by Kate Evans
Senior Life Services of Morgan County has new activities, programs and special events for seniors age 60 and older. Their main location-the Berkeley Springs Senior Center- is located at 106 Sand Mine Road Suite 1 in the former US Silica building. The facility is open Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The building is handicapped-accessible.
Brenda Morgan, Senior Life Services of Morgan County Life Enrichment Coordinator Activities at the main Senior Life Services location in Berkeley Springs said the menu of activities on offer for older residents includes bingo, bridge, isometric exercise, crafts, Bible Study, watercolor painting, the hand, foot and knee card game, the Pins and Needles sewing circle and tap dancing. Offerings keep changing at the center.
Bingo takes place on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. The seniors love their bingo, Morgan said. The sewing circle is free of charge. They’ll be making sewing repairs and repairing zippers. Senior Life Services is looking for donations of working sewing machines to support their efforts.
Mondays are craft days where seniors make crafts using supplies they have on hand or that are donated, Morgan said. Some 10-20 crafters come to join in the craft activities.
Morgan said the center offers physical exercise options for seniors five days a week. On Mondays and Wednesdays, instructor Michelle Gomez leads isometric exercise, and drumball. Walk with Ease (indoor or outdoor walking with stretching and balance exercises) is on Tuesdays. 
Volunteer Laura Falcon leads Chair Yoga with seniors every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m.
Morgan teaches Tai Chi for arthritis on Thursdays. Beginning and intermediate tap dancing is held on Fridays.
Morgan is certified to teach tai chi for arthritis and fall prevention and Walk with Ease. Their class instructors are all certified volunteers, she said.
The Senior Center also has fitness equipment that seniors can use on their own, including an elliptical, a stationary bike and a treadmill. All of the classes are free and open to seniors.
Upcoming events
A Paint Day is being held on Saturday, March 22 with instructor Amanda Malcolm as a fundraiser. Th center just had a lasagna dinner dance fundraiser with Morgan County Line with a silent auction.
The Berkeley Springs Senior Center also offers vegetable soup, chili and pepperoni rolls for sale in March as fundraisers.
Book club, open mic
“The Page Turners” book club is starting at the Berkeley Springs Senior Center on the first Tuesday of each month at 12:30 p.m. with Cheryl Webber. A lending library also exists where seniors can check out books, bring them back or replace them with other books.
There’s a Potluck/Open Mic on the last Tuesday of every month at 4 p.m. Some come from Hancock and Pennsylvania to perform. Many seniors just come to listen, Morgan said. It has a really good turnout of 15-30 people, she said.
There’s a monthly birthday party where sponsors bring cupcakes, ice cream and balloons for the party. The CEOS are hosting the March birthday party that has a St. Patrick’s Day theme.
All kinds of games and puzzles that people can play are also on hand, she said.
Special gatherings
The KnitWits meet inside every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 12:00 noon to work on knitting and crocheting projects for community groups. They meet outdoors in the summer. Special events are held in the senior center’s new pavilion.
A Ladies Tea is scheduled for May 9. Last year 75 women attended the tea. This year Morgan is expecting at least 100 women to be there.
Morgan said that she’ll have served as Senior Life Services activities coordinator for two years as of May this year. 
She noted that it’s not the same senior center as it was two years ago –it’s more like a senior adult country club. More people are coming and some 20-40 people are coming for lunch where it was 10-20 people before. They have been recognized by the state for their activities and video postings.
Meals
Hot lunch meals are offered daily at the Berkeley Springs Center at 11:45 a.m. The Paw Paw Senior Center is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am.-1:30 p.m. with lunch served daily at 11:30 a.m.
Lunch is also served at 11:30 a.m. every Wednesday at the Greenwood School Community Center at 8989 Winchester Grade Road, said Morgan. They also send meals to the Pleasant View Community Center twice a month.
Home-bound seniors can get healthy home-delivered meals that need no preparation.
A multitude of services
Other services Senior Life Services provides are in-home care programs for seniors, veterans, seniors with dementia/Alzheimer’s and respite care for caregivers.
The agency has a medical equipment loan closet that includes donated wheelchairs, canes, walkers and bedside toilets.
Seniors can also get help with Medicare and health care insurance coverage by appointment.
Morgan said they offer free vision tools for people that are visually challenged.
The Senior Center also rents space for birthday parties and family reunions.
Senior Life Services offers transportation for seniors in Berkeley Springs to and from their Berkeley Springs Center center for lunch as well as transportation to non-emergency medical appointments.
Travel opportunities
Senior Life Services has day trips they take seniors on for shopping, dinner theaters and museum visits.
The agency also plans longer trips, which this year includes a Kentucky Bourbon trip in late April and an Alaskan Cruise, Scenic Rail and Land trip, exploring Denali National Park, Glacier Bay National Park and Hubbard Glacier from June 25 to July 5 for 11 days and 10 nights.
“We try to do fun things to get them coming back,” Morgan said. 
Volunteers are always needed to help at their senior centers, whether it’s delivering meals or helping with crafts, around the building or in the kitchen, Morgan said. Volunteers teach classes, do programs and activities and deliver meals.
“Everyone is very caring and compassionate. We just love our seniors,” Morgan said.
For more information about Senior Life Services of Morgan County and their programs and services, call 304-258-3096.
