SENIOR CENTER NEWS: VITA Tax Volunteers to Assist with Senior Tax Returns

VITA tax volunteers will be coming to the Pagosa Spring Senior Center on Saturday February 25, 2023 from 9am to 2pm to prepare seniors (age 55 or better) 2022 tax returns for free.

Appointments are available but limited, and will be made on a first come first serve basis.

Appointment schedule:
9:00am 7 appointments
10:3am 6 appointments
12:00-12:30pm Lunch
12:30pm 7 appointments
2:00pm 6 appointments

Participants must have income of $60,000 or less. Must bring all documents in order for us to complete the return. Must have ID in form of driver’s license plus social security card (or copy) or a 1099 SSA form. Please contact us at 970-264-2167 to check availability for appointments.

Free Art Class to Celebrate Valentine’s Day
Next free art class at the Senior Center will be Tuesday, January 31 at 1:15pm. No reservations are required but space is limited so be sure to be there by 1:15. We will be making a wreath from paper hearts. No art skill is required for this class – just a desire to have fun and make something pretty. All materials will be provided including the scissors to cut out the hearts. Yes, templates provided to make a perfect heart shape – or you can draw your own! All ages are invited so if the grandkids are still in town, bring them along
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Our teacher will again be Denise Fisk, who is a retired elementary art teacher from Iowa. She loves art and loves sharing art techniques with her classes. So come to the senior center for some fun, exchange ideas with friends and see your success in creating a piece of Valentine art.

Volunteers Needed to Assist with Administrative Tasks
There are a few things around the office that the Archuleta Seniors Inc. administrative team could use some help with. If you have a few hours a week or every other week to help with administrative tasks please contact us at 970-264-2167 or come by the office to pick up a volunteer application and discuss the opportunity further.

Healthy Aging & Yoga Therapy Class Series Continues
Gather with local yoga practitioners AJ Connors and Will Sechrist for a series of evidence based healthy aging and yoga therapy classes at the Pagosa Senior Center geared for adults and older adults of all ages. Start 2023 with a yoga series for healthy aging individuals with therapeutic classes offering yoga tools and education for strength, resilience, and wellness. Classes are designed to address different aspects of healthy aging and are geared towards accessibility and gentle practice. The themes for the class will include physical and mental well-being utilizing movement, meditation, and breathing practices. Mats and chairs will be provided; it’s optional to bring a blanket, and please wear comfortable clothing. Classes are offered Monday 2:30-3:30pm. Classes are 1/23/23, 1/30/23 and 2/6/23.

Covid-19 Test Kits Available
Stop by the Pagosa Senior Center to pick up a pack of 5 free covid-19 tests kits for your personal use. These kits are available to anyone in the public that needs affordable access for health promotion and disease prevention.

Community Cafe Menu
Thursday,January 20 – Pork tenderloin with chokecherry sauce, scalloped potatoes, dinner roll, garden salad, fruit and milk.

Friday, January 21 – Turkey tetrazzini with egg noodles, sauteed squash, garden salad, fruit and milk.

Monday, January 23 – Pulled pork sandwich, coleslaw, baked beans, garden salad, fruit and milk.

Tuesday January 24 – Garden vegetable quiche with spinach, roll, garden salad, fruit and milk.

Wednesday, January 25 – Chicken fajitas with tortillas, salsa, pinto beans, garden salad, fruit and milk.

Thursday,January 26 – Meatloaf with gravy, mashed potatoes, sweet corn, garden salad, fruit and milk.

Friday, January 27 – Pork chile Colorado, Spanish rice, garden salad, banana pudding and milk.

Grab-N-Go Meals
Reservations and cancellations are required. Please call or text by 9:00 am the morning of the day you want to pick up a meal. A suggested donation of $10.00 helps to sustain our program. No one will be turned away for their inability to donate. For ages 59 and younger, the cost is $10.00. Please call or text us at 970-264-2167 to make a reservation.

Meals on Wheels
We deliver fresh Meals on Wheels five days a week (and provide frozen Meals on Wheels for weekends) to homebound Archuleta County residents. Call or text us at 970-264-2167.

Mobile Food Pantry Service Available for Seniors
The Pagosa Senior Center would like to remind the community about our mobile food pantry services we provide in partnership with Archuleta County MET to seniors age 60 and older throughout most areas of Archuleta County. In order to participate in this program, community members must visit with Barbara Noriega at the downtown Senior Center located in the Ross Aragon Community Center to fill out an application to qualify for hot meal delivery service and/or the mobile pantry service. The application, called the dining assessment form, is also available on our website at the bottom of the Community Cafe page http://www.psseniors.org/community-cafeacute.html. For more information contact us at 970-264-2167.

ASI Board of Directors has multiple vacant positions open. Terms are 3 years with an option to renew for an additional term. Potential candidates should be at least 55 years of age or older and must have a passion for adult and aging services.

ASI has an immediate monetary need to support ongoing operations and programming that provide critical services to some of the most vulnerable in Archuleta County. Please consider donating to Archuleta Seniors Inc. 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/.

Rosa Chavez

Rose Chavez is Executive Director for Archuleta Seniors, Inc. and Public Health Consultant at Archuleta Food System/Food Equity Coalition.