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Featured Class
Italian
Date: April 24, 2020
Time: 9:00 - 10:00 am
Length: 8
Cost: $8 members
$8 non-members
Instructor: Rita Sicilliano
Location: Game Room
Description: Italian is taught by Margherita Sicilliano. Margherita, who also goes by the names Margo or Rita, and is from the old country. Born in Caserta, Italy, she was actually born in the Italian Royal Palace (the Reggia di Caserta). Her mom was touring the palace when she went into labor. Not many people can say that they were born in a royal palace, much less a UNESCO World Heritage Site! Raised and educated in Italy, she was still in college when she came with her family to the United States. She continued with her education getting a Bachelor's Degree. She then went back to Italy to get her Master's Degree. Her teaching experience spans 42 years and includes teaching high school French, Spanish, and Italian in New York, as well as French and Spanish Advanced Placement classes at the local Aquinas High School. After retiring some friends told her about the center. She took a trip here and discovered a fellow Italian, Virginia Kautzman, and the two became friends. Margo also found out about our University Language classes, and decided to get back into teaching. She approached us about teaching here, and after offering a choice between Italian and German, everyone decided that Italian would be perfect. Now it is the only Italian class being offered in the area. Student’s need to bring only a pencil and paper to class. There is a work book students can purchase through Amazon for $16, but it is not necessary. The class is open to absolute beginners and those who wish to keep up their Italian. A presto! See you soon!
Featured Activity
Pool
Time: Dailys
Cost: Free members
Free non-members
Location: The Game Room
Description: With the recent restoration of our pool table, and the kind donation of a new pool bridge, we thought it only fitting to shine the spotlite on pool. Billiards is an umbrella term for billiards and pool, which are not the same thing. Billiards is pool without pockets, played with smaller balls (three balls; white, yellow, and red) striking a ball after a bank. A type of snooker could be played on our table with a bit of imagination. Snooker involves a larger table, smaller pockets and red and colored balls and a white cue, alternating sinking red and colored, except after sinking a colored ball you put it back in it's original spot. Pool involves a table with 6 pockets, a clue ball, and 15 object balls that may or may not be pocketed in order, depending on whether you're playing 8 or 9 ball pool. Nine ball is played with nine balls numbered one through nine, and a cue ball. On each shot the first ball the cue ball contacts must be the lowest-numbered ball on the table, but the ball need not be pocketed in order. Players are not required to call any shot. A match ends when one of the players has won the required number of games (as determined by the players. Eight ball is a call shot game played with a cue ball and fifteen object balls, numbered 1 through 15. One player must pocket ball of the solid colors, and the other player pockets the stripes. The player pocketing his group first and then legally sinking the 8-ball wins. If this sounds confusing we usually have someone in the room playing, especially in the late afternoons. If we get enough interest we can even set up a dedicated pool time for you sharks.
Christmas Open House 2012
By: Mike Sylva
It may not have been snowing at the center, but everyone could sure feel Jack Frost nipping their noses. Still, the halls were decked with boughs of holly as well as silver bells, letting everyone know that it’s Christmas time at the center. That meant it was time to open our doors to all our friends for an afternoon of fun, food, and frivolity.
We started with traditional Christmas songs. Jack Meikle played piano while the crowd sang their hearts out. This was followed by the Highland Pickers and their toe tapping renditions of some holiday favorites. Next came a short intermission that gave us time to serve some cookies and cocoa. After eating their fill till their bellies shook like bowls full of jelly, it was time for Harriet Foucher and her Kristal Bells. The crowd, once again, got into the act as Harriet acted as the symphony conductor for our bell ringers in the crowd.
Maybe it was the scent of the goodies wafting through the air that led our special guests, Santa and Mrs. Claus, to take a break from their hectic schedule. Santa made his way through the crowd possibly finalizing his naughty and nice list on a few of our members, but we’re pretty sure everyone will squeak through to nice list. Even Molly Wright! Then, it was back to work as he and the Missus headed back to the North Pole.
Finally, there was one big gift to be opened up before Christmas, as lucky winner, Mary Oehling who went home with their half of the 50/50 Raffle prize to buy either a nice present for someone, or a really nice present for herself! With that it was time to bundle up and go home over the river and through the woods to sit by an open fire.
Special thanks to our talented musicians and volunteers to helped us to spread a little Christmas cheer. We would especially like to thank our sponsors, Don Davis with Aetna, and the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians for sponsoring the event.
