News

Ballard NW Senior Center Update

July 1, 2020

Hello Everyone.  I hope you and your family are doing well.  March seems like a lifetime ago when we were all together.  So much has happened.  This has certainly been an unprecedented, scary, and lonely time, but also one of innovation, new ways of communicating and doing things and hope for a better, if different, new normal whatever that will be.  We can’t wait to welcome you back very slowly and with a gradual reopen of services.  This all depends on meeting the different phases and guidelines and the course the Virus takes in the coming weeks.

Ballard has always been known as the friendly center where all are welcomed, supported and appreciated. The last few weeks of protests and demonstrations over racial injustice and police brutality have brought a needed reality to our nation. At Sound Generations and Ballard NW Senior Center, we embrace the belief that racial and other social identities should be respected and affirmed. We don’t tolerate racism on any level and we commit to work for a better future.

Just as the Covid-19 arrived we welcomed new Social Worker Jennifer. She has been making phone calls, writing tips and quotes for lunch and our website, handing out lunches and planning for all the activities on reopening. We now welcome our new Program Coordinator Lisa. She is anxious to provide some wonderful programs for you all. Some of you have met her when picking up a lunch or saying hi. Welcome to you both. We have two new great team members to join Lori, Carolyn, and me.

Our plan is to start welcoming back participants for one-on-one services the week of July 6^th . This does not mean that the doors are open and all our services have returned. First, we know that many are not ready to venture out and return to the center and some won’t be until there is a vaccine or proven treatment. There are protocols that must be followed by everyone on entering the building and strict control of numbers of participants. Masks, physical distancing and gloves must be observed. First to be offered will be services like social work appointments, foot care, legal and financial counseling, and dental hygiene. Some small exercise or other classes of 5 or less participants may be offered outside. No inside activities will be allowed for some weeks.  We do not think inside Community Dining will occur until late August or early September. Chef Lori and her wonderful helpers Jessica, Carol and Laurie, will continue to prepare their delicious take-out/ pick-up lunches and Pete and Katie will continue to deliver to housebound members.

What about our other activities? We will see where the road takes us. We had to cancel 2 rainbow bingos, rummage sales, bingo, Wednesday night dinners, and on it went. We have rescheduled our annual auction to a virtual event on September 13^th. See separate article. We have taken a huge hit financially, with very little revenue coming in to offset the expenses of providing services, meals, building maintenance, etc.  Any and all donations would be greatly appreciated..

Can’t wait to see you!

Love,

Carlye, Center Director

July 2020 Newsletter

Ballard NW Senior Center Update

April 30, 2020

I love Helen Keller’s quote “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much”. And, together we are, even though the center has been closed to onsite inside activities since March 16^th. We are the Ballard NW Senior Center family. Together we are accomplishing a lot and staying connected. Here are some examples:

Chef Lori, Jessica and Biscuit Queen Carol are preparing delicious and nutritious lunches for take-out/ pick-up at the front door Monday through Thursday with delivery by Katie and Pete in the immediate area on Tuesday and Thursday.  Carlye, Lisa and Jennifer love to see our regular participants and some new friends who come to get lunches. And, we are together, sharing greetings, news, checking on how each other are doing, listening and sharing the good and the not so good, and giving kudos to Lori and crew from the participants and all from at least 6 feet apart and in masks and gloves.

New social worker Jennifer is busy doing phone consultations and check-ins, providing daily quotes and tips to put in the lunch bags and on the website, organizing the kids who provide the art work for the bags, all the while planning for all the groups and activities and getting the Friend to Friend program ready to restart once we reopen.

Carolyn made beautiful cloth masks to hand out to participants and all are busy connecting people and applauding as the writing group meets by conference call, the red hats socialize, the conversations group meets virtually, and now we are connecting Bastyr clients with their center docs, and phone friends are enjoying the chats.

All the while, center work gets done, reports and grants are written, the building is sanitized regularly, we work with, Sound Generations, city and county governments who have been wonderful in the support of the centers and check on our folk, involve the board and on it goes all the time making plans for the gradual and slow roll out to reopen.

The new target date to slowly reopen the center is June 1^st, though it could be later. It all depends on how the number of cases come down and what the orders are from the state. Since our population is the hardest hit with this virus we must be careful and do it right. More on the how and when in future days and weeks.

I’m still concerned about people being connected. It is so important to have social contact. So, while practicing social distancing and following all the rules stay connected with family and friends anyway you can by internet, social media, letters and the old phone. We are a community, we are together, and we will get through this.

See you soon

Carlye, Center director

Download Letter April 30, 2020

Dear Members, Participants and Friends,

From The Seattle Times Rant and Rave column on Tuesday March 24 2020, “RAVE: to the Ballard NW Senior Center and their chef, Lori! Although the center is closed, the kitchen is open and she is preparing delicious meals for pickup and takeout”.

As we were handing out these nutritious and delicious meals today another who came said:

“It’s not just about the food, it’s about community, it’s about doing for others, it’s about love.”

Another said:

“Thank you all for doing this, food, plus I get to go outside and see other people and say hi even from 6 feet away.”

I hope you are all doing well during this unprecedented COVID-19 crisis. It is a very difficult time for ourselves, our families, our center family, our community and our nation. It is important that we all follow the orders that are given. Stay at least 6 feet from others, wash your hands, sanitize, don’t touch your face and try to find the positives, exercise, eat well, get adequate rest and we will get through this together. Ballard NW Senior Center, “The Friendly Center”, has for 47 years been here to support, provide services, listen, celebrate the good times and lend a hand when an extra shoulder is needed. We are still here to help and support as best we can even though the center is closed. Staff continues to provide resources and support.

However, I am concerned. The COVID-19 Virus is hitting our population the hardest. We have been told to stay at home and that is good advice. But, again I am worried because isolation is detrimental to our physical and mental wellbeing. Please find ways to have a positive outlook and communicate with others whether by e-mail, text, face time or the good old phone!

As noted above, while the center is closed we are offering Chef Lori’s take-out meals either to be picked up between 12 and 1 on a first come first served basis or limited delivery in our area. We offer pick up a meal  service at the center Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (2 meals on Thursday) because no pickup service on Friday. Suggested donation $4.00 per meal. Delivery Service only on Tuesday and Thursday. You will receive 2 nourishing meals and a container of soup each of those days. The suggested donation is $10.00 per day for this package. To request delivery, see instructions in the takeout meals section.

I’m also deeply concerned about the center financial state. We had to postpone our auction to 9/20/2020 and our other fundraisers have to be postponed also. But here is how you can help the center and allow us to be able to continue our services.

How can you help? Make a donation, hit the donate button on this page. Whether it’s $1.00 or $1,000 and any amount in between, it will help stabilize our finances.

Thanks so much, watch for more updates, and keep smiling.

Love,

Carlye
Executive Director of Ballard NW Senior Center