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Last Updated: May 31, 2008 05:00PM • Subscribe via RSSATOM

Friendly Visitors Program

May 31, 2008 05:00PM ● By Super Admin

All too often elderly men and women find themselves facing a common enemy: loneliness. Whether from an illness, an inability to drive, or distant family and friends, many homebound seniors miss out on the social interactions essential to living a full, vibrant life. Enter the Friendly Visitor Program.The program began in 1998 and is administered by Senior’s First, a nonprofit corporation specializing in services to seniors and their families. Through community education and their free Speaker’s Bureau, Senior’s First has proven a valuable resource for services sought after by seniors and their loved ones. The Friendly Visitor Program adheres to a straightforward philosophy: if seniors over 60 receive more outside contact, interaction and support, they will live more independently, increase the quality of their lives and thus reduce the need for expensive long-term care. Additionally, the visitor enjoys the benefits of getting to know someone who they might not otherwise have taken the time to, whether through conversation, playing cards or sharing a common hobby. Coordinator and manager, Betty Powell, who has worked in the program since its inception, knew that this was the job for her. “What I love most is being able to make a really great match between the senior and the volunteer visitor,” she says. “I also love working with all the wonderful volunteers; they are all very special people.” Powell also notes that the program practices ongoing recruitment for volunteers, to meet the high demands for the services provided.Currently, the program has 75 visitors for 81 seniors. In many ways the volunteers also act as “gatekeepers” to the senior population. Through their weekly visits they are able to monitor the seniors’ health and overall well-being. Just knowing someone will be there to check in on a regular basis gives seniors the peace-of-mind that they are being cared for, not to mention a helping hand to those who care for them. Getting involved with the Friendly Visitor Program is a fairly easy process. Those interested in volunteering are asked to inquire with Senior’s First and fill out an application. Getting to know more about the volunteer helps the staff find a senior that is not only geographically accessible, but one they may share a common interest with. Once applications are processed, the volunteers are invited to a three-hour orientation, which addresses what is required of them during their valuable time spent with the program. The training program also includes tips on communication skills, validation and potential activities, in addition to important information on health issues, dementia, loss and grief issues. Finally, the volunteer is matched with a senior in his or her area, and before long, they’re face to face with a new friend.For more information, please call Betty Powell at 530-889-9500. Only one hour, once a week could make a huge difference in the life of a senior. Chances are, it will make a tremendous impact on your life as well. •

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Hot Summer Nights

May 31, 2008 05:00PM ● By Super Admin

The nights are getting warmer and the days longer, so what’s a family to do with these wonderful summer evenings? Performing Arts of Roseville (PAR) board president, Sarah Keesling, suggests packing a picnic and heading to Royer Park for the 18th annual concert series, Roseville Music in the Park. And we couldn’t agree more.“It’s a great opportunity for families and the community-at-large to just hang out and get together on a Sunday night,” says Keesling.On the fourth Sunday of each month through September, music lovers can enjoy free music from the area’s favorite bands. And new for this year’s event, local artists looking to break into the industry will kick off each concert as top-notch opening acts. “I love performing at outdoor venues – people are out in the sun enjoying themselves and it’s just an atmosphere that fits with my feel-good music,” says Sacramento singer Kate Gaffney of the Americana flavored tunes she and her band will be performing at Royer Park this summer. Gaffney’s guitarist, the young Ross Hammond, is a Sacramento native and favorite who’s been a fixture on the region’s jazz and rock scene for the past decade. His sound “adds a colorful flavor” to her works, says Gaffney. “Our goal is to bring different cultures together, so we’ve had jazz bands from Japan and Denmark; we’ve had Country-Western and Swing and Big Band; and this year we have mostly Pops,” says PAR Director, Bob Cooley. “People bring their blankets and enough fried chicken for me, and we’re all happy.”If packing another paper-bag meal is not on your list of things to do this summer, the Roseville Host Lions’ Club will have the barbeque lit and will be selling hotdogs, hamburgers and garden burgers to benefit PAR alongside local baristas from Mocha Motion, who will be pouring lemonades, iced teas and coffees. Headliners this year include Sacramento world beat favorite, Mumbo Gumbo, the costume-crazy 80z All Stars, and Hurricane Sam Rudin, a lightning-quick solo pianist who labels his sound as “boogy-blues and jazz.”“It’s blues-based music in a loose sense,” Rudin says. “It’s the music of the entire 20th century – from blues to bebop, from rag-time to rock-and-roll. And I’ve got a genuine old-fashioned acoustic piano – it’s more authentic than a plastic keyboard and the visual flavor is nicer.”And if you’ve never been to a Mumbo Gumbo concert, Cooley says that the event’s 15-year closing act shouldn’t be missed. “I don’t know how to describe what they do,” he says. “Maybe calypso or Louisiana swing, but its music you can dance to!”Performing Arts of Roseville is an all-volunteer, non-profit devoted to providing free music events in the Roseville area, and high-quality performing arts programs in local schools through grants and fundraising. For more information on Roseville Music in the Park or Performing Arts of Roseville, visit rosevillemusicinthepark.com. •ARTSBEAT:June 14-July 26 – Wonders of Water: Children's Art Contest. Young artists between the ages of five and 17 enter their work for a chance to win $750 in prizes. The event is sponsored by Kaiser Permanente Roseville and some entries may be chosen for permanent display in the new Women and Children's Center at Kaiser Permanente's Roseville Medical Center. For details, call 916-783-4117.Through July 27 – The Language of the Nude: Four Centuries of Drawing the Human Body. This exhibition brings nearly 60 rarely seen drawings to the Crocker Art Museum. For details on this exhibit or for more information, call 916-808-7000 or visit crockerartmuseum.org.

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Alyssa Anderson

May 31, 2008 05:00PM ● By Super Admin

Looking at the slender, five-foot and some change girl with brown hair and big blue eyes, you’d never guess she eats close to 5,000 calories a day. Of course, you’d never guess that she’s a national swimming champion, on her way to the June Olympic Swimming Trials either, but rest assured, Alyssa Anderson has her sights set on a big prize. A senior member of the Sierra Marlins Swim Team, based in Folsom, she spends 24-hours a week in the pool, and swims on average, 9,000 yards a day (that’s 360 laps for you non-swimming types). That, along with the excitement and nervous energy that comes along with taking her shot at the Olympics, burns off those calories as quick as she puts them down. So heck, what’s wrong with an extra cheeseburger here and there anyway?— Bill RomanelliMore on Alyssa...Q: What advice would you give to your younger self?A: If you want to excel, make sure it’s at something you loveQ: What comes to you naturally?A: One guess...(it’s not singing).Q: What's your biggest pet peeve? A: Probably excessive pen clickers.Q: Are you high or low maintenance? A: Pretty low maintenance. (Editor’s note: her parents actually agree.)Q: Biggest life inspiration(s)?A: The thrill of competition.Q: What are you most proud of?A: My teammates.Q: Favorite humanitarian cause?A: Breast cancer awareness.Q: Best words of wisdom you’ve received?A: “I gave you the tools; it’s up to you to succeed.”Alyssa's FavoritesAuthor/Writer: Alice SeboldGuilty pleasure: Pop Tarts before morning workoutsMeal in town: Jack’s Urban Eats or MikuniTV Show: "American Idol"Thing to do when not swimming: Shopping!Movie: Sisterhood of the Traveling PantsMusician/Band: John Mayer or Jack JohnsonPlace to buy a gift locally: The Galleria!!!Saying: “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.” –Jim RohnSee the full article in the June 2008 issue of Style-Folsom El Dorado Hills Edition.

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