LIFE, HEALTH & HAPPINESS FOR NORTH WHIDBEY’S 50-PLUS CROWD VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 9 • MARCH 2015
The Birds Of Whidbey Island Important Things To Remember 2015 SPRING TRAVEL SIGN- UPS THURSDAY, APRIL 2 8:30am-3:00pm
By Barb Spence
You may not be aware of this fact, but our Director, Mike McIntyre, picks a new theme for his OHSC office decor at the beginning of each new year. Two years ago, his theme was OHSC World War II Vets. Last year, the theme was about all the programs offered at OHSC. This year, Mike has chosen as his theme, the birds of Whidbey Island. He is gathering a collection of different birds, from photos to sculptures to paintings to ceramic statues. Please do not hesitate to stop in and take a look as he gathers his collection for 2015.
Mike’s choice of themes for 2015 has caused me to contemplate the reason we love birds. But perhaps a better question is, when it comes to birds, what’s not to love!
Birds instill a sense of wonder and excitement when we see them soaring high in the sky. We love waking up to a beautiful symphony of songbirds. We enjoy seeing the hair we brushed off our beloved dog or cat has now become the soft lining of a wren’s nest built on our fencepost. The hooting of owls in the dark of the night touches our inner soul like few other sounds can. The sound of a large flock of geese overhead migrating to faraway places can captivate our imagination.
Sometimes birds make us face the realities of nature in a way that we have largely lost in modern society. We may visit a lake in a park and see an eagle hungry for lunch relentlessly circling some ducks. In this situation, we struggle to know who to root for and it can tear us apart emotionally and intellectually. Nature often makes us face the harsh realities of life and birds seem to do this often.
W.I.G.S “A Beginner’s Guide To Your Family History” will be presented Wednesdays, March 11, 18, and 25 at 6:30pm. The Whidbey Island Genealogical Searchers (WIGS) and members of the Genealogical Society of South Whidbey will host the classes. Basic genealogical research principles and strategies needed to find the pieces of your family history puzzle will be introduced. The focus will be on sources for basic family history documents, how and where to find them, including the use of digital resources. There is no fee for these classes, but preregistration is required by Friday, March 6. Please call the Oak Harbor Senior Center at 2794580 or come in to sign-up. The classes will be limited to 15 people. WIGS is a non profit organization, located in the city of Oak Harbor. The society was established in 1993 by Janet Enzmann, Jim Terry, and mentor, Laura Sparr, to promote interest in family history, educate its members in research techniques, and assist anyone in their quest of their family tree. Membership is open to everyone.
We are very pleased to announce that representatives from Costco will be visiting the OHSAC Wednesday, March 18 1pm to talk to members about services provided by our local (Burlington) Costco. We are looking forward to this very special day.
BIRDS OF WHIDBEY continued on page 2
PATHWAYS COUNSELING Presents Good Grief: 12 Strategies for Coping with Grief and Loss By Barb Spence
Mark Lucero, LMHC, is bringing Good Grief: 12 Strategies for Coping with Grief and Loss with an open group discussion period, to the Oak Harbor Senior Activity Center March 9 at 1:00pm. Located in historic downtown Coupeville, Mark offers coaching and support for life transitions. He explains that every person experiences periods of major transition in life. A transitional phase may begin with some kind of loss: death, divorce, change in health, or any circumstances that life presents. As a Life Transitions Coach, Mark helps with a primary focus on providing support and guidance to people who are navigating major life transitions. A Life Transitions Coach serves as the “in-between space” for people who want structure, professionalism, and confidentiality but have no need for formal psychotherapy.
Mark offers a fresh, caring, and supportive way to help us smoothly move through the transitions of loss, through the stages of grief, and how to nurture ourselves through the process.
Everyone can benefit from this one-hour presentation and group discussion. Please sign up today at OHSC Front Desk.
INSIDE THIS EDITION Guest Spot..................... Pg. 2 Activities & Events........... Pg. 3 Menu............................. Pg. 3 Travel............................ Pg. 4 Calendar....................... Pg. 5 Library Events................. Pg. 6
IMPORTANT THINGS continued on page 2
Volunteer of the Month... Pg. 8