Volunteer of the Month
Archives
July 2019
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
Sketching
Date: January 16, 2019
Time: 8:30 - 10:00 am
Length: 8 weeks
Cost: $8 members
$8 non-members
Instructor: Robert Placencia
Location: Game Room
Description: Are you a doodler? Or maybe you're a bit sketchy. For our Sketching Class you're perfect. The class is taught by Robert Placencia. He took classes in college, and used to assist in his oil painting class. Although his media is more in oil paintings, sketching is a big part of that so it's a perfect fit. He has been teaching the class for nearly 3+ years now. Robert has been involved in art for over 40 years, having taken art classes in high school and college. He enjoys many mediums including sketching, charcoal, and oil painting. He has even received awards for some of his works. The class will begin with portraits, as it provides the basic foundation that can later be applied to still life and scenery. Students need to bring their own pencils (4H to 6B preferred), a sharpener, as well as a sketch pad. Do not bring writing paper. The size of the sketchpad will depend upon a students personal preference although Robert prefers the large size. The Sketching class will be on Wednesdays, in the Gameroom, and will run for 8 weeks. Cost is $8.
Featured Activity
Bridge Interest List
Time: Dailys
Cost: members
non-members
Location:
Description: We are hoping to bring back an activity that has not been here for many years. One of our newest members is hoping to bring back Bridge to the center. Bridge is a trick-taking card game using a standard 52-card deck. In its basic format, it is played by four players in two competing partnerships. According to Wikipedia, “the game consists of several deals, each progressing through four phases. The cards are dealt to the players, and then the players auction or bid to take the contract, specifying how many tricks the partnership receiving the contract (the declaring side) needs to take to receive points for the deal. During the auction, partners communicate information about their hand, including its overall strength and the length of its suits, although conventions for use during play also exist. The cards are then played, the declaring side trying to fulfill the contract, and the defenders trying to stop the declaring side from achieving its goal. The deal is scored based on the number of tricks taken, the contract, and various other factors which depend to some extent on the variation of the game being played.” If this scares or confuses you don’t let it. It is very popular worldwide, and the group would be willing to take in all levels of players, from beginners to intermediate. Advance players are welcome as well, as long as they are willing to help the more inexperienced players. So if this sounds like something you would be interested in please stop by the front desk or call us at (909)862-8104 and add your name and phone number to the interest list. If we have enough interest you will be called back with a time and date and start building bridges.
Meet our New Employee
By: Mike Sylva
Wed like to introduce you to the newest member of the Highland Senior Center family. Kim Scarcella is actually a familiar face here at the center, being our university computer instructor. Now is officially working here as the new Outreach/Program Director.
She knew that Annette Mendenhall had left us and one day, was talking to Executive Director, Penny Lilburn, about helping out. Penny told her she would keep it in mind, thinking that Kim was being nice. Penny took her at her word, and it turns out, not only was she being nice, but she truly did want to help out!
Now she is busy getting her feet wet in the Transportation Assistance Program, where has been using her formidable computer skills to organize a decades worth of files while updating and creating forms. The teacher is also the student as Misti Stephens shows her the ropes of the TAP program.
Originally from La Mesa, CA near San Diego, it was there that she met her husband, Joe, while he was in the Navy. She earned her degree in Human & Child Development from San Diego State University, before they moved to Missouri for his graduate studies. During that time she did double duty as a mom and some part time work at a Montessori, secretarial work, and a substitute teacher.
Her husband became a professor at Cal State San Bernardino, which brought her to Highland. Once here she got another degree in Vocational Education, then received her teaching credential. Following that she got a job at the Adult Education, teaching computer classes. That, in turn, brought her to us. Welcome Kim. Then again, youve been welcome here for a long time!
