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

Creative Writing
Date: October 2, 2019
Time: 1:00 - 2:00 pm
Length: 8 Weeks
Cost: $8 members
      $8 non-members
Instructor: Liz Kim
Location: Game Room
Description: The Creative Writing class is taught by Liz Kim, A life-long educator. She has worked in Regular Ed, Special Ed., and Administration. She is also taking a writing class through U.C. Riverside’s Adult Education program. She believes that everyone has a story to tell, and she is prepared to help people to tell it. Liz wants her students to just write. Don’t think, just write. Get the ideas out and clean them up later.

Featured Activity

Striders
Time: Dailys 6:30 a.m.
Cost: Free members
      Free non-members
Location: Meet in Dining Room
Description: This month we'd like to put the spotlite on a group that already shines. 'Striders' is a walking club filled with members who believe that both exercise and social activities are important to a Seniors' physical and emotional health. The Striders want to stay fit, but enjoy doing this at their own pace while enjoying the company of others. Striders walk from 1/2 mile to 2 miles at a time. They walk on the paths around the Patton State Hospital grounds varying according to individual members. The group is open to anyone interested in 'walking for health.' They meet Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 7:00 a.m. at the Highland Senior Center. This time was chosen to avoid smog and the heat. Anyone wishing to join this active group or just interested in more information may come to the dining room of the Highland Senior Center before 6:30 a.m. any Monday, Wednesday, or Friday morning. So put your best foot forward and come on out.
Yoga Teacher Goes World Wide
By: Mike Sylva
Yuki Kugimiya, our Yoga instructor, is now recognized worldwide! Yuki was already trained in Sendo, but wanted to expanded on what he knew. He then went back to school, attending the Bodden Institute for Yoga Holistic Studies, a registered Yoga School with the International Yoga Alliance which consists of over 55 countries.

After completing 200 hours of learning additional physical and theoretical aspects of Yoga, he also had to do a practicum, actually teaching to students. He spent every weekend for 6 month going to classes and doing homework. He did very well, not only becoming certified but also graduating as their valedictorian.

Now Yuki is able to teach yoga in over 55 different countries (although he plans to stay with us for many years). Congratulations to Yuki for this outstanding achievement. You can congratulate him yourself, or take some yoga lessons. Just stop by the exercise room on Wednesdays and Fridays at 10:00 am for a stress free time.