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The Thompson Center

Your Resource to Age Well

99 Senior Lane, Woodstock, VT 05091 * (802) 457-3277

Thompson Winter Gala Raffle

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Sunday, February 14, 2021, 5:00pm

Having our traditional Gala at The Woodstock Inn has become impossible this year.  Therefore, will you consider buying raffle tickets and joining us on-line for a toast and a brief soiree on Valentine’s Day?   

Raffle Details: THREE (3) Cash prize winners of $2,000, $500, and $100, as well as, fabulous runner-up prizes exclusively for those in attendance at our online event. (Cash prizes won regardless of attendance)

Raffle Ticket Prices:
1 ticket $50,
3 tickets $100, or
8 tickets $250 – “The Gala Special” – the cost of 2 event tickets had you been able to attend at the Woodstock Inn. 

The Gala and Drawing Details:
This year’s Gala will include updates on The Thompson Senior Center, impromptu hilarity, and special LIVE raffle drawing emcees, plus a few other touches.  Please support and join us again. 

Invitations to register for this Zoom event will be sent the week prior to the event to those who purchase tickets.

Select Quantity, Enter Name,  Phone Number, Email, and Click “Buy Now” (below) to purchase.


Select Quantity
Enter name(s) & phone number:
Email Address



Call Shari at The Thompson at (802) 457-3277 with Questions or to buy paper raffle tickets – Checks made payable to The Thompson Senior Center and mailed to 99 Senior Lane, Woodstock, VT 05091
Raffle tickets available until 2/12/2021.  Invitations to register for the Zoom event will be sent the week prior to the event to those who purchased tickets. Drawing takes place at the live event on February 14, 2021, 5-6pm.  

All proceeds benefit the operations of The Thompson Senior Center. 

2021 Sponsor Spotlight Coming Soon!! 

Senior Centers: Delivering Vital Connections!

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This year’s theme for national senior center month was chosen by the National Council on Aging to highlight how senior centers deliver vital connections to support older adults aging well.  This is more evident now than ever before!  Critical home delivered meals, grocery delivery, friendly check-in calls, virtual & onsite programs, and even phone Bingo have helped to keep our community members safer and happier at home during this challenging time.  Preventing social isolation is vital and a core senior center mission. While the delivery methods have changed during the pandemic, centers have succeeded in continuing to provide knowledge, programming, and resources.

The Thompson plays a vital role in our community!  Our staff, volunteers, and participants promote a positive image of aging. Together we are a vibrant, supportive senior center that thrives inside and outside of our walls and reaches far into the towns and countryside of our beautiful area.  If you’re not a regular participant or volunteer, we invite you to get engaged by trying out a class, volunteering, or checking in with staff about other opportunities to enrich your life.  

Fun Facts that show just how vital The Thompson has been these last months at keeping community members safe: 

  • Meals on Wheels served since March 16th:  5,542  (same time frame last year 3,546)
  • We’ve had 69 new recipients for home delivered Meals on Wheels!
  • Curbside take-out meals with our dining room closed:  2,710 meals to more than 300 unique individuals.
  • Hundreds of check-in calls, grocery & prescription deliveries, & virtual programs to help beat the Covid blues!

National Senior Center Month Celebration & Senior Center Volunteer Appreciation

Friday, September 25, 12:00 pm

Join us for our annual chicken BBQ and senior center month celebration – TAKE-OUT STYLE – on Friday September 25th!

Although we are operating under much different circumstances than this time last year, it will not deter us from celebrating National Senior Center month AND, our beloved Thompson Center volunteers!

These have been trying times, and we acknowledge each and every volunteer whether you were sidelined by pandemic restrictions, or jumping in to help as a new volunteer. You play a critical role in making The Thompson one of the very best senior centers around!  We have so much to celebrate!  

On Friday, September 25th our favorite guest BBQ Chef, Nate Willard, and family will be grilling the chicken and Chef Ryan will serve potato salad, coleslaw, corn bread and lemon fool on the hill with blueberries. You must RSVP, but take-out lunches will be free for all of our volunteers and raffle prizes will be drawn from all who are registered for lunch!  $5 minimum suggested donation for non-volunteers.

Thank you to all of you for your continued contribution to the success of our Center – your Center!

Please pre-register by calling The Thompson Center. We look forward to celebrating with you!

We’re excited to launch “Your virtual senior center!”

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We’re excited to officially launch “Your virtual senior center!”  With the safety of our participants in mind and the strict capacity constraints on our physical space (1 person per 200 square feet, allowing us only 15 people in the whole building!), we know that virtual programs are here to stay for the foreseeable future.  In addition to the programs we were already offering online, we’ve added some exciting opportunities through our new partnership with “Senior Learning Network.”  These LIVE programs will take us all around the country to museums and landmarks that we may never be able to visit otherwise.  You’ll still call or email the Thompson to register for the programs and we’ll send the connection information to registered participants.  Check it out here and let us know if you have any questions.  We’re also hoping to have information soon about connecting people without technology devices, so please be in touch if you’re not online and would like to be.    

When signing on for SLN programs, please remember the following:

  • Stay muted unless otherwise instructed. SLN cannot accept new participants later than 15 minutes after start of program. Programs start promptly at 2:00 pm.
  • Display your name on zoom room (first name is fine)
  • Participants will be asked what senior center they are affiliated with
  • Please do not share Zoom room IDs with anyone who is not registered to better protect the integrity of the Zoom program.

Try this zoom tutorial if you need some assistance: https://youtu.be/9isp3qPeQ0E

Register in advance through the Thompson to receive the Zoom link.

Jefferson’s Monticello

Tuesday, January 19, 2:00 pm

We’re taking a virtual field trip to Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello!

Monticello was the home of Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence and 3rd president of the United States of America. His home in Charlottesville, Virginia, is an architectural icon, with its neoclassical design drafted by Jefferson himself.

During this tour, our Monticello educator will use images and Google Street View as well as Q & A time to engage your participants and get a glimpse of life on the “little mountain.”

The Art and Architecture of Hearst Castle

Thursday, January 21, 2:00 pm

Located in central California, along the Pacific Coast stands Hearst Castle. This architectural wonder was the home of the famous American newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst from 1919 to 1947.  At one time, christened La Cuesta Encantada or The Enchanted Hill by its famous resident, today it is both a California Historical Landmark and a National Historical Landmark. Hearst, a prolific collector of art and antiques, designed the construction of Hearst Castle to provide space necessary to display his vast collection of artifacts.

Come explore the variety of historical architectural structures, all based on what Hearst himself had seen during his travels around Europe.

National Portrait Gallery

“Every Eye is Upon Me”: First Ladies of the United States

Tuesday, January 26, 2:00 pm

From the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC, we will take you on a virtual tour of the National Portrait Gallery’s First Ladies exhibition entitled “Every Eye is Upon Me: First Ladies of the United States,” covering First   Lady Martha Washington through First Lady Melania Trump. Learn about First Ladies who came to the White House through marriage or as family friends or relatives who filled this important role. Through portraiture, you’ll will learn about their personalities, experiences, and accomplishments.

Live from the Truman Presidential Library

Tuesday, February 2, 2:00 pm

Take a sneak peek into the new exhibits as the museum comes close to opening in the Spring of 2021! 

In recognition of the 75th anniversary of his presidency, the Truman    Library and Truman Library Institute have developed a momentous plan to use Truman’s life and legacy to inform, inspire, educate, and engage a 21st-century audience at an increasingly critical time in our  nation’s history.

Elephant Sanctuary, Tennessee

Tuesday, February 9, 2:00 pm

The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee exists to provide captive elephants with individualized care, the companionship of a herd, and the opportunity to live out their lives in a safe haven dedicated to their well-being, and to raise public awareness of the complex needs of elephants in captivity, and the crisis facing elephants in the wild.  Located on 2,700 acres in Hohenwald, TN, The Elephant Sanctuary is the largest natural habitat refuge in the country dedicated solely to the care of African and Asian elephants retired from zoos and circuses across North America. As a true sanctuary, the elephant habitats are closed to the public and all the elephants are retired from their lives of performance and exhibition. Through their distance learning program, Using photos, lives-streaming video and storytelling, a member of The Sanctuary’s education team will offer a virtual glimpse into the daily life of elephants at The Sanctuary and answer all of your elephant related questions.

Durham Museum: Historic Train Travel

Thursday, February 11, 2:00 pm

Join us for a virtual tour of the museum’s authentic train cars! We will start with a look at our 1890’s steam engine and 1950’s caboose, followed by a walk through our passenger trains. Luxurious rail travel awaits!

About the Durham Museum: Beautiful architecture blends with memories of a time gone by at The Durham Museum. Making its home in one of Omaha’s most unique treasures, Union Station, The Durham Museum offers a fascinating look at the history of the region and offers a broad-range of traveling exhibits covering subjects ranging from history and culture, to science, industry and more through our affiliation with the Smithsonian Institution and strong ties with the Library of Congress, National Archives and the Field Museum.

Hildene – The Lincoln Family Home

Pullman Porters: Unsung Heroes, Former Slaves, Labor Organizers, Middle Class Citizens: Civil Rights Activists

Tuesday, February 16, 2:00 pm

Located in Manchester, Vermont, Hildene was built by Abraham Lincoln’s son, Robert Lincoln, in 1905. Today’s guests experience the 412 acre estate’s Welcome Center and The Museum Store; home and gardens; Lincoln exhibit; 1903 Pullman car, Sunbeam, “Many Voices” exhibit, a site on the Vermont African American Heritage Trail; goat dairy and cheese-making facility; sustainable agriculture project in The Dene; 600’ wetland floating boardwalk; and 12 miles of 4 season trails.

Participants will discover what it was like to travel and work on a Pullman car, and engage in discussion about the porters’ enduring fight for social change and justice in America. We will examine the critical role that Pullman porters played in giving rise to America’s black middle class, the formation of the black labor movement, and the momentum for the civil rights movement. This slice of history spans 100 years beginning with the Emancipation Proclamation.

National Museum of Toys and Miniatures

Tuesday, February 23, 2:00 pm

BIG fun with miniatures! Explore the incredible artistry of fine-scale miniatures with Laura Taylor and Kelly Burns from The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures in Kansas City, Missouri.  Enjoy a video tour of some of the highlights of the museum’s fine-scale miniatures collection, followed by time for Q&A.

General Grant National Memorial

Thursday, February 25, 2:00 pm

The final resting place of President Ulysses S. Grant and his wife, Julia, is the largest mausoleum in North America. It testifies to a people’s gratitude for the man who ended the bloodiest conflict in American history as Commanding General of the Union Army and then, as President of the United States, strove to heal a   nation after a civil war and make rights for all citizens a reality.

Coffee Talk Continues – Let’s Chat!

Coming in February- a special guest from the Vermont History Center

Mondays at 9:00 am

We invite you to join us on Monday mornings for Coffee Talk by simply dialing in to our toll free phone number (like with Bingo). We’ll catch up with each other, maybe share old stories or talk about current events, and have occasional special guests to share their expertise on a topic of interest.

It’s as simple as using your telephone. So grab a cup of coffee or tea, find a cozy chair & dial 1-802-448-5745 to get connected!

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 new the call-in number, call 457-3277.

Strength, Stretch & Stability

Zoom classes will remain in effect until further notice

Led by Liz Hatfield, Certified Fitness Trainer

Tuesday & Thursday, 10:30 am – 11:30 am

Motion is Lotion!  Now is the time to focus on ourselves. We must stay positive and strong.  In the short term, exercise can help the immune system find and deal with pathogens, and in the long term, regular exercise slows down changes that happen to the immune system with aging, therefore reducing the risk of infection.

Join this class, move your body and feel physically, mentally and emotionally better. 

Suggested Equipment:

  • Dumbbells, Soup Cans (14oz is approx. 1lb), Bag of Beans or Rice (1lb) or Filled Water Bottles
  • Dish Towel or Pillowcase
  • Two Paper plates, Rags or Furniture Gliders/Coaster (NOT RUBBER)
  • 12Plastic cups (e.g. “Solo” cups)  – 6 Red & 6 Blue – Linda Grant has left 10 sets at The Thompson in a bag if you would like to pick them up.

For information on how to access the Zoom classes, contact Liz directly at 802-522-9273 or email at ebhatfield@aol.com

Register for a Virtual Tai Chi Class This Winter

Stay safe and warm and enjoy Tai Chi at home this winter. Instructor, Anne Bower, is offering 5 classes a week and we encourage you to try a new class or continue Tai Chi. It’s slow, gentle but powerful movements will give you energy and multiple health benefits. For more information on any of these classes, please email Anne at anniebower@yahoo.com.  Zoom links will be provided at   registration with The Thompson.

Monday: 10-11 Tai Chi with a Chair

Monday: 11:10-12:10 Introduction to Sun 73 forms (prior knowledge of Fall Prevention Tai Chi is required)

Wednesday: 10-11 Fall Prevention Tai Chi

Wednesday: 11:10-12:10 Sun 73 continuing practice and learning

Friday: 10-11 Yang 24 continuing practice and learning

Update from Bone Builders Class from Althea Derstine

Zoom meetings will continue weekly and will now be offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays for current students. Participants are also encouraged to continue their practice at home. Exercise routines provided by Althea are available via email or by calling The Thompson.

(Archive) Generation to Generation week at The Thompson 2019

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August 5 – 8, 2019, 10:30 am to 2:00 pm

Summer matters!  Many children jump for joy for summer break, but not all.  For some, summer is a time when learning stops, meals are scarce, and caring adults during the day are less accessible.  Older people have abundant skills and life experience to share. Younger people thrive with the support of caring adults in their lives!

The Thompson Senior Center in Woodstock, VT, has dedicated a special week when young people in our community come together with seniors for learning, fun, and to make meaningful connections.   This year, the week of August 5th will be “Generation to Generation” week at The Thompson with programs offered by ArtisTree, The Woodstock History Center, and teacher, Barbara Leonard. 

The proven benefits of intergenerational activities are numerous and meaningful to both generations.  

Join us for a week of kid and adult-friendly lunch menus, arts & crafts, music, games, ice cream, dancing, and more!   

 

Daily Schedule:

Other details: 

Cost:  FREE.    Donations for meals are welcome, but not required for children or adult volunteers.

Programs are ideal for children ages 8-12.  Children who are 8 years old or older are invited to attend without a parent or caregiver.  Children under age 8 are welcome with a parent or caregiver.  Participation will be on a first come, first serve basis and all families will be required to complete a permission slip.

HOW TO REGISTER:

Children’s permission slip and sign up at 457-3277 or in person at the Thompson, 99 Senior Lane, Woodstock, VT (Located just off of Route 4 near the high school), or online here.  Permission slip and sign-up must be completed in advance of arriving at Gen2Gen camp.  Space is limited to 20 children and completed forms are required to hold your space.  Participants may attend all programs or just a few.   

If transportation is an issue, please let us know so that we can try to accommodate.

Please contact Deanna Jones, Executive Director at The Thompson, with any questions.  info@thompsonseniorcenter.org  or  457-3277

More about Generation to Generation and The Thompson Senior Center:

The Gen2Gen Summer Challenge is part of Encore.org’s Generation to Generation campaign, a national effort to inspire adults over 50 to make a positive difference in the lives of children and youth.  Encore.org

The Thompson addresses the social, intellectual and physical well being of seniors and offers information and support for Vermont communities on issues and opportunities involved in aging. Located at 99 Senior Lane, Woodstock, the Thompson engages and supports seniors of all ages and backgrounds living in Barnard, Bridgewater, Pomfret, Quechee, Hartland, Reading, Woodstock, and the surrounding areas. More information is available by calling (802) 457-3277, online at www.ThompsonSeniorCenter.org, and on Facebook at The Thompson Senior Center.

(Archives) Annual Meeting 2018: Inspiration to Age Well

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We are surrounded by inspiration. In spending time at The Thompson, it is the thing most loved – the people.  We’re a group of vibrant volunteers and participants, talented artists, fitness enthusiasts, activists, life-long learners, Veterans, teachers, spiritual examples, travelers, interesting Vermonters, and caring friends.

On Wednesday, October 24th at our Annual Meeting we gave the spotlight to a few of the people that make our community so vibrant and inspire us all to Age Well!

“Being new to the area, I find The Thompson’s daily meal to be a wonderful place to make new friends and get a balanced meal with no shopping, cooking, or cleanup involved (which is a real draw for people who don’t like to cook for one)! I participate regularly in the language tables at lunchtime, as well as Italian lessons, Bone Builder exercise classes, special programs and Meals on Wheels delivery. I look forward to Aging Well with The Thompson for decades to come!” – Laurie Marshall

“My thoughts on aging well is to stay active and creative and the Thompson gives me that opportunity. I especially enjoy the Generation to Generation camp in the summer. It is very rewarding to see the interaction between the adults and the children. We are very fortunate to have all the wonderful programs available to us at the Thompson Senior Center.” – Beverly Audsley

“We age well or better by simply coming here with a purpose.
Those of us who participate in the language tables, some up to 3 different each week, keep the brains working with conversation, constant challenges, research, and also a lot of fun. In my 20 years here, I have managed to make NEW FRIENDS, not merely acquaintances, not an easy task at our age, when we tend to hang on to the past. We also go on trips and meet in our homes for various celebrations that would previously have been shared with family, long gone or too far away for everyday participation. That means we care for each other, help out when needed with driving or other practical chores. We still learn every day. We feel we have an extended family. For some it is also of utmost importance to come here daily and eat a proper meal, as one may tend to skip that when living alone. Lastly, just knowing that I can call here one day when it is really needed, is a tremendous help, making me not worry what is ahead of us. They know us here, and I know that they with their enormous resources, knowledge and caring will step up and connect us with the right people.” – Rita Post

Jim had a long career with the Navy beginning when he was 17, Jim was a Seabee and retired after over 40 years when he was 60.
A few years ago, he was recognized as a Vermont Super Senior and we certainly agree. He keeps busy with a number of things … Among them has been volunteering as a tour guide at the Calvin Coolidge exhibits in Plymouth and here at the Thompson as one of our favorite Generation to Generation participants. At the close of this summer’s event, he shared with all the children and adults in our closing circle that this had been the “most fun he had had in ages” — He chuckled and said, “sometimes people my age end up talking about their ailments. It was refreshing to be here having fun with no time to think about my age.”
This past year after Jim had visited the high school with a group of veterans for interviews with the students, 3 teenage guys wrote a letter about their interview and time with Jim. They said, “HOPE is the word that comes to mine when we think of you because of the story from the beginning of the war when you were crying and that soldier came up and comforted you. You still had your whole deployment and career ahead of you, and you found a way to keep going. Thank you for coming up to us and for taking the time out of your day just to do an interview with us.” 

“The aging process embraces both QUANTITY and QUALITY. My family genes have bequeathed the quantity and The Thompson Senior Center has added to the QUALITY — friendship, courtesy, help, education, healthful food, fun, relaxation, physical and mental exercise.

My gratitude, like aging, embraces both my life’s genes and my life’s experiences at the senior center.” – Gina Moore

Jane, our dear centarian, a vibrant speaker, talented artist, and activist who organized and led a protest on immigration issues this past June just after her 100th birthday. I had the pleasure of viewing her artwork on exhibit within the last few years and am continusously delighted by her sometimes irreverant way of speaking the truth always. When I called her on her 100 birthday, she took the phone from her daughter and exclaimed, “I made it to 100 years because of the The Thompson.” Certainly we know there are other factors, but it is absolutely an honor to hear in Jane’s words, “ I could not live in my lovely house without “the Thompson.” After 73 years of cooking, those lovely meals arrive in my kitchen ready to enjoy. It’s a wonderful thing, EVEN the brussell sprouts are great! Long Live the THOMPSON!”