Howell Senior Center Bennett Recreation Center 925 W. Grand River Ave. 517/545-0219 Serving the social, recreational, health, and educational needs of those 50 & beyond The Howell Senior Center provides a place to be active and stay fit, to socialize with friends, to find reference materials and people with knowledge about specific issues such as housing, insurance, estate planning, tax assistance, nutrition and much more. Our programs and activities enhance and enrich the lives of our members who are ages 50 and older. Hours of Operation The Howell Senior Center is open Monday through Friday from 9:00am – 5:00pm and Saturday mornings from 9:00am-12:00pm for pickleball and computer lessons only. The Howell Senior Center is CLOSED on all major holidays. Senior Center Office hours are Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 9:30am-2:30pm Membership Members of the Howell Senior Center will enjoy a monthly newsletter, trip opportunities with lower travel costs, donated food products and baked goods, free participation in many activities including: arts and crafts, walking club, computer lab, organized games and much more. Membership for the Howell Senior Center is available from July 1-June 30 each year (the annual fee will be prorated for new members who join at other times during the year.) Membership for the Howell Senior Center is not mandatory but recommended. Annual membership dues for residents of the City of Howell, Oceola, Marion, and Genoa Township are $20. Annual membership rates for non-residents is $30. Lifetime membership rates for both residents and non-residents is $300. All seniors over the age of 90 are FREE. For those seniors who do NOT wish to become members of the Howell Senior Center, there is a daily entry fee of 50 cents for residents (City of Howell, Oceola, Marion and Genoa Townships) and $1 for non-residents. This fee will be collected at the sign-in desk in the front lobby. Click here for a full list of membership benefits. Newsletter Our monthly newsletter showcases programs and activities specifically designed for those over 50 years of age. You can pick up your copy during the day at the Bennett Recreation Center or you can download the current copy by going to our website at www.howellrecreation.org/seniors. The newsletter also includes the monthly calendar of activities. We hope that you will pass this informative monthly newsletter along to friends and family and encourage those 50 & Beyond to get involved! All dues paying members receive a monthly newsletter mailed to their homes. Click here for our current Senior Newsletter. Volunteers We are actively encouraging seniors to volunteer and help make the Howell Senior Center a great place to come. We have volunteer opportunities that include manning the front desk, arrange and organize books, games and DVDs, labeling and mailing our monthly newsletter, and much more. Please call the Senior Center at 517/545-0219, or email Cathy Skidmore at cskidmore@howellrecreation.org if you are interested in volunteering. Travel If you’re looking for trips filled with adventure, culture, education or just something different and outside the box, check out our extended travel. You will find everything from local day trips to overseas travel. Transportation If you need transportation to the Howell Senior Center, the L.E.T.S. transportation system can provide you with a ride from your home. Flyers explaining the transportation procedure are available at the Senior Center or by calling L.E.T.S. at 517/546-6600. Keep in Touch The best way to know what is happening and to stay active is to come to the Senior Center daily. If you would like to stay connected virtually, check out our monthly calendar by picking up one of our newsletters, or sign up for our weekly e-newsletter delivered right to your email! Planned Giving Did you know that over one half of Americans who pass away in a given year do so without an estate plan or will? Many of us make donations of time or funding to organizations that we value. Making decisions about how our funds will be managed when we are gone can be very beneficial to the people and organizations we care about in our lives and community. We hope that you consider the Howell Senior Center as one of the valuable organizations. There are many ways that you can consider and implement planned giving including: A specified dollar amount stated in a will or trust Tangible personal property Retirement or insurance plans Memorial gifts If you have named the Howell Senior Center in your will or estate plan, or if you are planning to, we hope you will share this information with us. Please contact Deborah E. Mikula at dmikula@howellrecreation.org or 517/546-0693 ext. 7702 if you have any questions about planned giving or would like to name the Howell Senior Center as a recipient of your generosity. Programs, Services and Activities The Howell Senior Center offers a number of great programs. Daily programs can be found below. For special events and other great programs happening throughout the year click here. Newsletter and Seasonal Program Guides mailed to you Priority registration for AARP taxes A one time annual discount on a trip or excursion Birthday listing in the newsletter each month Free Notary Services Bingo (Mondays at 12 noon) Holiday Parties Marketplace - Free Bread and Food Distribution Books and Puzzles Access to the Resource Center Four Station Computer Lab (computers for the visually impaired available) New! Coffee Station (every morning) Bridge Games (Tuesday & Friday 1-4pm) Cribbage (Tuesdays 9-3 pm & Thursdays 1-3pm) Hand & Foot (Thursdays 2pm) Drop-in Pickleball (Wednesdays 1-5pm & Saturdays 10am-12pm) Drop-in Tai Chi (Mondays & Wednesdays at 9:30am) Monthly Classic Films and Lunch Monthly Hot Topics Blood Pressure Screenings (1st Thursday of the month) Annual Flu Shot Clinic Crafts twice a month Day & Extended Travel Opportunities Monthly Casino Trips Cable TV Bridge Lessons Walking Club (Tuesdays & Thursdays 9-10am) Young at Heart (1st & 3rd Tuesdays each month) E-Readers and Updated Lending Library Monthly birthday drawing for a bouquet of flowers Senior of the Month Drop-in Ping Pong (Tuesday 6-9pm at Barnard) Enhanced Fitness Program Exercise Classes Canasta (Wednesdays 12-4pm) Lunch Around Town Join our local lunch bunch from the Howell Senior Center on the third Thursday of the month. Bring your friends and support our local restaurants. Enjoy all the wonderful foods and desserts right in our own neighborhood. We’ll leave the Senior Center at 11:30am. Lunch will be at noon. Cost of the lunch is on your own. April 18                Mr. B’s May 16                Diamonds June 20               Moe’s Barbar Shop July 18                Big Boy August 15           Mark’s Midtown Coney September 19     Tomato Brothers October 17         Applebees   Themed Bingo Days Earth Day Bingo                 April 22 Mother’s Day Bingo            May 13 Father’s Day Bingo             June 17 Grandparent’s Day Bingo     September 9 Hot Topics Join us for this exciting NEW program at the Howell Senior Center. Expand your mind with these FREE informative sessions and a snack. The Hot Topics will be from 11:00am-12:30pm. April 24           Senior Services presented by Prudential May 29           Long Term Care presented by Nancy Nawrocki June 26          Neuropathy Issues presented by Neuropathy Therapy Centers July 31           “Got Pain? We’ve Got Solutions” presented by Allcare Pharmacy August 28      “Safety in the Home” presented by Accredited Home Care Enhanced Fitness Few factors contribute to successful aging as much as having a physically active lifestyle. Regular physical activity is important for the prevention of many chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, arthritis, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Enhanced Fitness is a fitness program geared toward improving the overall functional fitness and well-being of senior citizens in the community. It is a collaborative effort between the Howell Area Parks & Recreation Authority and the Howell Senior Center, the Brighton Senior Center, and the Hartland Senior Center. The program is funded through a grant from the Area Agency on Aging 1-B. The lead instructor, Lisa Wolfe, has been focused on fitness for 23 years and her enthusiasm for the program is unparalleled. Enhanced Fitness is a low cost, evidence based group physical activity program. Exercises have been packaged into a formal regimen focusing on cardiovascular conditioning, resistance and strength training, flexibility, and balance training. She will lead an hour class six times a week at the three senior centers. Participate at one or participate at all! $3 donation/person/session Howell Senior Center           W & F         11:30am-12:30pm Brighton Senior Center         T & TH       10:00am-11:00am Hartland Senior Center         M & W        9:00am-10:00am Drive Safer Longer (ages 50 & up) The AARP Driver Safety Program is a program that explains the changes that occur in vision, hearing, and reaction time as individuals age and provides useful driving safety tips for handling these changes. There are no tests and you can assess your own abilities. Site: Bennett Recreation Center Instructor: Dave Iwanski Cost: FREE 59000       2 classes       T/TH        4/23-4/25        9:00am-1:00pm     Supported in part by a grant from the Livingston County United Way.