Van Cortlandt Senior Center January 2007 Schedule

Van Cortlandt Senior Center January 2007, 3880 Sedgwick Ave., Bronx NY
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
1) Holiday
8) 10:30 Aerobics - Doriana	9) 9:45 Dance - Caroline
15) Holiday				19) 10:00 Yoga - Neem
22) 10:30 Aerobics - Doriana	23) 9:45 Dance - Caroline		25) Bazaar	26) 9:00 Bazaar
29) 10:30 Aerobics - Doriana

New York State, its strange way of distributing funds
December 13, 2006 Sen. Efrain Gonzalez was indicted for mail fraud and theft of federal funds.
In the June 29, 2006 edition of The Riverdale Press there is a front page article State grants: helping hand or slush fund? written by Joshua Payne. Here are two paragraphs from the story.
....
In a process shrouded in secrecy and driven by politics, each year state senators and assembly members receive funds, known as "member items," to distribute at their discretion within their districts.
....
Sen. Gonzalez -- whose district encompasses parts of Kingsbridge, Kingsbridge Heights, Van Cortlandt Village and Fieldston -- did not return calls seeking to find out what he does with the money.
Note: Sen. Gonzalez is my state senator.

August 25, 2006 - Sen. Efrain Gonzalez was indicted today. The indictment accused him of a scheme to defraud the West Bronx Neighborhood Association.

At last! a few mornings during which coffee will be served. The dates are Dec. 18, Dec. 20 and Dec. 22.
Exercise Schedule for December 2006 at the Van Cortlandt Senior Center
Dec 4, 10:30 Aerobics with Doriana
Dec 5 9:45 Dance Movement with Caroline
Dec 8 10:00 Yoga with Neem
Dec 18 10:30 Aerobics with Doriana
Dec 19 9:45 Dance Movement with Caroline

December 7, a good lunch of poached salmon was served

Van Cortlandt Senior Center November 2006, 3880 Sedgwick Ave., Bronx NY
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
		8:30 Event Trip Volunteer Recognition Day 10:00 Exercise w/Sylvia 11:00 Knitting	10:00 Exercise w/Sylvia 11:00 Topic: Fall Prevention-with Camille Buffa, RN 1:00 Movie	10:00 Gentle Yoga * 11:00 Gardening 11:15 Folk Tales 1:15 Bingo
November 6 10:00 Painting* 10:30 Senior Fitness* 1:45 Short Stories	9:45 Movement* 10:45 Conversational Yiddish 1:00 Menu Committee 1:00 Movie	10:00 Exercise w/Sylvia 10:30 Art* 11:00 Knitting 1:15 Current Events*	10:00 Exercise w/Sylvia 10:45 City Island 10:45 Sing Along 1:00 Movie	10:00 Gentle Yoga * 11:00 Trivia w/Freida 11:30 VNS-Hospicewith Janeen Thompson,RN 1:00 Line Dancing*
November 13 10:00 Painting* 10:30 Senior Fitness* 1:00 Advisory Council 1:15 Nutrition	9:45 Exercise Video 10:45 I Remember When 1:00 Movie	10:00 Exercise w/Sylvia 10:30 Art* 11:00 Knitting 1:15 Current Events*	November 16 10:00 Exercise w/Sylvia 1:00 Musical Program - Jerry Ascher, "Waltzing Through the Years"	10:00 Gentle Yoga * 11:00 Stamp Sale 1:00 Bingo with Elsie
November 20 10:00 Painting* 1:00 Welcoming Committee 1:45 Short Stores	9:45 Movement* 10:45 Conversational Yiddish 1:00 JPAC w/Bola Aribidesi 1:00 NYC Dept. of Health, flu shots Preregistration required.	10:00 Exercise w/Sylvia 10:30 Creating Joy* 11:00 Knitting 1:00 Entertainment Doriana and friends!!!!	Thanksgiving Closed
November 27 10:00 Painting* 10:30 Senior Fitness* 1:15 Bingo	9:45 Movement* 1:00 Movie	9:00 Atlantic City 10:00 Exercise w/Sylvia 10:30 Ready New York Steve Balicer LMSW, and the American Red Cross 11:00 Knitting	10:00 Exercise w/Sylvia 10:45 Sing Along 1:00 Movie

Make up day, Sunday November 12 ENTERTAINMENT: STEPHEN AXELROD, one man show about finding oneself as a Jewish man. 1:00 P.M.

A little more than two hours ago a small plane crashed into a building two blocks north of New York Hospital. It's time for flights to be disallowed along the East River. This could have been catastrophic.

The October schedule has been revised. Some items have had their days shifted.

Oct. 3: I went to City Island, it was a beautiful day, perfect for such an excursion. Most than two dozen people went, most ate at the Lobster House, which provided a choice of dinners for $15.00. Everyone who had the meal enjoyed it thoroughly. The entrees that I know were served were; shrimp scampi, lobster, filet of sole, salmon filet. I saw the salmon portion, it was huge. My friend and I enjoyed strolling along City Island Avenue.

VAN CORTLANDT SENIOR CENTER - 3880 SEDGWICK AVENUE - BRONX, N.Y. 10463 REVISED Doriana Castro, Exercise * Larry Alboum, Painting * Peter Heller, Current Events/Short Stories * Caroline Grant , Movement * * Alisha Diamond Saltzman, Art * Neem Dewji, Yoga *Rose & Meir Beer, Line Dancing
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
OCTOBER 2 CLOSED Makeup on Sunday, Oct 29	OCTOBER 3 10:00 Exercise Video 11:00 City Island 1:00 Movie	OCTOBER 4  9:45 Trip- Farmers Market 10:00 Exercise w/Sylvia 11:00 Knitting 1:15 Current Events *	OCTOBER 5 10:00 Exercise w/Sylvia 10:45 Sing Along* 1:00 Movie	OCTOBER 6 10:00 Gentle Yoga * 11:00 Gardening 11:00 Health & Wellness Andrea Brooks - cancelled   1:00 Bingo
OCTOBER 9 10:00 Painting * 10:30 Senior Fitness * 1:00 Advisory Council 1:45 Short Stories*	OCTOBER 10 Exercise video 10:45 Conversational Yiddish l:00 Movie	OCTOBER 11 10:00 Exercise w/Sylvia 10:30 Art* 11:00 Knitting 1:00Visit-SSDS	OCTOBER 12 9:30 - Galleria CANCELLED 10:00 Exercise w/Sylvia  1:00 Movie	OCTOBER 13 10:00 Exercise Video 11:00  Oneg Shabbat    1:00   Line Dancing*
OCTOBER 16 10:00 Painting * 10:30 Senior Fitness * 1:00 Topic: Fall Prevention	OCTOBER 17 9:45 Movement* 11:00 I Remember When 1:00 Movie	OCTOBER 18 10:00 Exercise w/Sylvia 10:30  Art* 11:00  Knitting 1:15  Current Events*	OCTOBER 19 9:00 Bazaar 10:00 Exercise w/Sylvia 10:45 Sing Along* 1:00  Movie	OCTOBER 20 9:00 Bazaar 10:00 Gentle Yoga *  11:00 JPAC  12:45 RAFFLE DRAWING 1:00 Bingo
OCTOBER 23 10:00 Painting * 11:30 Gen Mem Mtg 1:45   Short Stories*	OCTOBER 24 9:45 Movement* 10:30 Wave Hill/Alisha 10:45 Conversational Yiddish 1:00  Movie	OCTOBER 25 10:00 Exercise w/Sylvia 11:00 Knitting 1:00 James Cannings, entertainment	OCTOBER 26 10:00 Exercise w/Sylvia 1:00  Movie	OCTOBER 27 10:00 Exercise Video 11:00 Stamp Sale 11:15 Folk Tales w/Sharon 1:00 Line Dancing*	OCTOBER 29 SUNDAY MAKE-UP DAY w/Ricky Penn-Guitar
OCTOBER 30 10:00 Painting 10:30 Senior Fitness * 1:15 Program Comm.	OCTOBER 31 9:45 Exercise Video 10:00 NORC

September 29, chicken was scheduled but now salisbury steak has replaced it. September 27, I wasn't at the center but the combination of beef brisket and after lunch entertainment packed them in, more than 120 people came. September 22, chicken failed to be delivered, defrosted stuffed cabbage substituted
August 30, fresh fish
August 28, September 18, kielbasa
August 22, chicken salad
Week 2, Wednesday August 9, fresh fish; Friday August 11, BBQ Chicken; the disgusting choices of kielbasa or egg salad coupled with beans and cabbage is scheduled for Thursday.
For the first week of August, there are only two meals worth mentioning, fresh fish on Tuesday and basil chicken on Friday.
Reality CheckOn Friday, August 4 the choices were stuffed cabbage and egg salad.
On August 1 I went to the adult day camp at the Kaufman Campground. Fortunately, I brought my own sandwich. The main dish was lasagna, made with tomato paste, over cooked lasagna noodles and something else. I had the salad and vegetables and a little sample before tossing the lasagna.

Van Cortlandt Senior Center, 3880 Sedgwick Ave. July 17 - July 21 Main Dish, lunch served at noon, contribution $1.50
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
White Fish Loaf	Knockwurst or Egg Salad	Turkey Cutlet with Mushroom Gravy	Fresh Fish	Roasted Chicken

Van Cortlandt Senior Center September 2006, 3880 Sedgwick Ave., Bronx NY
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
				1) Trip to Bronx Zoo
Closed-Labor Day	5) 9:45 Caroline Grant, Dance Movement	6) 9:15 Farmers Market at Botanical Gardens 10:30 Art with Alisha		8) 10:00 Yoga with Neem Dewji
11) 10:30 Aerobics with Doriana Castro	12) White Plains Shopping Trip	13) Atlantic City 10:30 Art with Alisha	14) 1:30 Norm Curtis, keyboard	15) 10:00 Yoga with Neem Dewji
18) 10:30 Aerobics with Doriana Castro, canceled	19) 9:45 Caroline Grant, Dance Movement	20) Creating Joy with Alisha		22) 10:00 Yoga
25) 10:30 Aerobics with Doriana Castro	26) Dance Movement with Caroline		28) Trip to Botanical Gardens 11:00 Scrapbook with Lora

August Schedule
Friday August 4, 10 a.m. Trudi Bacon conducted the yoga class.
Monday August 7, 10:30 a.m. Doriana leads aerobics
Tuesday August 8, 9:45 a.m. Caroline leads dance movement
Wednesday August 9 10:30 a.m. Alisha encourages art
Friday August 11, 10 a.m. Neem leads yoga
Wednesday August 16, 10:30 a.m. Alisha Diamond Saltzman teaches art
Friday August 18, 10 a.m. Neem leads yoga
Tuesday August 22, 9:45 a.m. Caroline leads dance movement
Thursday August 24, 10:00 a.m. Trudi Bacon lead yoga
Friday August 25, Bronx Zoo trip - heavy downpours and tornado warning caused the trip to be cancelled.

I am happy to report that every Monday in August Doriana Castro is scheduled to do aerobics at 10:30 a.m. She wasn't able to make it on August 28, we saw a Richard Simmons video. I enjoyed it but Doriana's classes are unique.

Van Cortlandt Senior Center, 3880 Sedgwick Ave. Main Dish, lunch served at noon, contribution $1.50
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Veal	Fresh fish	Stuffed cabbage	Salmon Salad	BBQ Chicken

I received an email from Oliver Koppell, my city councilman. Part of it states: [KoppellReport] city budget .... Senior centers also benefited from a long-awaited increase of 35 cents per meal in their food budget and an increase in their transportation budget.... ******************************************************************** We'll see if the menus in the weeks to come reflect any changes.

July 3 - 7 2006, Main Dish, donation $1.50 Van Cortlandt Senior Center, 3880 Sedgwick Ave., Bronx NY
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Tilapia	Closed	Sliced turkey breast	BBQ Chicken	Turkey Burger

Van Cortlandt Senior Center July 2006, 3880 Sedgwick Ave., Bronx NY
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
July 3 10:00 Painting 10:30 Exercise 1:15 Movie High ozone alert at midday	Happy Fourth of July!	July 5 9:45 Exercise with Sylvia 11:00 Knitting with Marge 1:15 Current Events with P. Heller intense downpour in the morning	July 6 10:00 Exercise 1:00 Music with the Generation Gap	July 7 10:00 Yoga with Neem 11:00 Book Review with F. Emenkel 1:15 Bingo
10) 10:00 Painting 10:30 Aerobics with Dorianna 1:00 Program Committee 1:30 Short Story with P. Heller	11) 9:45 Dance Movement with Caroline 10:45 Conversational Yiddish with Sarah 1:00 Scrapbook with Lora	12) 9:45 Exercise with Sylvia 11:00 Knitting with Marge 1:15 Current Events with P. Heller	13) 10:00 Exercise 10:45 Sing Along with Marilyn 1:00 Bingo	14) 10:00 Yoga with Neem 1:15 Birthday party for Roz and Irving
17) 10:00 Painting 10:30 Aerobics with Dorianna 1:30 Short Story with P. Heller bad air day, ozone	18) 9:45 Exercise 11:00 I remember when with Elsie 1:00 Scrapbook with Lora Unhealthy air alert	19) 9:45 Exercise 10:30 Art with Alisha 11:00 Knitting with Marge 1:15 Current Events with P. Heller	20) 10:00 Exercise 11:00 JPAC , Bola Aribidesi, Speaker 1:00 Birthday Party with Alan Bates' Musical Percussion!	21) 10:00 Yoga with Neem 11:00 Folktales with Sharon 1:00 Line Dancing with Rose Meir
24) 10:00 Painting 10:30 Aerobics with Dorianna 1:30 Short Story with P. Heller	25) 9:45 Dance Movement with Caroline 10:45 Conversational Yiddish with Sarah 1:00 Scrapbook with Lora	26) 9:45 Exercise 10:30 Creating Joy with Alisha 11:00 Knitting with Marge 1:15 Welcoming and Sunshine Committee	27) 10:00 Exercise 10:45 Sing Along with Marilyn 1:00 Bingo	28) Trip to Cross County Mall
31) 10:00 Painting 10:30 Aerobics with Dorianna 1:15 Movie

June 26 to June 30 Van Cortlandt Senior Center 3880 Sedgwick Ave., Bronx, NY
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Chef Salad	Baked Fish with Dill	Chicken Cutlet	Turkey Meat Loaf	BBQ Chicken

I sent a copy of my message to DFTA to JASA. Amy Chalfy, Bronx District Director, JASA contacted me and assured me there are no plans to shut the center down. It's that old problem that DFTA only measures the success of senior centers by the attendance at the lunch. There's a lot more to the Van Cortlandt Senior Center than lunch. Someone from DFTA also called me and said there are no plans to shut the center. ******************************************************************************* I sent this message to the NYC Department for the Aging today. There are rumors that the Van Cortlandt Senior Center in the Bronx might be shut down. I hope not, as I attend several times a week. If it is closed, would JASA be able to keep the money allocated for this center? I hope the arrogant ones who run JASA would pay a price if they shut Van Cortlandt down.

Van Cortlandt Senior Center June 19-30 2006, 3880 Sedgwick Ave., Bronx NY
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
June 19 10:30 Dorianna - aerobics Bad Air Day	June 20 9:45 Caroline Grant - dance movement	June 21 9:45 Jon Rigai - stretching		June 23 10:00 Neem - Yoga
June 26 10:30 Dorianna - aerobics	June 27 9:45 Caroline Grant - dance movement	June 28 9:45 Exercise with Sylvia		June 30 10:00 Neem - Yoga

Jon Rigai announced that after June 21 he will be gone for five weeks. Someone should take his place, I'll post as soon as I learn the new schedule.
Friday, June 23, there was a smaller than usual group for lunch. Last night the NORC office based at the Amalgamated Co-Op had sponsored a dinner and boat ride around Manhattan. People who went on that cruise didn't return home until midnight. Apparently, a large number were too tired to come to the center today.

The times they are a changin'

On May 24 Bob Dylan will be 65. The hippie generation begins to take over the senior centers. These places are long overdue for change. Exercise, nutrition and the belief in self empowerment. No father knows best. That means the day of the arrogant policy planners in organizations such as JASA (Jewish Association for Services for the Aged) is ending. You are answerable to us, the people who receive services you are paid to deliver.

We had a community meeting at the V.C. senior center. The Dept. for the Aging, NYC only judges centers by the number of people who eat lunch. Other issues that have impact on the quality of the life of the elderly are hard to measure and are ignored. Once again the issue was not enough people showing up for the congregate meal, average 70, need 80 to be an adequate senior center. The executive director announced that complaints about the small quantity of food per meal were being addressed and that portions were now larger.

When it was open mike time, I suggested we have more of a relationship with the elementary school children who are upstairs in the same building. For instance, sharing our histories. Someone amended what I said to say we should encourage the youngsters and their parents to tell us about them. Good idea.

May 11, students from the Solomon Schecter School were due at 11:15 am for a Mother's Day Program. I waited until 11:45, left. I saw them arrive but continued walking. It was inconsiderate of them to be half an hour late. It interfered with serving lunch, and the center is on a tight budget, overtime pay is out of the question.

I sent this message to the NYC Dept. for the Aging from their website:

I would like to learn how meals are funded at senior centers. I belong to the Van Cortlandt Village Senior Center sponsored by JASA. I did a search with the keyword meals, and all recent references were unavailable.
May 6, no reply to my question. May 12, no reply.