PLEASE READ YOUR NEWSLETTER EACH MONTH.

IT CONTAINS IMPORTANT INFORMATION!!!!!!  

SO MANY EXCITING THINGS ARE HAPPENING!

Our move into Chapter Headquarters in the Tomorrow Center at 1133 Adams St. should be complete by the end of January.  Our space at the Center will provide us with opportunities for centralization of information and services.  We will continue, though, to have our membership meetings at Faith United Methodist Church.  Hopefully we will be ready to announce at the February membership meeting the date of our open house.  

Our member, Mike McClure, has provided his expertise to create a website for our Chapter.  We will be linked with the web pages of other organizations as well as being available through Google.  The site is available now and we are in the process of adding information.  Please access http://www.m2c3.com/AARP/BGAARP.htm  

Our Chapter Newsletter will be sent each month, the week of the membership meeting, to all persons in our email address book.  Please be sure we have your correct address!!  You should already be receiving email notifications regarding membership meeting information.  If not, please contact President, Bob Parson, 782-3904. For those of you without email access, newsletters will still be available at membership meetings.  

Today we officially welcome our 2007 Officers and Committees!!!!   We are so fortunate to have talented and committed persons who have served in the past and persons who are now getting ready to serve our Chapter in such a variety of ways. There are many, many ways to be a part of our Chapter, no way too small!  Your Officers and Committees will be looking to you, our wonderful members, to help continue our mission of education, community service, advocacy, and fellowship. 

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE SERVED AND TO ALL WHO ARE GETTING READY TO SERVE IN 2007.  WE APPRECIATE YOU!!!!!!!  

THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE

Our members really demonstrated their loving Christmas spirit by helping to wrap hundreds and hundreds of presents for 445 seniors as part of the Santa for Seniors program. Home Instead Senior Care sends our Chapter a very appreciative THANK YOU!    

Also, members visited our Chapter members who are “shut ins” at home or nursing homes to deliver poinsettias and visit.  The report I get is that the visits were very much appreciated.  THANK YOU!   

How many people can you talk to in a 5 hour period of time?  Well, ask the many Chapter volunteers who manned the AARP booth at the January 13 Medical Center Wellness Expo.  It’s amazing how many people don’t know that we have a local AARP Chapter.  And we have been at the Expo for 4 years now.  So, our mission is not done yet. THANK YOU!  

THINGS WE ARE GOING TO DO

There are two upcoming opportunities to get rid of your STUFF.  #1 At our February meeting, we will have our 3^rd annual White Elephant Silent Auction.  This is the time to get rid of small stuff.  Pat Kisling and Ann Parson will be in charge of the auction.  It will be held after our meeting and during our lunch. #2  We will have a Yard Sale and Bake Sale April 6.  Details will follow in the February and March newsletters.  All proceeds will be to benefit our Chapter.  So, start cleaning out and stacking in a pile all that stuff that needs to go!  Each person is to “pre” price their donations.  Mark it with a price that will sell!   

We will be making our annual Frankfort Legislative Trip in February---leaving the afternoon of Feb 21, attending legislative sessions the 22^nd, and returning home late afternoon the 22^nd.  Please contact Frank Melton, 796-3741 if you are interested in this very interesting trip.     

OTHER RELATED AARP INFORMATION

TAXAIDE starts in February and continues until the middle of April.  This is AARP’s program to help older persons with tax preparation.  It is a free service.  This service will be provided at the Tomorrow Center at 1133 Adams Street.  For information regarding days and hours, contact Bob Parson, 782-3904.  

DRIVER SAFETY classes are held each month at the Wellness Center in the Greenwood Mall for persons 50+.  The course is designed to meet the specific needs of older drivers.  Pre-registration is required along with a $10 per person fee.  Graduates are entitled to a insurance premium discount.  Call 745-0942 to register.   

THINGS WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW

Do you like the $2 “To Go” lunch boxes that was initiated at the November meeting?  The Officers and Board would like to know!!  In 2007, all our meetings will have pot luck meals except the May meeting at Ryan’s Restaurant.  We will be asking our members to bring a dish for the pot luck each meeting or to make a donation.  The $2 “To Go” lunch boxes would be available after the pot luck lunch is completed.  Please give us your input!!!!   

We are looking for Chapter members who are active with other organizations to serve as a liaison between our Chapter and that organization.  All this requires is that you would keep our Board informed of any activities of interest from that particular organization.  This is part of our effort to be informed about community activities and to show our Chapter interest in the community.  Are you active with the Mental Health and Aging Council, the Caregivers Group, The Human Rights Board, Habitat for Humanity, or the Humane Society?  We have members who already are serving as connections to the following groups:  NAACP, TRIAD(Senior Crime College), the Elderabuse Council, VFW and American Legion.  Please let Bob Parson, President, 782-3904, know if you will serve as a connection with a community organization.  

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS AND MISCELLANEOUS NEWS

BGAMUG(computer club)----January 23 at 6:30pm at Technical College on Loop Dr

Contact Dick Schultz 393--0120 or Edwin Phelps 842-6451

VFW OR AMERICAN LEGION EVENTS---contact Edwin Phelps 842-6451

RETIRED SENIORS VOLUNTEER  PROGRAM---opportunity for many volunteer projects

Contact Community Action 782-3162

CERT(community emergency response teams)---neighborhood citizen response teams

Contact Dick Schultz 393-0120

HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS---available to persons 65+ and the disabled---gives a        

Substantial discount($31,400) on your property tax bill.  Contact the PVA office, 843-3268.

NEXT MEETING FEBRUARY 16

11:30am at Faith United Methodist Church

Veterans Memorial Lane

History of Valentines, Pot Luck, White Elephant Silent Auction