Collins 50 Plus Seniors

Activities for the week of Nov. 18 to 24

Monday, Nov. 19: Exercises with Pat at 10 a.m., Painter Center gym.

Tuesday, Nov. 20: Active Senior Aerobics with Kim at 9 a.m., L.K. Painter Center gym, small fee.; soup and sandwich lunch at noon, Painter Center Yellow Room. Come on out and enjoy a delicious lunch of vegetable beef soup, egg salad sandwich, dessert, and drink for only $3. After lunch there will be a history talk by Doug Martindale.

Wednesday, Nov. 21: Exercises with Pat at 10 a.m., Painter Center gym; Quilting with Florence at 10:30 a.m., Collins Library Community Room; Games & Crafts with Pat at 1 p.m., Painter Center Yellow Room; Senior Bowling at 1 p.m., K&L Lanes in Gowanda. Small fee.

Thursday, Nov. 22: Happy Thanksgiving !

Friday, Nov. 23: Senior programs closed. Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Shop N Save in Gowanda.

Saturday, Nov. 24: Salvation Army from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Shop N Save.

The next AARP Defensive Driving Class will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 27 from 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. at the L.K. Painter Community Center in Collins. To sign up, call 532-2006 ext. 21 and leave a message with your name, phone number, and if you would like to have the lunch. The fee for the class is $20 for AARP members / $25 for non-members. Make your check or money order (no cash) out to “AARP” and bring it with you when you check in on the day of the class. The fee for the lunch is $3 and will be collected upon check-in on the morning of the class. Class begins at 9 a.m. SHARP – check in by 8:30 a.m. Bring your check, your AARP member card(if a member), your drivers license, and a pen.

It’s that time of year again! Come out and join the Collins 50 Plus Seniors and Love INC as they collect donations for the Salvation Army at Shop N Save in Gowanda between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Call Love INC at 532-3541 to schedule a day and time. All are asked to help us with this worthwhile cause.

Dunkirk Senior Center

The Dunkirk Senior Center, located at 45 Cliffstar Court, will hold a Christmas sing-a-long on Thursday, Dec. 13 at 1 p.m. Peter Miller will lead us in song, accompanied by Lester Fuller on the piano. We will serve cookies, hot chocolate, coffee, tea or juice and will have Christmas door prizes. No fee is involved and no sign-up is necessary. Just come and join in the fun.

Special Big Bingo will be held Wednesday, Dec. 12. There will be a special $5 admission charge. Doors open at 3 p.m., and bingo will start at 3:30 p.m. Dinner will follow bingo. This is a holiday special to all Dunkirk Senior Citizen members!

Travel updates and new information for 2019

An Allegany Casino trip is booked for Tuesday, Jan. 8 for the member price of $26 per person. This includes $25 casino bonus and a $5 food voucher. Sign-up will begin Monday, Dec. 3 at 9 a.m.

A shopping trip to Erie (with three stops) will take place Thursday, Jan. 24. The price per person is $25. Lunch will be at the Golden Corral. It includes all tips. Sign-up begins Tuesday, Dec. 11.

Monday, Feb. 18, Presidents Day, will be a Presque Isle Casino trip. The cost of $26 per person includes $25 casino bonus. There is no food allowance. Sign-up begins Monday, Jan. 7.

Monday, March 11 is a trip to del Lago. The member cost is $35 per person. This includes $25 slot play and free buffet. Sign-up begins Monday, Feb. 11.

Wednesday, April 17 will be the annual Easter shopping trip. Details will be announced in late December.

Tuesday, May 28 will be a Casino Dinner Show package at Allegany Casino, featuring a Beach Boys tribute. Details will be announced in late December.

Tuesday, Nov. 5, a Casino Dinner Show package featuring a Rat Pack tribute will be held at Allegany Casino. Details will be announced in late December.

The office, located at 45 Cliffstar Court, is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. and Thursday all day from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Collection for the 2019 membership dues has begun. The dues are $5 per year – no increase. The year runs Jan. 1, 2019 through Dec. 31, 2019. You must have an active membership to participate in all programs beginning Jan. 1.

Newsletters are available at the Center. The phone number is 366-7530.

Grape Belt Senior

Aerobics and Weights with Catherine on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9 a.m. (Doors do not open until 8:50 a.m.) Winter is on its way. In the event that Catherine cancels aerobics and weights, she will post it on the Grape Belt Seniors Facebook page, on her own Facebook page, WDOE and Chautauqua Today. There will be no luncheon in November. Our Christmas/Holiday luncheon is Dec. 5 at 11:30 a.m. at the Kosciuszko Club, 252 Nevins St., Dunkirk. All attendees must be members of Grape Belt Seniors. Sign up soon at the Center. Reservations are limited.

2019 dues are now being collected at the Center.

All trips, extended as well as day trips, are open to the public; members and non-members. Fliers for upcoming trips for 2019 are available at the Center.

Trips planned for 2018 All trips: First paid, first reserved

A Christmas Carol at Shaw Festival, Niagara-on-the-Lake – Nov. 18. Lunch at Pillar and Post Inn with time for downtown after performance. Proof of citizenship required – bring your passport. Be behind Big Lots at 9:15 a.m.

Casino Trip – The Drifters White Christmas – Dec. 11 at Seneca Niagara. Bring photo ID! Be behind Big Lots at 9:45 a.m.

Trips planned for 2019 FIRST PAID – FIRST RESERVED!

May 13: DelLago Casino. Get $25 slot dollars and free lunch buffet. $32 per person. Pay by April 15, 2019.

May 24: BPO “An American Salute.” Includes lunch at Pearl Street Grill. Pay by Feb. 10, 2019.

June 9: 1:45 p.m. Yankees and Cleveland Indians game. All you can eat buffet until 7th inning. Club seating!

July: Wellsville Balloon Festival

August: Belhurst Castle in Geneva

October: Bradford dinner theater, “Witches Brew.” Zippo Museum.

Casino Trips:

Oct. 8: Carole King Tribute

Nov. 5: Rat Pack Tribute

Dec. 10: The Lettermen

Extended trips for 2019:

Mid-Atlantic Rail Adventure: April 24 to 27. Trip includes motor coach transportation to Pittsburgh and a river cruise on the Gateway Clipper. Rail transportation to Washington, D.C. aboard Amtrak’s full-service Capitol Limited. Monuments and memorials. Baltimore – Inner Harbor. National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Arlington National Cemetery. Return trip by motor coach departing from Baltimore.

New York, New York on July 4: July 3 to 6. Includes Hyde Park – F.D. Roosevelt’s home, West Point Military Academy, Hudson River/NYC Harbor Cruise – view Macy’s fireworks from the Capt. J.P. II. Two-night stay at Edison Hotel in the Times Square area. Shopping. Tour of NYC. Broadway musical. Travel is by motor coach.

Bavarian Europe: Sept. 10 to 20. Includes air fare to and from Austria. Then tour Austria, Switzerland, Germany and Milan. Fliers re: this trip are now available.

For information and to sign up for any of the extended trips, call Marianne Serio at 672-5274. For more information and to sign up for any day trips, call Judy Marino at 672-5778.

Find Grape Belt Seniors on Facebook. Active members are eligible to join the FB group.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Mayville Senior Citizens

Sixty-six members enjoyed the most wonderful Harvest Dinner prepared by the Dewittville Christian Missionary Alliance Church. The preparers and the servers outdid themselves! Along with Bernie Dotterweich and Gail Pearles, who performed musical tunes for us, with very little notice!

Bonnie Johnson asked Dianne Goodrich to begin with devotions, then Johnson led the Pledge of Allegiance. The secretary and treasurer reports were read. Mary Carlson listed the November birthdays and cards sent. Dolly Gilbert mentioned that Dec. 1 was the deadline for getting items to the VFW for the Blue Star Mothers.

The Nominating Committee nominated the following as officers beginning Jan. 1, 2019: President, Janet Loomis; 1st Vice President, Darlene Barney; 2nd Vice President, Wanda Gustafson; Secretary, Bonnie Johnson; Assistant Secretary, Fran Miller; Treasurer, Edna Brown; Assistant Treasurer, Ruth Neal. All were unanimously approved by the members!

Johnson welcomed new members Robert and Donna Ranney! She also acknowledged all the cooks and servers with our thanks! She also stated that we collected $100 to donate to the Mayville Food Pantry! Many attending the dinner won door prizes.

Our next and last meeting of the year will be held Dec. 6 at noon at the Mayville VFW with a Christmas ham provided as the main course. Come, bring your own place setting, and a dish, casserole or dessert to compliment the ham! Our after dinner guest singer will be Mr. Doc John Hamels from Ripley, singing his selection of a variety of songs. Per Bill Tornstrom, Program Director, “It’s a good way to start the Christmas season. We saved the best for last, so don’t miss it and pray for good weather that day!”

Silver Creek Seniors

The Nov. 13 meeting was called to order three days after our first snowfall. President Ed Newman extended a genuine “welcome back” to Marge and Max Church of Silver Creek. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited and “God Bless America” was sung from the heart. President Newman then offered the invocation, giving thanks for the peace God gives us which makes us strong and for the patience God gives us in our moments of anger. Pizza was then served, along with sweet little goodie bags. Pauline Flitt announced that National Fuel has winterizing conservation kits available at the clubhouse for each member’s household. Our sincere thanks and appreciation to National Fuel for the materials.

Some say that it is love that makes the world go round. Others say that it is a misunderstanding of love which causes the rotation. Which is it? Perhaps it will always be unclear and unknown. Our memory songs today ask “What is this thing called love” anyway? And when you say I love you, be sure it’s true, because mother always said “It’s a Sin to Tell a Lie.” Maybe the real truth is “You Made Me Love You.” And it is true, we really do love you, and you and especially – you.

50/50 winners were Marge Church, Lorraine Bailey and Kathy Huffman. Door prizes were won by Flitt, Bea Ortolano and Ellyn Sutehall. Ernie Hilliker called mind-sharpening bingo and the winners were Flitt, Huffman, Betty Moores, Jen Zlotnick, Lorrie Newman, Joan Suski (twice), Bailey, Mary Congdon, Eleanor Lemiszko, Sutehall and Ed Newman.

At the next meeting on Nov. 20 at 1 p.m, at the Silver Creek clubhouse, we will celebrate with a Thanksgiving luncheon catered by Dolly and we will welcome speaker Sylvester Cleary. Mr. Cleary is a board member of Forestville Central School and Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES. He is a well-known inspirational speaker with a dynamic personality.

Sinclairville Senior Citizens

The Sinclairville Senior Citizens meet once a month for a dinner and program at the Sinclairville Firehall Dining room on the second Tuesday of the month at noon. President Diman Smith welcomed all, and Pastor Phil Shay gave the blessing prior to the meal. Cassadaga American Legion chaplain Diane K. Shaw led all in the Lord’s Prayer and member John Sipos led the the Pledge of Allegiance.

Secretary LouAnn Smith prepared a turkey with gravy and stuffing, and the others attending added to the meal with their special recipes. Mrs. Smith said she baked the turkey beginning at 1 a.m. and made her own homemade bread which was used in the stuffing. All those attending enjoyed a fine meal with ample amounts.

President Smith held drawings for prizes, and the recipients included Carolyn Hendrickson, Sipos, Bob Minekime, Linda Ivett, Doug Ivett, President Smith, Ann Hellman, Donna Feldman, Betty Wielgasz, Irene Moll, Carol Ball, Jane Penhollow, Diane Minekime, Diana Beard, Mrs. Smith and Jim Hendrickson. Colorful table decorations and candy for the occasion were provided by John and Susan Sipos.

The minutes of the previous meeting were read by secretary Smith, and the treasurer’s report read by treasurer Charles Sylvester. Sunshine chairman Betty Wielgasz read the names of those celebrating a birthday this month, and the birthday song was sung to all. New members included Jaymi Clark, Diana Beard, Carol Ball and Helen Runge.

John Sipos, who serves as the historian for the village of Cassadaga and the town of Stockton, gave a documentary on the World War I which had concluded 100 years ago. Sipos had a notebook of information about veterans and a picture board showing some old 100 year old postcards from the time of the war.

At the next meeting in December, the meal will be catered, and the entertainment will be member Ray Wood providing music for the occasion. New members are always welcome.