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Community Corner

Boomers, This One's for You

Time to dispel some myths and outdated impressions of the Senior Center of the 21st Century. This is not your grandma's senior center.

Listen up boomers. It's time to put aside all your outdated, pre-conceived notions and take a closer look at the San Ramon Alcosta Senior and Community Center.

I guarantee you'll be surprised by all the new activities and programs aimed at active seniors. Trust me, this is not your grandma's senior center.

I met recently with the senior center's Program Manager, Teri Mountford, and longtime volunteer, Nido Paras, for a center update.

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Paras leads the newly formed San RamonTrailblazers walking/hiking group. If your new year's resolutions include getting more exercise, the Trailblazers is just what you're looking for.

Meeting since June, the group gathers Wednesday mornings at parks and trails throughout the Tri-Valley for an invigorating three-plus mile roundtrip. From time to time, they venture out over the hills to such exotic destinations as Lake Chabot. 

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"It's not just a hiking group," explains Paras. "It's very social, and there's something in it for everyone." One hike in Danville, Paras explains, ends with coffee and breakfast. 

They maintain a brisk pace, says Paras, but the walk/hikes are geared for all fitness levels, so don't worry if you haven't laced up your hiking boots in a while.

Paras would like to see more men participate. "Most of the regular hikers in the group are women," says Paras.

For more information about the San Ramon Trailblazers, contact the Senior Center, or e-mail trailblazer88@comcast.net. You might even catch up with your humble columnist out on the trail.

If you prefer your cardio with a Latin twist, watch for Zumba Gold classes, beginning next spring. A kinder, gentler version of the popular high energy Latin infused Zumba workouts, sessions combine Latin music with salsa dance moves. 

Tennis anyone? Table tennis, that is. The table is available for open play most afternoons. Or get a group of friends together and play a round of bocce ball. They even have a pool table down the hall. Equipment for these games can be checked out at the front desk.

Feel like getting away from it all? The center has got you covered. The travel desk has information about an upcoming trip to Costa Rica, scheduled for the end of January.

Another excursion in the planning stages is an Eastern Caribbean cruise in early March. How about a little southern hospitality in the spring? A trip to Charleston, Savannah, and Jekyll Island is scheduled for mid-April. 

Volunteer opportunities abound at the San Ramon facility. The Encore Volunteer Program is designed to match recent retirees interested in offering their expertise to help out at the center with available positions.

"We're trying to reach out to boomers, developing job descriptions for people who are retiring and have skills that they want to bring to the center," says Mountford. 

Grant writing, marketing, and publicity are just a few of the openings currently in development. Other volunteer opportunities requiring special skills include instructors for computer classes, and computer docents to work one on one in the computer room. Mountford is currently looking for an instructor to lead a class on social networking.

The center is also a wealth of information and resources. To address issues boomers face with aging parents, a new program, called "Wisdom Wednesdays," provides free informational workshops. Topics include, managing stress through the holidays, fall prevention, fraud targeting seniors, and critical conversations – how to get loved ones' wishes in writing.

"There are a lot of seminars and workshops on those topics," says Mountford, but most of them are held in central county, in Concord and Pleasant Hill, that have a larger population. We're hoping to bring more of these to this end of the county."

The center wants to hear from you. Do you have an idea or suggestion for an activity or program you would like to see offered?

If so, you are invited to attend the monthly meetings of The Senior Advisory Committee. Appointed by the City Council, the committee is the liaison between seniors and staff. Meetings are held at the senior center at 4 p.m. every first Monday.

There are currently openings on the committee, so if you are interested in applying for a position, contact the senior center.

Finally, watch your e-mail box for a survey, due out after the first of the year, to reach out to San Ramon seniors who are not familiar with the senior center. 

They especially want to hear from boomers who may be seeking services for their parents, or looking for volunteer opportunities, and getting their feedback on interests and suggestions for types of services, programs, and activities – to attract a wide range of San Ramon's senior population.

Now that I've dispelled all the myths about San Ramon's senior center, you've gotta check it out. Shoot some pool, or get your bocce on.

Oh, did I mention you can get a bottomless cup of coffee for 50 cents? Seriously, where can you beat that?

Holiday gift wrapping free for seniors from 9 a.m. to noon on Monday at the Alcosta Senior and Community Center 9300 Alcosta Blvd. Call 925-973-3250 for more information. This event is provided by Cal High Interact Club and sponsored by the San Ramon Rotary Club.

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