Senior News

Spanish Fiesta royalty competition set for April 13

Posted

Please join us on April 13 at the Archuleta County Extension building as we bring back the timeless tradition of Spanish Fiesta royalty.

Archuleta County’s Hispanic and Latino youth will compete for the coveted positions of king/queen to junior prince/junior princess. 

Let’s support our youth in keeping the traditions of our Hispanic, Latino and Archuleta County heritage alive. 

Purchase tickets from any of the 15 contestants at https://givebutter.com/SFRoyaltyCompetition. 

Join us for an enchilada dinner and the Spanish Fiesta royalty competition from 5 to 7 p.m. 

There will be live music featuring Los Mitotitos starting at 7:30 p.m. Crowning of our 2024 royalty will take place between 9 and 10 p.m. 

The proceeds will benefit the Spanish Fiesta royalty youth. The Spanish Fiesta royalty committee seeks to provide our Hispanic and Latino youth in Archuleta County the opportunity of representing their community and celebrating their cultural heritage as well as providing them with numerous learning opportunities and valuable leadership skills.

For more information, contact Archuleta Seniors Inc. (ASI) at (970) 264-2167.

Fresh local produce for older adults to be available this summer

This 2024 growing season, ASI and Terrawalk Farms are partnering with Nourish Colorado to bring low-income older adults (age 55 and older) in Archuleta County locally grown, seasonal, organic produce shares through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). 

CSAs, or farm memberships, are a means of creating a mutually beneficial connection between consumers and their farmers. These partnerships result in a bi-monthly bounty of vegetables for the subscriber. 

If you are interested in participating in this free fresh produce program, you must meet one of the minimum requirements to be selected as a subscriber: being a new or current client of ASI through our congregate, Meals on Wheels, or pick up/Grab-N-Go meal program, or being a resident of the low-income senior housing community (Socorro, Archuleta Housing for the Elderly, Casa De Los Arcos or Lake View Estates). 

Participating subscribers will receive a fresh, local, organic produce box alternating weeks throughout the growing season, which spans from June 2 to Sept. 29. Subscribers will pick up their bi-monthly fresh produce boxes either on site at the Ross Aragon Community Center on Tuesdays or at a to-be-determined location on the weekends. Details are still being finalized and subscribers will be notified.

In addition to your weekly food, you will receive the following perks: 

• A quarterly newsletter that includes simple, relevant recipes, musings and photos of the farm you support. 

• The opportunity to directly support young farmers. 

• Optional opportunities to learn and work on the farm. There will be two community days throughout the season. One will be in July and the other in September. 

• Attend monthly recipe tastings during ASI’s upcoming Fresh Conversations nutrition education and healthy aging circles from April through September. 

Please call (970) 264-2167 or stop by the ASI office at 451 Hot Springs Blvd. to sign up to be considered for this Older Adult Fresh Local Produce Box program. 

The first 30 interested clients who meet the minimum requirements will become subscribers and will be eligible to receive their fresh produce boxes throughout the growing season of 2024. 

For more information, contact us at (970) 264-2167. 

Senior Discount Card

The Senior Center is continuing its annual tradition of providing a local discount card for those ages 60 and better. 

The discount card encourages seniors to support local recreational, restaurant, medical and retail services by obtaining a senior discount card for a small fee that serves as a fundraiser for ASI. 

These local businesses provide a discount ranging from 5 percent to 20 percent off services. 

For more information, visit http://www.psseniors.org/discount-club.html or stop by our offices at 451 Hot Springs Blvd. to pick up your card. For more information, contact us at (970) 264-2167. 

Healthy aging yoga therapy class series

This winter, a healthy aging yoga series will be offered as a hybrid class at the Senior Center on Mondays from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. 

Classes will be structured by therapeutic yoga tools and techniques with chair movement, standing stretches, gentle postures, breathing practices and reflective meditative moments. 

Monthly themes for the series will include topics such as sustainable strength for healthy aging individuals, brain health, heart and cardiovascular health, mental and emotional well-being, community connections, and stress management, to name a few. 

Classes will be educational for participants to utilize practices in daily life and are meant for all levels of experience with yoga. 

The class is hosted by local yoga therapist AJ Connors, with a hybrid focus for the winter months, blending in-person, online and, occasionally, recorded classes. Zoom sessions will be streamed at the Senior Center to provide the community experience to practice together or can be accessed at home if weather is a factor. 

Mats and chairs will be provided at the Senior Center; some blocks and Therabands are available, too. The addition of yoga props is always welcomed. 

We are requesting that individuals who are new to joining the series arrive early for intake inquiries and to please communicate with AJ directly by emailing ajconnorslove@gmail.com.

Bingo

The Senior Center will be hosting bingo twice a month on Friday afternoons from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

Bingo will be on April 5 and April 19. 

Participation is free, and we ask you bring yourself and a friend for joyful fellowship. We will provide prizes from local businesses for all winners, and snacks will also be provided. 

No RSVP is required; just show up. All ages are welcome, but we ask those 18 and younger to come with an adult chaperone. 

For more information, contact us at (970) 264-2167.

T’ai Chi Chih

The Senior Center will be offering T’ai Chi Chih with accredited instructor Patti Popovich each Thursday from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. in the dining hall to support older adults who want to discover purpose and fulfillment in this transitional phase of life.

T’ai Chi Chih is not a martial art, but rather a tool for self-healing. Softness, flow and effortlessness are the guiding principles in this practice.

All classes will be free for older adults (age 60 and better) and will last approximately one hour in the dining hall.

No special clothing or equipment is required. 

For more information, call (970) 264-2167.

Senior Conversations

Join us Mondays 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 in 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 Friday

Join us at the Silver Fox’s Den, aka the Community Cafe, in person for daily hot/cold meals Mondays through Thursdays 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 $6, but no one will be turned away. There is a $10.50 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. 

Community Cafe menu

Thursday, March 28 — Pork ziti pasta with marinara sauce, broccoli, focaccia bread, garden salad, fruit, carrot cake and milk.

Friday, March 29 — Crispy codfish with tartar sauce, glazed carrots, garden salad, strawberry rhubarb crisp and milk.

Monday, April 1 — Baked herb chicken, couscous, glazed carrots, garden salad, fruit and milk.

Tuesday, April 2 — Broccoli-cheddar soup, focaccia bread, beet salad with walnuts and goat cheese, fruit and milk.

Wednesday, April 3 — Ham steak with apricot glaze, rosemary roasted potatoes, dinner roll, garden salad, fruit and milk.

Thursday, April 4 — Beef spaghetti, garlic bread, broccoli, garden salad, fruit and milk.

Friday, April 5 — Baked Codfish, orzo pasta, zucchini medley, garden salad, fruit and milk.

Grab-N-Go meals

Dine-in and 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 $6 helps to sustain our program. For ages 59 and younger, the cost is $10.50. No one will be turned away for their inability to donate. 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 its 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.

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. By appointment only. Please call the Medicare line at (970) 264-0501, ext 2.

Mindful drawing

Mindful drawing is an easy-to-learn, relaxing and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns. Join our friendly instructor, Roberta Strickland. 

Classes are every Wednesday at 1:15 p.m. in the Senior Center. This activity is open to all ages. Help us create an intergenerational community. For those under 18 and/or with disabilities, you are welcome to join us, but we kindly ask you to please bring an adult chaperone with you.

Bridge 

The longest-played bridge game in Archuleta County takes place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays 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 Tuesdays 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.

Supporting ASI

Please support our ongoing operations and programming that provide critical services to some of the most vulnerable in Archuleta County. 

You may mail your donation to P.O. Box 3444, Pagosa Springs, CO 81147 or please visit our website, http://www.psseniors.org/ (donation button). Donation checks can be written to: Archuleta Seniors Inc. We are located at 451 Hot Springs Blvd. For more information about Archuleta Seniors Inc., please visit http://www.psseniors.org/.