The Town of Cheshire has launched its AARP Age-Friendly Community Survey and is asking residents aged 45 and older to take the survey by March 27. The information collected will be used to inform the town’s efforts toward becoming more livable for residents of all ages.
The survey is part of the Town of Cheshire’s commitment to becoming more age-friendly through its enrollment in the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities.
Residents can take the survey online at: cheshirect.org/government/departments_and_divisions/senior_and_transportation_services. To request a paper copy, email stheroux@cheshirect.org or call (203) 272-8286. Assistance is available through the Senior Center to those who are unable to independently complete the survey.
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The Cheshire Senior Center, 240 Maple Ave., has a very limited number of appointments remaining for the AARP Tax Aide Program. Call Tracey at (203) 272-8286 to schedule one.
As the winter winds up, the Cheshire Senior Center will post storm closings on its Facebook page and the local news channels. Typically, if Cheshire schools are delayed, Senior Center buses and programs will also be delayed. If Cheshire schools are canceled, Senior Center buses and programs are also canceled for the day.
Reminder: When you register for an activity, you are not automatically signed up for a ride. If you need a ride to the Senior Center, call Coleen in the Transportation Office at (203) 272-0047 to schedule a pickup.
Save the Dates!
The Senior Center Membership Association is excited to announce that the Spring Tag & Bake Sale is planned for Saturday, May 6, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Anyone who would like to volunteer to help out can contact Sandy C. or Pat M.
Also, the Cheshire Senior Center Chorus will return, starting on Friday, April 14, at 10 a.m.
Special Programs
To register for any of the following programs, call (203) 272-8286 or email LGravel@cheshirect.org.
Nutritional Talk with Jess – Today, March 16, at 1:30 p.m. March is National Nutrition Month! Join registered dietician Jessica Dorner for an informative presentation on nutrition and health that benefits everyone. Learn ways to improve health, eat the rainbow, and more. Recipes and other handouts will be provided. Registration is required.
St. Patrick’s Day Lunch and Music with Zoe – Friday, March 17, at 11:30 a.m. Cost: $12 per person. Space is limited. Registration is required.
Cheshire Senior Singles – Friday, March 17, at 1:30 p.m.
Colon Cancer Informational Bingo – Monday, March 20, at 10:30 a.m. A fun way to learn about colon cancer. Register by March 16.
Intergenerational Wii Bowling – Wednesday, March 22, at 2:30 p.m. A friendly competition between the Cheshire Senior Center and Cheshire High School students. Space is limited and registration is required.
Coin Show Presented by Blair Soucy – Thursday, March 23, at 1:30 p.m. Professional coin dealer Blair Soucy will give an exciting presentation. Bring old coins and find out their value and rarity. Advance registration is required.
Aqua Turf Club Senior Event: Shake Rattle & Roll Dueling Pianos – Tuesday, April 11, from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Two top piano entertainers will take the stage for an epic battle mixing music, comedy and audience interaction in a sing-along, laugh-along, dance-along show. Menu of Chicken Kathryn, baked ham. Cost per person is $52. Sign up at the front desk at the Senior Center.
Monthly Programs
Sit Down with Stefanie – Today, March 16, at 11:15 a.m. Stefanie will answer questions about the Senior Center. Please register in advance.
The Cheshire Sherlock Holmes Society – Today, March 16, at 1 p.m. Join in person or via Zoom. Please read “The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor” by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle for discussion. For additional information, contact Andy Tranquilli at tranquilli@hotmail.com. All are welcome!
Cheshire Readers Book Club – Tuesday, March 21, at 10:45 a.m. Discussion of “The Snow Child” by Eowyn Ivey. New members are welcome.
Ask the Probate Judge – Tuesday, March 28, at 10 a.m. A monthly drop-in question-and-answer program with Probate Judge Matt Jalowiec.
Veterans Coffeehouse – Tuesday, March 28, at 10 a.m. at the Wallingford Senior Center, 238 Washington St., Wallingford. Cheshire members are invited to attend.
Afternoon Movie Matinee: “Ticket to Paradise” – Wednesday, March 29, at 1:30 p.m. A divorced couple (George Clooney, Julia Roberts) race to Bali to prevent their daughter from marrying a seaweed farmer. As they try to sabotage the wedding, the bickering gives way to a rekindling of feelings that once made them happy together. Rated PG-13 (1 hour, 44 minutes). Registration is required.
Blood Pressure Checks – Second Tuesday of each month, from 1:30 to 3 p.m., with Nurse Melanie of Civita Care Centers in the Senior Center nurse’s office.
Weekly Programs
To register for any of the following programs, call (203) 272-8286 or email LGravel@cheshirect.org.
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!
Line Dancing – Mondays from 10 to 11 a.m. (note new time). Drop-ins are welcome to attend this free, relaxed instructional line dancing class. NOTE: No class on Jan. 30.
Move & Groove Workout – Mondays from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Drop-ins are welcome to attend this low-impact DVD exercise class.
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. Enjoy two nights at the lovely four-star Eden Resort, two breakfast buffets, dinner at Shady Maple Smorgasbord, a family-style dinner in an Amish home, reserved orchestra seat for “Moses” at Sight & Sound Theater, a guided Amish Country farmlands tour, and more. Cost per person: $527 double, $517 triple, $667 single.
Exploring Britain & Ireland – Sept. 24 to Oct. 8. Sign up by March 25 and save $100.
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.
The Transportation Office is happy to announce the addition of the West Haven VA Medical Center on Thursdays and the Waterbury Outpatient VA Clinic on Fridays.
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.
A GWTD Dial-A-Ride application may be obtained by calling the Cheshire Senior Center Transportation Office at (203) 272-0047.
Support the Cheshire
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 or memory of a friend or loved one.
Donations can be designated for a specific purpose or made as an undesignated gift that will be used at the discretion of the staff. Donations will be held in a gift account to support the mission of the Senior Center. Make donations payable to the Town of Cheshire Senior Center and send to the Cheshire Senior Center, 240 Maple Ave., Cheshire, CT 06410.