Prime Time May 2024

FREDERICK

Moving forward

Frederick woman helps others deal with grief

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On the cover: Shirlene Roberts is a grief life coach for a widows support group that holds meetings at Whole Heart Grief and Life Center.

Staff photo by Ric Dugan

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From grieving widow to grief coach

Frederick woman launches memoirs and support group to help others

As the rain cascaded onto darkening Frederick streets on the evening of April 2, Shirlene Roberts busily prepared to meet a small group of grieving women. Inside the golden glow of the Whole Heart Grief Center, located in the Rollins Life Celebration Center, Roberts laid out a table of books chosen with love and care. These were books she had read and found helpful in the wake of her own devastating loss of her husband.

“When you’re a widow, and you’re in this pain, you try to find anything that can help relieve this pain,” Roberts said. “I just was trying to read up on everything I could.”

Now as a grief coach, she shares with others the resources that she benefited from. The latest addition to the list of resources is Roberts’ own book, the newly-released “Moments and Memories — A Story of Love and Loss: My Widow’s Journey.”

Roberts’ own journey of loss began on the morning of July 3, 2017, when her husband, Roger Harris, died suddenly from cardiac arrest. As Roberts remembers, “He kissed me goodbye, and about 15 minutes later, I got a phone call.”

Reeling from the shock of it all, Roberts struggled to see a way forward. “I thought, I’ll never be able to think

One day, while praying about the project, Roberts felt something quicken in her spirit. With clarity, she began to see how the book would come together and how the passages that she had journaled could be divided easily into chapters. She found that writing, which began solely in grief, took on a more complex form.

“It ended up being my love story,” Roberts said.

As Roberts describes it, she met Harris in June, they went on their first date the following March, and by December of the same year, they were married.

clearly again, because it’s just so overwhelming.”

That’s when she got a call from Denise Rollins, a grief coach and founder of Whole Heart Grief and Center. She began coaching Roberts through her grief, guidance Roberts now calls a “great help.”

Rollins suggested that Roberts write her feelings in the form of journaling. Some people prefer handwriting on notebook paper, but Roberts found that her words flowed better when she typed on a computer.

“I would sit in there all day and just type, type, type,” she said. “I didn’t

want to forget about him. I didn’t want to forget how he always had to have three strokes when he pulled his deodorant. Not two, not four. I just didn’t want to forget about all those special things that I felt like we shared.”

Feeling the urgency to capture these details and memories, she kept up the practice, allowing her thoughts and emotions to pour onto the screen. Then, something began to change.

“As time progressed, I knew there was a blessing there,” she said. “Progress, as time progressed.”

Rolllins suggested to Roberts that she turn her journaling practice into a book.

At the time, Roberts was the event planner for the Advocacy/Legislation Seminar for the Paralyzed Veterans of America, a role that she did not realize at the time was preparing her for her future love story. In her book, she writes, “My husband was a paraplegic, and the only way he moved from place to place was by the use of a wheelchair. Well, I have worked around and traveled with men and women that use wheelchairs, at that time for 22 years … . When I look back over my life, God was preparing me for him and him for me.”

Their connection was immediate, though complicated by distance; Harris lived in Rhode Island and Roberts in Frederick. Nonetheless, they spoke on the phone constantly and, before long, began visiting one another. In describing their drives together, she writes, “That car is seasoned with our conversations. When I am in that car now, I feel his presence.”

After getting engaged, the pair had planned on an October 2013 wedding, but during Thanksgiving in 2012, Roberts decided she simply couldn’t wait almost a year to be married. She proposed to Harris that they marry the following month, in December. After a whirlwind of planning, they married Dec. 29 — in the middle of a storm that dropped two feet of snow during the course of their wedding.

The four and a half years that followed felt all too fleeting compared to the lifetime they had planned together. By the summer of 2017, Roberts found herself stunned by the sudden absence of the man with whom she once believed she would spend the rest of her life.

“I was completely knocked off my foundation,” Roberts writes. “It almost

felt like I had nothing and no one to live for.”

Now, after seven years have passed, Roberts can appreciate how far she has come on her grief journey. “The feelings and the emotions that I had seven years ago, they’re not there,” she said. “Now I’m just filled with all these wonderful memories. No more hurt. No more feeling of emptiness and total, complete loss, but just filled with memories.”

Now she turns her attention to helping those for whom grief is still fresh. Since the loss of her husband, Roberts has become a certified grief coach and works with Rollins, who was instrumental in Roberts’ own healing.

In the extended dedication of her book, she thanks Rollins, saying, “She has gone from my Grief Coach to my Life Coach.”

“ Now I’m just filled with all these wonderful memories. No more hurt. No more feeling of emptiness and total, complete loss, but just filled with memories.

SHIRLENE ROBERTS

In addition to one-on-one coaching, the Whole Heart Grief and Life Center recently launched a Widows’ Support Group, which first met on that rainy night on April 2 and will continue to meet every other Tuesday. The groups are designed to be highly confidential and free of judgment to give participants a place to share freely and process

their pain.

Roberts’ encouragement to anyone facing grief and loss: “You have to be willing to want to live. If you want to grow and change the world because of what happened to you, you can do that. One person at a time, or one book at a time, or one speaking engagement, or you just never know. You just let yourself be open. And you know, when you help others, it always helps you.”

Erin Jones is a freelance writer, former humanities teacher and owner of Galvanize & Grow Copywriting. She holds a BA in English from Hood College and an MA in English from the Bread Loaf School of English, through which she studied literature at Middlebury College and Oxford University. Learn more at erinjoneswriter. com, or follow her on Instagram @ErinJonesWriter.

Say that again

Using hearing aids can be frustrating for older adults but necessary

It was an every-other-day routine, full of frustration.

Every time my husband called his father, who was 94 when he died in 2022, he’d wait for his dad to find his hearing aids and put them in before they started talking.

Even then, my father-in-law could barely hear what my husband was saying. “What?” he’d ask over and over.

Then, there were the problems my father-in-law had replacing the devices’ batteries. And the times he’d end up in the hospital, unable to understand what people were saying because his hearing aids didn’t seem to be functioning. And the times he’d drop one of the devices and be unable to find it.

How many older adults have problems of this kind?

There’s no good data about this topic, according to Nicholas Reed, an assistant professor of epidemiology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health who studies hearing loss. He did a literature search when I posed the question and came up empty.

Reed co-authored the most definitive study to date of hearing issues in older Americans, published in JAMA Open Network last year. Previous studies excluded people 80 and older. But data became available when a 2021 survey by the National Health and Aging Trends Study included hearing assessments conducted at people’s homes.

The results, based on a nationally representative sample of 2,803 people 71 and older, are eye-opening. Hearing problems become pervasive with advancing age, exceeding 90% in people 85 and older, compared with 53% of 71- to 74-year-

Speech-Language-Hearing Association, said about half of her older clients have “some sort of dexterity issue, whether numbness or reduced movement or tremor or a lack of coordination.” Shekinah Mast, owner of Mast Audiology Services in Seaford, Delaware, estimates nearly half of her clients have vision issues.

For clients with dexterity challenges, Creed often recommends “behind-theear hearing aids,” with a loop over the ear, and customized molds that fit snugly in the ear. Customized earpieces are larger than standardized models.

“The more dexterity challenges you have, the better you’ll do with a larger device and with lots of practice picking it up, orienting it, and putting it in your ear,” said Marquitta Merkison, associate director of audiology practices at ASHA.

olds. Also, hearing worsens over time, with more people experiencing moderate or severe deficits once they reach or exceed age 80, compared with people in their 70s. However, only 29% of those with hearing loss used hearing aids. Multiple studies have documented barriers that inhibit use. Such devices, which Medicare doesn’t cover, are pricey, from nearly $1,000 for a good over-the-counter set (OTC hearing aids became available in 2022) to more than $6,000 for some prescription models. In some communities, hearing evaluation services are difficult to find. Also, people often associate hearing aids with being old and feel self-conscious about wearing them. And they tend to underestimate hearing problems that develop gradually.

Barbara Weinstein, a professor of audiology at the City University of New York Graduate Center and author of the textbook “Geriatric Audiology,” added another concern to this list when I reached

out to her: usability.

“Hearing aids aren’t really designed for the population that most needs to use them,” she told me. “The move to make devices smaller and more sophisticated technologically isn’t right for many people who are older.”

That’s problematic because hearing loss raises the risk of cognitive decline, dementia, falls, depression, and social isolation.

What advice do specialists in hearing health have for older adults who have a hard time using their hearing aids? Here are some thoughts they shared.

Consider larger, customized devices. Many older people, especially those with arthritis, poor fine motor skills, compromised vision, and some degree of cognitive impairment, have a hard time manipulating small hearing aids and using them properly.

Lindsay Creed, associate director of audiology practices at the American

For older people with vision issues, Mast sometimes orders hearing aids in different colors for different ears. Also, she’ll help clients set up stands at home for storing devices, chargers, and accessories so they can readily find them each time they need them.

Opt for ease of use. Instead of buying devices that require replacing tiny batteries, select a device that can be charged overnight and operate for at least a day before being recharged, recommended Thomas Powers, a consultant to the Hearing Industries Association. These are now widely available.

People who are comfortable using a smartphone should consider using a phone app to change volume and other device settings. Dave Fabry, chief hearing health officer at Starkey, a major hearing aid manufacturer, said he has patients in their 80s and 90s “who’ve found that being able to hold a phone and use larger visible controls is easier than manipulating the hearing aid.”

Have confidence in every conversation.

Do you find it difficult to use a standard phone? Do people ask you to repeat yourself during telephone conversations? Do you miss important calls because you can’t hear the phone ring? The Maryland Accessible Telecommunications (MAT) program is here to help by giving Maryland residents the opportunity to apply for State-provided telecommunications equipment to independently make and receive calls. Once you qualify, a skilled evaluator meets with you to determine the best device to support your day-to-day communications. The MAT program has a variety of equipment solutions to support clearer communication, including:

Independence days

To make peace with becoming an empty-nester, I had to be at peace with myself

Over Presidents’ Day weekend, my eldest daughter took her 17-year-old sister to tour a few colleges in Northern and Central California. A part of me desperately wanted to go with them — my youngest’s first real college tour! But it was clear that they viewed this as a sisters getaway, and since I am known to proselytize about the primacy of sibling relationships — “God willing, they will be the longest of your lives,” I say regularly, to a chorus of rolling eyes — I bit back my regret and made the hotel reservations.

Then I learned that my in-laws were having a gathering near Death Valley that same weekend. My husband wanted to attend, but I could not because of work. Suddenly it dawned on me that I would be spending three days all alone in my house.

Three days! All alone! In my house!

I have been apart from my entire immediate family for work trips and, occasionally, for travel with friends. But I have not been alone in my place of residence for three whole days since I got married almost 27 years ago. My husband too has traveled in those intervening years, but there was always a kid, or two, or three rattling around the house in his absence, needing food and cuddles and to be driven to some birthday party, youth sporting event or other.

Now I would be completely and unbelievably alone. What on earth would I do with myself?

Well, the first thing I would do was get a phone call from my daughters in-

Three days! All alone! In my house!I have been apart from my entire immediate family for work trips and, occasionally, for travel with friends. But I have not been alone in my place of residence for three whole days since I got married almost 27 years ago.

forming me that their car had broken down on Interstate 5 north of Bakersfield. After that car was towed to a nearby garage and pronounced unfixable, I would then drive 2½ hours north to give them my car and ride back home with the busted one and a very nice AAA tow truck driver from Buttonwillow. (Shout out to G-dog of Castro Towing!)

Even so, most of the long weekend lay before me, silent, empty and abso-

lutely extraordinary, especially after the project I had expected to be working on was delayed. The only items on my todo list were “walk the dog” and “bring in the trash bins”; everything else was completely up to me.

If you are not a parent, especially of multiple children, it may be difficult to understand how surreal this felt. For more than a quarter of a century, my days have been structured around the needs of others. Not exclusively, of

course — I have professional deadlines and dental appointments, social engagements and personal errands, including those conjured to deliver much-needed time on my own.

But many people have unfettered access to my calendar. The result is a near permanent state of churn, in which any given time slot has a Plan A (“have to”), a Plan B (“should do”) and a Plan C (“if you can find the time”).

Yes, the years of needing to get up at 5:30 a.m. if I wanted an hour to myself in a silent house before the cacophony of rousting kids out of bed and hustling them into clothes, making lunches, brushing hair, signing permission slips and scrounging up a $10 bill (“because the teacher said she can’t make change”) for a just-now-mentioned field trip all before 8 a.m. are long gone. My oldest children, who came home during lockdown, have been out of the house for at least a year, and at 17, my youngest is remarkably self-sufficient, and almost completely silent, as she prepares for her school day (the permission slips do still randomly appear).

Likewise, the evening battles over homework — making sure it’s being done, responding to emergency demands for help — are (mostly) distant memories. I’m more likely to tell my youngest that she needs to stop studying and go to bed than anything else.

But if the minute-by-minute nature of clear-and-present motherhood has eased, there are still dinners to be made; laundry and dishes to be done; appointments to be scheduled and kept; crises to be handled; practices, rehearsals, parties and part-time jobs to drive to; basketball games and performances to attend.

All accompanied by the underlying beat of urgent requests for random information: When did my side of the family come over from Ireland? How do postage stamps work? Why don’t we have any good snacks? What is the Hulu password again? Where is my [insert personal belonging here]?

With no one to ask me if her basketball uniform is in the wash or what time of day she was born “for a school project,” would I even exist?

Yes, yes I would. And with great abandon.

Like every good Type A mother with a bit of time on her hands, I had planned to use my three family-free days to get some projects done: Rearrange the linen closet, clean out the pantry, deal with the disarray recent storms had inflicted on the backyard, organize old photos, sort through the bins my son left behind when he moved to Kansas City more than a year ago, get rid of the myriad sweaters I never wear yet insist on keeping.

I might visit a friend; I would definitely go to the gym, possibly more than once. Maybe I could make a big lasagna and freeze it.

Reader, I did none of those things. Indeed, my family-free holiday was defined almost entirely by what I did not do, which was pretty much anything at all.

Historically, it requires a very high fever or a major stomach flu to keep me from tackling some project or other in any time not immediately claimed by work or family. Even when we travel, I tend to go off on my own adventures while the rest of the family takes a few hours of down time — I didn’t shell out for airfare in order to nap! And certainly not in Edinburgh/New York/Kansas City. We might never be here again!

Indeed, it has been said by some who claim to know me that I simply don’t know how to relax.

Well, for almost three full days I did nothing but relax.

I planted a few pansies and tidied up the bathrooms; when it began raining, I dealt with some leaks. I did look at some old photos, and then just put them back in the box. I gazed at both the linen closet and pantry and decided they were fine, just as I decided it was too cold to get rid of any sweaters and that my son

could deal with his stuff when he was next in town.

When left completely on my own, with no demands and no one looking, it turns out I like to read novels and watch movies. I made some egg salad and soup but otherwise refused to cook. (A quarter-century of making meals each and every day for people who eat them in less than five minutes can curb one’s love of cooking.) After my six-hour salvage run up the 5, I was not in the mood to drive anywhere, not even the gym, so I stayed in, worked out a bit on my own, finished knitting a scarf I had begun a year ago and read some more.

But I also did something I have not done for many years: I sat with myself, alone, and did nothing. No mentally thumbing through potential column ideas; no planning the summer or even scheduling the next week. No doomscrolling with its attendant internal rants over world events, no prophylactic worry about this child or that potential situation, no chastising myself for not doing all the chores I had planned to do or worrying if I was going to close the activity and exercise rings on my Apple watch.

I just moved around my house and yard in silence, talking only to my dogs, and instead of obsessing about the 90 million things I had to do, should be doing, I felt only peace.

When it started raining, I didn’t even have to walk the dog.

A part of me had definitely been braced for a feeling of, if not loss, then dislocation. With my youngest looking at colleges, I thought these days would give me a preview of the time when my nest would be empty. But a three-day weekend comes with a clock — neither my husband nor my daughters were gone long enough for me to pine. It was a bubble, separate and exclusive, preparing me for nothing but reminding me of much.

That the day doesn’t much care what you accomplish in each of its hours; that a healthy body, and mind, needs to be at rest once in a while; that the actual longest relationship you will ever have is with yourself so it’s important to enjoy being alone.

Though when it stops raining, that dog does need to be walked.

MAY CALENDAR

WEDNESDAY, May 1

Exercise — Senior Recreation Council

8:55-10:10 a.m.

Talley Recreation Center, 121 N. Bentz St., Frederick.

Meets every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Requires $10 annual dues. See website and contact coordinator.

Contact: Susan Janssen, jsusan481@aol.com, 301-695-1785.

Cost: $2.

https://srcfrederick.org

Senior Law Day @ Frederick County Senior Centers

9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Frederick County Division of Aging and Independence.

Maryland Legal Aid will be on site at all our Senior Centers to prepare Advanced Medical Directives at no cost to you! You must call your preferred Senior Center to schedule an appointment. See website for contact information.

Contact: virtualseniorcenter@frederickcountymd.gov, 3016001234.

https://www.frederickcountymd.gov/8075/50Community-Centers

Softball — Senior Recreation Council

Pinecliff Park, 8350 Pinecliff Park Road, Frederick.

Requires $10 annual dues. See website. April-September. Wednesday: Practice at 6 p.m. Friday: Games at 6:30 p.m. Associated activity costs. Contact coordinator. Activity is open to women over 40 and men over 50.

Contact: Adrian Winpigler, 301-662-6623.

https://srcfrederick.org

THURSDAY, May 2

Spring Theme in Watercolor

1-3 p.m.

Brunswick Senior Center, 12 E. A St., Brunswick. No skill required, there will be step-by-step instruction. This class is for all skill levels. All supplies will be provided. Instructor: Michelle Moore. For seniors.

Contact: Brunswick Senior Center, virtualseniorcenter@frederickcountymd.gov, 301-834-8115.

Cost: $10.

https://www.frederickcountymd.gov/8075/50Community-Centers

Duplicate Bridge Games

12-4 p.m.

Church of the Transfiguration, 6909 Maryland Ave., Frederick.

Looking for a competitive mind sport? Fred-

erick Bridge Club duplicate games allow you to hone your skills and make new, like-minded friends. All are welcome, no membership requirements. If you need a partner, call Leslie at 240-344-4041 (or email lffutrell@yahoo. com). For general information, call Sophia at 301-676-5656 (or email sdobran@comcast. net) or visit bridgewebs.com/frederick.

Contact: Sophia Dobransky, sdobran@comcast.net, 301-676-5656.

Cost: $7.

http://bridgewebs.com/frederick

Bridge Thursday: Senior Recreation Council

1-4 p.m.

Spring Ridge Senior Apartments, 6351 Spring Ridge Parkway, Frederick.

Requires $10 annual dues. See website. Contact coordinator to reserve seat.

Contact: Judy Bell, 336-662-2889.

https://srcfrederick.org

EMF National Day of Prayer Breakfast

6:45 a.m.

Walker’s Overlook, 8939 Woodsboro Pike, Walkersville.

Breakfast at 7 a.m. and the program will begin promptly at 7:30 a.m.

Cost: $35.

http://frederickprays.com

Open Duckpin Bowling

1-3 p.m.

Walkersville Lanes, 44 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Walkersville.

Hosted by the Senior Recreation Center. Not league bowling. Requires $10 annual dues. Cost is weekly cost of bowling. See website and contact coordinator.

Contact: Gerald Blessing, gvblessing@comcast.net, 240-651-1865.

https://srcfrederick.org

FRIDAY, May 3

Exercise — Senior Recreation Council 8:55-10:10 a.m.

Talley Recreation Center, 121 N. Bentz St., Frederick.

Meets every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Requires $10 annual dues. See website and contact coordinator.

Contact: Susan Janssen, jsusan481@aol.com, 301-695-1785.

Cost: $2.

https://srcfrederick.org

HHS Mobile Health Unit, Outreach Team and Program Staff Visit 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Brunswick Library, 915 N. Maple Ave., Brunswick. Program staff will be bringing health services, food distribution, and access to learn more about other HHS programs (like energy assistance) to various neighborhoods throughout the Frederick community. Food distribution begins at noon, while supplies last.

Contact: Michael Grogan, mgrogan@cityoffrederickmd.gov, 240-4099005.

http://cityoffrederickmd.gov

Softball — Senior Recreation Council

Pinecliff Park, 8350 Pinecliff Park Road, Frederick.

Requires $10 annual dues. See website. April-September. Wednesday: Practice at 6 p.m. Friday: Games at 6:30 p.m. Associated activity costs. Contact coordinator. Activity is open to women over 40 and men over 50.

Contact: Adrian Winpigler, 301-662-6623.

https://srcfrederick.org

Bocce — Senior Recreation Council

8 a.m.-12 p.m.

Baker Park Bocce courts, Frederick.

Requires $10 annual dues see website for details.

Contact: Terri Baker, cyclechick54@outlook. com, 301-508-0283.

https://srcfrederick.org

SUNDAY, May 5

Holocaust Remembrance Day Program 1-3 p.m.

Beth Sholom Congregation, 1011 N. Market St., Frederick.

The Beth Sholom and Kol Ami Congregations’ annual Holocaust Remembrance program. Speakers will include a local daughter of a Holocaust survivor, Frederick Mayor Michael O’Connor, Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater and Maryland State Sen. Karen Lewis Young. Join us as we honor and remember those who died at the Holocaust.

Contact: Jon Solomon, solomonjt2003@ yahoo.com.

https://www.bethsholomfrederick.org/

Mount Olivet Cemetery History & Mystery Tour

1:30-3 p.m.

Mount Olivet Cemetery, 515 S. Market St., Frederick.

Discover Frederick’s Past as we navigate through the labyrinth of graves, crypts and monuments. One of Maryland’s largest and most beautiful cemeteries. Final resting place of Francis Scott Key; Maryland’s first governor, Thomas Johnson; and Civil War heroine Barbara Fritchie. Learn about the cemetery’s origin, tombstone design, grave robbing, mass graves; stops at other distinctive burial plots including the Key Memorial Chapel. Reservations required.

Contact: Maryland Heritage Tours, Info@ marylandghosttours.com, 301-668-8922.

Cost: $16 for adults.

http://marylandghosttours.com

MONDAY, May 6

Exercise — Senior Recreation Council 8:55-10:10 a.m.

Talley Recreation Center, 121 N. Bentz St., Frederick.

Meets every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Requires $10 annual dues. See website and contact coordinator.

Contact: Susan Janssen, jsusan481@aol.com, 301-695-1785.

Cost: $2.

https://srcfrederick.org

WEDNESDAY, May 8

Exercise — Senior Recreation Council 8:55-10:10 a.m.

Talley Recreation Center, 121 N. Bentz St., Frederick.

Meets every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Requires $10 annual dues. See website and contact coordinator.

Contact: Susan Janssen, jsusan481@aol.com, 301-695-1785.

Cost: $2.

https://srcfrederick.org

Veterans Coffee Social 10-11:30 a.m.

Emmitsburg Senior Center, 300A S. Seton Ave., Unit 8, Emmitsburg.

Join others in the military-connected community for a social hour with light refreshments. Veterans Advisory Council Coordinator Michaela Browne will be present to share information about resources available to Frederick County veterans and their families.

Contact: Caitlyn Kirby, vac@frederickcountymd.gov, 301-600-6350.

https://www.frederickcountymd.gov/8075/50Community-Centers

Softball — Senior Recreation Council Pinecliff Park, 8350 Pinecliff Park Road, Frederick.

Requires $10 annual dues. See website. April-September. Wednesday: Practice at 6 p.m. Friday: Games at 6:30 p.m. Associated activity costs. Contact coordinator. Activity is open to women over 40 and men over 50.

Contact: Adrian Winpigler, 301-662-6623.

https://srcfrederick.org

THURSDAY, May 9 Health

New to Medicare Workshop 1-2:30 p.m.

Virtual Senior Center, Frederick.

State Health Insurance Assistance Program

(SHIP) Trained SHIP staff help Medicare beneficiaries, family members and caregivers understand Medicare benefits, bills, and Medicare rights.

Contact: virtualseniorcenter@ frederickcountymd.gov, 301-600-1234.

https://www.frederickcountymd.gov/8075/50Community-Centers

Bridge Thursday: Senior Recreation Council

1-4 p.m.

Spring Ridge Senior Apartments, 6351 Spring Ridge Parkway, Frederick.

Requires $10 annual dues. See website. Contact coordinator to reserve seat.

Contact: Judy Bell, 336-662-2889.

https://srcfrederick.org

Dinner Dance Hosted by Brunswick Senior Center

2-5 p.m.

Fraternal Order Of Eagles, 401 Central Ave., Brunswick.

A fun afternoon of dancing followed by dinner! Pre-register with Brunswick Senior Center, 301-834-8115 at the Brunswick Eagles Club.

Contact: Cathy Barnes, virtualseniorcenter@ frederickcountymd.gov, 301-834-8115.

Cost: $12.

https://www.frederickcountymd.gov/8075/50Community-Centers

Bicycling — Senior Recreation Council

9 a.m.

Locations vary.

Requires $10 annual dues see website. Meeting locations vary, depending on ride location contact coordinator.

Contact: Kathy Araiza, myjamis1@gmail.com, 301-606-0064.

https://srcfrederick.org

Open Duckpin Bowling

1-3 p.m.

Walkersville Lanes, 44 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Walkersville.

Hosted by the Senior Recreation Center. Not league bowling. Requires $10 annual dues. Cost is weekly cost of bowling. See website and contact coordinator.

Contact: Gerald Blessing, gvblessing@comcast.net, 240-651-1865.

https://srcfrederick.org

FRIDAY, May 10

Exercise — Senior Recreation Council

8:55-10:10 a.m.

Talley Recreation Center, 121 N. Bentz St., Frederick.

Meets every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Requires $10 annual dues. See website and contact coordinator.

Contact: Susan Janssen, jsusan481@aol.com, 301-695-1785.

Cost: $2.

https://srcfrederick.org

HHS Mobile Health Unit, Outreach Team and Program Staff Visit

10 a.m.-3 p.m.

International Community Church, 123 Byte Drive, Frederick.

Program staff will be bringing health services, food distribution, and access to learn more about other HHS programs (like energy assistance) to various neighborhoods throughout the Frederick community. Food distribution begins at noon, while supplies last.

Contact: Michael Grogan, mgrogan@ cityoffrederickmd.gov, 240-409-9005.

http://cityoffrederickmd.gov

Softball — Senior Recreation Council

Pinecliff Park, 8350 Pinecliff Park Road, Frederick.

Requires $10 annual dues. See website. April-September. Wednesday: Practice at 6 p.m. Friday: Games at 6:30 p.m. Associated activity costs. Contact coordinator. Activity is open to women over 40 and men over 50.

Contact: Adrian Winpigler, 301-662-6623.

https://srcfrederick.org

Bocce — Senior Recreation Council

8 a.m.-12 p.m.

Baker Park Bocce courts, Frederick.

Requires $10 annual dues see website for details.

Contact: Terri Baker, cyclechick54@outlook. com, 301-508-0283.

https://srcfrederick.org

SATURDAY, May 11

National Train Day Open House 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Western Maryland Railway Historical Society, 41 N. Main St., Union Bridge.

See the history of the Western Maryland Railway both in Carroll County and Maryland. The Museum collection is housed in a 122-yearold railroad station and office building. See trains from full-size to small model trains of all sizes scales. Hot dog stand, children’s ID program table.

Contact: Brian T Mahoney, wmrhs1@verizon. net, 410-259-7649.

http://westernmarylandrhs.com

MONDAY, May 13

Exercise — Senior Recreation Council 8:55-10:10 a.m.

Talley Recreation Center, 121 N. Bentz St., Frederick.

Meets every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Requires $10 annual dues. See website and contact coordinator.

Contact: Susan Janssen, jsusan481@aol.com, 301-695-1785.

Cost: $2.

https://srcfrederick.org

My Choices: Planning Ahead by Maryland Legal Aid 10-11 a.m.

Frederick Senior Center, 1440 Taney Ave., Frederick.

This presentation will explain important planning documents such as wills, advance directives, and power of attorney forms all of which ensure that a person’s wishes are properly carried out at the end of their life.

Contact: Frederick Senior Center, virtualseniorcenter@frederickcountymd.gov, 301-6001234. frederickcountymd.gov/8075/ 50-Community-Centers

TUESDAY, May 14

Medigap/Supplemental vs Advantage Plans

10-11:30 a.m.

Virtual Senior Center, Frederick. Learn more about these different types of Medicare programs to help determine which type of program may be the best for you. State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) Trained SHIP staff help Medicare beneficiaries, family members and caregivers understand Medicare benefits, bills, and Medicare rights. Pre-register.

Contact: virtualseniorcenter@frederickcountymd.gov, 301-600-1234.

https://www.frederickcountymd.gov/8075/50Community-Centers

Moderate Hikes — Senior Recreation Council

Locations vary.

Requires $10 annual dues. See website. As scheduled. Hikes offered April to June and September to October (weather permitting). For more advanced hikers. May be 5-7 miles in length on uneven ground and hills. Meeting locations vary. Contact coordinator.

Contact: Ray Rother, crwords@verizon.net, 301-662-6315.

https://srcfrederick.org

Easy Hikes with the Senior Recreation Council

Meeting Locations Vary.

Requires $10 annual dues. See website for details. Hikes offered April through June, and September through October. Hike from 3 to 6 miles on terrain with good footing and little or no elevation change. Pace is adjusted to the speed of the group. Meeting locations vary, contact coordinator.

Contact: Kathy Ginsburg, kathyginsburg1106@gmail.com, 301-6394144.

https://srcfrederick.org

WEDNESDAY, May 15

Exercise — Senior Recreation Council

8:55-10:10 a.m.

Talley Recreation Center, 121 N. Bentz St., Frederick.

Meets every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Requires $10 annual dues. See website and contact coordinator.

Contact: Susan Janssen, jsusan481@aol.com, 301-695-1785. Cost: $2.

https://srcfrederick.org

Omaha’s World Fair

4-4:30 p.m.

Virtual Senior Center , Frederick.

What do Paris, Chicago, and London have in common with Omaha, Nebraska? They all hosted huge expositions many years ago that brought millions of visitors and put their cities “on the map’. Join a tour of a model, photographs and artifacts from the Trans-Mississippi & International Exposition (a.k.a. Omaha’s “World’s Fair’). Presenter: The Durham Museum. Pre-registration is required.

Contact: Virtual Senior Center, virtualseniorcenter@frederickcountymd.gov, 301-788-1075.

https://www.frederickcountymd.gov/8075/50Community-Centers

Softball — Senior Recreation Council Pinecliff Park, 8350 Pinecliff Park Road, Frederick.

Requires $10 annual dues. See website. April-September. Wednesday: Practice at 6 p.m. Friday: Games at 6:30 p.m. Associated activity costs. Contact coordinator. Activity is open to women over 40 and men over 50.

Contact: Adrian Winpigler, 301-662-6623.

https://srcfrederick.org

THURSDAY, May 16

Bridge Thursday: Senior Recreation Council

1-4 p.m.

Spring Ridge Senior Apartments, 6351 Spring Ridge Parkway, Frederick.

Requires $10 annual dues. See website. Contact coordinator to reserve seat.

Contact: Judy Bell, 336-662-2889.

https://srcfrederick.org

Open Duckpin Bowling

1-3 p.m.

Walkersville Lanes, 44 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Walkersville.

Hosted by the Senior Recreation Center. Not league bowling. Requires $10 annual dues. Cost is weekly cost of bowling. See website and contact coordinator.

Contact: Gerald Blessing, gvblessing@comcast.net, 240-651-1865.

https://srcfrederick.org

FRIDAY, May 17

Exercise — Senior Recreation Council

8:55-10:10 a.m.

Talley Recreation Center, 121 N. Bentz St., Frederick.

Meets every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Requires $10 annual dues. See website and

MAY CALENDAR

contact coordinator.

Contact: Susan Janssen, jsusan481@aol.com, 301-695-1785.

Cost: $2.

https://srcfrederick.org

HHS Mobile Health Unit, Outreach Team and Program Staff Visit

10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Tasker’s Chance Park, 1175 Key Parkway, Frederick.

Program staff will be bringing health services, food distribution, and access to learn more about other HHS programs (like energy assistance) to various neighborhoods throughout the Frederick community. Food distribution begins at noon, while supplies last.

Contact: Michael Grogan, mgrogan@ cityoffrederickmd.gov, 240-409-9005.

http://cityoffrederickmd.gov

Groceries for Seniors

12-1:30 p.m.

Frederick Senior Center , 1440 Taney Ave., Frederick.

A free monthly distribution of seasonal produce, canned goods, and shelf stable products. This is a “farmer’s market” style

distribution located inside of the Frederick Senior Center. All Frederick County residents age 60+ with an income below $1,450 per month are eligible to participate. Please bring a photo ID to register the first time. Groceries for Seniors is offered on the third Friday of each month.

Contact: Division of Aging & Independence, DAI@frederickcountymd.gov, 301-600-1234.

https://www.frederickcountymd.gov/8337/ Groceries-for-Seniors

Softball — Senior Recreation Council

Pinecliff Park, 8350 Pinecliff Park Road, Frederick.

Requires $10 annual dues. See website. April-September. Wednesday: Practice at 6 p.m. Friday: Games at 6:30 p.m. Associated activity costs. Contact coordinator. Activity is open to women over 40 and men over 50.

Contact: Adrian Winpigler, 301-662-6623.

https://srcfrederick.org

Bocce — Senior Recreation Council

8 a.m.-12 p.m.

Baker Park Bocce courts, Frederick.

Requires $10 annual dues see website for details.

Contact: Terri Baker, cyclechick54@outlook.

com, 301-508-0283.

https://srcfrederick.org

SATURDAY, May 18

The Frederick Chorale Salutes the Armed Forces

3-5 p.m.

Baker Park Bandshell, 21 N. Bentz St., Frederick.

Join The Frederick Chorale and The Army Field Band’s HooahCappella on Armed Forces Day to honor service members and veterans. Groups will perform as a combined choir and separately with songs ranging from “Shenandoah” by James Erb and “The Tree of Peace” by Gwyneth Walker.

Contact: Kiley Mead, kiley.mead@ frederickchorale.org, 301-514-4524.

MONDAY, May 20

Drawing Class: Spring Bird

1-3 p.m.

Emmitsburg Senior Center, 300A S. Seton Ave., Emmitsburg.

Use drawing pencils and colored pencils to create a bird drawing. Learn different techniques like contour and shading! Instructor: Dorothea Barrick.

Contact: Emmitsburg Senior Center, virtualseniorcenter@frederickcountymd.gov, 301-600-6350.

Cost: $15.

https://www.frederickcountymd.gov/8075/50Community-Centers

Exercise — Senior Recreation Council 8:55-10:10 a.m.

Talley Recreation Center, 121 N. Bentz St., Frederick.

Meets every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Requires $10 annual dues. See website and contact coordinator.

Contact: Susan Janssen, jsusan481@aol.com, 301-695-1785.

Cost: $2.

https://srcfrederick.org

Talley Book Group — Senior Recreation Council

10:15-11:15 a.m.

Talley Recreation Center (Classroom A, ground floor), 121 N. Bentz St., Frederick.

Requires $10 annual dues see website for details.

Contact: Kathy Blackstone, hkblackstone01@ gmail.com, 908-797-6539.

https://srcfrederick.org

WEDNESDAY, May 22

Exercise — Senior Recreation Council

8:55-10:10 a.m.

Talley Recreation Center, 121 N. Bentz St., Frederick.

Meets every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Requires $10 annual dues. See website and contact coordinator.

Contact: Susan Janssen, jsusan481@aol.com, 301-695-1785.

Cost: $2.

https://srcfrederick.org

Sensory Program for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities: A Day in the Life of a Firefighter

10-11 a.m.

Walkersville Branch Library, 2 S. Glade Road, Walkersville.

Join us as we hear about the day in the life of a firefighter and look at their truck as well. 18 and older.

Contact: Walkersville Branch Library, 301600-8200.

http://www.fcpl.org

Softball — Senior Recreation Council Pinecliff Park, 8350 Pinecliff Park Road, Frederick.

Requires $10 annual dues. See website. April-September. Wednesday: Practice at 6 p.m. Friday: Games at 6:30 p.m. Associated activity costs. Contact coordinator. Activity is open to women over 40 and men over 50.

Contact: Adrian Winpigler, 301-662-6623.

https://srcfrederick.org

THURSDAY, May 23

Senior Cafe: The Place to Come for Coffee, Conversation, Friendship and Fun Events

10-11 a.m.

Walkersville Branch Library, 2 S. Glade Road, Walkersville.

Tasker’s Chance Garden club will talk about gardening as well as making your own floral arrangement.

Contact: Walkersville Branch Library, 301600-8200.

http://www.fcpl.org

Bridge Thursday: Senior Recreation Council

1-4 p.m.

Spring Ridge Senior Apartments, 6351 Spring Ridge Parkway, Frederick.

Requires $10 annual dues. See website. Contact coordinator to reserve seat.

Contact: Judy Bell, 336-662-2889.

https://srcfrederick.org

Bicycling — Senior Recreation Council

9 a.m.

Locations vary.

Requires $10 annual dues see website. Meeting locations vary, depending on ride location contact coordinator.

Contact: Kathy Araiza, myjamis1@gmail.com, 301-606-0064.

https://srcfrederick.org

Open Duckpin Bowling

1-3 p.m.

Walkersville Lanes, 44 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Walkersville.

Hosted by the Senior Recreation Center. Not league bowling. Requires $10 annual dues. Cost is weekly cost of bowling. See website and contact coordinator.

Contact: Gerald Blessing, gvblessing@comcast.net, 240-651-1865.

https://srcfrederick.org

Taney Book Club — Senior Recreation Council

2:30-3:30 p.m.

Frederick Senior Center, 1440 Taney Ave., Frederick.

Requires $10 annual dues, see website for details.

Contact: Mary Ann Foltz, mafoltz919@verizon.net, 301-662-6199.

https://srcfrederick.org

FRIDAY, May 24

Exercise — Senior Recreation Council

8:55-10:10 a.m.

Talley Recreation Center, 121 N. Bentz St., Frederick.

Meets every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Requires $10 annual dues. See website and contact coordinator.

Contact: Susan Janssen, jsusan481@aol.com, 301-695-1785.

Cost: $2.

https://srcfrederick.org

Softball — Senior Recreation Council

Pinecliff Park, 8350 Pinecliff Park Road, Frederick.

Requires $10 annual dues. See website. April-September. Wednesday: Practice at 6 p.m. Friday: Games at 6:30 p.m. Associated activity costs. Contact coordinator. Activity is open to women over 40 and men over 50.

Contact: Adrian Winpigler, 301-662-6623.

https://srcfrederick.org

Bocce — Senior Recreation Council

8 a.m.-12 p.m.

Baker Park Bocce courts, Frederick.

Requires $10 annual dues see website for details.

Contact: Terri Baker, cyclechick54@outlook. com, 301-508-0283.

https://srcfrederick.org

MONDAY, May 27

Exercise — Senior Recreation Council 8:55-10:10 a.m.

Talley Recreation Center, 121 N. Bentz St., Frederick.

Meets every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Requires $10 annual dues. See website and contact coordinator.

Contact: Susan Janssen, jsusan481@aol.com, 301-695-1785.

Cost: $2.

https://srcfrederick.org

TUESDAY, May 28

Moderate Hikes — Senior Recreation Council Locations vary.

Requires $10 annual dues. See website. As scheduled. Hikes offered April to June and September to October (weather permitting). For more advanced hikers. May be 5-7 miles in length on uneven ground and hills. Meeting locations vary. Contact coordinator. Contact: Ray Rother, crwords@verizon.net, 301-662-6315.

https://srcfrederick.org

Easy Hikes with the Senior Recreation Council

Meeting Locations Vary.

Requires $10 annual dues. See website for details. Hikes offered April through June, and September through October. Hike from 3 to 6 miles on terrain with good footing and little or no elevation change. Pace is adjusted to the speed of the group. Meeting locations vary, contact coordinator.

Contact: Kathy Ginsburg, kathyginsburg1106@gmail.com, 301-639-4144.

https://srcfrederick.org

WEDNESDAY, May 29

Exploring the Southwest: The Coronado Expedition of 1540 2:30-3:30 p.m.

Virtual Senior Center , Frederick.

The Coronado Expedition of 1540-1542 was the first major Spanish exploration of the American Southwest. Learn about the life and times of Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, the leader of the expedition, the logistics and route they took. Discuss how the Colombian Exchange impacts our lives now. Presenter: Southeast Arizona National Parks. Pre-registration required.

Contact: Virtual Senior Center, virtualseniorcenter@frederickcountymd.gov, 301-7881075.

https://www.frederickcountymd.gov/8075/50Community-Centers

Exercise — Senior Recreation Council 8:55-10:10 a.m.

Talley Recreation Center, 121 N. Bentz St., Frederick.

Meets every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Requires $10 annual dues. See website and contact coordinator.

Contact: Susan Janssen, jsusan481@aol.com, 301-695-1785.

Cost: $2.

https://srcfrederick.org

Literacy Council Seeking Volunteer Tutors and Class Instructors for Adult Learners

11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Tutor adults one-to-one or in small groups of 2-3. No experience is necessary we provide training, teaching materials and support needed to work with both adult English Language Learners and Basic Literacy (native English speaking) students. Also seeking

volunteers with ESL teaching experience to teach 60- to 90-minute weekly classes in 10 week sessions. Completion of a one-hour Volunteer Information Session, via Zoom, is required for all volunteers. Tutoring and classes are conducted in person and remotely. See website for more information. 18 and older.

Contact: María Elena Silva, msilva@frederickliteracy.org, 301-600-2066. https://www.frederickliteracy.org/

Softball — Senior Recreation Council Pinecliff Park, 8350 Pinecliff Park Road, Frederick.

Requires $10 annual dues. See website. April-September. Wednesday: Practice at 6 p.m. Friday: Games at 6:30 p.m. Associated activity costs. Contact coordinator. Activity is open to women over 40 and men over 50.

Contact: Adrian Winpigler, 301-662-6623. https://srcfrederick.org

THURSDAY, May 30

Brushes with History: Inspiring the Personality of Frederick 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Museum of Frederick County History/Heritage Frederick, 24 E. Church St., Frederick.

Features the works of a few of the most notable artists who have worked in Frederick County. With beautiful paintings of the county’s landmarks and natural splendor, our story explores the ways in which the visual arts provided economic opportunity to individuals and communities. As we admire their talents captured on canvas, porcelain, metalware, and other media, we celebrate the role these artists have played in shaping our communities both past and present.

Contact: Tonya Hatosy-Stier, tonya@frederickhistory.org, 301-663-1188.

Cost: $12, $10, $8.

http://frederickhistory.org

Duplicate Bridge Games

12-4 p.m.

Church of the Transfiguration, 6909 Maryland Ave., Frederick.

Looking for a competitive mind sport? Frederick Bridge Club duplicate games allow you to hone your skills and make new, like-minded friends. All are welcome, no membership requirements. If you need a partner, call Leslie at 240-344-4041 (or email lffutrell@yahoo. com). For general information, call Sophia at 301-676-5656 (or email sdobran@comcast. net) or visit bridgewebs.com/frederick.

Contact: Sophia Dobransky, sdobran@comcast.net, 301-676-5656.

Cost: $7.

http://bridgewebs.com/frederick

Bridge Thursday: Senior Recreation Council

1-4 p.m.

Spring Ridge Senior Apartments, 6351 Spring Ridge Parkway, Frederick. Requires $10 annual dues. See website. Contact coordinator to reserve seat.

Contact: Judy Bell, 336-662-2889.

https://srcfrederick.org

Open Duckpin Bowling

1-3 p.m.

Walkersville Lanes, 44 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Walkersville.

Hosted by the Senior Recreation Center. Not league bowling. Requires $10 annual dues. Cost is weekly cost of bowling. See website and contact coordinator.

Contact: Gerald Blessing, gvblessing@comcast.net, 240-651-1865.

https://srcfrederick.org

FRIDAY, May 31

Brushes with History: Inspiring the Personality of Frederick 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Museum of Frederick County History/Heritage

Frederick, 24 E. Church St., Frederick. Features the works of a few of the most notable artists who have worked in Frederick County. With beautiful paintings of the county’s landmarks and natural splendor, our story explores the ways in which the visual arts provided economic opportunity to individuals and communities. As we admire their talents captured on canvas, porcelain, metalware, and other media, we celebrate the role these artists have played in shaping our communities both past and present.

Contact: Tonya Hatosy-Stier, tonya@frederickhistory.org, 301-663-1188.

Cost: $12, $10, $8.

http://frederickhistory.org

Exercise — Senior Recreation Council 8:55-10:10 a.m.

Talley Recreation Center, 121 N. Bentz St., Frederick.

Meets every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Requires $10 annual dues. See website and contact coordinator.

Contact: Susan Janssen, jsusan481@aol.com, 301-695-1785. Cost: $2.

https://srcfrederick.org

Softball — Senior Recreation Council

Pinecliff Park, 8350 Pinecliff Park Road, Frederick.

Requires $10 annual dues. See website. April-September. Wednesday: Practice at 6 p.m. Friday: Games at 6:30 p.m. Associated activity costs. Contact coordinator. Activity is open to women over 40 and men over 50.

Contact: Adrian Winpigler, 301-662-6623.

https://srcfrederick.org

Bocce — Senior Recreation Council 8 a.m.-12 p.m.

Baker Park Bocce courts, Frederick.

Requires $10 annual dues see website for details.

Contact: Terri Baker, cyclechick54@outlook. com, 301-508-0283.

https://srcfrederick.org

PUZZLE

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Become part of a community that supports your interests and provides opportunities to stay well and thrive.

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