FORMERLY THE GUIDE AND SECOND WIND Volume 1 • Issue 1 • MAY 2017
Welcome! ISLAND TIMES welcomes you!
Learn what’s happening each month for seniors, their families, caregivers, and friends! By Robin Bush, Island Senior Resources
Island Senior Resources, previously known as Senior Services of Island County, and the Oak Harbor Senior Center are collaborating with the Whidbey Weekley to bring you ISLAND TIMES, a monthly publication sharing information, activities, and resources for seniors and adults with disabilities throughout Whidbey Island. Each month you will find engaging stories, tasty menus for community meal sites, events, classes, informative “Lunch & Learn” presentations, trips, and many social gatherings you can be a part of. Instead of two publications, what was formerly Second Wind and The Guide, is now all in one place! Look for ISLAND TIMES in the Whidbey Weekly, the third Thursday of every month and learn what’s happening the following month! Copies of ISLAND TIMES will also be available at Oak Harbor Senior Center, Island Senior Resources (Bayview), the HUB in Coupeville, libraries, Senior Thrift, meal sites, in many businesses island-wide, and delivered by Meals on Wheels.
We are here for you, whether you are: a young elder, a “yelder,” not ready to retire, active, and surprised at yourself turning 60; or a middle elder, a “melder,” who acknowledges your status, relishes those senior discounts, and notices the change in your energy or needs; or an “elder,” learning to receive assistance, living with pride in your longevity and achievements, and anticipating what lies ahead. Whether we are the grown children, friends, or caregivers of those ahead of us on the path of aging, or leaning on others ourselves, we are one community desiring to live vibrant lives while transitioning through the later phases of life. Through ISLAND TIMES, Island Senior Resources, will cultivate community and bring us all together.
Together, Island Senior Resources and the Oak Harbor Senior Center welcome you!
What does “Welcome” mean? “To greet hospitably, and with courtesy or cordiality…to accept with pleasure the occurrence or presence of.”
To “Welcome” is a desire to create meaningful encounters with others, today, tomorrow, and in the years ahead.
Merriam Webster.
Join us! Each month, beginning with our next issue, Island Senior Resources joins the Oak Harbor Senior Center and the Whidbey Weekly by exploring “Cultivating Community” on Whidbey Island through articles on a multitude of positive ways to share our lives as seniors, or friends and family of seniors: • • • • • •
Being Outside Together Caring for Our Island Home Befriending One Another Getting Life Together for the Years Ahead Adopting a Senior Dreaming it Forward.
others can plan to make time to care for themselves. SHIBA (the State Health Benefits Advisors) will provide tips for dealing with Medicare and we’ll publish their schedule of classes.
Enjoy! We’ll feature ways to enjoy the company of others through music, dance, theater, Bingo, Bridge, Mahjong, walks in the woods, or sharing a meal and conversation. Coming soon will be local and regional trips full of adventure and exploration. Life’s better together. Menus, times, and locations of our meal sites will be published each month. Come gather with friends, eat well, and enjoy your favorite foods. “Imagine a world where people feel welcome and expected. A world where children, friends, strangers, guests, customers and colleagues dare to, and want to, meet each other for real. It is our belief that this is the basis for true and lasting success for us as people, for our businesses and for the places we live.” Jan Gunnarsson (Acclaimed international author of “Hostmanship”)
Volunteer! We’ll help you find ways to participate in cultivating community. Would you enjoy serving others through Meals on Wheels? or …taking those who cannot drive to their medical appointments? or …being on the team at Senior Thrift?
Learn! We’ll provide articles covering highlights of educational presentations, available resources, and interviews with experts on topics affecting the lives of seniors, their caregivers, families, and friends. Each issue will also include our Lunch & Learn schedule for free Bayview and Coupeville presentations on health and wellness, community opportunities, technology, finance, and legal issues. Our schedule for caregiver support groups and classes will be announced each month so those who care for
or …assisting those with cognitive issues? Paying it forward to help others not only keeps you active and involved, it assures Island Senior Resources will be here when you need to lean on us. Each month we will publish stories about people we help. Just imagine yourself helping or being helped just like them. Whatever you need and whatever you give, we welcome you. It’s time to turn to your neighbor and say “hello.” There are no strangers, only friends we have yet to meet.
To the readers of Second Wind:
For several years, we have been privileged to partner with the Whidbey Weekly to provide information about local activities, events and resources offered by the Oak Harbor Senior Center through the Second Wind. Readers have looked forward to perusing the monthly issues for travel opportunities, classes, lunch menus and more.
Recently, we were provided the opportunity to create a new partnership. Beginning with this issue, the Oak Harbor Senior Center will join with Island Senior Resources (formerly Senior Services of Island County) to provide news and information from both of our organizations. A new publication with a new name … Island Times!
We now say a fond farewell to the Second Wind and look forward to working with our friends at the Whidbey Weekly to provide a newsletter that will benefit older adults from one end of the Island to the other. We think you’ll like it! Best Regards,
Mary Anderson
Senior Services Administrator City of Oak Harbor
ALL WHIDBEY ISLAND SENIOR CENTERS WILL BE CLOSED MEMORIAL DAY: MONDAY, MAY 29 Island Senior Resources 14594 SR 525 Langley, WA 98260
NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE LANGLEY, WA PERMIT NO. 50