President’s Message

President’s Message … Margaret Schieck

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Here we are at the beginning of a month that supposedly comes “in like a lion,” but it feels more like a polar bear this year!  It is also Women’s History Month, so the best advice seems to be to stay warm and comfortable and watch some of the outstanding Women’s History Programs on PBS.

Speaking of Lions, our speakers for March will be talking about the Campbell-West San Jose Lions Club’s donated glasses program.  Some of our members will again participate in the glasses sorting event on Saturday, March 4th from 9:00-1:00 at the VISTA center on Bascom Ave.  Lunch is provided.

On March 12th, don’t forget to set your clocks AHEAD one hour for Daylight Savings Time.  After all, you wouldn’t want to be late for our Chapter meeting on the 21st, not to mention any other exciting events you may want to attend.

On St. Patrick’s Day, Friday, March 17th, several of Chapter 5151’s members will be singing in the annual fund-raising concert for Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence.  The concert will be held at the Campbell United Methodist Church on Winchester at 7:30 P.M.  Tickets are $25.00 at the door.  If you have never attended this concert before, you are in for a treat.  Several local choruses combine to put on a great show to support this organization.  There is always a wonderful “massed chorus” finale.

I hope you all have a Happy St. Patrick’s Day and that we’ll see you on the 21st at our general meeting.

President’s Message … Margaret Schieck

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Welcome to February, the shortest month of the year, which can often seem like the longest.  At least we have Valentine’s Day and President’s Day to look forward to celebrating!

In January, thirty-two members of Chapter 5151 enjoyed our 28th anniversary luncheon at Casa Lupe.  At that time, we were pleased to announce that members of our local chapter had amassed 4,606.75 hours of volunteer service to the community in 2022.  That is impressive!  Many thanks to all of you who volunteered in any capacity in 2022.  Let’s keep it up in 2023.  Remember to keep reporting your volunteer activity hours to Leona Fails.

For those of you who like to plan in advance, the next opportunity to accrue volunteer hours at a “glasses sorting” day, in co-operation with the Lions Club, will be on Saturday, March 4th, starting at 9:00 a.m.  The event takes place at the Vista Center on Bascom Ave.  It is actually fun to work with new people and across many generations.

Ken and I had the pleasure of attending the 2nd anniversary celebration of the founding of The Campbell Press, which took place at the Pruneyard Doubletree Hotel on January 21st.  We got to meet and chat with other contributors to the newspaper as well as members of the Chamber of Commerce.  We may even pick up some speakers from these contacts.

Remember that AARP tax preparation assistance starts on February 3rd at the Campbell Community Center in room C-35 on Tuesdays from 1:00 to 4:00 PM and on Fridays from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM.

Tune in to PBS Great Performances on February 17th at 9:00 PM to catch the AARP Movies for Grownups Awards.  You may get some good tips about films and performances that resonate well with older adults.

Hope to see you at the February 21st meeting.

Here we are at the beginning of a month that supposedly comes “in like a lion,” but it feels more like a polar bear this year!  It is also Women’s History Month, so the best advice seems to be to stay warm and comfortable and watch some of the outstanding Women’s History Programs on PBS.

Speaking of Lions, our speakers for March will be talking about the Campbell-West San Jose Lions Club’s donated glasses program.  Some of our members will again participate in the glasses sorting event on Saturday, March 4th from 9:00-1:00 at the VISTA center on Bascom Ave.  Lunch is provided.

On March 12th, don’t forget to set your clocks AHEAD one hour for Daylight Savings Time.  After all, you wouldn’t want to be late for our Chapter meeting on the 21st, not to mention any other exciting events you may want to attend.

On St. Patrick’s Day, Friday, March 17th, several of Chapter 5151’s members will be singing in the annual fund-raising concert for Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence.  The concert will be held at the Campbell United Methodist Church on Winchester at 7:30 P.M.  Tickets are $25.00 at the door.  If you have never attended this concert before, you are in for a treat.  Several local choruses combine to put on a great show to support this organization.  There is always a wonderful “massed chorus” finale.

I hope you all have a Happy St. Patrick’s Day and that we’ll see you on the 21st at our general meeting.

President’s Message…Margaret Schieck

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Happy New Year and best wishes for a healthy 2023.  Also, have a reflective Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on January 16th.  By chance, we get two long weekends in January and get to celebrate Lunar New Year on January 22nd!

Please remember that there will be NO General Meeting at the Community Center this month. Instead, we will have our annual luncheon on January 17th at Casa Lupe in Campbell at 11:30 a.m.  Parking is somewhat limited, so informal (arranged on your own) carpools are encouraged.  Remember to get your reservations and payment in by January 9th.   Guests are welcome, but reservations MUST be made in advance.

If anyone will be donating an item for a door prize, please let Lynda Martinez know.  There will be a free drawing at the luncheon, but we need to know how many prizes we will have.

The next glasses-sorting/cleaning Lions Club event will be held on Saturday, January 7th at the VISTA Center from 9:00 a.m.to approximately 2:00 p.m. (lunch included).  The location is 101 No. Bascom Ave., just off San Carlos. You do not have to stay for the entire time.  Come and meet new friends while discovering what happens to your eyewear donations.

Many thanks to the Harpers’ Hall musicians for the wonderful Holiday program they presented at our December meeting.  The group has already set aside December 19th, 2023, to come and play for us at that meeting!

Don’t forget to join or renew your membership in AARP Chapter 5151 this month.  Have a great January and we hope to see you at the luncheon.

President’s Message … Margaret Schieck

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With a cold snap in the air, snow in the mountains and the promise of rain here, winter is making her presence known! 

December is also the month of Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, Christmas, and Kwanzaa.  A lot of celebrations in one month!

Our December program will be an entertainment program for the first time in quite a while. Musicians from Harpers’ Hall will perform for us.  After a two-year hiatus due to COVID, we look forward to hearing them again.

Don’t forget to wear your most outrageous “Ugly Christmas” sweater or sweatshirt to our meeting on December 20th; there will be a prize for the most outlandish garment.

Don’t forget to see Lynda Martinez to make your reservation for the January Anniversary Luncheon at Casa Lupe on Winchester Blvd. in January.  There will be no general meeting on January 17th as the luncheon will take its place.  Remember to think about items to donate as door prizes for the luncheon.  You can bring them the day of the luncheon.  Just let Lynda or me know that you have a prize to donate so we will know how many we have to give away!

We will be celebrating the 28th anniversary of the founding of the Campbell Area Chapter 5151 of AARP.

Happy Holidays to all and hope to see you on December 20th.

President’s Message … Margaret Schieck

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Happy August to everyone.  August is a rather uneventful month with no national holidays, but at least August 7th is Friendship Day, so if there is someone you haven’t contacted in a while, pick up the phone or write a letter and let them know that you are thinking of them!  Otherwise, enjoy the summer.

On a more somber note, another Chapter of AARP has closed.  The San Bruno Chapter folded this past week.  This has happened due to not having members step up to take on leadership positions rather than due to lack of membership.  The San Bruno Chapter had no one willing to be President or Vice President or Treasurer.  If nobody takes on these roles, chapters must close.  In 2016, there were 200 active chapters in California.  Now there are only 14, according to the State Office.  We cannot function without leadership.  Please think more than twice about filling a vacant post.  Many thanks to Lynda Martinez for volunteering to be Social Chair.

For those of you who may be interested in a one-day opportunity for volunteering, the West San Jose/Campbell Lions club is asking for assistance on Saturday August 13th.  Remember all those old glasses we bring into meetings to be donated?  They need to be sorted, cleaned and packed for shipping.  This event will take place at the Vista Center for the Blind at 101 N. Bascom Ave., San Jose.  For more information send an e-mail to: bob@lionstewart.com

The next Senior Safari will take place on August 25th at Happy Hallow Park and Zoo.  This is a walking (or in my case, wheeling) event that is free for Seniors.  Arrive after 9:00, but before 10:00; parking and admission are free.  Ken and I are planning to attend on August 25th, as our pool exercise class is over for the summer.  We hope some of you will join us.

The Campbell Press article for August features some of the comments from David More regarding what he misses about AARP.  Try to pick up a copy.

President’s Message … Margaret Schieck

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HAPPY 246th BIRTHDAY to the United States of America!  I hope you enjoyed the holiday.

July is “BRING A FRIEND” month for the Campbell Area Chapter of AARP.  Please invite someone to come to our meeting along with you, or separately. A guest does not pay for membership dues until they have attended 3 free meetings.  Of course, guests may also join at any meeting.  One does not have to be a Campbell resident to come to our meetings. “Campbell Area” includes San Jose, Milpitas, Saratoga, Los Gatos, Cupertino and Santa Clara as well as Campbell.  Coffee time is at 9:15 am and the speaker starts at 10:00 a.m.  The July meeting will take place on July 19th in Room Q80 of the Campbell Community Center, 1 West Campbell Ave. in Campbell.  As you enter the Center’s driveway, there is a large parking lot on the left, very close to our meeting room, Q80.

Last month, I mentioned the Senior Safari walks at Happy Hollow Park and Zoo.  Parking and Admission are free if you arrive before 10:00 a.m.  The senior walks take place on the 4th Thursday of the month through October.  Also, for a senior discount rate of $10.00, there are docent-led walks through History San Jose from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. every Thursday for the summer months.  Both venues are located in Kelly Park in San Jose.

Many thanks to all of the AARP Chapter members who came to Angie Jaggars Memorial Service.  It was well attended.

Remember, BRING A FRIEND TO OUR MEETING.

Campbell Area AARP Chapter Meetings

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Campbell Area Chapter 5151 meets at the Campbell Community Center on the third Tuesday of each month at 10:00 a.m. in Room Q80. Don’t sit at home with little to do! Come join this active group. Make new friends. Expand your horizons. Meetings are open to residents of all communities, but membership in the National AARP is required for Chapter membership, which provides, for an annual fee, a mailed black-and-white local newsletter or an emailed color version.

Members often share common interests. Monthly general meetings provide a forum to keep people informed about various local, state, and federal issues, such as legal news, health, identity theft, personal safety, utility regulations, musical programs, magicians, dance and drama groups, and much more.

Members are encouraged to volunteer in the local area to help fulfill the National AARP, “To serve, not be served.” Chapter 5151 has provided commendable volunteer service to many organizations, even throughout the pandemic of 2020-2022.

Come visit us at our next meeting on the third Tuesday of the month and bring a friend.

President’s Message … Margaret Schieck

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Welcome to February!  Happy Valentines’ Day and Happy Lunar New Year!  This month is packed with all kinds of celebrations and commemorations.  It is Black History Month, Women’s Heart Health Month, The Olympics are starting, and there is also Presidents’ Day!

Unfortunately, it does not represent a return to in-person meetings month.  It has been determined that many of our members are nervous about returning to in-person meetings, so for February we will still be on ZOOM.  We are allowed to have up to 50 people at a meeting in-person, but that will have to wait until April.

In March, we will have our annual luncheon for members and guests.  Again, we can have up to 50 people.  The venue will be Casa Lupe at 2165 Winchester in Campbell.  Enter the parking lot from Cherry.  The date is March 15th and the time is 11:30 a.m.  It will be in a private room and Buffet Style.  The menu will consist of cheese or chicken enchiladas, beef burritos, rice and beans and sauteed seasonal vegetables.  Coffee, tea, water or a soft drink is included as well as tax and tip. Cost is $23.25 per person.  Please send checks in advance to Sharon Levine, Treasurer, at 4622 Calle De Farrar, San Jose, Ca. 95118-1914.  Checks should be made out to Chapter 5151 AARP and write “luncheon” in the memo line.  NO MONEY WILL BE COLLECTED AT THE DOOR.  The deadline for payment is March 8th.

I have been on several COVID-19 state and national calls and the advice is as follows:  1. Get your Vaccinations.  2. Wear your masks.  3. Get out and LIVE YOUR LIFE!  We need to start doing this again! This “surge” is supposed to disappear by mid- February.  In the meantime, wear a mask to the Community Center in April until further notice.

Depression and loneliness are taking lives as well as the virus.  The Suicide Hotline number is 855-278-4204.

Hope to see you in March if not on-line in February.

President’s Message…Margaret Schieck

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HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE!!  I hope you all enjoyed the holiday break.  We start a new year with new challenges and new opportunities!

Our General Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 18, in Room Q80 at the Campbell Community Center.  Social time is at 9:15 a.m. with the program scheduled for 10:00.  Meetings are limited to 50 participants, so please sign up in advance prior to January 17, by emailing Joy Walsh or calling her.  We MUST enforce the 50-person limit. If you do not sign up in advance, you may not be able to attend. Officers and Committee Chairs are automatically on the sign-up sheet.  Thank you, Joy for doing this.

Masks are required to enter the Community Center buildings, regardless of vaccination status.

The information regarding in-person meetings is contingent upon COVID guidelines staying as currently defined; we may have to switch to ZOOM at the last minute.

Our Chapter has been operating at a deficit for several years, mostly due to printing and mailing costs, and we find it necessary to raise membership dues for 2022.  Effective March 1, 2022, dues for members receiving the Dispatch via email will be $15.00 and for those receiving it via snail mail dues will be $20.00. These changes represent a $1.00 increase or a $3.00 increase, respectively, for a yearly membership.

On a brighter note, the social committee has chosen a venue for our annual luncheon on March 15, 2022. We will be meeting at Casa Lupe Restaurant in Campbell on Winchester at Cherry at 11:30. The luncheon will be a buffet in a private room, with seating for 50 people with plenty of space. More details to follow at the January meeting.

Many thanks to Sue Yeager for stepping up to manage the Book Exchange table.  There will be no post- meeting lunch in January as no one has volunteered to be lunch coordinator.  For events to take place, we must have volunteers.

See you on January 18!

President’s Message … Margaret Schieck

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Happy Holidays to all whether you are celebrating Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, or any of the other 26 religious or cultural holidays that occur between November 25th and January 6th.  Just enjoy the time and company.

At this point in time, we are looking forward to resuming in-person meetings in room Q 80 at the Campbell Community Center, # 1 West Campbell Avenue, on January 18th, 2022.  No coffee can be served as of this date.  Anyone entering the Community Center must wear a mask whether vaccinated or not.  We will update any changes to this information as we receive them.  Since our meetings must currently be limited to no more than 50 people, please sign up to attend prior to the meeting by calling Joy Walsh, Telephone Chair, or e-mailing her at joywalsh1@comcast.net.  Her phone number is in this Dispatch.  Your reservation should be made prior to January 17th, 2022.  If you do not sign up, you may not be able to attend, depending on numbers.

The Board will be discussing a slight increase in yearly dues at its next meeting.  The information will be in the next Dispatch as well as on our website.  As you know, we are spending more than we are taking in.  The cost of printing and postage has been rising for over 4 years and we can no longer subsidize the cost of sending the Dispatch.  If you can possibly receive your Dispatch via e-mail, please consider making that change on your renewal information.  I will also no longer bring copies of the Agenda to the General Meeting except for a few copies for new members.  We have been paying to print copies of the Agenda and then throwing them out after the meeting, which is a waste.  If you wish to have an Agenda in front of you at the meeting, please print and bring your own.

Our Annual Luncheon has been moved to March 15th.  More details will follow in the January Dispatch and at the General Meeting regarding place, menu, and cost.  Payment will be collected at the January and February meetings.

We are looking forward to seeing everyone in person in January.