Community Update (3/15/24)
Community Engagement Forum on Aging, March 18!
It’s not too late to participate in the March 18 Forum on Aging. Join key County staff, Commission on Aging members, and community partners for an interactive discussion on what matters most to older Arlingtonians. The program will focus on livable communities, and will include small group discussions on the next Age-Friendly Arlington 5-year plan. The Forum is March 18 from 10am – noon, in person at Lubber Run Community Center or virtually on Teams. Registration requested.
AARP Tax Help at the Library
Low and middle income filers can find help preparing their taxes at the Central and Columbia Pike branches of the Library. Presented in partnership with AARP Foundation, the Tax-Aide Program provides free tax assistance services for low- and middle-income taxpayers, with special attention given to those 50 and over. Appointments are recommended, but walk-ins are welcome.
Save the Date!
ANV is celebrating its 10 Year Anniversary on Thursday, May 2 at 5:30-7:30pm at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, 4301 Wilson Blvd. The event is free and we hope everyone can join us. More information will be available as we get closer to the date. Please register by emailing the Office or calling 703-509-8057.
Welcome
New Members
- Gerie Nasche
- Michele Sullivan
- Kathryn Weatherby
New Volunteers
- Kenneth Lao
- Holly Rogozinski
- Bethany Salas
Activities
ANV Events are posted on our online calendar at www.ANVarlington.org/events so you can always easily find the Zoom link for any scheduled event.
Coffee and Conversation on Wednesdays at 10 am
- March 20: European Welfare Traditions
- March 27: Bulk Up Your Diet
- April 3: Am I Too Old to Save the Planet?
Special Events
Weekly Groups
- Tai Chi
- Bocce and Boules
- Happy Hour
- Board Games
Monthly Groups
- Men’s Lunch Bunch
- Ladies Lunch
- Pop Up Picnic
- Page Turners
Educational Activities
- Wellness
Also of Interest
ANV Activities
Coffee and Conversation: Wednesdays at 10 am
This ANV Speaker Series is held each Wednesday from 10:00 – 11:00am. Join our weekly conversations via Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88948577106?pwd=eW0rN1RTTU5ITmJ5NnF2QXZINmdUQT09
You also have the option to dial in by phone to participate without video. For that, dial: 929-205-6099. The meeting ID is 889 4857 7106 and the passcode is 872327.
Wednesday, March 20: European Welfare Traditions. Author Thomas McStay Adams’ new book, Europe’s Welfare Tradition Since 1500, traces the history of welfare back to Europe in 1500, when many city governments adopted a model that collected citizen’s contributions in a common chest and allocated this fund according to household need. He tells the story through a “mosaic of microhistories” that highlight an evolving response to need. Tom will provide an overview of Europe’s welfare tradition and invite discussion about what we in the U.S. might learn from European experience as we face our own challenges of providing for essential human needs.
Wednesday, March 27: Bulk Up Your Diet: The Role of Fiber for Better Health. Lisa Muras of VHC Health will talk about the role of fiber for better health. Dietary fiber is an often overlooked nutrient that plays an important role in health. In this webinar, Lisa, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) will address the benefits of adequate fiber in the diet, identify types of fiber, strategize ways to increase your daily intake of fiber, and review easy meal ideas.
Wednesday, April 3: Am I Too Old to Save the Planet? A Boomer’s Guide to Climate Action. Author Lawrence MacDonald explains why baby boomers may be key actors in the effort to mitigate the effects of global warming.
ANV’s YouTube channel
If you miss a Coffee and Conversation speaker, be sure to check out ANV’s YouTube channel where we post some of our Coffee and Conversation speakers and other special events. Sit back and enjoy!
Special Events
Weekly Events
Zoom Practice Session
If you need some extra help getting familiar with ZOOM, just call or email office@ANVarlington.org and we will set you up with a volunteer who can help you.
Tai Chi: Tuesdays at 9:30 am
ANV Tai Chi practice meets outdoors every week, weather permitting. Meet the group in the parking lot at Museum of Contemporary Art (formerly Arlington Arts Center) at 3550 Wilson Blvd. If the forecast is too cold or wet, we will meet indoors. If you are interested in joining this practice (not instruction), please contact Anita Wallgren at awallgren@gmail.com or (202) 674-5553 to get the weekly location email.
Indoor Bocce at Pinstripes, Thursday, March 28
Join us at Pinstripes, at noon for bocce and lunch. As with previous years, Pinstripes is offering free bocce provided we stay for lunch at their popular Bistro (lunch menu). Pinstripes is located at 1064 Wisconsin Ave, NW in Georgetown.
The easiest way to get there is by Metro Bus #38B towards Farragut Square, leaving from the Ballston Station at 11:30am. Parking in Georgetown is limited and pricey, so it’s best to leave your car at the Ballston Quarter garage and walk one block to the Ballston Metro Bus terminal on Stuart St. in front of Starbucks. This year we will play at Pinstripes every other Thursday until the weather turns warm. Pinstripes requires reservations for lunch so please let John Thomas (thomas-johnr@comcast.net) know by the preceding Wednesday at 9:00 am if you are coming. We will play bocce from roughly noon to 1:00, then lunch from 1:00 to 2:00.
ANV Board Games Day, Thursday, March 21 and April 4 at 2pm
Do you like board games? Join ANV members and volunteers for Games Day at Ballston Quarter Food Hall (lower level). Look for players at the tables near the elevators. Play games like Rummikub, Mexican Train Dominoes, Ticket to Ride, Quiddler and more. We play every other Thursday at 2pm. Parking is available in the Ballston Quarter parking garage for $1. Contact John Thomas for more information at thomas-johnr@comcast.net.
Happy Hour: Thursdays, 5–7 pm
Join the ANV Happy Hour Group. The Happy Hour Group will try locations in the Ballston area. For more information and to know the weekly plan, contact Mike Murtha, Happy Hour Coordinator at dmmurtha@verizon.net. Mike will add you to his email list and let you know the weekly location on Thursday morning.
Monthly Events
Men’s Lunch, April 12 at noon
Our April lunch will be at Texas Jack’s, located at 2761 Washington Boulevard in Arlington. Texas Jack’s offers a variety of smoked meats and barbeque including beef brisket, short ribs and pulled pork and bbq chicken. Free parking is available in the lot next to the restaurant. Free two-hour street parking is also available. Please RSVP to Tim Burns at tfxb23@yahoo.com.
Ladies Lunch, April 12 at noon
The Ladies Lunch will be gathering at Peter Chang’s Restaurant located at 2503 Harrison Street. Ample parking is available in the shopping center. Chef Peter Chang serves his Sichuan playbook & special dishes at this spiffed-up storefront. Please RSVP to roslynva@gmail.com so we may have an accurate count.
Page Turners – March 28, 11am on Zoom
Share a book that you have read, and you think would be interesting for other people to read. It can be something you are reading now, or a book you enjoyed in the past. Meet up with your fellow bibliophiles, share opinions, and learn about new books to add to your reading list. The group is hosted by Donna Pastore and Beverly Cannizzaro. Here’s the list from the last get-together:
Lyrics by Paul McCartney
Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
Quantum Supremacy by Michio Kaku
Coyote America by Dan Flores
Join the conversation via Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89666785566?pwd=WFFpTlY2SkJMQlJjN0NWNEUraFhEQT09
You also have the option to dial in by phone to participate without video. For that, dial: 301-715-8592. The meeting ID is 896 6678 5566 and the passcode is 007241.
Pop Up Picnic in the Park (PPP)
PPPs are on hiatus for the winter months. We hope to see you again as soon as the weather warms up.
Educational Activities
Fraud Alert: Ways to Reduce and Prevent Imposter Scams
Thursday, March 28, 2024, 10:30 am to noon
In partnership with Senior Medicare Patrol, the Arlington County Police Department, and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Arlington County VICAP invites you to this month’s hybrid class. Learn to define imposter scams; discuss ways beneficiaries can protect themselves against imposter scams and fraud; and obtain tips, tools, and resources to fight against scams and fraud. Join virtually or in person at Walter Reed Community Center, 2909 16th St South. You can register online or by emailing Medicarehelp@arlingtonva.us or calling 703-228-1725.
Spring is about to Spring – Get Ready
Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia (MGNV)
March 2024 Education Programs
MGNV Virtual Classroom public education events for March 2024 are online and open to all. RSVP online to receive the link to participate. Click on the event titles to RSVP for each event. If you can’t join for a live online presentation, video recordings of the sessions will be posted.
Arlington Public Library Programs
The Library has curated events from the 55+ Program, Encore Learning and elsewhere to make it easy to find something that will pique your interest. There are craft programs, book clubs, and more. It’s worth 5 minutes of your time to click on the calendar of events and see what’s happening at your local branch of the library.
Using your Arlington Public Library card, you can now access Kanopy—a new-to-Arlington streaming service offering an extensive collection of narrative and documentary films, TV series, kids content and digital courses.
Wellness
Understanding Dementia Webinar
March 21, noon – 1:30 pm
This interactive webinar hosted by the Regional Older Adults Facility Mental Health Support Team will provide attendees with a basic understanding of dementia, including the signs and symptoms, types of dementia, and common changes. This event is open to professionals and community members. Please register online or call Sydney Palinkas at 703-814-2701.
Virginia Hospital Center Health
VHC Health is hosting a free, Community Wellness Fair on Saturday, April 13 from 10am – noon at the new, Outpatient Pavilion, 1851 N. George Mason Dr. Parking in the adjacent Zone E/Purple lot is $7. The Community Wellness fair will feature free health screenings (for age 18+), access to resources, and opportunities to learn from VHC experts including primary care doctors and specialists. Please register for this free event online or by calling 703.558.6740.
Also of Interest
Aging Matters Radio and TV
Aging Matters radio is a weekly program, hosted by Cheryl Beversdorf, and features interviews with experts on topics impacting the lives of older adults, their care partners, and families. Every Tuesday at 3 pm, a new Aging Matters broadcast is posted on Apple and Spotify podcast sites. Aging Matters TV Show offers interviews with aging experts, including demonstrations of aging related subjects. Stories of Life programs feature interviews with older adults who have made a difference in their communities.
Shared Area Village Events Calendar
The Washington Area Villages are sharing their speaker series for all of us to enjoy. Please visit their calendar to see what’s available.
Friday Morning Music Club
The Friday Morning Music Club invites everyone to classical music concerts the first and second Fridays of the month at Saint George’s Church, 915 N. Oakland St., one block from Virginia Square Metro Station. The program for the next session on April 5 includes a Mozart viola quintet, selected songs by Kapralova and a Chopin piano solo. The one-hour concerts start at noon. Free, no ticket required.
Complimentary membership in Arlington’s 55+ Program is available as an ANV membership benefit. If you haven’t yet opted-in and would like to do so, contact our Member Services Director at 703-509-8057. 55+ Program offerings are posted in the quarterly catalogue available online at Spring Guide.
ANV Events are posted on our online calendar so you can always easily find the Zoom link for any scheduled event.
