Burnham Brook E-News
Fall 2009 Part II
Working out the Kinks
We at Burnham Brook are continually attempting to improve out services to our customers. When we sent out our last E-Newsletter, we discovered the links to our web site were still linked to our old .com address. We have made the corrections so now you will be able to link to our New and Improved web site. Thank you for your patience.
Onda Bonke
Volunteer
Stop into Burnham Brook on a Tuesday night, and you’ll likely be greeted by Onde Bonke. Onde volunteers at the main desk every week, handling phone and greeter duties, answering questions, and sending folks in the right direction.
A lifelong resident of Battle Creek, Onde says working at the desk “keeps her young,” and gets her out of the house to meet people. While she’s at it, Onde also makes the most of her trips to Burnham Brook, playing piano and singing with the Burnham Brook Singers, exercising, and keeping up with her routine medical tests at the senior health clinic.
“I’ve lived alone for quite a while now,” she says, “and being here just keeps me seeing people, feeling like I’m part of something.”
Mah Jongg
Mah Jongg is an ancient Chinese game that is played with tiles using the National Mah Jongg League rules. The object of modern American Mah Jongg is to make the tiles match up with a hand on a Mah Jongg card. All players are welcome to join the group. Anyone wanting to learn how to play, please contact the Program Department.
Fridays
12:45pm - 4:00pm
Woodshop
Donna Smith had never set foot in a woodshop, until one day she said to herself, “Hey, if it’s included in my membership, I might as well give it a try!” Try it she did – and now she’s hooked. The retired teacher turns student every Monday and Friday after her exercise class and lunch, when she stops by the shop to continue her education in woodworking.
“The gentlemen here are very friendly, helpful and patient,” says Donna. “I hope more people will start realizing what a wonderful place this is to have a new experience.”
Woodshop volunteers Frank Martini, Dennis Tulk, and Ricardo Zanetti couldn’t agree more. “Our whole purpose is to be here for members, to show them how things work and help them with projects of their own,” says Dennis.
The three gentlemen are part of the volunteer force that keeps the shop staffed morning and afternoon, Monday through Friday. They all have plenty of woodworking experience, and are glad to help anyone – even first-timers like Donna – get started.
Stop by and see what the shop has to offer. You will be infused with the eagerness to learn and inspired to train on the equipment. Become an active participant and perhaps unleash a hidden talent!
Men and ladies welcome
Monday - Friday
8:30am - 4:30pm
Members only. Volunteer Host must be on site.
Camera Club
Burnham Brook Photo Club members traveled to Rawson’s King Mill Park in Leonidas in June and to Riverlake Inn near Colon in July for photo shoots. Rawson’s Park on the St. Joseph River offered beautiful natural water scenes and lovely gardens as well as bridges, garden ornaments, and benches to entice the photographers. At Riverlake Inn, the many swiftly flying hummingbirds were a major attraction and a challenge to photograph, and the colorful and extensive garden delighted the eyes. The group visited Hidden Lake Gardens in Michigan’s Irish Hills near Tipton on August 18.
Anyone interested in photography is welcome to join. Additional monthly excursions are in the planning stage. For more information, please contact Mary Jasper, the group’s mentor/advisor at 979-3056.
The photo club is an outgrowth of Mary Jasper’s photography classes at Burnham Brook, which led to the group’s participation in a national intergenerational photo contest locally supported by the Council on Aging.
Burnham Brook Members log 2478.50 miles in Summer Festival of Fitness Challenge
From June 1 through Aug 31 - Dedicated Burnham Brook Fitness members committed to “walk” to 18 different Michigan Festivals. Starting in Battle Creek they ‘walked’ to Centerville, progressing to different festivals along the way (Three Rivers, Kalamazoo, Plainwell, Wayland, Grand Rapids, Howard City, Reed City, Cadillac, Kalkaska, Petosky) all the way up to Mackinaw City and then turned around and ‘visited‘ 6 more festivals on the way back to Battle Creek (Gaylord, Grayling, Prudenville, Clare, Mt. Pleasant, Lansing).
While the participants didn’t physically walk to the festivals, they did accumulate the appropriate mileage through fitness activities at Burnham Brook, including working out in the Burnham Brook Fitness Center and a variety of group fitness classes at Burnham Brook. Each participant that completed the challenge earned a Fitness Festival “Survivor” T-shirt, designating them as a finisher of this ‘marathon’ event! Congratulations to all the successful participants who continue to strive to achieve greater health and fitness through the Burnham Brook Fitness Center Programs!