By Rose Chavez
PREVIEW Columnist
Archuleta Seniors Inc. (ASI) is pleased to announce that ASI was selected by the Community Foundation serving Southwest Colorado as one of 10 grantees to be a part of the Durango Wine Experience in 2023.
Recipients receive a $2,500 grant and the opportunity to showcase their local nonprofit to more than 1,000 community members at this regional event.
The event will take place over the course of two days in April: April 28 from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. and April 29 from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Durango Wine Experience guests will enjoy learning more about the nonprofit sector in southwest Colorado while interacting with the nonprofit partners.
ASI is looking to recruit additional volunteers from the community to join in on the fun and help with outreach during this event. If you are age 21 or older and interested in supporting the Pagosa Senior Center with this event, please contact us to learn more about this unique volunteer opportunity.
To learn more about the Durango Wine Experience and to purchase tickets, please visit https://durangowine.com/.
Homesteading essentials workshop series:
sourdough lesson
The Senior Center is kicking off our homesteading workshop series with a sourdough basics course on March 20 from 1:15 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
A free class will be put on by local baker Ali Braun.
Course will include: history and health benefits of fresh local sourdough, tools you really knead for bread making, starting and maintaining a starter, fermentation tactics/times, details for mixing and proofing and sharing of favorite sourdough formulas. Registration to attend is required so please call (970) 264-2167 to put your name on the list. Future workshops include composting, food preservation, growing dome and backyard gardening, herbalism and more.
We are looking for local experts to share their knowledge in this series supporting self reliance and sustainability in our community. Please contact us if you are interested in leading a class or participating.
Free seasonal art class
The next free art class at the Senior Center will be Tuesday, March 28, at 1:15 p.m. No reservations are required, but space is limited so be sure to be there by 1:15 p.m. The class will last approximately an hour and a half.
Have you ever wondered how lilies came to be at Easter? In this class, we’ll be exploring that answer as well as making some lilies from paper. No art skill is required for this class, just a desire to have fun and learn something about the history of the Easter lily while making your bouquet. All materials will be provided including the scissors, paper and glue. Templates will be provided to trace and cut out the various parts that go into making this lovely lily.
All ages are invited, so find a friend and bring them along. Our teacher will again be Denise Fisk, who is a retired elementary art teacher from Iowa. So, come and hear about the traditions around the lily and help us bring springtime to life in this special way.
COVID-19 test
kits available
Stop by the Senior Center to pick up a pack of six free COVID-19 tests kits for your personal use. These kits are available to anyone in the public who needs affordable access for health promotion and disease prevention.
Text reservations
Text us at (970) 264-2167. Don’t forget that we also offer a convenient texting service for you to communicate with us. When texting, please include your name, phone number and the days you want a meal. If you are calling to cancel a reservation, please include your name, phone number and the days you want to cancel.
Texting services are available for dining-in meal reservations, Grab-n-Go meals and Meals on Wheels recipients.
Mobile food pantry service available for seniors
The Senior Center would like to remind the community about our mobile food pantry services we provide in partnership with Archuleta County MET to seniors age 60 and older throughout most areas of Archuleta County.
In order to participate in this program, community members must visit with Barbara Noriega at the Senior Center, located in the Ross Aragon Community Center, to fill out an application to qualify for the mobile pantry service.
The application, called the dining assessment form, is also available on our website at the bottom of the Community Cafe page: http://www.psseniors.org/community-cafeacute.html. For more information, contact us at (970) 264-2167.
Mahjong
Mahjong is a 19th century Chinese tile-based game that is commonly played with four players. Each player receives 13 tiles with a goal to make matching sets and pairs (like poker). To win, a player must form four sets and one pair. Come to the Senior Center to learn or play every Tuesday at 1:15 p.m.
Medicare call by
appointment
For anyone who needs help enrolling and navigating Medicare plans, the San Juan Basin Area Agency on Aging helps with parts A, B and D. They can also help you with fraud concerns and troubleshooting any billing issues you may be having. This service is available by appointment only. Please call the Medicare line at (970) 264-0501, ext 4.
Hand and foot card game
Whether you are new to hand and foot or interested in learning, please join us most Thursdays at 1:15 at the Senior Center.
This card game involves four rounds of playing until the final round is reached — some two to three hours later. Plan to stay and meet some new friends or catch up with those you have missed over the last couple of years.
No experience is necessary, so come willing to learn.
Engaging pictures
Engaging pictures are needed from seniors and their families who live, work and play their best lives in Archuleta County. We are looking for pictures that convey people’s active lifestyles, families, culture and more. We would like to use these pictures in our grant applications, on social media and on our website. Please email all pictures to rosa@psseniors.org or feel free to drop them off.
Kitchen and admin
volunteers needed
The Community Cafe at the Senior Center is requesting volunteers to help with our front desk pickup meals and in the office in administrative tasks. Please call or text us at (970) 264-2167 to volunteer or for more information.
Board vacancies
The ASI Board of Directors has multiple vacant positions open. The terms are three years with an option to renew for an additional term. Potential candidates should be at least 21 years of age or older and must have a passion for adult and aging services.
Community Cafe menu
Thursday, March 16 — Pork posole, cabbage, radish, onion, lime, tortilla, garden salad, fruit salad and milk.
Friday, March 17 — Corned beef with Irish colcannon, minted peas, garden salad, chocolate Baileys cupcake and milk.
Monday, March 20 — Chicken fettuccine Alfredo, glazed carrots, garlic bread, garden salad, fruit and milk.
Tuesday March 21 — Vegetarian chili with cornbread and honey, garden salad, fruit and milk.
Wednesday, March 22 — Pork tenderloin with orange glaze, roasted rosemary potatoes, garden salad, fruit and milk.
Thursday, March 23 — Beef cottage pie with roasted butternut squash, garden salad, fruit and milk.
Friday, March 24 – Pistachio crusted cod fish, cannellini beans, garden salad, fruit, milk and Mississippi mud pie.
Grab-N-Go meals
Grab-N-Go meal reservations and cancellations are required. Please call or text by 9 a.m. the morning of the day you want to pick up a meal. A suggested donation of $10 helps to sustain our program. No one will be turned away for their inability to donate. For ages 59 and younger, the cost is $10 also. Please call or text us at (970) 264-2167 to make a reservation.
Meals on Wheels
We deliver fresh Meals on Wheels five days a week (and provide frozen Meals on Wheels for weekends) to homebound Archuleta County residents. Call or text us at (970) 264-2167.
Requesting donations
Archuleta Seniors Inc. (ASI) has an immediate monetary need to support ongoing operations and programming that provide critical services to some of the most vulnerable in Archuleta County. Please consider donating.
You may mail your donation to P.O. Box 3444, Pagosa Springs CO 81147 or please visit our website: http://www.psseniors.org/. Donation checks can be written to: Archuleta Seniors Inc. We are located at 451 Hot Springs Blvd.
For more information about ASI, please visit http://www.psseniors.org/.
