Submitted by Sherry Jackson, Associate Director

Wouldn’t it be great if exercise were fun? Discover Zumba, an exciting dance-fitness program that’s more of a party than a workout.

Enjoy Latin-inspired music as you pump your legs, swing your hips, clap your hands and achieve a blended balance of cardio-and muscle-toning benefits in the process. Best of all, you can enjoy the Zumba experience even if you don’t know how to dance. Get fit. Have fun!

This four-week class will be offered at Christ Episcopal Church on Thursdays beginning June 7 at 10 a.m. Cost is $16, due at the first class (cash or check made out to "Friends of the Needham Elderly" or F.O.N.E.). Registration is required; to sign up, call 781-455-7555.

Instructor Louise Carbone has taught at the Newton and Waltham senior centers, the West Newton YMCA and Lesley. In addition to her certification in Zumba, Carbone has a triple black belt in Kenpo karate.

Students have said: “Our Zumba class with Louise was great. She realized most of us were new to Zumba so she took it real slow, introducing us to new, basic dance moves yet making it challenging enough so we got a great workout and also had fun.”

Please note: Depending on interest, this class will be offered on an ongoing basis.

THIS WEEK AND COMING UP

These programs are going on this week at the Stephen Palmer Senior Center or require registration this week. To sign up, call the Senior Center at 781-455-7555.

• Weekly Flicks—Watch “Singin’ in the Rain” (1952) on Friday, May 25 and “The Purple Rose of Cairo" (1985) on Friday, June 1 at 1 p.m. at the Senior Center. Friday Flicks are free, and there is no sign-up required. 
• Monday’s Lunch Bunch—Try someplace new, socialize and enjoy a good meal with Monday's Lunch Bunch. The group meets at the Senior Center at 11:30 a.m. to board a van to the lunch destination. Coming up: A trip to Bamboo in Dedham on Monday, June 4 and a trip to Corrib Pub in West Roxbury on Monday, June 11. A suggested donation of $5 will be collected on the van. Participants also pay the cost of their meals.
• Book Review with Gail Rice—Monday, May 21, 1 p.m. Come discuss the book, “Clara and Mr. Tiffany,” by Susan Vreeland. This novel is based on the letters of Clara Driscoll, the leading light of Louis Comfort Tiffany’s women’s studio. There is no sign-up or fee for this event.
• Shred-A-Thon by Appointment—Looking to get rid of old papers but don’t just want to toss them in the trash? The Senior Center will host a shred-a-thon in the parking lot on Thursday, May 24 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Call to schedule a drop-off appointment. The first box of paper to be shredded is free; each additional box costs $5.
• State Rep. Denise Garlick Office Hours—Come talk with State Representative Denise Garlick about any questions or concerns on Monday, June 4 from 10:45-11:45 a.m. at the Senior Center. There is no need to sign up.
• It’s Friday Entertainment Live with Miyuki Otani—Friday, June 8, 1:30 p.m. Ms. Miyuki Otani, classical pianist, will present a concert of Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus, Claude Debussy and Alexander Scriabin. Otani was born in Japan where she began playing the piano at the age of three. She earned her Master's of Music at the Boston Conservatory, winning the Concerto Competition award. She also performed as a soloist with the Boston Conservatory Orchestra at Faneuil Hall. She was featured live on Boston’s Fox Channel 25 morning news with renowned tenor, Carl Tucker. Currently, Otani’s primary residence is in San Jose, CA where she lives with her husband and to-year-old daughter Karen. Sign-up is required. There is no fee for this program.

FRIENDS' JUNE TRIP: GARDNER MUSEUM AND LUNCH

By popular request: Come join the Friends of the Needham Elderly to see the new multi-million dollar expansion of the Isabella Stewart Gardner by Renzo Piano on Wednesday, June 20. The guided tour will include the Gardner Museum and the beloved Landscape, featuring the historic courtyard and the beautiful landscaping of the new wing. On site also will be three floors of galleries filled with paintings, sculpture, tapestries, furniture and decorative arts, all surrounding a blooming courtyard designed for all seasons. Cost is $65 (includes all tips).

Lunch will be included first at the popular Venezia on the Waterfront Restaurant. Choose from delicious Haddock, Chicken Parmigiana or Steak Tips. Coach departs at 10:30 a.m. from Linden & Chambers, Linden St., Needham and 10:45 a.m. from the Senior Center. Coach returns at about 4:15-4:45 p.m. 

For reservations, call the Trip Desk at 781-455-7555, ext. 209, (full payment upon reservation). Please specify lunch choice and make checks payable to “FONE” and mail to Needham Senior Center, 83 Pickering St., Needham, MA 02492. (No refunds if cancellation is received within 10 days prior to departure, unless a replacement can be found.)

The group needs 30 passengers to operate, so sign up now to avoid disappointment!

WEIGHT MANAGEMENT SUPPORT GROUP

Are you fed up with your increasing weight? Do you reach for food when you’re bored, tired, stressed, or anxious, instead of when you’re hungry? This program will teach you how to make doable lifestyle changes to achieve your weight-loss goals. The five-week support group will be led by Pearl Pressman, a Certified Weight Management Consultant, who has lost more than 100 pounds. Pressman is a member of the National Weight Loss Registry and has worked as a Weight Watchers group leader. Sessions will be held on Mondays beginning May 21 from 12:45-1:45 p.m. Cost is $20, due at the first class. To sign up, call the Needham Senior Center at 781-455-7555.

LEARN SOMETHING NEW

• Lunch and Learn Lecture “Meditation Techniques for Beginners”—Wednesday, May 30, noon, at the Senior Center. Mary Jo Ricketson, BS, MS, will lead this lecture in honor of National Meditation Month. Learn how to begin and sustain a meditation practice that will allow you to experience many benefits including deep restful sleep, reduced stress, increased energy, decreased heart rate, breathing rate, muscle tension, and blood pressure. There is no fee for this program. Sign-up is required. Call 781-455-7555.
• Art Class for All Levels—Mondays, June 4 and 25, 9-10:30 a.m. at the Senior Center. Students should bring their own materials and ideas for projects. Each student will work on projects of their own choosing with guidance and suggestions from the instructor, Ramune Jauniskis. All levels are welcome. To sign up, contact Sherry at 781-455-7555. Fee is $8 for both classes.
• Art History: The Art of Illusions and M.C. Escher—Wednesday, June 6, 10:30 a.m. at Avery Crossings. The hand is quicker than the eye. Come take a look at the tricks of the art world from Da Vinci and Anamorphic art to Op art and the Magic Eye. This program will take a special look at the work of M.C. Escher, a Dutch graphic artist who was a master of the paradox, the tessellation, the dodecahedron, and grand manipulator of the basic laws of nature. There is no fee or sign-up required for this program.
• Lunch and Learn Lecture: “Pain Management in the Older Adult”—Wednesday, June 6, 11:30 a.m. at the Needham Senior Center. What causes pain and why do I have to experience it? Is it just an unpleasant part of aging? Am I the only one experiencing it? What can I do to stop it? (Hint: the answer to 3 is No!) The answer to these, and more will be shared in this presentation including: the definition of pain, myths debunked, what modern and alternative medicine can do to treat it, and how to be proactive about your own pain. There is no fee for this program. Sign-up is required; call 781-455-7555.

DANCE AND EXERCISE CLASSES

Get fit and learn something new with Council on Aging dance and exercise classes. Sign up in advance by calling 781-455-7555. Payment is due at the first class.

• Line Dancing Class—This five-week course will be held on Mondays, beginning May 21, from 12-1 p.m. at The First Baptist Church. Cost is $20. Instructor is Manny Correia.
• Senior Strength Exercise Class—This five-week course will be held on Mondays, beginning May 21, at 10:15 a.m. at the Senior Center. Cost is $20. Instructor is Pearl Pressman.
• Ballroom Dancing: “Swing”—This four-week class will be held on Tuesdays, beginning June 5, at 2 p.m. at the YMCA on Chestnut Street. Cost is $16. Instructor is Betty Hood.Please wear shoes that allow movement on a wood floor—not rubber soles.
• The Walking Club—If you walk two to four miles, a couple of days a week, then this walking club is for you. The walks are designed to offer variety. Participants will have an opportunity to walk with other walking clubs and explore trails outside the local area, with transportation provided. Upcoming walks include: Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Friday, May 25 and Wellesley College's path around the pond on Friday, June 1.

DIABETES 101

• Diabetes Self-Management: An Evidence-Based Program—Thursday, June 7 at 1 p.m. at the Senior Center. This is an informational session to give individuals the details about an upcoming six-week workshop that will begin the following week in June. This is a chance to have questions answered. Individuals will also have an opportunity to register for the class at this session. Sign-up is required. There is no fee for this program.
• Diabetes Self-Management Workshop—Six-week workshop begins June 14 at 1 p.m. This program is grant-funded and there is no fee required. This workshop is for people with diabetes, pre-diabetes, or for people living with or caring for someone with diabetes. Participants will learn how to care for themselves and to prevent or delay the complications of diabetes. The emphasis is on healthy eating, meal planning, and physical exercise. Other topics include blood sugar monitoring and dealing with low blood sugar, foot care, how to deal with difficult emotions, stress, and depression, relaxation techniques, how to communicate better with your doctor, family and friends, keeping track of medications, and planning for the future. Participants will receive a copy of the book, "Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions."

NEW GROUPS FORMING

• Singers wanted—If you can read music or can carry a tune, join this new group meeting on Tuesday afternoons from 12:45-1:45 p.m. at the Senior Center. Fred Shaw will lead the group in song and will provide the lyrics to songs old and new. Shaw said that his interest in music sprang from listening to barbershop and leaning to harmonize certain tunes. Shaw has performed for a wide variety of locations and audiences; however, he may be best known for his role as "Ring Master" of the mid-1960s television show “Bozo the Clown.” No audition required. Sign up is appreciated in order to have enough song sheets for all to participate. Call the Senior Center at 781-455-7555 to sign up.
• Low-Vision Support Group—The Low-Vision Support Group meets at the Senior Center on the third Friday of every month. The group provides an opportunity for newly blind and visually impaired persons to come together to discuss issues relating to their vision loss. The group addresses topics about how to use specialized equipment in the home or on the job; how to maintain independence, aging and vision loss, or the effects of vision loss on family and friends. If you need a ride, call the Senior Center at 781-455-7555

TRY SOMETHING NEW

• Computer Lessons—The Council on Aging offers computer lessons on Thursday afternoons by appointment. Those who would like to learn about computers in a one-on-one session with an instructor are invited to these classes. Lessons are offered on Thursdays from noon to 3 p.m. (by appointment). There is no fee for this class. To make a 45-minute appointment, call the COA at 781-455-7555.
• Creative Writing Group—The COA writing group meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month from 10:30-11:30 a.m. at the Senior Center. All are welcome, and sign-up is not required. This writing group is for all levels. The class is not about using proper grammar. It is about capturing memories or stories on paper and most of all having fun. The class is facilitated by a published writer.