Trip to South Street Seaport Museum

Dorchester Senior Citizen's Center took a trip to South Street Seaport in lower Manhattan. First, we went to the mall area filled with lots of stores and a food court. Around the seaport, there were many outdoor cafes and discount designer clothes stores. Everyone went their own way, browsing and shopping as they liked.

Next, we visited the South Street Seaport Museum. Two sailing ships were open to the public. Inside were logs filled with interesting entries. Each ship had a story to tell with the relics they left behind. We enjoyed our trip to South Street Seaport, and we look forward to more exciting trips like this in the future!

Visions Award

Director JoAnne Biswakarma attended VISIONS' annual banquet and received an award in commemoration of the 35+ year collaboration between VISIONS and Dorchester.

VISIONS, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of blind and visually-impaired youth, adults and seniors. VISIONS' Selis Manor, a learning and recreation center, offers training, adapted recreation, volunteer and social work services, all free of charge. Thanks to CEO Nancy Miller and the staff of VISIONS, Inc. for being a positive voice for Dorchester Senior Citizen's Center. Their support has made Dorchester a great place, even in these tough times.

Trader Joe's Shopping Trip

Dorchester Senior Citizen's Center took a shopping trip to Trader Joe's today. We went to the location in Manhattan on 14th Street. Coming from Brooklyn, it was nice to travel to Manhattan for a change of scenery. Trader Joe's had a big selection of organic and healthy foods. "Being exposed to this type of market will help keep [everyone] healthy in the long run," commented Marilyn, our trip leader. The trip was well attended, and we hope to make trips to Trader Joe's in the future!

Volunteer's Day Award Lunch

Every year, Dorchester Senior Citizen's Center celebrates Volunteer's Day with a big lunch.


This year, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz visited. We were very excited to have him at our center. Galina, our activities coordinator, made sure to have her picture taken with the Borough President, which we have posted here on our blog.







Next, staffer Marilyn Parker presented each volunteer with a certificate and a Dorchester cap.  JoAnne Biswakarma, our director, gave a speech, mentioning, "Our volunteers ARE Dorchester. We cannot work without you." Over 60 members received certificates!




Throughout the year, many of our members help us run the center. Today is the day that we celebrate their efforts. We are glad that our special lunch was a success!

Brooklyn Botanical Gardens Trip

Dorchester Senior Citizens Center went on a trip to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom, and the dogwood trees were beautiful. Most surprising was the different colored tulips. There was Japanese entertainment, dancing and music. The costumes worn were very bright and colorful. The day was warm and the aroma from the flowers was delightful. We were fortunate to have such good weather for our trip!

Tai Chi - For Relaxation, Balance and Strength

A series of six weekly Tai Chi classes was offered at the Dorchester Senior Citizen's Center, beginning on February 26th. Our final class will be on Thursday, April 2nd, from 11 AM to 12 Noon.

E. Frederic Mirer, our instructor, led the series of six classes, from Cheng Man Ch'ing's form, "Grasp Sparrow's Tail." All of our members that participated in the Tai Chi class found it very helpful for relaxation, balance, and strength. During the class, we learned that these benefits of Tai Chi help seniors stay healthy and young.

More information about our instructor's Tai Chi method can be found at the Patience Tai Chi Association website:
http://patiencetaichi.com

Information on Cheng Man Ch'ing can be viewed at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCEXCHuNVZo&feature=related

NYC Council Member Dr. Mathieu Eugene Presents Women’s History Month Awards

NYC Council Member Dr. Mathieu Eugene visited our center today to honor all the women of Dorchester Senior Citizen's Center. Dr. Mathieu presented awards to two of our dedicated members, Sandra Green and Ruth Yuen. Both of these women show tremendous leadership by contributing their help with projects at the center.

We appreciate Dr. Mathieu's visit, as well as his ongoing support and advocacy for the Dorchester Senior Citizen's Center.