It is time to celebrate being 60 and older! The City of Rockville proudly offers a range of programs and services to "add years to your life, and life to your years"! Whether you are searching for information on transportation, housing, or Medicare; wanting to find an educational or art class; hoping to improve your fitness; or looking for a fun trip to join, we have it all for you! Nowhere else in Montgomery County are senior adults offered so much! Directions: 240-314-5019 General Information: 240-314-8800 Transportation, Lunch, Health and Outreach Services: 240-314-8810 Recreation and Trips: 240-314-8820 Exercise and Sports: 240-314-8822
The Rockville Senior Center serves as the central location for programs and services related to aging in Rockville. It is open 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. A nutritional lunch is served Monday through Friday. In addition to a variety of exercise, computer, recreation and educational programs for adults 60 years and older, the Center houses an extensive outreach program which is available to all members of the community. Information is available on topics such as Health Insurance Counseling, Home Repair, Medicare/Medicaid, Legal Assistance, Aging in Place options, Senior Housing and Transportation. Programs and services are  available in English, Spanish and Chinese. Door to door bus service is available during the week for residents to the Center, shopping, club meetings and special trips. The Center is also open on evenings and weekends for City programs for all ages and private rentals. If you are interested in becoming a member of the Center and benefiting from lower class costs, being able to join the popular Fitness Club, receiving reduced rental fees and having the monthly newsletter mailed to your home, call us at 240-314-8800 or take the Membership Tour for more information. Senior Center Annual Holiday Bazaar—Crafters Needed
Crafters are invited to participate in the Annual Holiday Bazaar held on Saturday, December 6 from 9am-2pm. If you would like to be part of this holiday event, please call the Center at 240-314-8800 for a registration form. The fee to reserve a space and eight-foot table is $15 for Senior Center members and $25 for non-members. The reservation deadline is November 26; however, we encourage early registration as tables go quickly.  Rockin' Red Hatters
The ladies' Red Hat Society is about the celebration of life and the members of the Senior Center are celebrating the start of the fall season!! The group meets monthly for trips and tours, luncheons, teas and parties. This season the group will start with a catered "Reunion" luncheon, a trip to the Gettysburg Visitors Center to see the the new film, "A New Birth of Freedom" along with a step on guided tour of the Battlefield, a visit to the Belair Mansion and a holiday party at the Glenview Mansion. The Red Hatters also hope to be one of the fortunate groups to receive an invitation to the White House to view the holiday decorations in December. For information on joining the group, please call 240-314-8820.
 Tours and Travel
For those who like to travel, many day, evening and weekend trips are offered around the Metropolitan area and beyond. Enjoy theatres, gardens, museums, restaurants, sporting events and more. Openings for fall trips include Charles Town Races and Slots, Hagerstown Outlet Shopping and Hippodrome Theatre. To register for these trips, or place your name on the wait list for trips that are filled, please call 240-314-8820.
Volunteer Appreciation Party Recognizes the Efforts of 280 Seniors
 Two hundred and eighty individuals, who gave almost 23,000 hours of time, were honored May 20, 2008 at the Rockville Senior Center's annual Volunteer Appreciation Party. The event included the presentation of the Estelle Berberian Volunteer of the Year Award to Harriett Hopf, 90, manager of the Center's Thrift Shop. The Thrift Shop raises more than $10,000 annually. The Corporate Appreciation Award was presented to Animal Exchange on the 25th anniversary of the Pet Loan program. Ruth Hanessian, owner of the Animal Exchange and daughter of Estelle Berberian, noted that both awards were a fitting tribute to her mother since she loved Thrift Shops and she encouraged Ruth to start the Pet Loan program after research had shown that people with pets were happier and lived longer lives. Over the years Animal Exchange has donated over 1,000 animals to senior citizens at the Center. Capping off the event was the presentation of a check for $20,000 from Rockville Seniors, Inc. to the City which was accepted by Council Member Piotr Gajewski. Rockville Seniors Inc. annually provides a contribution towards the Center's operating budget, in addition to providing over $65,000 in direct support for programs and equipment. Tax Rebates for Low-Income Seniors
Low-income seniors can receive a minimum rebate of $300 if they file a tax return for 2007. Individuals must have earned at least $3,000 in 2007 (but not more than $10,050 or $18,500 per couple) including social security, veterans benefits, and earned income. SSI does not count. Tax volunteers will be at the Rockville Senior Center Tuesdays in March to help those who would not otherwise be filing. To make an appointment, call 240-314-8810.
Anyone who qualifies to file a regular tax return (married couples with an income above $18,500 and individuals with an income over $10,050) should call 240-777-2577 for an appointment with a tax volunteer. 2008 Calendar Available for Purchase
Keep track of all your important dates in the Rockville Senior Center's 2008 Calendar! Save money throughout the year by using the coupons located on the back cover. Copies are available for purchase at the Information Desk for only $2.00.  Rockville Senior Center 25th Anniversary Cookbook Now On Sale!
Guaranteed to please cooks of any age, this wonderful 400 recipe cookbook includes the treasured dishes of Senior Center members and staff. Cookbooks are available at the Senior Center's Information Desk or by mailing the completed order form and sending payment to Rockville Seniors, Inc., Rockville Senior Center, 1150 Carnation Drive, Rockville MD 20850. Cookbooks are $10.00 each or 2 or more books for $9.00 each. Proceeds from this fundraising cookbook will be used to support the programs at the Rockville Senior Center.
Make a Contribution to the Senior Assistance Fund
The Senior Assistance Fund is a scholarship program for low-income seniors which pays a portion of the cost for individuals to participate in programs and trips offered by the Rockville Senior Services Division. The fund also contributes toward the cost of Senior Center membership. Your donation of $25 to $200 can make a world of difference in someone's life. If you would like to make a $25 donation to sponsor a senior in need, please register in course #21964. For a $50 donation, register in course #21065. Register in course #21066 to make a $100 donation and #21067 to make a $200 donation. Thank you very much for caring about Rockville's older adults. Rockville Senior Center Living Legacy Planned Giving Campaign
The Center's Living Legacy Campaign seeks to raise $1,000,000 to ensure the Rockville Senior Center can continue its tradition of excellence, serving older adults in a caring, fun, supportive and educational atmosphere. Watch Senior Center Videos Online!
Two Senior Center videos are now available on the Web: 25th Anniversary | Volunteer Appreciation Party Senior Services Long Range Plan Summary of Recommendations
The City of Rockville's senior population is expected to increase by almost 100% by 2020, including a 45% growth in the population 85 years of age and older. To ensure programs and services are provided appropriately, the City of Rockville created a Senior Services Long Range Plan Task Force "to look at issues, trends and future demands for senior services, while establishing priorities to meet new and possibly different service requirements". The Task Force was comprised of eighteen Rockville residents, all volunteers, who met bi-monthly to consider information, deliberate issues and develop the recommendations in the report which were presented to Mayor and Council in November 2006. Senior Center Survey Results (pdf)
A recent survey of Rockville Senior Center members found that 95 percent of respondents felt the Center improved their quality of life. The Rockville Senior Services newsletter appears monthly in PDF format which can be viewed with the Adobe Acrobat Reader. This format will enable you to view the document as it appears in print. If you do not already have the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed, follow the link above to Adobe's free download area. |
