Full slate of activities to enjoy at the centre in February  

The board of directors met on Feb. 4 to plan the agenda for the general meeting to be held on Feb. 8 beginning at 1:30 p.m.

The guest speaker will be Karen Boyer, who will discuss the community caregiving resources available to seniors.

The calendar of activities has been published for February and the highlights on the front page include a round robin shuffleboard session at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 6. Foot care is set for Feb. 13 and 17.

There will be blood pressure clinic on Wednesday, Feb. 13 and the Heart and Stroke Square Dance is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 15. A card tournament takes place Saturday, Feb. 16. The Gravenhurst Horticultural Society will be holding its regular meeting Feb. 19. Jim Lynch will be the guest speaker.

The seniors’ luncheon is set for Feb. 22. Tony Clement will be visiting the club that day and have lunch with the members. An intergenerational event is set for Feb. 29, starting at 1 p.m.

The statistics for January show that 1,568 persons attended activities at the centre. The attendance statistics do not include those persons visiting the centre for coffee or social visits only.

I had the opportunity to chat with a few of the persons using the woodworking shop. While the group using the shop is small in numbers there is ample space for others who wish to pursue the hobby of woodworking. The shop is fully equipped with saws, sanders, drills and other portable and fixed equipment that allow one to work on the most complicated projects.

There is always a competent person present who is willing and able to provide advice on almost any work you might want to undertake, plus you save the dust and shavings being tracked through your home. All you take home is the finished product and the sense of achievement in completing a project. The shop is available for use each morning of the week from opening time until noon.

Woodcarving is also a part of the shop activity. Woodcarving classes take place every Wednesday from 1 to 4 p.m. It is under the direction of an accomplished leader who explains the finer details of this art form. Come to the shop on Wednesday afternoon and watch people who started as amateurs on their way to becoming pros. The finished work provides a real sense of achievement and satisfaction.

The board is considering a health and wellness fair in the fall. The event will showcase organizations associated in some way with the health and wellness of seniors ranging from stroke prevention, hearing loss, proper sight care, diabetes care, dental care, pharmaceutical advice and many other services used by seniors. The session will be educational and advisory in nature.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of USCO. Watch for more information.