By Rose Chavez | PREVIEW Columnist
Join local artist Becky Crowe on June 8 and July 6 at 1:15 p.m. for a free rock art session.
We have gathered a variety of rocks of different sizes for your painting pleasure. Stop by the dining hall and either bring your own rock or select from our collection. We will provide the paint and rocks and you bring your own inspiration to create a colorful rock to place in your garden or to use as a paperweight.
This activity is free and open to all ages.
Pagosa Senior Center partners with Archuleta County MET for free rides
Adults 60 and older are eligible for free transportation provided by Archuleta County Mountain Express Transit (MET). Seniors can ride the MET Pagosa Springs route for free Monday through Friday. This route stops at the Senior Center and the Medical Center 10 times per day.
Disabled community members that live within 3/4 of a mile of this route but are unable to make it to a stop can qualify for free paratransit service. Paratransit service requires community members to book their ride 24 hours in advance. Community members must call the MET at (970) 264-2250 by 3 p.m. the day before to reserve their ride.
Additionally, the MET offers discounted dial-a-ride service to eligible seniors for $4 per stop within town limits or $8 outside town limits.
Senior Conversations
Join us Wednesdays at 1:15 p.m. for a series of Senior Conversations with local Bill Salmansohn. He will lead the group through mindfulness exercises and discussion of various topics pertaining to aging in Archuleta County. Explore and discover for yourself answers to your questions and concerns.
The meeting will be held at the Senior Center in the dining hall. Snacks will be provided.
Pagosa Springs
Scrapbooking Club
The Pagosa Springs Scrapbooking Club holds monthly meetings the second Saturday of each month at the Senior Center.
It meets each month from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to be creative, share ideas, connect with friends, learn new techniques, share supplies and indulge in a potluck lunch together.
Bring your scrapbooking projects — or any crafting project that you may want to work on with the group. If you would like to be added to the mailing list to receive notifications each month of the upcoming meeting along with handy tips and tricks for scrapbooking, please send your request to copenhavercreative@gmail.com.
Share lunch Monday through Thursday
Join us at the Silver Fox’s Den, aka the Community Cafe, in person for daily hot/cold meals Mondays through Thursdays downtown at the Community Center between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. It is open to all. Pickup is available all week, including Fridays.
Our dining hall is open to all ages and welcomes you all with kindness and warmth. We provide hot/cold meals for anyone in the community interested in a nutritious and delicious meal. For those 60 or older we request a suggested donation of $10, but no one will be turned away. There is a $10 charge for guests under the age of 60.
Meals include a main course, side dish, fruit/dessert, garden salad plus beverage. Some popular menu items include Frito chili pie, pork tenderloin with harvest chutney, Singaporean pork ribs, vegetarian lasagna, Hawaiian shrimp with coconut rice and always a beautiful green salad. Many of our items are locally sourced and organic.
Our chef works with a team of local food professionals to hand-prepare your meal for dine-in service in our cozy dining room (with an amazing view of the San Juans) or for takeout (via our convenient drive-through). Our menu changes daily.
To reserve your meal for the day, please make your reservation via text or phone call to (970) 264-2167 by 9 a.m. weekdays.
We provide a welcoming gathering space that serves as a community hub where nutritious food and other resources/supports are available to help older adults and their caretakers stay independent, active, engaged in our community and living in their homes. Weekly educational and social activities include our healthy aging and yoga therapy class, Mahjong and more.
Check out our senior discount card for local discounts and perks at http://www.psseniors.org/discount-club.html.
Community Cafe menu
Thursday, June 7 — Cajun shrimp with cheesy grits, zucchini and squash saute, garden salad, fruit, blueberry streusel muffins and milk.
Friday, June 8 — Turkey tetrazzini, green beans, dinner roll, garden salad, fruit and milk.
Monday, June 11 — Seafood Veracruz with cod and shrimp, quinoa, garden salad, strawberry shortcake and milk.
Tuesday June 12 —Vegetable lasagna with white sauce, garlic bread, garden salad, fruit and milk.
Wednesday, June 13 — Beef pot roast with root vegetables, focaccia bread, garden salad, fruit, cookies and milk.
Thursday, June 14 — New Mexican chicken enchilada casserole, Spanish rice, garden salad, fruit, flan and milk.
Friday, June 15 – Barbecue pulled pork, coleslaw, blueberry cobbler, garden salad, fruit and milk.
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.
Mobile food pantry
service discontinued
The Mobile Food Pantry Service has been discontinued due to funding shortages. Older adults needing a ride to a local food pantry should contact the MET to schedule a ride with their paratransit service. For more information, contact Lavonne at (970) 264-2250.
Text reservations
Don’t forget that we offer a convenient texting service for you to communicate with us. Text us at (970) 264-2167. When texting, please include your name, phone number and the days you want a meal. If you are canceling a reservation, please include your name, phone number and the days you want to cancel.
Texting services are available for dine-in meal reservations, Grab-n-Go meals and Meals on Wheels recipients.
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.
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.
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.
Bridge
The longest-played bridge game in Archuleta County takes place on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1:15 p.m.
Bridge is a four-player card game with partners sitting opposite each other around a table. It is a trick-taking card game using a standard 52-card deck. Come alone or bring a partner.
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.
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/.
