In observance of Thanksgiving, the Cheshire Senior Center, 240 Maple Ave., will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 24, and Friday, Nov. 25.
The annual Medicare open enrollment period will end on Dec. 7. Now is the time to review your Medicare coverage for the 2023 calendar year. Contact the Social Work office at (203) 272-8030 for assistance in reviewing your coverage and making any necessary changes.
Reminder: The Cheshire Senior Center Membership Association, Inc. is a charity you can choose to support through the Amazon Smile program. Shop the same products, same prices, same service via smile.amazon.com and Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases to the charity of your choosing. Sign-up is free and you can help support the Cheshire Senior Center.
Save the Date: Winter Class Registration – Tuesday, Jan. 3, beginning at 8:30 a.m.
Special Programs
To register for any of the following programs, call (203) 272-8286 or email LGravel@cheshirect.org.
Afternoon Movie Matinee: “Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris” – Today, Nov. 23, at 1 p.m. In 1950s London, a widowed cleaning lady falls madly in love with a couture Dior dress and decides she must have one of her own. After working to raise enough to pursue her dream, she embarks on a Paris adventure that will change not only her outlook, but also the very future of the House of Dior. Rated PG (1 hour, 55 minutes). Registration is required.
Pokeno Bingo Card Game – Monday, Nov. 28, at 1 p.m. Enjoy an afternoon of Pokeno and prizes. Instruction will be given for this easy game, if needed.
Pizza Night and Holiday Lights – Wednesday, Nov. 30, at 4 p.m. Join us for pizza at the Senior Center and then board the bus to Lighthouse Point in New Haven to see the Holiday Lights. Cost is $10 per person for dinner and entrance fee. Space is limited, Senior Center members only. (Registration deadline was Nov. 21.)
Seasonal Depression Talk: How to Beat the Winter Blues – Monday, Dec. 5, at 10:30 a.m. Registration is required.
Holiday Jingle Mingle with Sal – Monday, Dec. 5, at 1:30 p.m. Enjoy an afternoon of holiday cheer and light refreshments with a musical performance by Sal Anastasio. Registration by Friday, Dec. 2, is required.
Afternoon Craft: Salt Shaker Snowman – Supplies will be provided. Cost is $3 per person. Space is limited and registration is required.
Nelson Hall Shows – “Merry Christmas, Darling: Carpenters’ Christmas” with Michelle Berting Brett – Thursday, Dec. 8, at 2 p.m. Tickets are $40 each and include round-trip transportation provided by the Cheshire Senior Center. Payment is by check only, made payable to the Cheshire Senior Center. NOTE: Proof of vaccination and face masks are required for all Nelson Hall events.
Senior Bingo at St. Bridget of Sweden Church – Monday, Dec. 12, at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The Women’s Society of St. Bridget of Sweden will host Senior Bingo Night in the Parish Hall with bingo prizes, a raffle, dessert, and coffee. All are welcome. Admission is free. Limited transportation is available through the Senior Center. Call (203) 272-0047 to sign up for a ride.
Veterans Coffeehouse Christmas Luncheon – Wednesday, Dec. 14, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Wallingford Senior Center, 238 Washington St., Wallingford. To make a food or montary donation, contact Beverly at bfayechurch@aol.com or Mark at halliday.markdouglas@gmail.com.
Afternoon Movie Matinee: “Elf” – Wednesday, Dec. 14, at 1:30 p.m. Buddy, who was raised among Santa’s elves after being accidentally transported to the North Pole as a toddler, travels to New York in search of his real father. Stars Will Farrell and James Caan. Rated PG (1 hour, 36 minutes). Regustration is required.
Holiday Sing-along and Cookie Decorating – Wednesday, Dec. 21, at 1 p.m. Kick off the holidays decorating giant gingerbread man cookies and a holiday sing-along with Margaret Best. Cost is $2 per person. Sign up today!
Boogie Boys New Year’s Dance Party – Thursday, Dec. 29, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Celebrate the New Year and dance away the afternoon with music by The Boogie Boys. Refreshments will be available. Cost is $5 per person. Register today!
Monthly Programs
Monthly Reflexology with Kim – Monday, Dec. 5. Contact Laura for more information and to schedule an appointment.
Free Memory Screenings – Wednesday, Dec. 14, from 1 to 3 p.m., by appointment only. Erica DeFrancesco from LiveWell Dementia Specialists provides office hours at the Cheshire Senior Center each month for memory screenings, caregiver consultations and additional services. Call (203) 272-8286 to schedule an appointment.
Sit Down with Stefanie – Thursday, Dec. 15, at 11:15 a.m. (note new time). Join Stefanie as she answers questions concerning the Senior Center. Please register in advance.
The Cheshire Sherlock Holmes Society – Thursday, Dec. 15, at 1 p.m. Join in person at the Senior Center or online via Zoom. Please read “The Adventure of the Speckled Band.” A noted Sherlockian with speak on the story. For additional information, contact Andy Tranquilli at tranquilli@hotmail.com. All are welcome!
Cheshire Readers Book Club – Tuesday, Dec. 20, at 10:45 a.m. Book for discussion is “Blindness” by José Saramago. New members welcome.
Ask the Probate Judge – Tuesday, Dec. 27, at 10 a.m. A monthly drop-in question-and-answer program with Judge Matthew Jalowiec.
Weekly Programs
To register for any of the following programs, call (203) 272-8286 or email LGravel@cheshirect.org.
Line Dancing – Mondays from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. (No class on Nov. 21.) Drop-ins are welcome to attend this free, relaxed instructional line dancing class.
Move & Groove Workout – Mondays from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Drop-ins are welcome to attend this low-impact DVD exercise class.
Moderate Exercise – Tuesdays and Thursdays, at 10:30 a.m. This is now a drop-in class.
Nickel, Nickel – Wednesdays at 11 a.m. (note new start time). Playing fee is 11 nickels and one quarter per person, per week.
Technology Help with Jared – Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Jared from the Cheshire Library returns to the Senior Center to help with computer/tablet/cellphone technology questions. Appointments are recommended; call (203) 272-8286.
Golf Card Game – Fridays at 10:30 a.m. on the lower level. Weekly fee to play is $3.
NEW! Advanced Conversational Italian – Fridays at 11 a.m. Spend some time speaking Italian with Dea, Kimberly and friends. Registration is required.
Bridge – Fridays at 12:30 p.m.
Setback – Fridays at 12:30 p.m. The group is always looking for more players!
Walking Group – Walking is a wonderful way for older adults to stay physically and mentally active. Call Marge at (203) 272-3316 for more information about her walking group.
Travel Opportunities
Flyers are available for the following trips. Contact Laura Gravel, program supervisor, at (203) 272-8286.
Lancaster, Pennsylvania Bus Trip – May 23–25.
Exploring Britain & Ireland – Sept. 24 to Oct. 8.
Transportation Services
Call Coleen in the Transportation Office at (203) 272-0047 for information and reservations.
Transportation is available for medical appointments in the service area, grocery shopping, pharmacy, visits to the Cheshire Senior Center, and personal appointments based on availability. Masks are required on all public transportation, including Senior Center minibuses.
Ride requests are accepted two weeks in advance. Any request made after 11 a.m. the day before the ride is needed is subject to availability.
Bus drivers accept cash donations each time a rider steps on the bus. Suggested donation is $1 each way for in-town rides, and $6 round trip for out-of-town.
Schedule for Out-of-Town Medical Appointments:
Monday – Meriden
Tuesday – North Haven and Hamden
Wednesday – Wallingford
Thursday – New Haven
Friday – Southington
Ride requests are accepted for appointments between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Dial-A-Ride is available on Fridays for the Waterbury area.
GWTD Dial-A-Ride:
Residents of any of the seven municipalities in the Greater Waterbury Transit District (GWTD) may use the Dial-A-Ride service, free of charge. Service is limited to a particular day of the week for each municipality due to limited resources. Dial-A-Ride serves Cheshire on Fridays.
To be eligible to use the GWTD Dial-A-Ride Transportation Service, a rider must be:
•60 years of age or older OR
•a person with a disability AND
•a resident of Cheshire, Middlebury, Naugatuck, Prospect, Waterbury, Watertown, or Wolcott.
An application must be submitted and may be obtained by calling the Cheshire Senior Center Transportation Office at (203) 272-0047.
Reservations must be made at least two days before a trip, and can be made up to 14 days before each trip. Riders may call the phone number on their ID card between the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., Monday–Friday, to schedule a trip.
Support the Senior Center
Financial support for the Senior Center is very much appreciated and provides additional assistance to the Center in serving our seniors today and throughout the coming years. A gift can be made anonymously, in recognition of the donor(s) or in honor of, or in memory of a friend or loved one.
Donations can be made payable to the Town of Cheshire Senior Center and can be designated for a specific purpose or as an undesignated gift, which will be used at the discretion of the staff. Donations to the Senior Center will be held in a gift account to support the mission of the Senior Center. All donations should be sent to: The Cheshire Senior Center, 240 Maple Ave., Cheshire, CT 06410.