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A Thank You Note to Our Volunteers
Center Hosts Cuban Internet Activists
More Medals! Fairfield Picklers Do It Again
By Terry Giegengack
The Newsletter of the Bigelow Center for Senior ActivitiesVolume 26, Number 7 July, 2016
fairfieldseniortimeswe care for those who cared for us
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Yaima Pardo, Cuban Filmmaker, Luisa Campos Gallardo, Director of National Literacy Museum in Havana, Terry Giegengack, Professor Michelle Farrell, Professor Beth Boquet. Absent from photo: Catherine Murphy, Filmmaker.
The recent thaw in rela-tions between the U.S. and Cuba holds the promise that exchanges between the two former adversaries will benefit both countries. At the request of Fairfield Uni-versity Professor Mi-chelle Farrell, a special-ist in Cuban film, the Bigelow Center recent-ly hosted a roundtable discussion with Luisa Campos Gallardo, Di-rector of the National Literacy Museum in Havana, Ms. Yaima Pardo, Cuban Filmmaker on the Digital Literacy Campaign, Catherine Murphy, director of the film Maestra, and Fairfield University Professor of Literature, Beth Boquet.
Recently, 17 Bigelow Center Pickleball players competed in and eight won medals in the Connecti-cut Master Games.Pickleball is said by many to be the fast-est growing sport in the U.S. The Bigelow Center now boasts more than 190 registered pickleball players.The medal winners are: Dan Pechtol, Bronze for men's doubles; Tina Sirico, Gold for Wom-en’s Doubles in the 70+ age category; and Steve Front row left to right: Tina Sirico, Betsy Hulme, Maryann
Charmoz. Back row left to right: Tom Lowrie, Steve Sirico, Betty Blake, Bill Cox, Dan Pechtol.
A few years ago when my son was a fresh graduate with a finance degree, he talked about good deeds and good karma. He spoke about the idea of do-ing something good solely for its own sake. This wasn’t exactly a new idea, but impressive to hear from a young man looking for a job at the begin-ning of a recession. He inspired me to reach beyond my comfort zone and consider the challenges and rewards of a new job.
Our volunteers reach beyond their comfort zone and extend themselves to help others. They do so for many reasons: but no matter what the rea-son, they have all given something of great value to others. Perhaps it was just a phone call to a new member to see how he or she liked the Big-elow Center; or a call to a new Pacer to make sure he or she knew where the walking group was meeting that morning. Perhaps someone called you and asked for your help… to lead a bus trip, cut the birthday cake, teach a class, help work on a new computer program, organize a senior discount business directory, plant flowers, proof read the newsletter, design a new outdoor sign or take charge of helping other volunteers who serve lunch.
Whatever your contribution, wheth-
Page 2 July, 2016
At The Movies In July
Every Friday at 12:45
Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro — Joy is the intriguing story of a family spanning four generations. It centers on a girl (Lawrence) who ultimately founds a business dynasty and becomes a powerful matriarch. As family boss and enterprise chief, she faces a world of unforgiving commerce. Betrayal, treachery, the loss of innocence and the scars of love all contribute to this intense emotional and human comedy. “Engrossing, moving, funny and filled with charismatic performances and emotional delight.” 124 minutes.
July 8 — Joy (2015) ½
Christopher Plummer, Martin Landau — With help from fellow Holocaust survivor Max (Landau), Zev (Plummer), a recent widower struggling with memory loss, escapes from his retirement home and embarks on a cross-country odyssey to find Otto Wallisch. Wallisch immigrated to North America under the false name Rudy Kurlander and was the former Nazi Blockführer (block leader) responsible for murdering their families at Auschwitz. “Christopher Plummer puts on a master class in acting.” 94 minutes.
July 15 — Remember (2016)
Cuban Internet From Page 1
Fairfield Picklers From Page 1 “Friends” Seek Support
Diana Elizabeth Torres, Yutaka Takeuchi — Written and directed by Anthony Lucero, East Side Sushi tells the story of Juana (Torres), a Mexican-American single mother who finds renewed purpose by attempting to become a sushi chef. She must somehow overcome some pretty tough obstacles—both cultural and gender-based—that stand in the way of her dream. Sushi chefs are known for their supreme control over the cutting board. That’s exactly the kind of power Juana seeks. “Charming and wonderfully meticulous.” 100 minutes.
July 22 — East Side Sushi (2015)
The presentation given by Ms. Gallar-do and Ms. Pardo was very compel-ling. They explained that just before the Cuban Missile Crisis, Fidel Cas-tro spearheaded a literacy campaign. The government realized there was a very high rate of illiteracy in Cuba, particularly among rural peoples. All schools were closed and the govern-ment recruited 230,000 professionals and trained 34,000 volunteers, each of whom went to a rural home with few amenities, became a working mem-ber of the family and on the off hours, taught the family members to read and write. Many volunteers stayed for up to two years. Following this effort, standardized tests were given and the government claimed a 98% literacy rate at the fourth grade level.
Fast forward to today: internet lit-eracy is an issue affecting many Cu-bans. Government offices have inter-net access, schools have some, and internet cafes have opened. But the cafes and other private means are very expensive and access is limited to the wealthy.
Ms. Pardo has produced a film which speaks to the need for the populace and especially all school children to have free internet access. But, says, Ms. Gallardo, current economic con-ditions in Cuba make that a very dif-ficult goal. Another obstacle is the government's fear that free and open internet access could spark internal criticism of the regime and promote content that is regarded by some as immoral and distasteful.
But the internet literacy campaign will continue, and Ms. Pardo hopes that eventually businesses may also gain access. She believes this will help solve some of the country’s eco-nomic woes if people can become in-volved in e-commerce. She remains strongly committed to the cause of internet literacy and is working dili-gently to promote free access to the internet for everyone in Cuba.
Sirico, Gold, Men’s Singles in the 65+ category. Bill Cox won two med-als: Gold Men’s Singles and Silver for Mixed Doubles in the 70+ category. Betsy Hulme, our volunteer pickle-ball coordinator, won a Bronze for Women’s Doubles ages 65+, and Bet-ty Blake won Gold for Women’s Dou-bles in the 80+ category. Tom Lowrie won Gold for Mixed Doubles in the 85-90 category and Maryann Char-moz, Ambassador of the American Pickleball Association, won Bronze for the Women’s Doubles, 55+ cate-gory. The medal winners and Barbara Cox have all qualified to enter the Na-tional Master Games next year. Our congratulations to them all!
The Friends of the Bigelow Center for Senior Activities, Inc. has finally com-pleted its formation. Having under-written the recent Volunteer Appreci-ation Luncheon, it is now in the plan-ning phase for fundraisers, sponsored events and advocacy opportunities in the fall. How can YOU be part of this and support the Bigelow Senior Cen-ter? By making a tax-deductible con-tribution to the Friends, by becoming part of the planning and implementa-tion teams, by being active partici-pants. For more information contact: Marjorie Morresi at 203.330.8685 ([email protected]) or Richard DeAngelis at 203.936.6935 ([email protected])
Page 3July, 2016
July Menu
Tube Steak Trivia for the Fourth...
Senior Community CafeMonday to Friday, 9:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Lunch service begins at 12:00 noon.
July is National Hot Dog Month. One of every four hot dogs and pork sausages consumed on the Fourth of July originate in Iowa. The Hawkeye State was home to 18.9 million hogs and pigs on March 1, 2010. This represents more than one-fourth of the nation’s total. North Carolina (9.1 million) and Minnesota (7.2 million) were the runners-up. Americans eat about 155 million hot dogs on the 4th of July (about 2.3 billion for the whole month of July). 7-Eleven sells the most grilled hot dogs in North America – 100 million annually. On May 31, 2012, the three pound “California Capitol City Dawg” sold for $145.49. Toppings included moose cheese from Sweden.
“America is much more than a geographical fact. It is a political and moral fact—the first community in which men set out in principle to institutionalize freedom, responsible government, and human equality.” — Adlai Stevenson
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY
Cole Slaw
BBQ Chicken
Potato Salad
Corn
Blueberry Pie
4 5 6 7 8
Tossed Salad Egg Drop Soup Mixed Greens Cream of Broccoli
Pot Roast with Pork Chow Mein Penne Pasta with Braised Chicken
Onion Gravy Steamed Rice Shrimp and Peas in Rice
Dutch Noodles Asian Vegetables Garlic Cream Sauce Carrots, Celery,
Root Vegetables Garlic Bread Onion
Melon Mandarin Oranges Tapioca Pudding Pears
11 12 13 14 15
Mushroom Soup Carrot Soup Caesar Salad Vegetable Soup Spinach Salad
Meatloaf with Gravy Chicken Cutlet with Seared Steak Spaghetti & Meatballs Grilled Boneless
Mashed Potatoes Tomato Bruschetta Baked Potato Spinach Pork Chops
Broccoli Mixed Greens with Carrots Garlic bread with Apple Relish
Vinaigrette Au Gratin Potatoes
Brussel Sprouts
Fruit Salad Butterscotch Pudding Fruited Jell-O Ice Cream Fresh Apple
18 19 20 21 22
Pinto Bean Soup Tossed Salad Chicken Soup Mixed Greens French Onion Soup
Beef Brisket BBQ Chicken Roast Loin of Pork Chicken Cordon Bleu Meat Lasagna
Red Cabbage Macaroni & Cheese Wild Rice Blend Sweet Potato Caesar Salad
Potatoes Braised Greens Squash Green beans Garlic Bread
Fruit Salad Pecan Pie Peaches Honeydew Cookies
25 26 27 28 29
Tossed Salad Cauliflower Soup Caesar Salad Sweet Potato Bisque Mixed greens
Baked Ham with Pork Marsala Baked Ziti with Orange Glazed Batter Dipped Fish w/
Raisin Compote Risotto Italian Sausage Chicken Tartar Sauce
Potatoes Sauteed Spinach Peas Roasted Potatoes Tater Tots
Sugar Snap Peas Cauliflower Cole Slaw
Ice Cream Pineapple Chocolate Pudding Banana Cake Fresh Orange
1
Please call Celeste at 203.256.3118 between 9:15 and 10:30 a.m. to register for lunch two days in advance. A $3.00 donation is suggested.
1% or skim milk is provided. Margarine served with all meals. *High in sugar content. **High Salt Content. +High fat.
Menu subject to change.
Page 4 July, 2016
Calendar of Events July 2016
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 1
4 59:00 AARP Driver Safety Class
6 9:30 Henry C. Lee Institute of Forensic Science 10:30 Low Vision Support Group
71:00 Poets’ Roundtable
8 12:45 Movie: Joy
111:00 Z-Health ($5)
12
1310:30 Bye Bye Birdie at Good Speed
14 15 10:30 Legislative Update withFairfieldState Delegation at Bigelow Center. Registration required.12:45 Movie: Remember
18 9:30 Blood Pressure Screening 1:00 Z-Health ($5)
19 2010:10 Friends Meeting11:30 Captain’s Cove Trip 1:00 Genealogy
2110:30 Veteran’s Corner1:00 Poets’ Roundtable
2212:45 Movie: East Side Sushi
251:00 Z-Health ($5)
261:00 Bunco
279:30 Thimble Islands Boat Tour
28 29
Every Monday Every Tuesday Every Wednesday Every Thursday Every Friday
9:00 Woodcarving9:00 Table Tennis9:00 Table Pool9:00 Morning Exercise w/
Nancy10:15 Zumba w/Barbara11:30 Pick-Up Basketball1:00 Open Bridge1:00 Dance Aerobics2:15 Pickleball
9:00 Pacers Walk9:00 Table Tennis9:00 Woodcarving9:00 Table Pool9:00 Strength and Stretch10:00 Senior Exercise10:00 Open Painting11:00 Flex & Stretch11:30 Arthritis Exercise12:30 Chess Club1:00 A Matter of Balance1:00 Model Airplane Club1:00 Mah-Jongg
9:00 Pacers Walk9:00 Weight Training9:00 Table Tennis9:00 Woodcarving9:00 Table Pool9:30 Open Crafts10:15 Zumba w/Barbara12:30 Open Bridge1:00 Dance Aerobics2:15 Pickleball
9:00 Table Tennis9:00 Quilters9:00 Table Pool9:30 Bocce10:00 Body Balance12:45 Movie1:00 Scrabble1:00 Pickleball1:00 Pinochle1:00 Qigong
9:00 Pacers Walk9:00 Table Tennis9:00 Table Pool9:00 Basic Zumba9:30 Sewing Bee9:30 Bocce10:00 Senior Exercise10:00 Open Computer Lab11:00 Flex & Stretch11:30 Arthritis Exercise12:30 Bingo1:00 Open Bridge1:00 Tai Chi for Arthritis2:00 Meditation2:15 Pickleball
Our calendar is subject to change. Visit www.facebook.com/BigelowCenter for the latest information.
Advance registration is required for all events at the Bigelow Center. Stop by or call the office at 203.256.3166.
Independence DayCenter Closed
National Hot Dog Day
Factoid: In America, seniors rack up more internet time than anyone else. American se-niors are the fastest growing group of consumers buying new computers and logging time online. In fact, adults aged 55 years and older log the most usage online with 33 hours a month spent on sites like Facebook (seniors are the fastest-growing demographic on Facebook). There are now 7.6 million senior internet surfers.
Important schedule notes: There will be no Thursday evening or Saturday morning programs and no tech tutoring in July and August. They’ll resume in September. Also, no Bigelow Players rehearsals in July and August. No pickleball in the gym until further notice while improvements are being made. Outdoor pickleball is available: call Parks and Recreation for a free reservation. Finally, weight training on July 7 is canceled.
Page 5July, 2016
The Fairfield Senior Times is published monthly by the Fairfield
Senior Center,100 Mona TerraceFairfield, CT 06824
Hours: Weekdays, 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
DirectorTeresa Giegengack, 203.256.3169
Program CoordinatorMargaret Andrews, 203.254.5102
Town HallHuman Services Commission
Senior Times StaffEditor: Ron Atwater
[email protected] Assistant: M.A. Atwater
© 2014. All rights reserved.Printed in USA by Liturgical
Publications Inc., Cromwell, CT
Information: M-F, 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 203.256.3166.Transportation: M-F, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. 203.256.3168.Lunch (three days notice required): M-F, 12:00 noon to 12:30 p.m. Call 203.256.3118 after 10:00 a.m.Coffee Shop: M-F, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.Gift Shop: M-F, 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.Social Worker: M-F, 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 203.256.3170.Blood Pressure Screening: 203.256.3166Notary Public: M-F, 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. 203.256.3166.
Senior Center Services
Notary public; long term care; Medicare and medigap counseling, social servicesServices Below by Appointment Only. Call 203.256.3166
Senior Times online: http://fairfieldct.org/content/10726/11018/14665/15157.aspx
Reminders & Other Stuff
The Fairfield Senior Times is published monthly by the
Bigelow Center for Senior Activities100 Mona TerraceFairfield, CT 06824
Hours: Weekdays, 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Human Services DirectorTeresa Giegengack, 203.256.3169
Bigelow Center ManagerJulie DeMarco, 203.256.3166
Program CoordinatorMargaret Andrews, 203.254.5102
Town HallHuman Services Commission
Information: M-F, 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 203.256.3166.Transportation: M-F, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. 203.256.3168.Lunch (two days notice required): M-F, 12:00 noon to 12:30 p.m. Call 203.256.3118 between 9:30 and 10:30 a.m.Coffee Shop: M-F, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.Gift Shop: M-F, 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.Social Worker: M-F, 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 203.256.3170.Blood Pressure Screening: 203.256.3166Notary Public: M-F, 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. 203.256.3166.
Bigelow Center Services
Notary public, Medicare, medigap, long term care, legal counseling, social servicesServices Below by Appointment Only. Call 203.256.3166
Senior Times online: http://fairfieldct.org/content/10726/11018/14665/15157.aspx
Reminders & Other Stuff
Senior Times StaffManaging Editor: Ron Atwater
[email protected] Editor: Felicity Coyne Columnist: Barnstable CarmodyEditorial Assistant: M.A. Atwater
© 2016. All rights reserved. Printed in USA
Wacky Wednesdays return with the following offerings:
July 6: The Henry C. Lee Insti-tute at the University of New Haven. This trip to the arcane world of fo-rensic investigation proved so popu-lar last May that we’re repeating it. Lunch at Lenny and Joe’s Fishtale in New Haven. This trip is full.
July 13: The Good Speed Opera House to see Bye Bye Birdie. This trip is also full.
July 20: Captain’s Cove. Our bus leaves the Center at 11:30 and returns by 1:30. Registration is re-quired. Lunch is on your own. By the way, Wednesday is Fish Fry Day. Space limited to 15.
July 27: Thimble Islands Boat Tour. GBTA bus leaves Center at 9:30 a.m., returns about 3:00 p.m. Lunch on your own at the Chowder Pot (checks by TABLE, gratuity in-cluded per table). $12 per person for the tour; pay in cash on your own at the dock. Registration is required and space is limited to 15. The boat is not handicapped accessible.
er great or small, you helped gen-erate “good karma” here at the Bigelow Center for Senior Activities!
On behalf of everyone here who has benefited from your saying “yes,” I say a heartfelt “Thank you.” From the Commissioners who support and make policies that guide the Human and Social Services Department to the Monday morning reception volunteer who smiles at those who walk into the Center… each person is precious and makes this place unique and very spe-cial. The positive energy and caring friendships create a warm and wel-come destination for anyone seeking “good karma.”
Volunteers help change lives for the better—including their own. Gandhi said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” Volunteers are the life force for all that is good here. May we feel grateful every day for each other and this very special place. Thank you again for everything you do as volun-teers.
Thank You Note From Page 1
Legislative Update at the Bigelow Center. Join the Fairfield state del-egation for an update and discus-sion of the 2016 Connecticut Legis-lative Session on Friday, July 15 at 10:30 a.m. This event is open to the public. For more information contact Peggy Tibbals at [email protected] or call 800.842.1421.
Fairfield Happiness Club Meet-ing. The club’s next presentation is: "The Science of Personal Mas-tery: Leveraging Positive Psychol-ogy to Thrive in Mind and Body." For over 30 years, researchers have been uncovering the secrets to human flourishing. Join Emiliya Zhivotovskaya, MAPP, PCC, ERYT, a leading voice in the world of posi-tive psychology, for this hands-on workshop. Find the keys to master-ing your thoughts, feelings and ac-tions in a fun environment filled with laughter, discovery and connection.
When and where: Thursday, July 14, 2016, from 7:00 to 8:45 p.m. at the Fairfield Public Library, 1080 Old Post Road, Fairfield. Admission is free and everyone is welcome. For more info, e-mail [email protected], call 203.258.7777 or visit: www.HappinessClub.com
Page 6 July, 2016
World Musician to Perform at Center
Cinema Triviaby Barnstable Carmody
Toto, Dorothy’s dog in the Wizard of Oz, was played by Terry, a female Cairn Terrier owned and trained by Carl Spitz. Terry, whose name was officially changed to Toto in 1942, appeared in 16 films all together, including The Women, Bad Little Angel and Tortilla Flat. Oz was her only cred-ited role. She performed her own stunts and was paid $125 a week, more than many of her non-canine fellow actors. Judy Garland got $500 a week. Toto died in 1945 at age 11 and by all accounts led a happy life. Toto’s biogra-phy, I Toto, is available from Amazon.
Speaking of Oz, actress Billie Burke, who played Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, was considered a great beauty and style trendsetter in her early ca-reer on the stage. In the movies, she typically played ditsy socialites, for example her role as Millicent Jordan in George Cukor’s Dinner at Eight. She was married to famed impresario Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr. for 18 years until his death in 1932. She turned to film acting in an attempt to pay off Ziegfeld’s debts.
In George Cukor’s The Women (1939), not a single male actor or extra ap-pears on screen. Men aren’t seen, but they’re talked about constantly. David Lean’s epic Lawrence of Arabia (1962) is 227 minutes long. There’s not a single line of dialog spoken by a women during the entire film.
Cukor was known as a women’s director. He put up with all kinds of prima donna behavior from the stars of The Women. Norma Shearer complained that her part was too light and that her more colorful co-stars were upstaging her. Joan Crawford, who had envied Shearer’s success for years, banged knitting needles during one of Shearer’s line readings, causing an angry Cukor to throw Crawford off the set. Rosalind Russell called in sick until she got equal billing to her co-stars. Her health suddenly improved. Despite this, Cukor said that he would rather direct 10 actresses than one actor because “females are less vain.”
Francis the talking mule, who starred in a popular series of seven films, was not a he but a she; her real name was “Molly.” Universal Studios paid $350 for the animal, but made millions from the film series. Molly was trained by Les Hil-ton, a former apprentice of Will Rogers, who would also go on to train Bamboo Harvester, the horse who played Mister Ed on TV. Donald O’Connor, Francis’ co-star, claimed the mule got more fan mail than he did. Francis’ unique voice was provided by actor Chill Wills who never received an on-screen credit for the voice overs (then a standard practice). Francis lived until the ripe old age of 47.
Casablanca is the most quotable movie of all time. And that’s not just an ar-bitrary distinction: The AFI’s 100 Years … 100 Movie Quotes list, assembled in 2005 and based on the opinions of 1500 filmmakers, critics, and historians, includes six Casablanca quotes, by far more than any other movie. The famous lines are: “Here’s looking at you, kid” (#5); “Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship” (#20); “Play it, Sam. Play As Time Goes By” (#28); “Round up the usual suspects” (#32); “We’ll always have Paris” (#43); and “Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine” (#67).
Incidentally, As Time Goes By wasn’t written for Casablanca. Herman Hup-feld wrote the song for the 1931 Broadway musical Everybody’s Welcome. In the film, “Sam,” played by Dooley Wilson, sings the song. Wilson was actually a drummer, not a pianist. Sam’s piano accompaniment was played by Elliot Car-penter and the song is heard throughout the film as a leitmotif. The AFI listed it among its “top 100” movie songs. National Public Radio included it in its NPR 100, a 1999 list of the most important American musical works of the 20th Cen-tury as compiled by NPR’s music editors.
What suits your schedule–exercising one hour a day or being dead 24 hours a day?
He’s spent the last twenty-one years studying various instruments such as the guitar, tiple, Arabic oud, Hawai-ian steel gui-tar, Weissen-bom guitar, and the Japa-nese shaku-hachi flute. His travels have taken him to Tibet, Japan, China, Egypt, Hawaii, and many other places.
He’s performed at the United Nations, for local Congressmen, and has made numerous appearances on TV and ra-dio. He plays an eclectic mix of musi-cal styles—blues, gospel, Hawaiian, bluegrass, as well as Buddhist medita-tion music, Japanese classical music, and folk songs. His broad repertoire also includes reggae and calypso, the great hits of Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole and popu-lar music of the 50s through the 80s .
His name is Chris Merwin and on August 3 at 12:15 p.m. he’ll be at the Bigelow Center to perform for you. This very special program (along with desserts) is brought to you by Synergy HomeCare and Bridges at Epoch. Ad-vance registration is required.
Chris Merwin
