Knitting Club Donation

Solkem Gottingar, a neighbor of Dorchester, has kindly donated many skeins of yarn to our knitting club. We would like to thank her and other neighbors who help make our center a great place!

ESL Graduation!

Our Spring '09 Russian ESL class held a graduation celebration following many months of hard work! All graduates received a certificate for completion of the class. Rivkah Berman from ESL sponsor The Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island presented the certificates.

Following the awards ceremony was a big party, with lovely danish! Everyone was proud of their accomplishments.

Rivkah Berman of JCC with ESL instructor Fira Kalendareva.

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!