May 21st- Spring Luncheon

Join us for this spring event and hear music from the Cutler Middle School Jazz Band.

Menu: Cornish Hen, Mashed Potatoes, Grave, Monaco Blend Beans and then Peach Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream.
Cost: $12 until May 17, $15 after.

Saturday, May 11th- SECOND ANNUAL MYSTIC MIXED DOUBLES PICKLEBALL TOURNAMENT A “warm-up” for Connecticut Masters’ Games.

Location: Groton Community Center
Format: Mixed Doubles Round Robin
A Division= Advanced @ 8 am
B Division=Intermediate @ 1 pm
C Division=Recreational Sunday 10 am -3 pm
$20 PER PERSON  (includes tee shirt & snacks for all registered participants)
Registration deadline: May 6th  Register online at www.grotonrec.com or in person at the Groton Senior Center.
Questions?   Call the Center 860-441-6785.

May 10th -Rotary Club Dinner

Time: 5:00pm

Bring your friends and enjoy a wonderful dinner with a kind and giving group for a great cause! Menu: Grilled Chicken Breast, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Green Beans, dessert Cost: $7.00 Registration deadline: May 8th Proceeds support the Rotary Club Scholarship program.

NEW STAFF MEMBER: TOMI STANLEY

Please join us in welcoming our newest team member, Tomi Stanley. A lifelong resident of Groton, she is extremely involved within our community, family and sons school.

A certified Therapeutic Recreation Director and has worked/volunteered in the recreational field for over 20 years. Tomi’s responsibilities will be to implement  Discover Connections program (see page 8) and to manage the volunteer program at the center. She also will support the Full Time program supervisors and assist with other programs the center offers.

As Tomi said, “ I look forward to being very active within my role at the senior center, meeting all of the great folks that utilize the center  and am excited to be involved in all of the great activities that are offered.”

 

ACCREDITATION TIME AGAIN

Your center staff here is always working hard on several things but one biggie is that we are working towards obtaining the National Institute of Senior Centers Accreditation. Groton Senior Center was first accredited in 2004. We want to  keep this important status going.

It is important to be accredited as doing so recognizes that the center meets a high level of standards that are set nationally for senior centers, the center is meeting its mission, assures consumers that we offer quality programs and services and that we are a viable, fundable and qualified provider.

A large benefit of being accredited is that grant providers know we provide quality programs and it is recognized in the grant application process. The process can take six to eighteen months to complete accreditation so please bear with us as we meet all the criteria to benefit your center and you!

 

MARY JO OUR GRANT WRITING QUEEN

For this 2019-2020 year in grants, we received an National Recreation and Park Association grant to train instructors in the Fit & Strong program. This fitness program focuses on those with mobility issues and low fitness levels with the goal of improving their fitness so they are able to function at home and with everyday activities better.

We are also working on a local Pfizer grant, A.A.R.P. grant and a few bank grant applications to help with developing some new programs and supporting some of our older programs.

The process of writing a grant can take two or more months because of the information that is needed to be gathered, putting together realistic goals and objectives and a budget.  Once you have received a grant, aside from implementing the program or service that was written about, there are usually follow up reports and objectives you must meet to sustain the grant.

All that work pays off quite well though. Overall, Mary Jo says “it’s rewarding to be able to start some new programs that benefit people 55+ in our community.”

 

December 3-10th – Overnight Trip to DISCOVER AMERICA’S MUSIC CITIES HOLIDAY

Featuring New Orleans, Memphis & Nashville

with Collette

*TRIP PRESENTATTION –  Monday, April 8th at 1 pm*

 It is free yet registration is required please.

Call 860-441-6623 or email cmorrison@groton-ct.gov for detailed flyer.

Groton Senior Center is a division of Groton Town Parks & Recreation Dept. hence most trips are not just for Groton seniors – most are open to the public.