10 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, April 27, 2014
LIVING 50+
MONTEREY: Center endeavors to keep seniors active From Page 7 to the senior center. They make two laps around the park, which is about half a mile. A nice, leisurely stroll — just in time for the spring and summer months ahead. And any senior is welcome to join in — dog or no dog. “We want you to come and walk with us,” Johnson said. Same goes for the many other weekly activities at the center, some of which are as follows: • Fitness classes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9 a.m. • Tai Chi on Thursday at 9 a.m.
• Bridge on Monday and Thursday at noon. • Bingo on Thursday at 10 a.m. • Wednesday Socials around 10 a.m. with a speaker or entertainment followed by a covered-dish lunch. • Movie day outings from time to time. • A new monthly game night, which begins May 22 from 5-7:30 p.m. with finger foods. “These are all games you can talk and eat through — that’s very important,” Johnson said. “And thanks to some grants we’ve been given, we also have an official-sized shuffle board court and a miniature golf set-up,” Johnson added. So, the center has lots of choices for the
150 seniors on its membership roster with around 35 to 40 taking advantage each day. The center is located at 105 N. Elmore, and membership is free to ages 60 and older. And Johnson wants more seniors to get involved — that’s why the center is hosting an open house with refreshments on Memorial Day, May 26, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. “I think there are a lot of folks who don’t know what we do inside these walls,” she said. “We want to let them see that we’re a vibrant, active group of people.” And — coming up even sooner — is a Friendship Day on May 7 in which all members are all encouraged to bring a friend to enjoy an entertaining day. Johnson noted that Monterey seniors are a special group — especially those at the center. “This is the ‘youngest’ group of seniors I have ever been a part of,” she said. “They’re very knowledgeable, very active and are very committed to their volunteer work. For those in the community who are having trouble with day to day needs, we have folks here who go out and help them.” to in-laws and encouraged them to move Monterey is an “absolutely wonderful” too. Since moving, they have enjoyed coming to the senior center and participating in various activities. Bob and Linda both attend a computer class. Linda has also attended a class for making mats for homeless looking for grocery bags. The senior center offers activities for varied interests, such as puzzles, books to read a place to get a haircut. “I haven’t gotten into any card playing,” Linda said. The Edwards have sold their camper. “We used to do a lot of camping,” Bob said, adding they sold it to someone who wanted to live in it until their house was built. Brown said information about Cookeville’s attractions can be found on www.mustseecookeville.com.
RETIRE: Cookeville has a lot to offer From Page 4
adding that Cookeville has been listed as a music incubator. Cookeville also offers six golf courses. Tennessee Tech University also brings a lot to the community. Appalachian Center for Craft is a satellite campus of Tennessee Tech. Craft activities include glass blowing, pottery, woodworking and yarn making. Another unique thing about Cookeville is the tour they provide for people who are considering moving to the area. Brown said they pair those visitors with people who have also relocated to Cookeville to give them a tour that would show things that appeal to their interests. Bob and Linda Edwards moved to Cookeville several months ago. The couple, from Michigan, moved because their oldest daughter moved to Cookeville to be closer
place to be a senior, she added — and not just because of the senior center. “We have the excitement of the new high school,” Johnson said. “It’s geared toward the students, but there are so many things we seniors can take advantage of just being an observer — going to the football games, baseball games, basketball games. That’s wonderful entertainment.” She also pointed out that the Monterey Branch Library is a great place to be. “We have a wonderful library that does their best to have books on tape as well as the large-print books,” she said. The community also has plenty of opportunities for seniors to volunteer their time to help others. Anyone interested can give Johnson a call at the senior center at 8398053. “So often, I think seniors sit and wait for somebody to do something for them,” Johnson said. “But in Monterey, there are so many things seniors can do for the community. “I think we’re valued here, and the community lets us know we’re important.”