Volunteer of the Month
Archives

July 2019
Charles Roberts

Photo of Charles Roberts

This month we’d like to give thanks to a familiar face, but one you might not know of in relation to the Highland Senior Center. Charles Roberts is the former editor of the Highland Community News, where he was a big supporter of the Highland Senior Center and would often visit the center to cover our events and activities. However when he retired at the end of 2017, he continued to support our center, but in a different capacity. Before retiring, he asked Jeff, the Outreach Director if we could use some volunteers, as he did not want to become bored. Well, he asked the right person, as he was immediately made a Transportation Assistance Program (TAP) driver. He volunteers to drive just about every weekday, and sometimes on weekends as well. Yet his helping us out doesn’t stop there. He also helps out in our Food Program, three days a weeks. He sorts outs the food we bring in and then helps us to pass it out to our seniors. We would also like to thank his wife, Myrna, who gives him time off from his retirement Honey Do list to help us out.

Featured Class

Watercolor
Date: January 15, 2019
Time: 9:00 - 11:00 AM
Length: 8 weeks
Cost: $8 members
      $8 non-members
Instructor: Avon Hall
Location: Game Room
Description: Not only is this one of our oldest classes, but is also one of the oldest art forms going back to paleolithic times. Watercolor is a painting method in which the paints are made of pigments suspended in a water-based solution. Watercolor refers to both the medium and the resulting artwork. Working with watercolors is difficult because with paint, it stays put. However, with watercolor, the paper and absorption changes the outline and appearance as it dries. Additionally, you have to be careful as colors can run into each other as they are absorbed, changing the shape and color of objects. If you mess up with paint you can paint over or scrape off the paint but in watercolor you might be able to partially correct a mistake by re-wetting and blotting making errors costly. To help you with this is Avon Hall, our Watercolor instructor. While Avon has no formal instruction as an art teacher, but does have lots of experience in art. While in the Air Force, and stationed in France 50 years ago, he took some art classes in oil painting and drawing. He did not take up watercolor until eight years ago, when he heard that we had a class and he was curious about it. Avon has won several prizes for his art, and has even sold some.

Featured Activity

Scrapbooking
Time: Thursdays 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Cost: Free members
      Free non-members
Location: Sun Room
Description: When we were younger, scrapbooking normally meant pasting pictures or newspaper articles about yourself or someone you knew on some paper. It has become something much more than that. While they still have photos and printed media, scrapbooks, or albums, are also part journal, with handwritten notes, borders, vellum covers, and lots and lots of decorations. One can put as much or as little time and effort into it as desired. Scrapbooking can be done by itself, but is best when done with friends. It becomes a social get together where people trade techniques, and share equipment and supplies. Our scrapbooking group meets every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. So if you're looking for something fun, creative, and social, come on down and get ready to share your memories.
Lowe_s Heroes Project Benefits the Center
By: Mike Sylva
Last month five of Lowe’s Heroes from the Highland store, descended upon the Highland Senior Center as part of Lowe’s ongoing Heroes Project program. The center wasn’t sure if those heroes knew what they had in store for them. Cleaning and renovating the center’s pantry, which had not been straightened up in years.

This herculean task was as daunting as Hercules’ task of cleaning the Augean Stables, which held thousands of cows and had not been cleaned in 30 years. Our heroes didn’t need to bend any rivers to clean it out. Just some old fashioned sweat and elbow grease.

First they had to take everything out, then strip and clean the walls, and paint. They had to wait for the paint to dry, or they would’ve had it finished in a day, like Hercules. They next day they were back reorganizing, and installing wall shelves, and standing pantry shelves. By the time they were done, the place was unrecognizable. When everything was put back, the pantry still had more room than ever.

The Highland Senior Center would like to thank these true heroes for volunteering their time, hard work, and experience, to make the center a better place. They would also like to thank Lowe’s for selecting them to benefit from this great project.