March - May Special Events

Inspirational Dreams.  Dreams have been a source of guidance and inspiration since the dawning of human history.  This innate source of wisdom continues to emerge in our dreams today.   On Tuesday, March 24, at 12:30 pm, learn about those dreams that have had a major impact on our lives. Ann Aswegan, reads excerpts from her forthcoming book: Awakening to the Song of Yourself: Revelations by Day and Dreams by Night that illustrate this type of powerful dream.   There is no charge. 

Get Fit: Guide to Mental Fitness.  This eight-week course begins Wednesday, March 25, 9:30 to 11 am.  The course is designed to promote mental fitness and limit age-related mental decline. Learn strategies to boost your brainpower, enhance your memory, concentration, creativity, problem solving, and more.  The cost is $10.   The cost is $5.  Advance registration necessary, call 266-6581.

Zumba Class.  Zumba combines high energy and motivating music with unique moves and combinations that allow participants to dance away their worries.  An eight-week class begins Monday, March 30, from 12:30 – 1:30 pm.  ZUMBA is a fusion of Latin and International music that creates a dynamic, exciting, effective fitness system! The routines feature aerobic/fitness interval training with a combination of fast and slow rhythms that tone and sculpt the body. Zumba is a “feel-happy” workout that is great for both the body and the mind.  The cost is $40.  Advance registration necessary, call 266-6581. 

Travelogue: Quebec.  On Tuesday, March 31 from 12:30 – 1:30, tour Quebec with the Friendship Force.   Travel north across the border and see pictorial highlights of the two-week tour of Montreal, Quebec City and Sherbrooke.  In addition, learn about the Friendship Force, whose focus is on “homestays” intended to bring people together to overcome cultural barriers.  The Friendship Force International has clubs in over 375 communities and 60 countries, that is not a travel club in the tourist sense, but a group that travels.  There is no charge.  

Financial Literacy Series.  On Wednesday, April 1, 1 – 3 pm, dispel myths about  Reverse Mortgages and answer the questions about how they work, how  to use the funds, and if reverse mortgages are right for you.  Also covered is Aging in Place/ In Home Care and Trust/Wills.  Led by representatives from Wells Fargo Home Mortgages, Comfort Keepers, TZ Builders, and Horn Law Firm.  

Annual Meeting.  The Senior Center’s Annual Meeting is Thursday, April 2, at 9 AM. The Participant Advisory Council invites everyone to this informative and interactive session.  A continental breakfast is served at 9 AM, After a brief report by the Director and the distribution of the 2008 Annual Report, participants are encouraged to suggest program and activity ideas and/or needed improvements or changes.  There is no charge.  

Maintain Your Brain and Stay Sharpe.     Discover a holistic approach to brain health on Tuesday, April 7, from 10 to 11:30 am.  Learn about the heart-brain connection, an overview of recent research and challenging and fun brain ticklers.  Each participant  leaves with an action plan!  Presented by Pamela Phillips Olson, LCSW, Midwest Center for Psychotherapy and Danielle Thai, Alzheimer’s Association,  South Central Wisconsin Chapter.  The cost is $5.  Advance registration necessary, call 266-6581.   

Tuesday Movie Matinee.  On April 7, see Nights in Rodanthe.  With chaos tearing her marriage and family apart, Adrienne Willis (Diane Lane) takes a weekend caretaker job at a North Carolina inn.  When a storm hits, stranding the inn's only guest, Dr. Paul Flanner (Richard Gere), Adrienne's life changes forever.  Drama.  PG-13  See Changeling on April 21.  Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie) is overjoyed when her young kidnapped son Walter is brought back home.  But when Christine suspects that the Walter who was returned to her isn't her actual child, the police captain (Jeffrey Donovan) has her committed to an asylum.  Drama.  R  Movies are free of charge and are  compliments of Four Star Video Heaven.   They begin at 1 pm.  

“The Whole Truth in 15 Minutes”  Discover the “Whole Truth” about Juice Plus+ in just 15 minutes.  On Wednesday, April 8, from 10 – 11 am, through DVD, Dr. Richard DuBois explains the damaging effects of oxidative stress against the cells and the power of fruits and vegetables to protect us from disease.  There is no charge.  

Positive Living Group:  Moon Talk.  The moon has always been a source of fascination and a seasonal marker.  If the night of April 9th is clear, you’ll be able to look up and see the Full Sprouting Grass Moon, the Pink Moon, the Egg Moon, the Full Fish Moon, the Seed Moon, or the Waking Moon, according to various cultures and traditions.  This particular occurrence of a full moon is associated with the Easter holiday, the planting of crops, the upstream travel of fish preparing to spawn, and the appearance of early spring flowers.  Join us on Thursday, April 9, from 12:30 – 2 pm,  as we explore tonight’s full moon from right here on Earth; learn of lunar lore and share your perceptions of our largest satellite.  

Hearing Screening.  Untreated hearing loss can led to social isolation.  On Tuesday, April 14, beginning at 9 am, get you hearing tested by Professional Hearing & Audiology Clinics.  Appointments are necessary.  There is no charge.  Advance registration necessary, call 266-6581.   

Dancing Qigong Class.  Come dance and breathe in energy. Learn to move your body, mind and spirit with the music of life. Stretch and become more flexible with Jack Bray, M.A., Broadway dancer and certified qigong instructor.  T  The eight-week class begins on Wednesdays April 15, with two class times to choose 12-12:45pm OR 5-5:45pm.  The cost is $20. Advance registration necessary, call 266-6581. 

Do Your Own Will.  This three-week class covers basic estate planning, taxes, marital property, creating a trust, funeral planning and life insurance.  Participants receive instruction on writing a will using the Wisconsin Basic Will. No legal advice or counseling given.  The class meets Wednesdays, April 15 – 29, from 6 – 8 pm.  The cost is $15. (MATC) Class #55514. Registration deadline is two weeks prior to the beginning of the class.  Call MATC @ 246-6240.  Fees are approximate for those over age 62.   

National Healthcare Decisions Day.  Have you taken time to consider what your healthcare choices would be if you could not speak for yourself?  On Thursday, April 16, from 10 – 11 am, Americans across the country will be making future healthcare decisions known to family, friends and healthcare providers.  Join us for a program by HospiceCare about how to share your wishes and complete your Advance Directive….because Your Decisions Matter! Refreshments will be served.  There is no charge.

Financial Literacy Series.  The final sessions of our eight-part Financial Literacy Series renews our faith in Retirement/Post Retirement Planning and looks at possibilities for making money that we never imagined such as being an Entrepreneur.  Joel McNeil, First Vice President and Senior Investment Consultant of Robert W. Baird & Co. (The HGMR Group), on Thursday, April 16, 9-11 a.m., explains how the importance of sound financial planning and prudent investment management may allow investors to weather even the darkest of economic storms.  Rena Gelman, UW Business School/Small Business Development Center, on Wednesday, April 29, 1-3 p.m., shares her journey of being the business owner of the Sunprint Cafe for 23 years.  Rena helps you understand the process of being an entrepreneur (franchise opportunities included), financing, and the current climate for entrepreneurship during this economic crisis.  Renew yourself with these opportunities.  There is no charge.  Advance registration is necessary, call 266-6581.  

"An Easy Solution”  The American Cancer Society says “Eat your fruits and vegetables to reduce the risk of cancer”  On Wednesday, April 22, from 10-11am, through DVD, Dr.Delia Garcia, Radiation Oncologist, shares an easy solution with indisputable research for bridging our nutritional gaps and to obtain optimal health.

Life/Stories Class.  Every life is a collection of stories waiting to be told.  This two-week class examines some of the written forms in which people tell their stories, including memoir, autobiography, and journals.  After reading and discussing some of the strategies involved in writing such work, participants will have the opportunity to begin composing their own “life stories.”  The  class meets  Friday, April 24 & May 1, from 9:30 – 11:30 am and is led by Mark Lounibos, doctoral candidate in English Literature at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  There is no charge for the class.  Support for the course comes from the Center for the Humanities at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Advance registration necessary, call 266-6581.  

Junior/Senior Prom.  “New York, New York” is the theme of the tenth Annual Junior/Senior Prom on Sunday, April 26, from 4-6 pm.   Juniors, college students from the UW-Madison campus invited all area older adults.  The evening features live music, provided by the Bill Terry Orchestra, a photographer, refreshments, door prizes and more.  The evening is co-sponsored by the Wisconsin Union Directorate’s Community Service Committee and the Senior Center.    Don’t miss this special event.  There is no charge.  

Memory Makers!  Join this group every Monday from 10 – 11am.  Learn activities, exercises and information to help strengthen your memory.  There is no charge.  

“AN ARTFUL AFFAIR” SENIOR ART SHOW.  Are you an artist over age 55?   “An Artful Affair” is an opportunity to display artwork and compete for cash prizes.  Works in watercolor, pastels oils ink/pencil, chalk, acrylics or mixed media can be entered.  The Opening is planned for downtown Madison’s Gallery Night on Friday, May 1.  For a brochure or for more information call 267-8650.  

Book Bites:  Local Author Series.  To mark Victory in Europe Day Art and Ursula Rathburn, local World War Two History writers, will be here to discuss their new book.  No More Tears Left Behind.  Their new biography is about long time Madison resident Eva Deutschkron.  Eva and her husband Martin, German Jews, survived the holocaust while living and working right under the Gestapo’s nose. This story differs from any holocaust story you have read.  Eva and her husband never were confined in a concentration camp, not did they hide as in the case of Anne Frank.  They kept constantly on the move right in the Berlin area, working and living in constant fear of the Gestapo who they knew were actively looking for them.  Dr. and Mrs. Rathburn hope that this book discussion spurs questions and comments on the conditions in the Berlin area before, during and after the war.  This is Dr. Rathburn’s sixth book about people of the World War Two era.  The program is Friday, May 8, at 10 am.   There is no charge.

Traveling Solo And Loving It!  The world holds so many adventures that we often miss, due to the anxieties we mis-place onto being a solo traveler. But traveling alone can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life. In fact, single travelers are a growing demographic. You can still see the rain forests of South America, the beaches of New Zealand or beauty of the Grand Canyon, even if you do not have a traveling partner. Come and learn from real-life experience, how to travel safely, how to travel alone or with a well-selected companion. Learn what to pack, ways to navigate the language barrier, and how to find less expensive accommodations. Most importantly, discover how to find the courage to travel alone, and to develop more self-confidence and self-reliance because of it!  On Tuesday, May 12, at 12:30 learn how you too can love traveling solo!  There is no charge. 

 Intergenerational Ice Cream Social.  Join us on Tuesday,  May 12,  3-4:30 p.m., to hear the winning sixth grade essays from a statewide contest which involved four Madison middle schools and approximately 400 students.  Sponsored by the Wisconsin Association of Senior Centers and hosted locally by the Madison Senior Center and the four Madison Coalitions of Older Adults, the essay contest assigned writings on two topics:  “My Best Older Friend” or “My Grandparents.” Come hear the student’s heartwarming essays and  enjoy the ice cream social.  

LGBT 13 Discussion Group .  The LGBT 13 (meets on the 1^st and 3^rd Thursdays) Discussion Group is an informal group led by trained facilitators.  Its intention is to have LGBT activities throughout Madison.  Participants are encouraged to bring topics of interest to be discussed.  Confidentiality is respected.  This drop-in group meets April 2 & 16, from 2:30 – 4 pm at the MSC.  There is no charge. 

Thursday Afternoon Dance A part of our ongoing programming the Senior Center sponsors a dance Thursdays  from 1 – 3 pm, dance to the big band sounds of the Senior Showcase Band ($2).  There is no charge the  last Thursday of the month.    

Senior Beat.  Madison City Channel and the Senior Center bring television programming “for, by and about seniors.” T  You can watch Senior Beat on Channel 98 as follows:  Wednesdays at 5 pm, Sundays at 8:30 am and 5:30 pm.

MyMedicare  Matters.  Lost in the Medicare maze?  For reliable Medicare information for yourself or a loved one, stop by the Computer Lab, any Friday afternoon from 12:30 - 2:30 pm. A trained volunteer will guide you to credible sites offering specific resources.  Printed handouts with local resources are also available.  Take advantage of this free assistance.  Questions: call 267-2344.I

NOTICE:  The Madison Senior Center will be undergoing extensive remodeling during the period of June 13 - August 16, 2009.  We are proud of the financial support of the City of Madison to renovate and improve our 25-year-old building.  This work is significant, and there will be NO access to the building during the remodeling dates.

Although this is the most efficient and economical way to complete the projects, the Madison Senior Center WILL maintain a downtown presence for older adults.  We have initiated a location for the South Madison Coalition administered nutrition site at the Capital Center Apartments, located directly across the courtyard for our diners.  The Madison Public Library and other downtown locations will be the sites for some programs.  Key staff members will be available by phone and e-mail.