Summer Classes at the Cheshire Senior Center, 240 Maple Ave., started this week. A full schedule of offerings includes a new Barre class and Introduction to Watercolor Painting. There are still spots available in many classes. Contact the main office to learn more and to register.
Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers will be available soon. There have been some changes to this program. Contact the Senior Center for more information regarding availability of vouchers, eligibility for the program, participating farms, and program changes.
Bartlem Beats Concert Series is planned for the following Fridays: July 21, July 28, Aug. 4 and Aug. 11, at Bartlem Park. Shows begin at 7 p.m. Limited transportation will be available to Senior Center members on a first-come, first-served basis. Call the Senior Center Transportation office at (203) 272-0047 for details.
Special Programs
To register for any of the following programs, call (203) 272-8286 or email LGravel@cheshirect.org.
Celebrate Shark Week with “Jaws” – Monday, July 17, at 1 p.m. A killer shark brings chaos to a Cape Cod beach in this thriller directed by Steven Spielberg. Starring Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw. Rated PG (1975; 2 hours).
Afternoon Craft: Beaded Pharaoh Chain Bracelet – Wednesday, July 19, from 1 to 4 p.m. A simple wire-wrapping technique will be used to create a finished bracelet. Some manual dexterity is required, but the technique is very simple. Cost: $15 per person. Space is limited — register soon.
Veterans Coffeehouse – Tuesday, July 25, at 10 a.m. at the Wallingford Senior Center, 238 Washington St. in Wallingford. Guest speaker will be Navy Nuclear Electrician Greg Silas. Cheshire members are invited and encouraged to attend.
Drop-in Crochet Group – Wednesday, July 26, at 10:30 a.m. Work on your crochet project and chat with friends.
Movie Matinee: “Top Gun: Maverick” – Wednesday, July 26, at 1:30 p.m. After more than 30 years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell must confront ghosts of his past and his deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who choose to fly it. Starring Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm. Rated PG-13 (2022; 2 hours, 11 minutes).
Explore and Share Cheshire History with Town Historian Diane Calabro – Thursday, July 27, at 1 p.m. Did you know … Mastodon teeth and a dinosaur skull were found in Cheshire? … the history of the Cheshire Casino? … why our town is called Cheshire? … a 12-year-old Cheshire girl would have been admitted to Yale University except that she was a girl? What about all the boats, trains and trolleys that once serviced Cheshire? Did you have to attend high school in another town? Do you remember the milkman delivering to houses in the morning? Town Historian Diane Clabro has so much to share about the history of Cheshire and the people who lived here, along with some first-source materials on loan from the Cheshire Historical Society, and she wishes to hear YOUR stories about growing up and living in Cheshire. Please register in advance for this event.
A Night Out at Skappo Italian Food & Wine – Thursday, Aug. 3. Bus will depart the Senior Center at 4 p.m. Dinner reservation at Skappo in New Haven is at 5 p.m. An authentic oven-roasted Umbrian Porchetta Dinner includes pasta, salad, and dessert. Cost is $50 per person pre-pay for dinner, plus $6 per person for bus fare, cash only please. Sign up and pre-pay today!
Monthly Programs
To register for any of the following programs, call (203) 272-8286 or email LGravel@cheshirect.org.
Cheshire Readers Book Club – Tuesday, July 18, at 10:45 a.m. Book choice for discussion is “Sunflower Sisters” by Martha Hall Kelly. New members are welcome!
All Ears Hearing Screenings – Thursday, July 20, from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Call today to schedule an appointment for a free hearing screening.
Sit Down with Stefanie – Thursday, July 20, at 11:15 a.m. Stefanie will answer questions regarding the Senior Center. Please register in advance.
The Cheshire Sherlock Holmes Society – will not meet in July. Check back for August meeting information.
Ask the Probate Judge – Tuesday, July 25, at 10 a.m. A monthly drop-in question-and-answer program with Probate Judge Matt Jalowiec.
Cheshire Senior Singles
Please register in advance for all Senior Singles events.
An Afternoon at New Britain Museum of American Art – Friday, July 21, at 1:30 p.m. Senior admission is $12 per person.
Weekly Programs
To register for any of the following programs, call (203) 272-8286 or email LGravel@cheshirect.org.
Line Dancing – Mondays from 10 to 11 a.m. (note new time). Drop-ins are welcome to attend this free, relaxed instructional class on line dancing and other popular dances.
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.
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.
Travel Planning Committee Meeting – Monday, July 17, at 1 p.m. Anyone interested in helping plan trips for the Senior Center is invited to join.
A Day at Tanglewood – Sunday, Aug. 13. Enjoy a music-filled afternoon with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Included motorcoach transportation, lunch on the lawn, admission to Tanglewood.
Providence Italian Style – Wednesday, Sept. 27. Head to Providence’s Little Italy for a behind-the-scenes tour of historic Federal Hill and a three-course lunch at Cassarino's Restaurant, followed by a Venetian gondola ride and Italian music along the Riverwalk.
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. Ride requests are accepted two weeks in advance. Call by 11 a.m. the day before a ride is needed; any request made after 11 a.m. is subject to availability. Please allow a 10-minute window on both sides of your scheduled pickup time for the bus to arrive.
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 appointments.
Schedule for Out-of-Town Medical Appointments:
Monday – Meriden
Tuesday – North Haven and Hamden
Wednesday – Wallingford
Thursday – New Haven and West Haven VA
Friday – Southington and Waterbury Outpatient VA Clinic
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. 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 to begin use of the GWTD Dial-A-Ride services. Applications may be obtained by calling the Cheshire Senior Center Transportation Office at (203) 272-0047.
Support the Senior CenterFinancial 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.