Charlotte Senior Center by Mary Recchia,
Activities Coordinator, December 15, 2011, page 17.....

Holiday Schedule: The Senior Center will be closed for the holidays beginning after the luncheon on December 21. We look forward to seeing you all in the New Year beginning Monday, January 2, 2012.
Nutcracker Fans! There will be another showing of The Nutcracker movie (now that the sound has been fixed) on Wednesday, December 21, beginning at 10 a.m. before the luncheon.  Hope you can join us!
New sessions of Zumba, Pilates, Tai Chi and Yoga will begin the first week of the New Year and would make a wonderful gift for someone who has everything. Please call the center for a detailed description and times when these perennial favorites are offered.
Margery Rutherford and Dorrice Hammer will begin another session of Living Strong in Vermont on January 10. The session runs two days per week on Tuesdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to noon through March. The program helps maintain independence by increasing strength, muscle mass and bone density using hand and ankle weights. Balance exercises enhance agility and decrease the likelihood of falls, while flexibility exercises increase joint mobility and reduce the risk of injury. The weight-bearing exercises are done seated and standing behind the back of a chair. These are particularly effective for osteo-arthritis sufferers, who benefit from increased pain-free range of motion. New participants can stop by the center to pick up a doctor’s consent form. Registration required. Suggested donation: $48 for new participants.
The Art of Indian Cooking returns Thursday afternoons from 1-3 p.m. Dates: 1/12, 1/19, 1/26 and 2/2. Add some spice to your life! Learn the art of Indian cooking with Gopi Advani. The lessons will start with simple staple foods and gradually progress to fancier items. Each day will have typical menu items that you can learn with lots of hands-on experience. You will have the opportunity to modify the recipes to your desire and also test the foods. If you have any favorites that you would like to learn, Gopi will take special requests during the first session, which she will try to incorporate into subsequent classes. Registration necessary. Maximum 10. Fee: $20 per lesson includes all materials.
A new class of Beginner Bridge with Dot Myers and Stella Palmer begins Friday afternoons from 1-2:30 p.m. Dates: 1/13, 1/20, 1/27, 2/3, 2/10 and 2/17. If you have always wanted to learn the game of bridge, this “hands on” teaching approach will have you doing exercises with actual cards at the table, giving you knowledge of the basic bidding system and card-playing skills to build on with continued practice. Registration required. Fee: $30.
Let’s Just Sing! with Carl Recchia and CVU Singers Tuesday afternoons from 1:30-3 p.m. Dates: 1/17, 2/14 and 3/13. (As a possibility, we could sing on our own or go to CVU on the alternate weeks of 1/31, 2/28 and 3/27). After their involvement with the Young at Heart Chorus last fall, the CVU Singers had a desire to build on that experience in their own community by spending time with seniors. This offering grew out of that desire, and the idea is for you and the kids to come together and sing while enjoying each other’s company. We will choose familiar tunes and easily learned new pieces that will lift our spirits! Whether you have sung for years or quietly sing to yourself in the shower, choose whatever excuse you need to come join the fun. Sing yourself happy!  Registration required. No fee.
Please join us for events following the Wednesday Luncheon beginning at 1 p.m.:
1/4: A Conversation with the Charlotte Librarian, Margaret Woodruff
Was there a book you did not receive for the holidays? Is there a title you would like the Library to own? Just got a new E-Reader and have a few questions? Did you know you could remotely check out a book from the library, renew the one you have or put a book on hold? Our town librarian will answer these questions and more as she describes new technologies, procedures, and (of course!) books available at the library.
1/11: Egypt: Ancient Wonders and Contemporary Life

Egypt has a wealth of antiquities, including the Sphinx and Great Pyramids at Giza, King Tut’s treasures, Luxor and Karnak Temples, and Abu Simbel. It also has modern cities as well as towns and villages that have changed little over the last few centuries. Sheri and Rich Larsen visited Egypt in the spring of 2010 and will present a slide show that features many of the ancient wonders, the hustle and bustle of Cairo and life along the Nile River.

The Café Menu

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19
“Cheesy Tasting” roasted sweet potato soup with broccoli, salad and homemade dessert

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21
French meat pie, Aunt Nita’s cranberry pudding

MONDAY, JANUARY 2
Roasted eggplant and red pepper soup, green salad and dessert

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4
African chicken, birthday cake and ice cream 

MONDAY, JANUARY 9
Beef, bacon and lentil soup, green salad and dessert

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11
Aunt Mildred’s casserole, refried beans and homemade dessert

Happy Holidays! Please note that the Senior Center is closed from after the luncheon on December 21 until Monday, January 2, 2012.

Senior Luncheons are held every Wednesday at noon. Reservations are necessary in advance and can be made by calling the Senior Center at 425-6345. A $4 donation is requested. Reservations are not required for the Monday Munch.