or activities either first thing in the morning (before 10 a.m.) or later in the evening (after 4 p.m.) when the sun isn’t as hot. Remember to hydrate even more than usual when exercising.
Watch for heat stroke. Heat stroke is a life threatening condition. Look for heat stroke symptoms, which include high body temperature, dizziness, headache, confusion, and nausea. Seek immediate medical attention if these signs are present.
Use bug spray. Older adults are more susceptible to West Nile virus, so be sure to protect yourself with bug spray, especially at night.

By following just a few common sense precautions, you are sure to have a safe and enjoyable summer.

Why We Need Stories in Our Lives

Tuesday, June 23rd
9:30 AM - 10:55
Join at this LINK

Why We Need Stories in Our Lives. Bill Vossler will present a 45-minute study on the importance of stories in everybody's lives, from earliest times until today, along with time for questions and discussion afterwards.

Watch the video at this Link

TED Circle Discussion -

" Jon Lowenstein: Family, hope and resilience on the migrant trail "

For the past 20 years, photographer and TED Fellow Jon Lowenstein has documented the migrant journey from Latin America to the United States, one of the largest transnational migrations in world history. Sharing photos from his decade-long project "Shadow Lives USA," Lowenstein takes us into the inner worlds of the families escaping poverty and violence in Central America -- and pieces ...

Join Lalita Subrahmanyan, RSVP volunteer as she leads this discussion.

Tuesday, June 16th
1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Join at this LINK

Juniper Wellness Workshop Informational Session

Stay Connected

You don’t have to do it alone. While Juniper courses help you improve your health, they are also a way to connect with and support others as a community.

Live on easy-to-use and HIPAA-secure video conferencing, you’ll engage in real-time with course leaders and fellow participants.
“The most valuable part of the class was meeting other people with similar conditions and sharing our lives and working together.” —class participant
Take Charge

Join Paula as she reviews the different workshops that are listed in the newsletters. Learn about the programs that are scheduled and others soon to be scheduled.

Wednesday, June 24th
1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Join at this LINK

The Harlem Renaissance and the art, poetry, and music of the 1920's

Join Aric Putnam for this discussion

The 1920's were a period of great creativity and the art created in this moment continues to shape our culture today. The artists of the 20's often defied genre; poetry was shaped by music, painting by literature, all in the service of finding a new identity at the onset of the new "American" century. In this session we will explore the culture of the 1920's, poetry, visual art, the early years of blues and jazz, in order to better understand the relationship between art and identity during the 1920's and for today.

Thursday, June 25th
1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Join at this LINK

Friday Wellness Series

Join us with for our Weekly Friday Wellness Series with Christine and Menley from
Rejuv Medical.

Friday, June 19th

9:30 am to 10:30 am

Join at this LINK

Join the Whitney Readers for a Virtual Book Club

Here are the upcoming books and discussions.
First Tuesday of the Month 9:30-10:30

July 7th - This Tenderland by William Kent Krueger

August 4th - The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris

September 1st - The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict

Overeaters Anonymous

Overeaters Anonymous is a community of people who support each other in order to recover from compulsive eating and food behaviors.

New Members are welcome!

Saturdays
9:00 AM to 10:00 AM
Join at this LINK

Connect with others through the Friendship Circle

Friendship Circles- still time to sign up!

If you or a loved one does not have the technology to stay connected, RSVP is providing a new option to stay socially connected. See the article below:

https://wjon.com/rsvp-to-launch-new-weekly-phone-conference-program/

With most volunteer organizations not able to provide the same level of services, many groups are finding creative ways to keep their volunteers engaged.

RSVP is starting up a new program to help promote new friendships among older adults.

An RSVP volunteer leader will start a phone call conversation with two other older adults and provide that social interaction. So we are hoping those friendships and relationships will develop over time for a weekly phone call.

The Senior Friendship Circle is an at home social option for individuals over age 60 that reside in Stearns, Benton and Sherburne Counties.

Friendship Circles will connect two or more times per week, depending on the interest of the group.

RSVP will is taking registration with hopes of beginning the program by late June.

To register or if you would like to become an RSVP volunteer, you're asked to call the Whitney Senior Center Aging Services office (320) 255-7245.

Diabetes Prevention Program - Register Now!

July 11, 2020

9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

Online

Cost: Donation

Class Leader: Kylie Weller

Register at this LINK

National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP) is a collaborative, community-based, lifestyle change program designed for people with pre-diabetes. It is based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s curriculum and National Diabetes Prevention Recognition standards. Hundreds of in-person and online lifestyle change programs nationwide teach participants to make lasting lifestyle changes, like eating healthier, adding physical activity into their daily routine, and improving coping skills.

Notes:

This is a yearlong Program that meets weekly for 16 weeks and then twice a month for the remainder of the year. You will have support of your Lifestyle Coach and Group. The goal is to lose 5-7% of your weight. This class will be held via virtu al Zoom and may be offered In-Person at the Whitney Senior Center depending on current situation with COVID-19. If participating through Zoom Please note the following: All participants must have audio and visual technology capabilities. This could be a laptop or tablet with a camera and microphone, or a smart phone. Details will be emailed to participants once they have registered for this workshop series and prior to the class start date. The Whitney Senior Center will contact participants to practice using Zoom and have support for technology challenges prior to the start of the start date.

If you have SilverSneakers or Silver&Fit - please click on LINK to fill out May's Attendance - thank you. This helps support the costs to provide the classes and continue them. If you would like to register with us for the SilverSneakers and Silver & Fit - please call our Front Desk at 320-255-7245.

If you are new to our WSC Fitness Classes and/or have not filled out your 2020 Fitness Waiver, please fill out at this LINK and submit.

Senior Yoga with Melissa
Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. 10 am to 10:45 am
JOIN AT THIS LINK

Gentle Pilates with Paula
Mondays and Fridays 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm
JOIN AT THIS LINK

SAIL - Stay Active and Independent for Life
Tuesday, Fridays, Saturdays 11 am to 12:00 pm
JOIN AT THIS LINK

Spring Forest QI- GONG with Jerry Wellik
Mondays and Wednesdays 12:00 pm to 12:55 pm
Register in Advance at this LINK

Yoga with Sally
Tuesdays at 9:30 am - 10:30 am at this LINK
Thursdays at 11:30 am to 12:30 pm at this LINK

Look for upcoming discussions - in the meantime download this e-book for free.

One Book | One Minnesota Announces Second Title

Posted June 16, 2020

More Region Wide News

Great River Regional Library is excited as One Book | One Minnesota, the statewide book club, has its second book announced. The program asks Minnesotans to read a common title and come together to reflect and discuss. The summer title for the program is A Good Time for the Truth: Race in Minnesota, edited by Sun Yung Shin.
A Good Time for the Truth, published in 2016 by the Minnesota Historical Society Press, is a series of essays in which sixteen of Minnesota’s best writers provide a range of perspectives on what it is like to live as a Native person or a person of color in Minnesota. With unflinching generosity, these authors take readers into their lives, sharing experiences that we all must understand if we are to come together in real relationships.
As the authors of A Good Time for the Truth confront and consider the realities that lie beneath the numbers, this book provides an important tool to those who want to be part of closing those gaps. Editor Sun Yung Shin writes in the introduction: “These essays…are intended to enlarge our understanding of, and deepen our connections to, one another. These writers are here to feed our spirits, if we let them. We can read their stories and leave each one with a deeper, more complex understanding of how race and culture are lived in Minnesota – and better prepared for the conversations and changes ahead.”
During the summer months, you are invited to take part in reading the selected novel together. A statewide virtual discussion with the editor, Sun Yung Shin, will be held in August. A Good Time for the Truth is available on multiple platforms. Readers can access the digital book for free on Ebooks Minnesota for ten weeks, until August 23.

Need help with technology?
Ask our Computer Lab Volunteers

With our Computer Lab not having access and with the current events of COVID-19 and relying on technology, the volunteers have graciously offered to take questions and try to answer them for you. Send them an EMAIL

Donations Accepted

A few of you have asked, so we thought we would include. If you find value in the programs being offered and would like to make a donation during this time to help support the Whitney Senior Center, you can mail a check to: Whitney Senior Center, 1527 Northway Drive, St. Cloud, MN 56303. We miss seeing you! Thank you to the kindness of those sending cards and donations -- it is greatly appreciated by the WSC Staff!

Find our events and links on our Website.

You can also find these events on our Website Calendar.If you want to receive Calendar Reminders of Upcoming Events outside of this emailed newsletter you can subscribe to the icalendar.