Volunteer of the Month
Archives

September 2020
Mike & Sharon Pierce

Photo of Mike & Sharon Pierce

This month we’d like to shine the light on some familiar faces around here. Mike & Sharon Pierce are a mix of new and old to the center. Sharon has been a member since 2010, while Mike joined in 2018. Before the shutdown, Mike was wearing several hats, working in the Trip Office and working in the Nutrition Program two days a week. They both also enjoy working at our special events, and were first time drivers for our Operation Senior Cause. During the shutdown they’ve both have been volunteering in the Thrift Store as well as serving as Transportation Assistance Program drivers. Mike and Sharon are both from the area. Sharon was born in Boston, but came out here when she was three. Mike on the other hand was born and raised out here. They met on a blind date when she was 18, and he was 22. They were married 6 weeks later! Together they have two kids and five grandchildren. He worked for Fedco and retired from Beaver Medical for over 20 years each whereas she worked for the same mortgage company. We would like to thank the Mike and Sharon for their ongoing dedication to the center and its members during these troubling days.

Featured Class

Spanish
Date: April 23, 2020
Time: 1:30 - 2:30 pm
Length: 8 weeks
Cost: $8 members
      $8 non-members
Instructor: TBA
Location: Game Room
Description: This class is designed to teach students conversational Spanish. The class will enable you to carry on limited conversation at first just to get you started. Then as you progress, so will the levels. As for what to bring, just bring a writing instrument and paper. Books might come later. We hope to see you there, or as you will soon be saying, Esperamos verte ahí.

Featured Activity

Cribbage
Time: Mondays 10:00 a.m.
Cost: Free members
      Free non-members
Location: Dining Room
Description: Cribbage is one of the older games that we play here at the center. Introduced in the early 17th century, is a card game traditionally for two players, but can be, and is, commonly played with three, four or more. The game involves playing and grouping cards in combinations which gain points. To get started all you need is a standard 52-card deck, (cards are assigned a point value equal to rank. Aces are low and count 1; face cards count 10) and a Cribbage board. A regulation board has four rows of 30 holes, marked off in groups of five and organized in two rows of two (two for each player). The pegs that come with the board are typically different colors to identify individual players. Each player has two pegs. Before play begins, the four pegs are placed at the start end of the board. The movement of the pegs, up the outside row and down the inside row back to the start, shows the progress of each player's game. The complete trip of the pegs is equal to 61 points. The traditional game is two trips, or 121 points. Use the two pegs in alternating fashion (the first peg indicates the previous score; the second peg indicates the most recent score); in this way, scores can be checked for accuracy. If you'd like to try Cribbage before you buy a board you can use a pencil and paper. It's a fun game that, due to its longevity, must be entertaining! The Cribbage group meets on Wednesdays from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm in the dining room. If you'd like to brush up on the rules first, a complete set of rules can be located in the Program Office.
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.