Old Lyme Town Band Summer Concert
Old Lyme Town Band Summer Concert will be Wednesday, May 25th at 6:00pm (Rain date: Thursday, May 26th same time) The concert will be held outside so don’t forget your lawn chair! Feel free to make a night of it and bring your dinner if you would like!
Joe Mac is Back!!!
Join us on Tuesday, May 17th at 1:00pm (Rain date: Wednesday, May 18th, same time) as we welcome come back Singer Joe Mac and Friends as they entertain us with Rock and Roll from the 50’s and 60’s. This concert will be outdoors so make sure and bring a lawn chair. Feel free to bring your dancing shoes as well.
Your Veterans Benefits – CONTENT BY JUDY
If you served in the military and have an honorable discharge your level of VA benefits varies according to a whole lot of factors. When you served. Where you served. How long you were in. Plus, other details.
But the good news is there is someone out there waiting to help you figure out which benefits you are entitled to.
And I used the word “entitled” because they are your benefits. You earned them by serving and you deserve them.
And remember things are always changing. So, if you asked about your VA benefits when you first got out or five years ago. Even last year. Ask again because lots of factors have changed.
I mentioned having an honorable discharge and even that has been relooked at.
Also depending on your service, you might be entitled to things someone else doesn’t get. Or they get something you can’t get.
And regardless there is help out there for all veterans.
Depending on where you live is where you need to go. A great starting point is the VA website and it’s super easy to find. VA.gov. Go to the website and poke around. Its jam packed with information for you.
Check with your Senior Center and Town Hall. They can point you in the right direction. Call your Senator and Representative they can help as well.
Here in Connecticut each town has a Veteran Representative trained to help all veterans. There are VA clinics and VA hospitals. Plus, a growing number of Veterans Coffeehouses.
Ask for guidance. Stop in talk with the folks. Share your story.
Remember to visit VA.gov for the website.
Make some phone calls!
They are waiting to help you!!
Reflections – Content by Judy
Time has a way of passing much faster than we realize. I think they – whoever they are – steal time as we sleep. Haven’t you been shocked when you look in the mirror and see how time has passed. Or looked at your children and been surprised how many years have flown by? And it doesn’t seem possible for all those years have gone by. If you close your eyes and look at yourself as you feel you are, you’re much younger than that darn mirror tells you.
Recently I came across photographer Tom Hussey’s work “Reflections” which shows elderly people looking in the mirror and seeing who they were many years before. A fireman, a nurse, the scholar, the pharmacist, a new mother, a welder.
“Reflections” was inspired by a World War II veteran who said, “I can’t believe I am going to be 80, I feel like I just came back from the war. I look in the mirror and I see this old guy.”
It brings to mind that with retirement and age we lose a big part of our identity. As we enter adulthood we are often asked “What do you want to be?”
But seldom after we retire are, we asked “So what did you used to do?” “Who were you before?”
We have been a big part of building our towns and cities. We have served in many positions be it elected or volunteer. We have been the scout leaders, the umpire, the coaches, the committee member.
And for those of us who feel we might be losing our identity lets share the stories of our past, volunteer to teach others, once again become that committee member, volunteer at the local school, senior center or hospital. Continue to be an active part of the community.
And for those who haven’t reached those later years, the next time you encounter the elders in your community be it at the grocery store, at your place of business or just in passing take a few minutes to find out more about who they are and who they were. You will be surprised just who you are talking to!
Content by Judy – Like us on Facebook
We hope you’re enjoying this newsletter and the information you get on SeniorCenterCt.org. “Like us on Facebook” and you’ll see a great number of articles covering a wide range of topics. We’re also on Twitter and LinkedIn. And we just started doing Instagram!
We’re everywhere and growing! For the first quarter of 2018 we have 3,936 users on 5,620 sessions with 18,907 pageviews! Watch on Facebook for the chart that shows our growth from the time we started in 2016.
Tell your family and friends about SeniorCenterCt.org and to “like us on Facebook” so they are up to date too.
Thanks for your support – Judy