Volunteer of the Month
Archives

November 2019
Linda Sowell

Photo of Linda Sowell

This month we’d like to shine the light on a new, yet not new volunteer. If you read last month’s newsletter, specifically the Activity Spotlite, you would have read a bit about Linda Sowell. Well this month we’d like to shine an even larger spotlight on her as our Volunteer of the Month. Linda is the new Gadabouts Trip Coordinator. She had been working in the Thrift Store and was asked to be a relief in the Trip office. When a vacancy occurred she was asked to take over, which she was more than happy to do. Since then she has been busy scheduling new trips, chaperoning trips on occasion, and generally managing our hustling and bustling trip office. Linda also serves on our Board of Directors. If needed she also helps out at our special events. Originally from Chicago, IL, she moved out to California with her husband who was in the Navy. Once out here she was not content to stay at home raising her two kids (who themselves provided her with five grandkids), but worked in numerous types of jobs. Her main career was in Food Service. She started out at McDonalds as a cashier, and worked her way up to manager. Then she transferred to the school system where she became the Director of Children’s Nutrition for the Bear Valley School District before retiring. Thanks Linda for helping to take our members on trips of a lifetime.

Featured Class

Magic
Date: September 30, 2019
Time: 9:00 - 10:30 am
Length: 8 weeks
Cost: $8 members
      $8 non-members
Instructor: Steve Micklas
Location: Parlor
Description: This month we'd like to introduce you to the mysterious and mystical world of our Magic Class. There you'll be taught by Stephen Micklas, a member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians. Come learn basic magic, including misdirection, card magic, and close up magic (coin manipulation). Students learn inexpensive tricks that Grandparents can do, to amaze their friends, family and, of course, Grandkids. Students are only required to bring a deck of cards and maybe some rope or string. Most of the tricks students learn can be done with things found around the house. Stephen will bring in most of the other props needed. You just need to bring a 3 ring binder for notes and handouts. For those interested in magic you just need to remember a few things. Magic is a bit of misdirection and a lot of acting. If you are going to be a member of the class you will be taught a lot of secrets. Remember, that a Magician never reveals his secrets. You also need to practice to do it well. So if you'd like to amaze your family and friends, sign up. For you who already know a card trick or two Stephen is ready to show our Seniors that you can teach an old dog, new tricks.

Featured Activity

Double Pinochle
Time: Tuesdays 8:30 am - 12:00 pm
Cost: Free members
      Free non-members
Location: Parlor
Description: This month we'd like to put out the call for some card sharks. Specifically for those who enjoy Double Pinochle (aka: Double Deck Pinochle). The game is slightly different from pinochle, but not much. A game consists of 4 players, two playing as partners sitting across from each other. The deck consists of 80 cards, containing A 10 K Q J in each of the four suits, and with four identical copies of each card. This deck can be formed by mixing together two normal Pinochle decks, having thrown out the nines, or from four regular 52 card decks from which you throw out all the numerals 2 to 9. After the deal there is an auction in which players bid the number of points their team will try to win. Whoever bids highest has the privilege of choosing trumps and leading to the first trick. The object of the high bidder's team is to win at least as many points as the amount they bid. Points can be scored in two ways: 1. by declaring and showing (melding) combinations of cards held in a players hand; 2. by winning aces, tens and kings in tricks The game is won by the first partnership to achieve a score of 500 or more. If both sides reach 500 on the same hand, the bidding side wins. Don't worry if you still don't feel confident. The group is more than willing to take on new players and ease them into the game. The fun takes place every Tuesday beginning at 8:30 a.m. and continues until 12:00 p.m.
Tablet Class
By: Mike Sylva
Who says you can\'t teach an old dog new tricks! 30 of our seniors signed up for a class that would show them how to use their tablets and smartphones. As technology grows by leaps and bounds these days, things designed to make our lives easier, can be difficult to learn how to use. However, thanks to our friends from AT&T, Senator Mike Morrell, Assemblyman Marc Steinorth, and their staff members, they made it easy for our seniors.

The instructors brought in Ipads for each student to use and learn on. If someone brought in their own android based equipment, the teacher and helpers were more than ready to show them how to use that as well.

We hope to be able to have another class soon, as one can’t really master this stuff in a few hours. It takes lots of practice, and the web is perfect for that!