Post date: Mar 05, 2021 5:26:56 PM
At the Council on Aging we're ready for the next step. We've been here in the Harper Center since the beginning of the pandemic, we never closed, trying to be as helpful throughout the new abnormal as we could be. At the beginning of this period, over a year ago now, we initiated an emergency volunteer shopping effort to ensure that the people who needed food and were unable to get out got help, we delivered hot meals to anyone who needed them and we kept the van rolling to get people where they needed to go. We recruited volunteer mask makers, acquired others through grants and handed out masks like candy. We launched the updates community news blog. Anything we could think of doing, we did.
As it became apparent that the Coronavirus was not going to carry everyone away, fear abated and the need for some of the responses abated. We curtailed the meals and shopping when our elders began going out by themselves again. As restrictions were lifted, we started holding classes outside, and later in the fall when it got cold, inside in restricted numbers. When the vaccine finally arrived we registered hundreds of local residents for the vaccine and assisted local communities with limited access to WIFI as well. We volunteered to staff clinics and hosted 5 separate housing resident clinics as well.
Now we are ready for the next step. Gradually we have reintroduced inside programs to Harper. The Painting Class has expanded and attracted new members and thanks to Ghetta Hirsch, a local artist who has volunteered her time to come in once a week for instruction. The Bridge group is back, expanded with new members. The Coloring Groups are back. We're preparing to reintroduce the main exercise classes, food event, all those activities which were mothballed in the spring of 2020.
We will gradually re-introduce regular programs throughout the next few weeks.. We'll post start times for each program as soon as they become available.
Yes...it will include Bingo.
As masking mandates are eliminated, we will continue to advise that individuals who are not fully vaccinated should still wear masks indoors and outdoors when you're unable to socially distance yourself. I want to ask that we all respect anyone who continues to wear a mask after May 29th. There will be people who cannot get vaccinated and others who are but may need to continue to wear masks for a variety of reasons. This too shall pass.