By RHEA-FRANCES TETLEY
Staff Writer
The Crest Forest Senior Citizens Club was closed over the holidays, but has reopened for the new year and has even added two new classes to their busy schedule of activities, with Beginning Spanish and Photography.
The membership of the club has now surpassed 300, so they needed to add more things to keep the members engaged.
Their calendar of events at Leisure Shores and in town keeps getting fuller in a wide variety of activities. At their Tuesday and Thursday nutrition luncheons, held at the San Moritz Lodge at noon for those 60 and over, they provide diners with a nutritious three-course meal, throwing in some community information, fun social interactions and jokes. Every Tuesday, after the senior luncheon, they play dominoes at 2 p.m. at Leisure Shores; on Thursdays at 1:30 they have Oldies but Goodies, where members reminisce, laugh and have quizzes about the music of the olden days and talk about things they haven’t thought about in years while having fun.
There is also bowling each Thursday at 2 p.m. at Rim Bowling, with three games each week. The bowling, which is $5 a game, provides great exercise as well as some fun companionship. Bowling balls and shoes are available at Rim Bowling for those who need them. Since this is not a league, bowlers are not required to come every week, so call Rim Bowling at (909) 338-5550 for more details.
According to their new website www.CrestlineSeniorCitizens.org, “We pride ourselves on being a dynamic club that strives to meet the changing needs of the senior population in Crestline and nearby communities, by offering both ongoing weekly activities and special programs.” Through these activities they offer a variety of opportunities to meet new friends and socialize with old ones.
At this month’s January membership meeting, on Jan. 24, they’ll have their annual chili cookoff, with monetary prizes for the winners. For those who don’t cook chili competitively, they are encouraged to bring extra side dishes to make it a perfect dinner.
In one of the new classes, Jeronimo Breen will lead a beginning Spanish class on the first and third Thursdays at 10 a.m. in the Fireside Room. The new Photography class, led by Craig Swanson, is on the opposite second and fourth Thursdays, also at 10 a.m. in the Fireside Room.
Other activities include the Page Turners Book Club with the book for January, Beyond That, the Sea by Laura Spence-Ash. They meet the fourth Friday of each month; on Friday, Jan. 26, at 9:30 a.m., they will discuss their insights into the book. In February, they will read and discuss The Paper Palace by Miranda Crowley-Heller.
The Dogwood Community Sew Group meets at 10 a.m. on the fourth Monday of each month, where sewing becomes a social event instead of a solitary activity. Seamstresses bring their machines and fabric and sew together. On the third Mondays, also at 10 a.m., those seamstresses involved in making the Quilts of Valor meet, under the direction of Ginger Gabriel. Those quilts are made for and donated to worthy veterans.
On Mondays at Leisure Shores, they offer yoga sessions at noon plus, on every Wednesday, they also offer yoga sessions at 2 p.m. Yoga is good for seniors as it helps them become more active and loosens their joints, improving their ability to live a more active lifestyle. Also on Monday, the Mountain Music Makers meet at 10 a.m. to play music and practice for future performances.
They will be playing bunco again, every first and fifth Wednesday at 10 a.m. It’s $5 and bring a sack lunch. For those interested in playing, call the office at (909) 338-5036 and leave your name and phone number, because they like to have 12 at each session.
Fridays are very active days at Leisure Shores. The day begins with art class workshops at 10 a.m. with line dancing at 1:30 and tap-dancing lessons at 3 p.m. Movies also occur at 3 p.m. but on the other side of the building in the Fireside Room with everyone bringing their own snacks to nibble on while sitting on the couches and enjoying the movies on the wide screen.
There are other interest groups and activities such as their card-making workshop, “The Experiment” science group and others. Plus, if any member has an idea for a fun activity, they can recommend it.
The club is looking forward to the progress San Bernardino County is making on the replacement of the three old heating systems and adding air conditioning to Leisure Shores, making it into a true community cooling center, by summer.
The seniors also operate the Ye Olde Thrift Shoppe in Top Town Crestline at 23454 Crest Forest Drive, which helps to support the Leisure Shore activities and the senior luncheons. It is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. They now have a whole building next door dedicated to furniture sales. Call (909) 338-5413 in advance to be sure they have room for a large furniture donation.
The Crest Forest Senior Citizens Club was initially called “The Friendly Neighbors Club of Crestline” when it formed on Dec. 16, 1959. They celebrated their 60th anniversary in 2019. Since 1959, the club has grown and modernized to meet the changing needs of those 60 years of age and over in the mountain area. For more information about these and other the activities they sponsor and how to join or get involved, call their office from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday at (909) 338-5036. Leisure Shores is located at 24658 San Moritz Drive, facing the east shore of Lake Gregory in Crestline.
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