Have you spotted the Sunflower car yet? It’s hard to miss. Not only is it eye-catching and fun, but it’s also a fantastic example of what can come out of working together. The purchase of the Honda CRV in 2020 was funded by the Greene County Council on Aging with funds from the Senior Services Levy. The design for the car’s sunflower wrap was a blend of art from three people’s submissions. Volunteer drivers keep that car (and our two others) on the move – taking villagers to medical appointments, shopping trips and errands. Sometimes they are also delivering grocery orders from Tom’s Market or lunches from the “Local Fare” restaurant meals funded by the Yellow Springs Community Foundation.

The activities and programs of YSSC come out of the community and YSSC members taking ownership of the Center. In recent months, programs have developed out of member suggestions, including the Ethical Wills presentations, Friday Zoom Social Hour, and upcoming Game Nights. One inspired member delivered a collection of greeting cards with postage available for the community to send to anyone. The Rainbow Elder Care presentation May 23 is a cooperative presentation with YS Pride as we partner to address the unique challenges LGBTQ+ individuals cope with as they need more personal care.

We await your inspiration or suggestion for what could happen next. The Center and its programs are products of the community, individuals and culture of our Village. We will all continue to age, grow, and develop together.

The Senior Center would like to thank Current Cuisine, the Emporium, the Greene Canteen, Mama's Midnight Bakery, Tom's Market, the Veganry, the YS Baking Company, and Young’s for participating in the Local Fare program and a huge thank you to the Yellow Springs Community Foundation for their support.

 – Caroline Mullin, Executive Director

937-767-5751 x 101, cmullin@ysseniors.org

The Annual Meeting of the Yellow Springs Senior Center is Wednesday, June 22 at 5:00 pm on Zoom. A mailing will be sent to all members in  early June.

Use the buttons below to visit our website for the most up-to-date information about our classes and groups.

Southwestern Ohio is the heartland of two great prehistoric cultural traditions, the Adena and the Hopewell, also known as the Mound Builders, who created hundreds of magnificent earthen structures in this area long ago. The Senior Center is hosting day trips to see some of these great structures that have survived thousands of years of time and erosion.

We will travel by personal auto; car-pooling is recommended. Tours leave from the Senior Center at 9 am and arrive back around 5 pm. A local anthropologist will guide each tour. Some walking will be necessary – you should be able to walk about one-half mile. Box lunches (your choice of meals) and bottled water will be provided.

The cost of each tour is $50, which includes admission fees, parking fees, and box lunches; please pay by one week prior to the tour. Reservations can be made by sending a check to the Senior Center. To pay with a credit card or for more information visit ysseniors.org/tours.

YSSC will host monthly guests to share their expertise and knowledge with the community. The guest for May 19 is Jane Fernandes, President of Antioch College will give an update on the college. On June 16 Dr. Judith Skillings will speak on speak on “White privilege and everyday life.”

Programs will meet in the Great Room and also be on Zoom. All are welcome but seating may be limited, so please register in advance by calling 937-767-5751 or emailing info@ysseniors.org.

Please come for tea and refreshments in the Great Room. Everyone is welcome but please call ahead at 937-767-5751 or email info@ysseniors.org to reserve a spot.

Artie Isaac will present information on Ethical Wills. Ethical wills are not a legal document or about material items, they are a way to convey your values, stories, and important information to loved ones. Artie’s presentation will help you start crafting your own way to express your ideas. Registration is required, call 937-767-5751 or send an email to info@ysseniors.org, limited to 8 participants.

Please join us at the Center for an evening playing board games. We will have the classics (like Sorry or Monopoly) as well as some newer games (Catan, Dominion, Code Names). You are welcome to bring a game you might like to share, and so long as health requirements allow, you are welcome to bring snacks and drinks. All ages are welcome.

Rainbow Elder Care is a Dayton non-profit organization providing advocacy, educational resources, support and referral services to the elder LGBTQ community and straight allies. They will share a presentation about special considerations as personal care needs increase for LGBTQ individuals. YS Pride representatives will be here to join this conversation. All are welcome to this free event in the Great Room and on Zoom.

Left to right: Ava Taylor, Ken Coleman and Helen Eier, co-winners of the YSSC “Car Wrap Design” Contest, gathered to see the final design inspired by their submissions. Additional photos and the submissions are at ysseniors.org/carwrap.

–Margaret Mead

We live in the shadow of the future. A recent book, Homo Prospectus, suggests that we dwell on the future – both our immediate tomorrows as well as more distant horizons – up to 50% of our waking hours. The authors then study and evaluate how our “futuring” motivates thought and action more than our thinking about the present or the past. And, of late, contemplating the future doesn’t always feel so good! The headlines are full of horrific news – daily updates from the pandemic and war, to climate and social injustices.

The problems we face today are immense. They are complex and far-reaching with no easy or simple solutions. Unfortunately, just one person, believing that one can impact – let alone, fix – any one of these problems is, in itself, delusional and a problem of a different order. Simply stated, one can’t. However, by not doing something, we risk becoming numb or fatalistic, encouraging our withdrawal from the state of affairs, engendering a cynical, “why bother,” attitude.

What are we to do?

I first learned the concept of Think Globally, Act Locally from the iconoclastic futurist and economist, Hazel Henderson (The Politics of the Solar Age, 1975). The quote is attributed to other authors as well. It offers each of us a concept of how we might be an agent for world change. There are many examples and opportunities to do so in our own backyard.

Consider the weekly congregation of peace activists at Limestone St. and Xenia Ave. Or, the gathering of the World House Choir at various locales in the Village. Other local practices and organizations exemplify the measured steps we can take and the partnerships we can make to contribute to improving our tomorrows. For example, take a quick tally of all the volunteers at the Community Food Pantry, the Miami Township Fire-Rescue, Agraria, the 365 Project, Tecumseh Land Trust, the YS Arts Council, Glen Helen, the local schools and churches, and other local not-for-profit organizations.

Yellow Springs abounds with endless opportunities to act locally and help create the future we want.

– Robert Libecap, Transportation Manager

937-767-5751 x104, rlibecap@ysseniors.org

The modern senior center has roots dating back to the 1940s in New York City where they were first established. Focused on meeting the needs of their community there are now an estimated 14,000 plus centers all over America.

The Yellow Springs Senior Center works continuously to meet the needs of the community. Interaction with the seniors in the Village has revealed lots of hidden gems among our population. Artists, writers, mentors, tree lovers, fighters for justice, and more. You name it, they are here. YSSC provides opportunities for individuals to shine when they wish to and to reach as many as possible. Individuals may benefit from classes and groups including: yoga, mahjong, Spanish, German, Dancing with Parkinson’s, French, and more. We also provide food deliveries, homemakers, and senior services that permit seniors to thrive in place right here in the Springs.

Come in, give us a try, and you may find that we can make you shine.

937-767-5751 x107, tbondurant@ysseniors.org

Happy Spring! I am excited to let everyone know that Hearing Aid Help will be starting up again. It will be held on the fourth Tuesday of every month at 10 am, in the Fireplace Room. A big thank you to Xenia Hearing Center for providing this service.

As always, we are here to help you with your insurance and Medicare questions. We also have information on food and housing assistance and many other services that can help seniors age in place in their own homes.

(937) 767-5751, ext. 108, slawson@ysseniors.org

To celebrate National Senior Health & Fitness Day on Wednesday, May 25, 1 pm on Short Street, the YSSC is presenting the annual Flash Mob event choreographed by Lynn Hardman.

There will be three practice sessions with Kristyn Andrews in the Great Room on Mondays May 9, 16, and 23 from 1–1:30 pm. The goal of National Senior Health & Fitness Day is to promote regular physical activity.

Thanks to all responded to our recent survey. A more comprehensive survey will happen later in the year to help determine if YSSC is aging as well as our villagers are. With 84 respondents, about 20% of our members, here are some results:

PDF files of the bimonthly Newsletter, going back to 2019, are available on ysseniors.org/enewsletter. An eNewsletter is also sent to everyone who gets the weekly email blasts. If you would like to get these emails, email info@ysseniors.org or go to the website to sign up using the link on the home page.

The Yellow Springs Community Foundation recently recognized the Yellow Springs Senior Center with the “Nonprofit Community Impact Award” (along with the 365 Project) and the Center’s Encore Miller Fellow Linda Sikes with the “Encore Miller Fellow Engagement Award.” Both awards were presented at the YSCF Annual Meeting on April 7.

The Senior Center continues to shop for groceries weekly from Tom’s Market for anyone who is homebound due to transportation, mobility, or health issues. Deliveries are on Fridays and orders are due by 11 am on Thursdays. Orders are accepted one of three ways:

Credit Card/Debit Card/EBT cards are accepted. This is a free service. Donations are gratefully accepted.

A Memorial Exhibit of Sue Brezine’s artwork is showing in the Yellow Springs Senior Center’s Fireplace Room Gallery. Sue was a native Daytonian and long-time Yellow Springs resident and an award-winning and widely respected watercolor painter, including recognition from the Western Ohio Watercolor Society and “The Artist Magazine.” The show will be up from April 1-June 29 and can be seen during the Center’s open hours of M-F 9:30 am-4 pm, except during class time. Please check the calendar or call before you come. For more information, visit ysseniors.org/art.

This year’s SeniorPalooza is a combination of online videos, trivia, and activities you can do at home, as well as in-person events. All the information you need for the SeniorPalooza has been recorded in the Itinerary, which can be found on the Council’s website, mailed if requested, or picked-up at the Drive-By Event. 

The Drive-By Event is Wednesday, May 4 from 1:30–3 pm in the Xenia Community Center parking lot, 1265 W. Second St., next to the Council’s office. Your Council Team will be on hand to offer you an Impressive Takeaway Bag with the Itinerary, a challenge kit, several surprises, and the registration form for the Senior Field & Impression Day. 

The Senior Field & Impression Day at the XCC is Thursday May 19 from 11:30 am–2:30 pm with fun games and challenges including a warm-up, move to the beat, then tackle a medley relay. The event will move into the gym for snacks and hands-on activities: creating an impression in clay for a trinket tray, and a timed creativity challenge. A Grab’n’Go Supper will be available. Advance registration is required, and space is limited for this afternoon of outside and indoor fun. 

The registration form will be in the Impressive Takeaway Bag and online at gccoa.org. Videos will be posted to the Council’s Facebook Page, website, and YouTube channel starting May 1, including videos of Brick and Baum who will be practicing their best impressions.

For more information or to request an itinerary, contact the Council at YourFriends@gccoa.org or 937-376-5486 or on their website at gccoa.org.

The Greene County Council on Aging’s Annual Yard Sale is Thursday, June 2 from 9 am–4 pm in the GCCOA’s Parking Lot, 1195 W. Second St. in Xenia. The event will be held rain or shine and proceeds benefit their Grab Bar Installation Program.

If you have any items to donate, you can drop them off at GCCOA on May 5, 12, and 19 or by appointment by calling 937-376-5486. They will take household items, books, jewelry, crafts, small furniture, tools, kids’ toys and accessories, holiday and miscellaneous decor, and gardening items.

The GCCOA invites you to share a bit of your life story and hear the stories of others on Monday, May 16 from noon–2:30 pm at Clifton Senior Center, 141 Clinton St. in Clifton.

Some suggestions of what you can share:

Participants are encouraged to bring a few photos from childhood through recent years.

Yellow Springs resident Patti Dallas will lead the program which includes a box lunch. Patti is a longtime film producer and musician. Her specialty is community and family histories.

There is no charge to attend, but reservations are required by May 9 to plan for the box lunch and set-up. 

To reserve your spot or for questions, please contact Tim Brickey at 937-376-5486 or send an email to tim.brickey@gccoa.org.

Contact GCCOA with questions or to register for these events at 937-376-5486 or send an email to YourFriends@gccoa.org. Information is also available on their website at gccoa.org.

Use the button below to visit the calendar our website for the most up-to-date information about our classes and events. Virtual classes and events will also have the links to these events.

Welcome NEW Members!

Laura Curliss

Deborah Dixon

Kay Kendall

Robert Lytle

6–6:45 pm: Meet & Greet at the Mullin’s Farm, 4300 St. Rt. 370, to receive your Host dinner location/directions.

7–9 pm: Dinner at a Host Home.

$65.00 per person ($55 is tax deductible)

RSVP by June 1, 2022 (Seating is limited so please register early)

Please include all persons in your party, limit six, in the same envelope with payment. We will do our best to accommodate your request. All participants must be fully vaccinated. More information at:

​The Yellow Springs Senior Center newsletter is published every other month, coming out at the end of the even numbered months. Copy deadline is the 1st of even numbered months. PDF versions of this and past issues can be found on the website.

Email updates are sent weekly and the eNewsletter is sent every other month.