Transportation Update:
West Lebanon shopping trips have resumed on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month. Please call Stagecoach directly. First come first serve as there are limited seats. Please call again the day before your ride to be screened.
Medical rides and to/from the Center for limited programs is available. Only one rider at a time is allowed in the car. Rider and driver must wear masks. Wheelchair lift rides should call Stagecoach.
https://stagecoach-rides.org/ or (802) 728-3773
Drive-By Tie Dye Masks – in our new tent!
Tuesday, August 4, 2 Sessions at 1:00 pm and 1:30 pm
Deanna will be offering a fun opportunity to tie dye your face coverings outside in our new tent – weather permitting. All supplies will be available at no charge including brand new soft white cotton face masks to personalize. Our space is limited so please register early in advance by calling The Thompson. We look forward to seeing you!
Let’s Paint Coi Fish with ArtisTree
Wednesday, August 5, Zoom in at 1:30
Please join ArtisTree for a zoom workshop. Finnie will guide you through the steps to paint coi fish.
Bring whatever materials you prefer to paint with. Finnie will be painting with Gouache and watercolor.
Materials:
- heavy paper – watercolor is best
- pencil
- eraser
- sharpie (fine point)
- paints of your choice
- brushes
Please email Finnie to be put on this list for a zoom ink: outreach@artistreevt.org or call 802-291-0514
Western Movies 101
Thursday, August 6, 2:00 pm
Booth Western Art Museum’s Historian, Jim Dunham, will get us up to speed on the early history of Western movies beginning with “The Great Train Robbery” of 1903. The movie is less than ten minutes long but it included most of the standard elements that defined Western movies for the next 100 plus years. He will profile stars like William S. Hart, who was unable to translate his silent performances to the age of “talkies” and Tom Mix, who easily made the transitiuon. Bill Pickett, Will Rodgers through Gary Cooper’s 1929 starring role in “The Virginian” will also be highlighted. H will end the era by looking at the first Western to win Best Picture—”Cimarron” in 1931.
Exploring a Northern Elephant Seal Rookery
Hearst Simeon Park, California (live on location, CA weather permitting)
Thursday, August 13, 2:00 pm
Join the Senior Learning Network for a virtual tour featuring the northern elephant seal. We will hear from a CA park interpreter to learn about this marine mammal’s adaptations, their unique life cycle, ad their amazing story of overcoming near extinction.
Eleanor Roosevelt: Compassion and Betrayal 
FDR Library and Presidential Museum (Jeff Urbin!)
Tuesday, August 18, 2:00 pm
Eleanor Roosevelt was born a shy, timid girl in a family of power, position, and wealth. From the outside her life would seem to be charmed, but a closer examination charts a lonely course from one betrayal to another. The compassion that she showered on others, here and around the world, was developed in part by her personal understanding what it feels like to be hurt, left out and neglected. This talk examines the trials and turmoil in the life of one of the greatest and most influential woman in the history of our republic.
A Reading with Local Columnist and Author, Chuck Gundersen
In The Thompson Tent, Tuesday, August 18, 1:00 pm
Chuck Gundersen came to Woodstock in 1976 to be the Chef at The Prince and the Pauper Restaurant. In 1987 he and his wife, Alice, bought the Teago General Store in South Pomfret, which Chuck operated for thirty years before retiring in 2018. He has been a columnist for the Vermont Standard for nearly twenty years, originally as a town correspondent, and then, beginning in 2005, at the invitation of then-editor Kevin Forrest, as author of the weekly column, You Never Can Tell.
In 2017, Swallow Tail Press published a collection of Chuck’s columns in a book titled, naturally, You Never Can Tell. Author Castle Freeman, Jr. said of the book, “In Chuck’s columns, the reader will find short fiction, history, sociology, humor, philosophy, linguistics, personal essay, letters, journalism, Vermont documentary, meteorology, old jokes, new jokes, autobiography, auto-obituary, memoir, stream of consciousness, and Ph.D.-level rock and roll scholarship.”
Due to strict capacity limitations, pre-registration is required by calling The Thompson.
Drive-in Ice Cream Social with Music by the Occasional Jug Band
Wednesday, August 26, 1:00 pm
Our fun toe-tapping trio is returning to perform on the porch while our audiences will enjoy music from the comfort of your cars. You can bring a chair and sit in front of your car but we ask that social distancing is maintained at all times. Ice cream cones will be served to your cars by staff.
This event is by reservation only as parking space is limited. There can be no exceptions and we thank you for your understanding. Please call The Thompson to make your reservations.
BINGO at HOME with The Thompson
Friday mornings,10:00 am
Use your phone to call in and join. Fun prizes for winners!
For a BINGO card and the call-in number, call 457-3277.
Tax Assistance Update
AARP Vermont Tax-wise is unable to assist with tax preparation this year because of the liability and process required for doing taxes remotely. SEVCA is providing remote tax services and their number is 800-464-9951. Please call The Thompson if you have questions, to pick-up SEVCA forms, or for referrals to other options.
A Reminder from AARP
As we continue our precautions against the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, AARP has made the difficult decision to cancel all in-person events and activities for the remainder of 2020, which includes AARP Driver Safety events.
Please continue to direct Smart Driver course participants – who may not be able to renew their car insurance discount – to the Smart Driver online course. We will continue to offer a special 25% off discount through December 31, 2020.
Website: www.aarpdriversafety.org
Promo code for 25% off discount: DRIVINGSKILLS
Advance Directive Assistance is Available
The Thompson Center’s group of trained and caring volunteers will be resuming Advance Directive assistance remotely. Please contact The Thompson Center if you would like a remote appointment with a volunteer and you will be contacted directly by Meg, Judy, or Anne. They will determine the best type of appointment be it via phone, Zoom, Facetime, or conference call, that works best for you. After your initial call to The Thompson, a staff member will send an Advance Directive form and a booklet from the Vermont Ethics Network to help you prepare for your appointment.
Need Help with Online Meeting Programs?
COVE is offering help!
If you are feeling unsure of how to connect to Zoom, WebEx or other online platforms, COVE can help. We will set up a time to do a 1-on-1 call with you to help you navigate the system and learn how to connect. Online meeting platforms can be intimidating, and knowing how to do what and when can overwhelm any of us. Please reach out and we will set up a time to do a walk through and trial run on the system you are trying to use. Stay Connected! To set up a 1-on-1, email marichel@vermontelders.org or call (802) 595-9872.
Stay Connected and Stay Safe during COVID-19
Join the Community of Vermont Elders (COVE) every other Wednesday for a discussion of the latest information about scams, fraud, and general safety. We will share what we know and do our best to answer your questions. Learn more about what you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones during this public health crisis.
Have questions you’d like to ask ahead of time? Need help getting connected ? Email: marichel@vermontelders.org
Join by Phone by Calling: 408-428-9388; Access Code: 298 225 125
Join Online via WebEx:
https://meetingsamer2.webex.com/meetingsamer2/j.php?MTID=m04dfabdfb36d8de0a475ffa5d14fa048
Meeting Number: 298 225 125
Password: cove802
Free Coloring Pages by World Folk Artist, Willow Bascomb
Artist Willow Bascom’s world folk art coloring pages are now available for the asking. Her unique art designs are based on her exposures to a variety of world cultures and can provide hours of enjoyment.
Email Willow at WillowBascom@gmail.com with COLORING in the subject line and she will email back with free coloring pages
The Elder Justice Project
If you have a friend, neighbor or loved one who may need assistance we are here to help! The Elder Justice Project provides confidential support, information and assistance with any of the difficult situations described below. We take a client-centered approach, which means you drive the bus along the way. The Elder Justice Project advocates for what you want.
Abuse in later life (ALL) refers to willful abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation of an older adult that occurs within an ongoing relationship where there is an expectation of trust. Power and control dynamics are often present in these deeply personal cases and thus present unique challenges that require a specialized response.
These cases are often complicated. Older victims may be healthy and active, or they may have physical or cognitive limitations. These victims may be in contact with the justice system, social services, health care, faith communities, and the aging services network. The abuser may be a spouse, intimate partner, family member, or caregiver. All situations are different and unique to your life.
If you would like assistance, please feel free to contact Keely Marie at The Elder Justice Project, 802-698-8310, kmarie@seniorsolutionsvt.org. Helpline at Senior Solutions Toll Free 866-673-8376 or locally 802-885-2669.
Telehealth Virtual Visit Appointments
Dartmouth-Hitchcock, Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital, and Chesire Medical Center are offering appointments with providers from the comfort and safety of your home.
This means that you are able to use technology such as a telephone, tablet, computer or smart phone to receive medical care from your provider and care team without needing to go to your doctor’s office.
For more information visit: go.d-h.org/virtual visits.
Telehealth Technology Help Line: Toll-Free Phone: (888) 353-3462
Information provided by Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health
How to Gain Access to Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center Telehealth Services
Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center, (MAHHC) is asking patients of the Hospital and of Ottauquechee Health Center (OHC) in Woodstock, Vermont who have not already done so, to sign up for the myMAHHC Patient Portal, in order to gain access to telehealth services.
These new services through the myMAHHC Patient Portal will offer a safe, convenient way for patients to receive ongoing medical consultations from a medical professional while they stay home to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Hospital staff are currently contacting patients to sign them up, but they encourage people to initiate enrollment at their convenience.
To enroll in myMAHHC, people are asked to have their email address ready, and go to mtascutneyhospital.org/mymahhc-patient-portal to sign up. Or they can call (802) 674-7300, and choose option #3 for the Primary Care Clinic and speak with a representative. Patients using the services of the Ottauquechee Health Center in Woodstock may call (802) 457-3030 to enroll.