Contents
And We’re Off!
A Day in the Life
Volunteers Needed
Golf Fundraiser
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The finches are back in our lobby. Music and happy conversation once again echoe in our rooms. Opening day at Friendship Center arrived August 2. Life is only a little different for the time being. We’ve got masks and separate cohorts, sanitizing and social distancing. This is our interim, risk-mitigated step toward fully reopening just as soon as it’s safe.
What’s important is members are together again, revisiting old friendships and embracing new ones with the unique blend of laughter and purpose that Friendship Center has brought to our community since 1976.
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The Method to Our Jolly Madness
Social, Emotional, Cognitive and Physical: Friendship Center’s daily program is designed for fun with a purpose. Exercising these four facets of healthy human life informs our planned activities.
Please take a moment to enjoy images of a typical day in the life of Friendship Center!
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Social: Coffee, Tea, Lemonade & Chat
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Each cohort begins it’s day with a meet and greet over coffee, tea, lemonade or water. Above, Esther who can craft an amusing anecdote about anything from breakfast foods to outer space, opens up the conversation with interesting questions, jokes and witty repartee. Typical topics include anything from first jobs to first loves. You’d be amazed by the stories our members have to share!
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Some might prefer continuing their life-long morning ritual of coffee and a newspaper, and that’s OK too!
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Physical: Warm Up, Cheer Up
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After members are properly hydrated and signed in, the group enjoys a simple, energizing chair exercise routine. Chair exercises focus on breathing, gentle stretches and easy cardio. From head to toes, we warm up and prepare ourselves for fun! Here Laurie opens up the chest and shoulders with a simple invigorating breathing exercise, a move also known to boost happiness!
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Cognitive & Social:
Art & Chat
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Julie describes the intricacies of nature collages, above, and Ana creates paper sunflowers with coffee ground centers, below.
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The next time you’re in Trader Joe’s please thank them for the bounty of flowers they donate to Friendship Center! Flower arranging is not just fun and social. The activity exercises manual dexterity and creativity. Members enjoy creating lovely, fragrant bouquets to bring home to loved ones.
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Emotional & Cognitive: Music
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Singing and music are a daily feature of Friendship Center’s activities schedule. Why? Singing and listening to songs from our childhoods and young adulthoods is not only emotionally comforting, but brain scientists know that that musical memory is among the most hearty and long-lasting.
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Singing Down Memory Lane with Carol Ann
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Carol Ann Manzi, internationally acclaimed operatic soprano, brings her beautiful voice to Friendship Center as part of SBCC’s Vitality Program. to Friendship Center.
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A typical snack menu includes a protein and a fruit. Yogurt compote is a member favorite, with yogurt topped chopped fruit, granola and nuts. Amazing Deviled Eggs with a side of veggies is also a fan favorite.
Our lovely chef Christine whips up delicious, healthy snacks for both the morning and afternoon cohorts. Tossing a touch of basil brings out unique flavors in both watermelon and lemonade. Who knew that trick? Christine did. Christine gets her basil from Friendship Center’s relaxation garden.
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Christine often draws inspiration from the calendar. National Potato Day inspired Christine to make fresh warm potato salad paired with a garden-fresh salad. National Banana Day featured healthy, lactose-free and delicious banana splits. (We’re not sure what to do with Bald Is Beautiful Day, September 13, though we hope Manny V. wears his “With a bod this great, who needs hair” shirt.)
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Cognitive: Games, Puzzles
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Word games, puzzles, and everyone’s favorite Bingo are a great way to exercise our cognitive selves and elevate moods. Each day at Friendship Center includes games.
Always a fan favorite with members, we play other games during the day, but nothing tops the fun sociability of Bingo. If you’re lucky enough to be part of Ana’s group, above, you’re treated to Spanish/English bilingual Bingo.
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Can you guess the word association meaning on Esther’s white board? Here’s a hint: a retired sheriff knew the answer and delivered it with so much authority some of us froze in our spots.
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By Rachel Graef, Program Manager
If you love being unapologetically authentic, want to learn about amazing life experiences, and get more involved in the Santa Barbara community, I encourage you to give volunteering at Friendship Center a try!
We need . . .
ENTERTAINERS! Trust me . . . you have a talent! Music, singing, dancing, exercising, baking, teaching, art ~ sky’s the limit!
COMPANIONSHIP for our members. Through conversation, games, providing comfort ~ create individualized experiences for individual or small groups. A great opportunity to reminisce!
TECH-SAVVY folks to help with our website design.
WRITERS to assist with blogs, newsletters, and grant writing.
Note we have no age requirements. Opportunities can be in-person or remote, though in-person folks must be able to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination status.
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You swing, Friendship Center wins!
The Santa Barbara Association of Realtors is doing it again! This time, instead of delicious Mexican food from Los Agaves Restaurant, the SBOAR is holding a golf tournament fundraiser Friday, Sept. 10 to benefit Friendship Center. Check below for more information.
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Make Friendship Center Your Amazon Charity and Donate While You Shop! Amazon will donate .05% of your purchase to Friendship Center at no extra cost to you.
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Virtual Programming to Continue as We Transition
At Friendship Center, we foster strong partnerships with family caregivers. Even as we transition toward in-person services, we will still continue with Zoom services in some capacity. Staff is still available to show caregivers how to help members stay connected via Zoom.
Keeping our members engaged with friends and activities while we implement the transition back to in-person activities is our continued goal. We are here to make this possible.
For more information about enrolling, please contact Family Services Manager Kim Larsen at: kim@friendshipcentersb.org or (805) 969-0859, ext. 2.
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CCL Licensing Santa Barbara: #421701581 | CCL Licensing # Goleta: #425801731
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