Starting Tuesday, January 3rd, we invite

you to come in and renew your Downtown

Oakland Senior Center membership for

2017. Our Membership Committee and

volunteers are already hard at work updat-

ing forms, and coming up with ways to

make the membership process fast and

pain free.

Membership is still only $12 for the

ENTIRE year—such a deal! We will host

the Membership Drive for two weeks start-

ing on Tuesday, January 3, 2017. The

Membership Drive will be held on the main

floor in Hall 3 between 9:00 am and 3:00

p.m.

Here’s some tips to make the Membership

Renewal process quicker:

If you want to purchase a parking sticker,

you will have to pay an additional $3.00.

You must also bring the current DMV

Registration for that vehicle. The vehicle

must be registered in the member’s name.

No. We’re sorry that we cannot accept

your vehicle insurance, or your driver’s

license. We must have the current DMV

Registration.

Look around and locate your plastic green

membership card so that we can affix a

new 2017 label to it. No worries if you’ve

misplaced the card; we are more than

happy to give you a new one.

Come with the name and telephone num-

ber of an emergency contact. This is vital

information that we must have.

If a medical emergency occurred

while you were here at the Center,

we want to be able to contact the

right person, and apprise them of the

situation.

Members always ask why we need to ask the same questions each year. The primary reason is that things CHANGE. People move, emergency contacts relocate or pass away. We must have your up-to-date information so that we can continue to provide you with the best

service.

We came close to breaking our membership record this year, but we are determined that it will happen in 2017. We want 1,400 members in 2017, and you can help make this

happen. Here’s how:

Encourage your senior friends and family members to join DOSC. You

enjoy coming here...they will too!

“Gift” a membership to a senior

friend, family member or neighbor.

2017 Membership Renewals Begin Jan 3

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Volume 10 Issue 5

December 2016

The decorations are in place, the holiday music is playing, folks are out

shopping and moving about...but, for many older adults, the holidays

can be a desperately lonely time. Here are some tips to keep the

“blues” at bay:

Don’t isolate yourself! It’s good to be around people. Go ahead and

accept invitations. These are wonderful opportunities for you to get out

and socialize.

Get in Touch with Family and Friends. Carve out some time, pick up

the telephone and call family members and friends. This will take your

mind off whatever it is you think is missing. Instead of sitting at home

alone and watching television, write letters and send holiday cards.

Domestic and International

Guided Group Travel

We feature Guided Group Tours with our

respected travel partner, Collette. Every-

thing has been pre-planned for you to

ensure worry-free, exciting and memora-

ble travel. Find your travel partner, and

reserve your sea today.

What’s included: Transportation to/from

airport, airfare, top hotels, most meals

and best “must sees” of each destination.

Each tour allows leisure time to do some

exploring on your own.

Take advantage of early booking dis-

counts when you book 6 months in ad-

vance! Don’t miss these exciting travel

opportunities. Find your roommate and

reserve a seat today.

Don’t Miss the

Slide Show

Presentation

Please join us for our next

slide show presentation on

Monday, January 9 at

2:00 p.m. in Hall 1

We will highlight a

special “Washington, D.C.

Tour,” and the new

National Museum of

African American History

and Culture

Page 2

Travel Adventures Await You

T HE SE NI OR AGE NDA

2017 Featured Tours

Best of Eastern Canada, 6/13/17

Northern Nat’l Parks, 8/14/2017

America’s Music Cities, 10/8/17

Niagara Falls to New York, 10/13/17

Washington, DC, 10/18/17

British Landscapes (England, Scot-

land and Wales), 10/17

For more information, reservations or to

have a brochure with the pricing and

complete day-by-day itineraries mailed

to you, please call the Group Tour

Coordinator, Deborah Neal, at

(510) 499-5900.

Keeping the Holidays Cheerful

Be Grateful - Sure, your situation may not be perfect, but don’t dwell on that. Instead, be grateful that you have shelter, food, and

a place to go. Millions of people don’t.

V OLU ME 10 ISS U E 5

Beginner & Intermediate Computer Training

Mondays, Wednesdays

and Fridays

January 18 - March 1

9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

It’s time you joined the 21st century and learned how to use the computers. This class was especially designed to teach senior students starting from the beginning stages of learning how to use the new Windows 10 operating sys-tem and using programs such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, as well as e-mail and the Internet. In no time at all, you’ll enjoy using and exploring all of the features of our personal computers. The pace is designed to get you

engaged and comfortable with the learning process.

To guarantee your spot in the class, please sign up at the Reception Desk, or call us at (510) 238-3284. Don’t wait! This class is limited to 20 students. Bring a Flash/Jump

Drive (USB Drives of 4 gigabytes or more).

George Wilson is the instructor. The cost is only $30.

Fee payable to instructor on first day of class.

Please note classes begins and end on a Wednesday.

Digital Camera & Adobe Photoshop

Mondays, Wednesdays

and Fridays

January 18 - March 1

12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Smile and say “Cheese.” Not only will we learn how to take great pictures with our digital cameras, we will also learn how to enhance the appearance of our digital

photographs using Adobe Photoshop Elements.

Bring your digital camera to class - make sure batteries

are charged and camera is fully operational.

Bring a Flash/Jump Drive (USB Drive of 4 gigabytes or

more).

Class size limited to 20. Sign up at the Reception Desk,

or call us at (510) 238-3284.

Cost is only $30. Fee is payable to instructor on first day

of class.

George Wilson is the instructor.

Please note classes begin and end on a Wednesday.

Friday, January 27th at 12:00 Noon

Only $10 for all 18 games!

Page 3

NEW Computer Classes Start on January 18

BINGO Returns on January 27

Our CASH PRIZE BINGO games return on Friday, January 27th. 18 rounds of BINGO are played upstairs in Hall 1. Join other eager players as we start the new year on a cash & carry

roll. Who knows? You might be the big winner.

Delicious refreshments will be on sale, and you can buy your

daubers from us too!

18 games only cost $10 per person - You can’t beat that!

Let us help take some of the stress out of your holiday shopping. On Monday, December 12th, we’re sending a busload of shoppers to the beautiful Stoneridge Shop-

ping Center in Pleasanton.

Stoneridge has more than 165 stores featur-ing women, men and children’s clothing, fine and fashion jewelry, purses, belts and fashion accessories, Christmas ornaments and holiday décor, books, personal-care products. You name it; they’ll have it at

Stoneridge.

Page 4

Shop ‘Til You Drop Outing on December 12

Crafting Workshop Resumes on January 9

T HE SE NI OR AGE NDA

Join us on Monday, January 9 at 1:00 p.m. in the Art & Crafts Studio

located on the basement level.

We will work under the direction of a skilled crafter; Cassandra Johnson-Edwards. Class size is limited to 15 with preference given

to resuming students.

Cost is only $5 and includes all

materials and supplies.

The Crafting Workshop will be held in the Arts & Crafts Studio at 1:00 p.m.

until 4:30 p.m.

Crafting is for everybody! You don’t need experience. Let us teach you how to design and craft lovely, fun

and practical gifts.

Our crafting workshop is designed for beginners, but it’s also appropri-ate for all of you intermediate level crafters who want to polish your techniques, gain new skills and get

some new crafting ideas.

Bus will depart from DOSC at 9:30 am and

return about 3:00 pm

After you’ve shopped, then drop into one of the many eateries, sit down and enjoy a long, leisurely lunch. Restaurants in-clude Cheesecake Factory, Anderson Bakery, California Pizza Kitchen and

many more.

The cost of all this fun is only $3.00 for your round-trip transportation. Shopping and lunch is on your dollar! $3.00 due at

sign-up.

Do bring your own shopping bags!

Thanks So Very Much to DOSC’s Stellar Volunteers

The time and energy put in by the wonderful DOSC volunteers does not go unnoticed. We wanted to take this opportunity to let you, and all of our members, know just how very grateful we are to you, and how very much we appreciate all that you do for the Center

and its members.

Without your efforts, our senior center

could not function!

As this newsletter goes to print, we will be thanking you formally at the Annual Volunteer Appreciation

Luncheon on December 9, 2016.

We are proud to announce that we have more than 100 senior volun-teers. The generosity and creativi-ty that each of you brings cannot be measured. You are the cream

of the crop, and we thank you!

V OLU ME 10 ISS U E 5

We’re doing our best to make this holiday

season cheery and bright! Join us for a

delicious five-star lunch at the beautiful

Bellevue Club on Wednesday, December

14, 2016 at Noon.

Perched on the shores of Lake Merritt, the

Bellevue Club first opened its doors back

in 1926. The Bellevue Club is located in-

side of a grand old Victorian mansion.

You’ll enjoy seeing the lovely marble floors

and superbly gilded fixtures. Some of us

will walk over together at 11:30, but you

are welcome to meet us at Noon at the

Bellevue, located at 525 Bellevue Avenue.

Wednesday, December 14th, You can walk

over with a group from the Center, or meet

us there. Sign up at the Reception Desk.

The Annual meeting & Election will be held in Hall 3 at 11:00 a.m. in Friday, December 16th. All members

are invited and encouraged to attend.

Page 5

Enjoy a Holiday Luncheon at the Bellevue Club

Join Us for the Annual Meeting & Election on December 16

The Annual General Membership Meeting and Election

will be held on Friday, December 16th at 11:00 a.m.

This is your opportunity to elect the Advisory Council Members for 2017. Advisory Council Members work with the Director in planning our programs and services. Addi-tionally they serve as the Center’s “lead” volunteers, and chair and serve on a number of the committees including travel, special events, finance, and programs and ser-

vices.

If you are interested in serving on the Advisory Council, applications are located in the Center lobby. All applica-tions must be completed and returned by December 9th.

Volunteers can chair many of the Center's committees.

Lunch is only $29. This price includes your choice of entrée (Shrimp Louie, or Chicken Picatta with mashed potatoes and vegetable, or Spinach Ravioli with a spring mix salad). All entrees come with soup, dessert, and a

beverage.

This low holiday price in-

cludes all taxes and tip!

Please note that no jeans are allowed in the Bellevue Club Dining area, so please dress

appropriately.

Why Not Have Lunch Here at the Center?

Delicious and nutritious meals are served here at DOSC every weekday. The cost is a surprisingly low $3.75. Why eat alone when you can share the meal with other mem-bers? Great food and great conversation is yours for the asking. Menus are located at the Reception Desk. You do need to call us (510) 238-3284 and make a reservation at

least 24 hours in advance.

Return Service Requested

200 Grand Avenue Oakland, CA 94610

Downtown Oakland Senior Center

Staff and Volunteers

Jennifer D. King, Director

Michelle Gomez-Thompson, Administrative Assist.

Sam Mazid, Custodian

Juanita Tanner, Receptionist

Terry McIntosh, Receptionist

James Pagliei, Receptionist

Pamela D’Amato, Consignment Shop

Dominique Washington, Canteen Hostess

Elton Rivers, Custodial Assist.

Ricardo Rodriguez, Custodial Assist.

Henry Metoyer, Custodial Assist.

Donald Brooks, Dining Host

Jean Mundy, Volunteer Reception

Esmeralda Grant, Volunteer Reception

Terri McWilliams, Volunteer Admin.

Center Hours: 9:00 am to 4:30 pm

Monday through Friday

(510) 238-3284

DOSC Book Club will meet Friday, January 6, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. in the Center’s Multi-Purpose Room. The book selection is A Manual for the Cleaning Woman, the Pulitzer Prize best seller by Lucia Berlin. Please bring snacks to share

and your suggestions for the February book.