Golden Guide to the Golden Age Center

3278 Whitehaven Road, Grand Island, NY 14072 Transportation: Transportation is available on a priority basis for all Island residents over 50. Medical appointments will be accommodated with first priority. We also provide transportation for Center activities, which includes participation in the lunch program, trips to the pharmacy, grocery shopping, day trips, and more. Appointments on the Island must be made at least 2 business days in advance (even for the lunch program) and 7 days in advance for off Island transport. The earlier you call to make the appointment, the better. PLEASE REMEMBER: This is a cluster driving service. You may be picked up much earlier than your appointment, in order to accommodate everyone. To make an appointment, please call us at 773-9683. The Grand Island Golden Age Center provides services to all Grand Island residents, 50 years of age or older, regardless of religious, racial, political or ethnic background. This Town-sponsored facility provides transportation services, special events, educational, recreational & travel opportunities, as well as a congregate site featuring home-cooked meals. Our mission is to provide safe, nurturing, and enjoyable activities to meet the needs of our senior population. Membership is free of charge. The staff and members of the Golden Age Center welcome you! Town of Grand Island Golden Age Center 3278 Whitehaven Road Grand Island, NY 14072 Hours of Operation: 8am—4pm, Monday - Friday Phone: (716) 773-9682 Fax: (716) 773-9683 E-mail: [email protected] Mary Cooke Town Supervisor Barbara A. Gannon, Director of the Golden Age Center Join us for breakfast! Every morning, bread with butter, jam & peanut butter, and/or breakfast baked goods are set out for members to enjoy, free of charge. C’mon in as early as 8am and join us in the Dining Room for breakfast! Coffee and tea can also be enjoyed with breakfast, and are available for purchase at $.50 a cup or 3 cups for $1.00. You can prepay for coffee by purchasing coffee coupons, at 3 coupons for $1.00. Coffee & tea purchases can be paid for at the office. Start your morning off right with other members of the Golden Age Center! Due to the continued generosity of our dear friends at Tops Friendly Markets, we have free breads and baked goods that are available for people to take home on a daily basis, on a first come, first served basis. Please feel free to stop by outside of the Dining Room & Kitchen each day to pick up a bread or baked good to enjoy at home. TRAVEL– Do you like to travel? Do you like to experience places far & wide? If you are interested in traveling with the Golden Age Club, please attend our Travel Club meetings. Travel Club meets on a bi-monthly basis; please stay tuned to The Golden Voice for the meeting dates & times. We usually have one extended trip and several day trips planned throughout the course of the year, with extended trips being decided by popular vote. We gladly take suggestions for trips at the meeting. We will research and get prices for each trip. Information, such as dates and costs, will be provided once all the details are in place. If you would like to be a part of the Travel Club or would like to find out more information, please call us at 773-9683. Lunch Meals: A daily, full meal is served for lunch. Lunch specials for the month are listed in each monthly issue of The Golden Voice. Lunch includes a cup of homemade soup, vegetable, an entrée with a meat, potato or other starch, dessert, with a choice of tea & coffee. On Fridays, the Golden Age Center kitchen serves the lunch Souper Seniors, which includes unlimited soup & sandwiches, along with a dessert. The cost of lunch is $3.50. Lunch is served at 11:45am MONDAYS - THURSDAYS & at 11:30am on FRIDAYS. If you’d like to sign up for lunch, please sign up outside of the office or give us a call at 773-9683 to add your name to our lunch list. As you know, food prices are rapidly rising. If you are signed up for lunch and you are unable to attend, please call us and cancel as soon as possible. We may be able to sell a cancelled lunch to someone who may otherwise be turned away. Thank you for your continued cooperation on this issue; we appreciate your help with this matter. If you like to plan ahead and would like to buy lunch or coffee ahead of time, you can do so by purchasing lunch tickets. Lunch tickets are $3.50 each. Coffee tickets are $.50 each or 3 tickets for $1.00. You can buy as many as you wish at a given time. You can give the office your ticket when paying for your lunch or coffee, in lieu of cash. Birthday Box & Birthday Drawing: Every month, we will have a drawing for 2 FREE lunches at the Golden Age Center. If your birthday falls during the current month, each day you participate in the lunch program, you may fill out a slip and place it in the Birthday Box. The slips and the Birthday Box are found on the counter, outside of the office window. One winner will be drawn after the last day of each month. Good luck! Do you have an idea or a suggestion for the Golden Age Center? Don’t be afraid to voice your opinion! There are TWO Suggestion Boxes: one is in the Dining Area, by the beverages, and the other is on the counter, outside of the office. Please write your name and suggestion on the forms provided by the box and drop your suggestion in the Suggestion Box. If you’d rather discuss your idea with a staff member, please talk to the Director, Barbara Gannon. Donations are ALWAYS gladly accepted for the following items:  Socks, which will be given to the needy  Yarn, to make mittens, hats, scarves, & lap blankets for those that are ill, the needy & for veterans during the holidays  Gently used items to sell in the Country Store  Gently used clothing and shoes for the Try & Buy Closet Country Store in the Dining Room Are you looking for a neat find? Stop on by the Country Store for gently used items at a fraction of the price! From jewelry to scarves, housewares to gadgets, buy a great gift for someone special or buy a great treat for yourself! Prices are listed at bargain levels. Stop by, help support the Golden Age Center by making a purchase today! If you have any items you’d like to add to the Country Store, please talk to a staff member. Thank you! Try & Buy Closet is BACK! Bring in any clean, useable clothing, shoes, or jackets/coats you no longer need or want, and it will be available for purchase at bargain prices to members. Proceeds from the Try & Buy Closet are used to help keep the costs of lunches down. Find a new piece for your wardrobe today! Another person’s refuse is another one’s treasure! Things to remember at the Golden Age Center…  Label your coat with your last name. With the weather changing and more people wearing coats to the center, it’s important to label your coat with your last name so that your coat isn’t accidentally taken by another member! Many coats and jackets may look very similar to yours. Thank you for your help in this matter. If you wear boots, please label your boots with your last name and place them on the tray or newspaper on the floor under your coat. If you wear a scarf, hat, or gloves to the Center, please tuck them in your coat pockets or in the sleeve of your coat.  Transportation: On-Island pick-ups & drop-offs cost $1. Those that are being transported off-island will pay $10 for their trip. Those that are wheelchair-bound that need transport would pay $25 and need to provide an aide with them.  If you are being transported to Tops or Walmart to do your shopping, there is a 4 bag limit per person to transport in the van or on the bus. This will allow us to have enough space to put everyone’s purchases and to transport all of our passengers. Thank you!  We are ALWAYS looking for volunteers for Meals on Wheels. If you would like to volunteer to deliver Meals on Wheels to those in need or if you would like to find out more information about Meals on Wheels services for your loved one, please contact us at 773-9682.