Photo: “Happy birthday to June Ferguson, an impressive 89 years this past Thursday! She celebrated her birthday in the company of her friends at the weekly Senior Conversations meeting held at the Pagosa Senior Center! We are profoundly grateful for all our clients, staff, volunteers, board members and all in the community who give us purpose, meaning and provide us wisdom, encouragement and laughs on this journey of life.”
To Be of Use
By Marge Piercy
The people I love the best
jump into work head first
without dallying in the shallows
and swim off with sure strokes almost out of sight.
They seem to become natives of that element,
the black sleek heads of seals
bouncing like half-submerged balls.
I love people who harness themselves, an ox to a heavy cart,
who pull like water buffalo, with massive patience,
who strain in the mud and the muck to move things forward,
who do what has to be done, again and again.
I want to be with people who submerge
in the task, who go into the fields to harvest
and work in a row and pass the bags along,
who are not parlor generals and field deserters
but move in a common rhythm
when the food must come in or the fire be put out.
The work of the world is as common as mud.
Botched, it smears the hands, crumbles to dust.
But the thing worth doing well done
has a shape that satisfies, clean and evident.
Greek amphoras for wine or oil,
Hopi vases that held corn, are put in museums
but you know they were made to be used.
The pitcher cries for water to carry
and a person for work that is real.
Join ASI For An Early Thanksgiving Meal Wed Nov 27
The poem shared above, “To Be of Use” by Marge Percy goes out in gratitude to Archuleta Seniors Inc. staff, board, volunteers, clients and their families for your ongoing participation, support, solidarity and mutual aid in meeting the essential needs of our precious community members. As a small token of our appreciation, the community (any age and families are welcome too) is invited to join Archuleta Seniors Inc. (451 Hot Springs Blvd. in the back of the Ross Aragon Community center) clients, staff and friends for an pre-Thanksgiving meal on Wednesday November 27 between 11am and 1pm.
We will be serving a traditional turkey menu with stuffing, mashed sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce and pumpkin cheesecake. All are welcome to attend and we kindly ask that you call in advance and make your reservation by 9am Tuesday, November 26 or earlier. Please call or text 970-264-2167. Join us to give thanks for our many blessings and the gift of being part of this amazing community we all call home. We look forward to seeing you and sharing this meal and treasured moments together.
Meals on Wheels Volunteers Needed
For more than 50 years, the Pagosa Senior Center (est. in 1971) / Archuleta Seniors Inc. (est. in 2013) has been meeting the social and nutritional needs of older adults (age 60 and better) in our community. We serve thousands of nutritious meals annually in Archuleta County and volunteers deliver Meals on Wheels and friendly visits and wellness checks to homebound older adults. We depend on more than 55 volunteers annually to help us serve and deliver meals and provide other wrap-around services. The cost of each meal is $10.50 but we only ask for a suggested donation of $6.00/meal. Meal recipients are asked to contribute what they can afford and no one is ever turned down. Meals are delivered Monday through Friday Participants must be at home to receive meals. Meals will not be left.
Meals on Wheels volunteers receive background checks and training prior to delivery. Typically a volunteer shift is one day a week from 10:30 am to 1 pm depending on the size of the route. Staff works closely with volunteers to allow for periodic breaks. If you are interested in volunteering, please stop by the Archuleta Seniors Inc. office at 451 Hot Springs Blvd. to pick up an application. Questions, please call ASI at 970-264-2167.
Medical Monitoring Devices & Caregiver Supports Available
Archuleta Seniors Inc. provides access to affordable medical monitoring devices to support older adults who are homebound or otherwise need support if they fall or have an emergency that they can immediately contact emergency services. Clients participating in this program can be independent or may have access to a private or family caregiver. An initial nominal fee is required to access the medical monitoring program. ASI also provides limited caregiver support through our congregate dining or grab n go/pickup meal program as well as access to social/educational programming. We are also in the planning stages to offer a caregiver support group in the new year, stay tuned for more details! These services are available for a suggested donation but no one 60 and older will be turned away for lack of ability to pay. If you are interested in any of these services or have any questions please contact Archuleta Seniors Inc. at 970-264-2167.
Emotional Freedom Technique
Join Judith Newman at the Pagosa Senior Center (451 Hot Springs Blvd) the second Wednesday of each month, next session is December 11, 2024 to participate in the popular, ongoing “Tapping” class (also known as EFT, or Emotional Freedom Technique) from 10am to 11am that is free and open to all ages and walks of life. The first half of class is learning or reviewing the technique and the second half of the hour is practicing the technique and answering questions. Join the class and: Improve your well-being; Meet new people in the community; Support yourself and others while learning a powerful, helpful tool; Find new ways to deal with insomnia, stress, and change! For more information or questions please contact Archuleta Seniors Inc. at 970-264-2167.
Senior Conversations
Join us every Monday at 1:15 pm for a series of “Senior Conversations” with local Bill Salmansohn. He will lead the group through mindfulness exercises and discussion of various topics pertaining to aging in Archuleta County. Explore and discover for yourself answers to your questions and concerns. Hold space and show up for sacred conversation. The meeting will be held at the Pagosa Senior Center in the dining hall. Snacks will be provided.
Share Lunch and Dine Monday through Friday
Open to All. Join us at the Silver Fox’s Den aka Community Cafe in person for daily hot/cold meals Mondays through Fridays downtown at the Ross Aragon Community Center between 11 am and 1 pm weekly. Pickup is available all week including Fridays. Our dining hall is open to all ages and welcomes you all with kindness and warmth. We provide hot/cold meals for anyone in the community interested in a nutritious and delicious meal. For those 60 or older we request a suggested donation of $6.00, but no one will be turned away. There is a $10.50 charge for guests under the age of 60. To reserve your meal for the day please make your reservation via text or phone call 970-264-2167 by 9 am weekdays.
Community Cafe Menu
Thursday, November 21 – Pork Tenderloin w/ Cranberry Ginger Sauce, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Garden Salad, Cottage Cheese, Fruit, Milk.
Friday, November 22 – Beef Lasagna, Wilted Spinach & Onions, Garlic Bread, Garden Salad, Fruit, Cranberry Nut Muffin, Milk.
Monday, November 25 – Chicken Tacos, Spanish Rice, Refried Beans, Garden Salad, Vanilla Yogurt, Fruit, and Milk.
Tuesday, November 26 – Butternut Squash Ravioli w/Pesto Sauce, Garlic Bread, Garden Salad, Fruit, Blueberry Muffin, and Milk.
Wednesday, November 27 – Turkey Dinner w/ Gravy, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Stuffing, Cranberry Sauce, Garden Salad, Fruit Salad, Milk and Pumpkin Cheesecake.
Thursday, November 28 – Closed for Thanksgiving Holiday
Friday, November 29 – Closed for Thanksgiving Holiday
Mobile Food Pantry Service
Older adults needing a ride to a local food pantry should contact the Archuleta County MET to schedule a ride with their paratransit service. For more information contact Lavonne at 970.264.2250.
Covid-19 Test Kits
The Pagosa Senior Center will no longer be distributing free covid-19 test kits. Please stop by the Archuleta County Public Health Department at 502 S. 8th St., Pagosa Springs, CO. These kits are available to anyone in the public that needs affordable access for health promotion and disease prevention.
Bridge
The longest played bridge game in Archuleta county takes place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 1:15 pm every week. Bridge is a four-player card game with partners sitting opposite each other around a table. It is a trick taking card game using a standard 52-card deck. Come alone or bring a partner.
Support Our Elders
Please support our ongoing operations and programming that provide critical services to some of the most vulnerable in Archuleta County. You may mail your donation to PO BOX 3444, Pagosa Springs CO 81147 or please visit our website: http://www.psseniors.org/ (donation button). Donation checks can be written to: Archuleta Seniors, Inc. We are located at 451 Hot Springs Blvd., in downtown Pagosa Springs. For more information about ASI, please visit http://www.psseniors.org