Lynden Community/Senior Center welcomes new activity assistant

Friends becoming family

By Jennifer Lautenbach

LYNDEN — What’s new at the Lynden Community/Senior Center? Funny you should ask.

You will see a new face at the welcome desk as we recently hired Suzan Brawnlyn as the new welcome desk/activity assistant. Suzan is eager to keep us busy with engaging speakers for our FYI Tuesdays, BINGO on Wednesdays, and fun entertainment after lunch on Fridays.

Suzan is continuing to work on building our line-up of instructors for arts and exercise. The Board and staff are excited to add Suzan to our team at the center.

Pinochle and bridge are seeing renewed interest at the center. There is pinochle on Monday after lunch and five-handed pinochle Tuesday after lunch.

Bridge is just getting going on Thursdays after lunch. I don’t know much about these games, but from the uproarious laughter coming from the players, it is fun.

A goal at the center has been to increase outreach to the broader community. That being said, we are hosting a free advance care planning workshop on Feb. 28. From 6-8 p.m., PeaceHealth advance care planning coordinators will lead you through an interactive workshop called Your Voice, Your Choice. They will guide you through completing your advance directive and durable power of attorney for healthcare.

These are necessary documents, such as a will or life insurance, that none of us want to use anytime soon, but are so important to have in place if we do need them. We hope many of you take the opportunity to attend the workshop.

This workshop is open to all ages.

In March, the center will be one of the hosts of What’s Next: Resources as We Age. This info fair is sponsored by Signature Healthcare at Home and will feature vendors relating to senior living options, caregiving, dementia support and financial services.

Our goal is for people to receive information on the various resources to help with planning for future and present needs, not only for themselves, but their families and loved ones.

Presenters will include Northwest Regional Council (NWRC) whose role it is to coordinate support for seniors, people with disabilities, and people with complex medical issues.

Whatcom County 911 Public Education Coordinator, Michelle Thomas, will also present on what to expect when calling 911, scams targeting seniors, and have recommendations for personal alarms.

This info fair travels on Fridays in March to Bellingham, Blaine, Lynden and Fern-

Suzan Brawnlyn recently joined the Lynden Community/Senior Center as welcome desk/activity assistant. Suzan is eager to keep us busy with engaging speakers for our FYI Tuesdays, BINGO on Wednesdays, and fun entertainment after lunch on Fridays.

(Bill Helm/Lynden Tribune) dale. March 24 is Lynden’s turn. Visit lyndencommunitycenter.org for more information.

Our annual volunteer recognition lunch is held every April during National Volunteer Week. This event is one of my favorite things we do at the center.

Just so you know, in 2022 we tracked our volunteer hours. We had 80 volunteers donate 5,557 hours of service to the center. At the 2022 minimum wage of $14.49 that is a contribution of $80,520.93, and I know a few volunteers slipped by us and didn’t get tracked.

If you are interested in being part of that effort, please stop by the center. One need is someone to put flyers up around town for our upcoming events and activities.

I can’t believe I have been the manager of the center for almost 2.5 years now. We continue to thrive at the center. Our attendance has surpassed pre-pandemic levels, our meal program brings joy to many, we continue to honor the past but leave room to grow and change.

We strive, every day, to be the place you want to be, for information, for lunch with friends, for fitness, for fun. At the center, you are a friend who becomes our family.

Ongoing

Whatcom Genealogical Society

Whatcom Genealogical Society will start its 2023 program series Monday, Feb. 13 at Pioneer Pavilion, 2007 Cherry St., Ferndale. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. program starts at 2 p.m. Speaker will be WGS member Marie Honrud. Honrud’s family roots in Whatcom County goes back to the 1880s. Her talk titled “It All Started with a T-Shirt–What’s in a Name?” will be about her father, Charles Bailey, who fought in WWll. No experience in genealogy is necessary to join us. First two meetings are free. Questions? Email WGS President Lynda Lucas at genie1896@gmail.com or Cindy Harris at caharris1162@yahoo.com.

PO Box 1493, Bellingham, WA 982271493. E-mail: whatcomgenesoc@gmail. com.

Feb. 17

Reminisce with Allan and Carol Linde Visit the Lynden Community/Senior Center for a concert with Reminisce, featuring Allan and Carol Linde. They will play music from the ‘40s, ‘50s and ‘60s with fiddle, guitar and song on Feb. 17 at the Lynden Community/Senior Center. Music will be from country to pop standards. Come for lunch and stay for the concert, which begins at 12:45 p.m. Call (360) 354-2921 or email info@ lyndencommunitycenter.org for more information or to register. The Lynden

Community/Senior Center is at 401 Grover St.

Feb. 23

February birthday party - community party

If you were born in February, the Lynden Community/Senior Center wants to celebrate you on Thursday, Feb. 23 from 12:30-1:15 p.m. After lunch is a special dessert and time of celebration. Lynden Community/Senior Center celebrates birthdays for each month on the last Thursday of the month, so make sure to join us when it’s your birthday. The Lynden Community/Senior Center is at 401 Grover St. For more information, call (360) 354-2921 or email info@ lyndencommunitycenter.org.

Feb. 28

Phishing with Gabriel Souza

At 12:45 p.m. Feb. 28, at the Lynden Community/Senior Center, Gabriel Souza will discuss email and phone phishing; how to handle them, what to expect and what they look like or sound like, so you won’t be caught. Call (360) 354-2921 or email info@lyndencommunitycenter.org for more information or to register. The Lynden Community/ Senior Center is at 401 Grover St.

March 2

Connections with Caregiving

Mariah Davis, NWRC Outreach Specialist, will host a virtual open house for people interested in becoming in-home caregivers. Davis will provide information about the hiring process through Consumer Direct WA (CDWA), referrals to Medicaid-contract agencies, answer questions about in-home caregiving, and provide resources and support for those trying to work through the process. Everyone is welcome, registration not required, so join us virtually at https://us06web.zoom. us/j/82158626557. Meeting ID: 821 5862 6557.

First Thursday of each month Parkinson Support Group

The Lynden Parkinson Support group meets at 10 a.m. the first Thursday of each month at the Lynden Community/ Senior Center, 401 Grover St. Please come to learn and share your experi- ences of all things Parkinson’s with the group. The group looks forward to meeting you and your caregiver. Questions, call 360-354-1137.

Ongoing Grief Share Support Group

Grief Share is a support group that meets weekly where you will find a warm, caring environment of people who walk with you on your journey through grief after losing a loved one to death. This group will help you find healing and hope for your future. Meetings are for 13 consecutive weeks, Jan. 21 through April 15 in the corner classroom at North County Christ the King Church, 1816 18th St., Lynden, from 10 a.m. until noon Saturdays. Email sandra.smith@ ncctk.com for more information.