Action Times - City of Montpelier, Vermont

Action Times
1
February 2013
Montpelier Senior Activity Center
58 Barre Street Montpelier, VT 05602
Phone: 802-223-2518, Fax: 802-262-6285
Email: msac@montpelier-vt.org
NEWSLETTER CONTENTS
MSAC & Montpolar Frostival …………………………………….1
February Weekly Activity Calendar...………...…...….……….…..2
February Special Events & Activities Calendar……….........…......3
**New Late Winter Classes at MSAC…………………………….4
**Special Events at MSAC……………..……...…………...….….5
**Senior Services & Resources from Community at MSAC……..6
Van Trip Descriptions ……..………………………….…..……….7
OSHER, Barre Trips, and Dog Wanted Ad………………………..8
**Announcements of This and That…….……..………….....……..9
Income Tax Return Preparation Information……………………...10
Volunteering and Neighbor to Neighbor…………………………..11
Thirteen Healthy Tips for 2013.…………………………………...12
Supporting Town Funding & Advisory Board elections………….13
Recent Events & Thank Yous……………………………………..14
New Members, Birthdays, Sympathy……………. …….…….…..15
Advisory Board, Staff, Contact info, Mission…………...….….....16
MSAC to Participate in 1st Annual
Montpolar Frostival Feb.1-3
Montpolar Frostival—Three Days of Winter Fun: Outdoor
Activities for All, Art, Music, Family Fun &
More… Snowball, Dance Premier! Want More Information?
See page 3 for MSAC events calendar.
Full calendar on MSAC bulletin
board, call 223-9604, or see MontpelierAlive.org.
Check out our opening of
the Voices of Montpelier exhibit during
Art Walk on Friday night, featuring audio
clips and photographs from the Oral History
project that many MSAC members
participated in earlier this winter! At 5:00 on Feb. 1st,
hear a presentation by VOM Director, and the show will
be up through February!
A Gathering Place
for
Healthy Aging and
Lifelong Learning
Website:
www.montpeliervt.org/msac
Facebook- Montpelier
Senior Activity Center
Blog: Msacblog.
wordpress.com
Montpelier Senior
Activity Center is
closed on Monday,
February 18th for
Presidents Day.
No classes or activities.
Register NOW for
4 new Late Winter
classes and workshops
in iPhone,
Pool, Acting/
Improv, and
Fishing. See p. 4!

2 WEEKLY ACTIVITIES
February 2013
SUNDAY
5:00-6:30 Integral Hatha Yoga
MONDAY
9:00-10 Living Strong III
10:15-11:00 Living Strong Beginner
10:30-11:15 Dance to Fitness
10:00-11:30 Exercise at F-i-F
10:00-12:00 Painting II
12:30-3 Mah Jongg*
12:30-3 Bridge II*
12:45-2 French Early Interm.
2:00 Cribbage*
2:30-3:30 Growing Stronger (LSII)
2:30-4:30 Pool Workshop (2/25 beg.)
3:30-5 Vinyasa Restorative Yoga
5:00-6 Living Strong IV
5:00-6 Swimming (Berlin)
TUESDAY
9:00-11 Bowling (Berlin)
9:00-10:30 Gentle Yoga
10:00-11 Swimming (Berlin)
10:00-11:00 Water Aerobics (Berlin)
10:00-11:30 Write a Poem
10:00-11:30 Exercise at F-i-F
10:45-11:45 Chair Only Yoga
11:30-1 Lunch & Band
12:30-2:00 Beginning Italian
2:15-3:45 Italian 2
3:00-4:00 Facebook
WEDNESDAY
8:00-9:30 Gentle Yoga
Facebook Intro
ends 2/5; FB &
Social Media beg.
2/12
8:40-9:40 Spanish Adv Beginner
9:50-10:50 Spanish Beginner
9:30-11:30 Acting/Improv (beg. 2/20)
10:00-11:30 Exercise at F-i-F
10:00-11:30 Yoga Low back/Hips
11:00-1:00 Writing
WEDNESDAY cont.
1:30-3:30 Writing (2nd class added!)
1:30-3 Tai Chi Long Form
4:30-5:30 Tai Chi for Seniors
5-6:30 Hatha Yoga
5:30-7:30 Open Art Studio
6:00-8:00 Fly Tying
THURSDAY
9:00-10:30 iPhone ( beg. 2/21)
9:00-10:30 Gentle Yoga
9-11:30 Bridge*
9:00-10:30 Gentle Yoga
9:30-11:30 Rug Hooking
10:00-11 Swimming (Berlin)
10:00-11:30 Exercise at F-i-F
11:00-12:00 Tap Dance (new time!)
12:30-1:30 Walks with Harris
12:30-2:30 Painting I (longer!)
12:45-3:00 Bridge*
12:45-2:00 Beginning French
2:00-4:00 Brush Up on Bridge
2:30-4:30 Film Series
5:00-6:15 Interdisciplinary Yoga
5:00-6:00 Living Strong IV
6:00-8:00 Ukulele Group*
FRIDAY
9:00-10 Living Strong III
10:15-11 Living Strong Beginner
10-3 Mah Jongg*
10:00-11:30 Exercise at F-i-F
10:00-11:30 Hatha Yoga
1:00-2:00 Tennis at F-i-F
1:00-2 Line Dance
1:00-2:30 Handbuilding in Clay (new time!)
2:30-3:30 Growing Stronger (LSII)
Feb. 18: Closed for holiday: no classes
*Bridge, Cribbage, Mah Jongg, Ukulele
Group do not require registration. Donations
appreciated.

MSAC SPECIAL EVENTS & ACTIVITIES CALENDAR 3
February 2013
ORCA Channel 15: “Senior Moments” Episodes (about MSAC activities) by
MSAC’s own Don Rowan and Ora Paul: Tuesday 9 a.m., Wednesday 1 p.m.,
Thursday 8 p.m. (check the ORCA website to view 16 past episodes!)
Mondays, 10-12, Free Computer Assistance in the Lab with Beth Burgess
Thursdays, 10-12, Free Computer Assistance in the Lab with Nate Vaughan
TBD, Free Computer Assistance in the Lab with Ben Field: check lab bulletin board.
Mondays & Fridays 9-4, Free AARP Volunteer Tax Clinic. (more info p. 10)
Feb. 1st, Friday, noon-4:00, Reiki Clinic: Lynne Ihlstrom (522-0045, more info p.5)
Feb. 1st-3rd Montpolar Frostival! (See p.1 for more information)
Feb. 1st, Friday, 4-8 pm, Art Walk exhibit opening of Voices of Montpelier Oral
History Project 5:00 pm Presentation about the project by producer, Sarah Adelman
Feb. 2nd, Saturday, 10:00-4:00, Voices of Montpelier exhibit open to public till 2/24
Feb. 2nd, 1:00-4:00 pm, Knit for Warm Paws during Frostival (more info, p.9)
Feb. 3rd, Sunday, 11:00-3:00, Voices of Montpelier exhibit open to public
Feb. 5th, Tuesday, 11:00-1:30, Band, Dancing and BYO Brown Bag Lunch
Feb. 6th, Wednesday, 1:30, OSHER program (see p. 8 for info.)
Feb. 8th, Friday, 9:00-noon, ORE/Reach representative available (see p.6 for info.)
Feb. 9th, Saturday, 6:30 pm, Monthly Film Series at MSAC, “How to Die in Oregon,”
107 minutes, Suggested donation: $3.00. Bring a cushion for seating. (p. 5)
Feb. 12th, Tuesday, 11:00-1:30, Band, Dancing and Valentine Soup
& Salad Luncheon RSVP by Thurs. Feb. 7th. $5
Feb. 13th, Wednesday, Newsletter Deadline for Mar. submissions!
Feb. 13th, Wednesday, 1:30 pm, OSHER program (see p. 8)
Feb. 14th, Thursday, Trip to Northern Stage (see p. 7)
Feb. 15th, Friday, 9:00-noon, Wanda Craig, Council on Aging, appts. (see p. 6)
Feb. 15th, Friday, 7:00-10:30pm, Community Swing Dance (more info p.5)
Feb. 19th, Tuesday, 11:00-1:30, Band, Dancing and BYO Brown Bag Lunch
Feb. 20th, Wed. 2:00, Informational Talk about Fall Trip to Italy (see p. 5)
Feb. 22nd, Fri., 9:00-noon, ORE/Reach representative available (see p.6)
Feb. 22nd, Friday, 9:00-noon, Foot Clinic, (see p. 5)
Feb. 26th, Tuesday, 11:00-1:30, Band, Dancing, and Potluck lunch

4 NEW LATE WINTER CLASSES AT MSAC
Acting and Improv: An Introduction
3 Wednesdays, February 20 th - March 6 th , 9:30-11:30am
Come and play! Improvisation games, character-building exercise, monologues, and two-person scenes are
all part of this fun and informative class. If you have ever wanted to try acting or if you have experience
and would like a chance to practice and further explore the craft, all skill levels are welcome. Instructor
Melissa Leonard is an experienced acting instructor, vocal coach and Theater Artist with over fifteen years
of experience, including teaching at the college level, directing, design, production management, and the
founding of her own theater company. Registration deadline: Friday, February 15 th . $15/20.
How to Use an iPhone
4 Thursdays, February 21st-March 14th, 9-10:30 am, maximum 4 participants
Back by popular demand! Thierry Guerlain will address the needs of those who register and will be in
touch before class begins. Registration deadline: Friday, February 15 th . $18/$26
Pool Workshop. Pro Liz Ford Returns to MSAC Game Room!
3 Mondays, February 25 th -March 11 th , 2:30-4:30pm
All levels encouraged to attend! Whether you've never held a pool cue or you already fancy yourself a
shark, top player and Vermonter Liz Ford wants to make you better and share with you the fun and enjoyment
of this beautiful game! You'll also get a crash course in the Physics fundamentals at work. Liz has
played internationally on the Pro circuit for 10 years and can tell colorful stories and lore about the game.
Registration deadline: Wednesday, February 20 th . $22/$30.
“Let’s Go Fishing” FREE 2-day Clinic: Save the Dates!
2 Saturdays, March 16th and 23rd, 8am-4pm, bring bag lunch
Join Susan Torchia, a certified instructor trained by VT Fish and Wildlife and passionate about fishing
since childhood, for this engaging 2-day program that provides an overview of fishing and aquatic ecology.
Participants will be taught how to be stewards of Vermont’s vast fishing resources, including habitat needs,
fishing skills in spin-casting and fly-fishing, ethics, rules and regulations, knot-tying, practice with equipment
and setting up tackle boxes. Printed materials supplied. Basic equipment list in office, some available
to borrow. Pass your new knowledge on to your grandchildren or friends! Optional spring field trip
after season starts, time TBD by participants. Possible openings for non-MSAC members; inquire in office.
Registration Deadline Monday, March 11th. Free.
COMING SOON: Spring Book Discussion Group
“Because you can’t have depths without surfaces.” – Linda Grant
Join a discussion group focused on the book, The Thoughtful Dresser:
The Art of Adornment, the Pleasures of Shopping, and Why Clothes
Matter. Written by award-winning novelist and journalist Linda Grant,
this non-fiction paperback “celebrates the pleasure of adornment and is
an elegant meditation on our relationship with what we wear and the
significance of clothes as the most intimate but also public expressions
of our identity” (Amazon.com). Peggy Ramel, Neighbor to Neighbor
AmeriCorps member at the Central Vermont Council on Aging, will facilitate
the weekly discussion for the duration of the spring session.
Mark your calendars for the 1 st week of April and keep watch for a
more detailed program description in the March newsletter.

5
February 15 th Community Swing Dance Night at MSAC:
The event on February 15th is West Coast Swing which was developed as a dance around 1950 and was one
of many regional dances of the time that was based on the Lindy Hop. Westie remains popular and seems to
be growing in the United States and now all around Europe. The dance event will provide a lesson to
dancers from 7-8 pm and will be taught by the originator of the Burlington Westie group in February
2011. Following the lesson there will be dancing until 10:30 PM. The B'Westies is an active community
and often spend time dancing with the Upper Valley Westies from the Hanover, NH area.
Robert.arsenault.7@facebook.com
MSAC & DHARMA
FILM
SERIES
Sat. Feb. 9th, NEW
TIME: 6:30 pm!
How to Die In
Oregon
2011, 107 minutes
Peter Richardson’s awardwinning
documentary
takes you into the lives of
terminally ill men and
women as they consider
availing themselves of
physician-assisted suicide
which is legal in Oregon
under the state’s 1994
Death with Dignity Act.
MSAC Travels to Italy this Fall!
Informational Talk: Wed. Feb. 20th, 2:00
Cia, Italia! Milne Travel American Express and Globus
Tour have arranged a package for Oct 4-13, 2013, which
includes round trip air from Burlington, airport transfers in
Rome, pre-night in Rome, Italy's Great Cities tour, trip
cancellation insurance, along with highlights outlined on
the flyer available in February in the office. A MSAC representative
(most likely Janna) will escort the group with a
minimum of 8 people, and the trip is open to non-members
50+. The rate is $4373.00 per person based
on double occupancy, and $4767.00 for a single.
Rome, Pisa, Florence, Verona, Venice
Island, and Ferrara are included in this tour of
a lifetime. Please join Marion Milne, Janna,
and the Globus Representative, Pam to learn
more on 2/20.
FOOT CLINIC RESUMES AT MSAC
Friday, February 22nd, 9am-noon. (Starting in
March, 2nd Fridays.) Nurses from Central VT Home Health &
Hospice will provide this service for $15. Check or cash to
CVHHH. Fifteen minute appointments. To reserve call MSAC
223-2518. During each 15 minute appointment, nurses will clip
toe nails, clean nail beds, file the nails and lotion
the feet. Please arrive 15 minutes early for your appointment
and bring the following: A basin for soaking, Towel,
Nail clippers, Foot-soak powder, Lotion.
Reiki Clinic
Friday, February
1st, 12:00—4:00 PM
Lynne Ihlstrom, Reiki
Master, Sessions are 1/2
hour, fee is $15. Hour
sessions available. Walkins
welcome. To make
appt. call Lynne at
522-0045.

6
SERVICES AND RESOURCES TO CHECK OUT!
Do you have questions about health insurance or other senior services?
Wanda Craig, Case Manager with Central Vermont Council on Aging
(CVCOA), can help you find answers. You may recall that Wanda was here
at MSAC recently offering help with Medicare Part D open enrollment.
Wanda is in the Resource Room 9 am – noon every third Friday to provide
assistance. She is available to answer questions, assist with applications, and help coordinate
services for: food and nutrition assistance, Meals on Wheels, housing, fuel assistance, legal
services, health insurance, family caregiver supports, in-home help,
transportation, legal services and mental health services. Call Wanda directly
at 479-7553 to set up an appointment.
————————————————————————————————————
Feeling Stretched as a Family Caregiver?
Powerful Tools for Caregivers Class Teaches Coping Skills
Are you caring for a spouse with dementia, an aging parent, or an ill family member? Is the
stress of caregiving taking its toll on your health? Then Powerful Tools for Caregivers is for
you: a 6-week educational series designed to provide you with the tools you need to take care
of yourself, reduce stress, improve self-confidence, communicate feelings better, balance life,
make tough decisions and locate helpful resources. Classes will be held at the MSAC on Six
Wednesdays, 5:00 – 7:00 pm, from March 20 – April 24.
Powerful Tools is sponsored by Central Vermont Council on Aging (CVCOA). For more information
or to register, contact Jeanne Kern, Family Caregiver Support, at jkern@cvcoa.org or
802-476-2671. Class size is limited and pre-registration is required. You will receive a copy of
The Caregiver Helpbook, developed specifically for the class. A donation of $20 to CVCOA to
help defray the cost of the book is suggested, but not required to attend the class.
FORMS and APPTS AVAILABLE IN THE MSAC RESOURCE ROOM
Advance Directives forms from the VT Ethics Network(VEN) and several Funeral planning pamphlets
from the Funeral Consumers Alliance of Vermont (FCA-VT) are available for the taking in
the MSAC Resource Room. For more information on these subjects or to schedule a free individual
or family meeting, please call the FCA-VT Information Hotline at (802)223-8140 or email,
mbisbee@myfairpoint.net.
Onion River Exchange (ORE) is a growing collection of people of all ages who
have come together to create a community in which people care for one another by exchanging
time, skills and talents. In ORE, everyone who joins both gives and receives services.
Our members trade services that improve their quality of life, health and well-being
and promote community engagement. No matter the service, 1 hour of my help is equal to
1 hour of your help. This means we see all work as equal—whether it is pet care, hair cutting,
plumbing, facebook help, rides, companionship or a French lesson, 1 hour of service
is equal to 1 hour!Want to learn more? Call 522-3040 or email info@orexchange.org. You
can also visit us in person at MSAC the 2nd and 4th Friday of every month, from 9:30-
12 in the front lobby.

7 MSAC VAN TRIPS
Thursday, February 14 th , Northern Stage Presents
“The Importance of Being Earnest.” Our members love
this theater, so we bring you another opportunity to see a great
show with friends! $40 covers your ticket and driver/van expenses. Leave from Dept of
Labor at noon, return 5:00 pm. Register in office by Feb. 8th.
March-April Van TRIPS:
More info. in office. Register Soon!
MARCH 14TH, THUR. 9am-9pm, Boston Flower Show. $68
Incl. admission and ride. Buy own meals, dinner stop on the way home.
MARCH 25TH, MON. 9am-8:30pm, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
in Boston. $64 incl. admission and ride. Buy own meals, lunch
avail.
MARCH 30TH, SAT. Matinee of 4,000 Miles, Vermont Stage, Flynn
Space, Burlington. $38. Incl. ticket and ride, no meals. SEE BELOW
SAVE THE DATE: On Saturday, travel with MSAC to see the afternoon
matinee of Amy Herzog’s acclaimed new play 4,000 Miles, followed by a talkback
with the cast and director. To get us thinking about the play, Joanne
Greenberg will hold a special pre-show session, where we will
discuss the play while volunteers read from this award-winning script.
The free, pre-show discussion session will be on Wednesday,
March 27, 5:00-6:00 at MSAC. Detailed information on the trip and
class session will be on the bulletin board, the website, and in the
March newsletter. Meanwhile, save the dates!
APRIL 11TH, THUR., 12:30-5:00pm, Northern Stage presents, “No Sex
Please, We are British” . $42. Incl. ticket and ride, no meals.
Spring/Summer Van TRIPS in the works:
More info coming in March!
JUNE 21ST, FRIDAY, Fort Ticonderoga
JULY 26TH, FRIDAY, Stowe/Mount Mansfield Gondola
AUGUST 7TH, WEDNESDAY, Ausable Chasm
MSAC TRIP TO ITALY in OCTOBER: See Info on p.5

8
8
OSHER LIFELONG LEARNING INSTITUTE
SPRING 2013
All programs are on Wednesdays at 1:30 pm. Doors open at 12:30 pm for those
wishing to bring a brown bag lunch.
February 6: The Challenges of Journalism in a Digital World, Editor Stephen
Pappas, Montpelier Senior Activity Center
February 13: Robert Frost: Poems for the Season, Humanities Scholar Peter Gilbert,
Montpelier Senior Activity Center
February 20: Step Into the Past: A Tour of the Vermont History Center Galleries,
Curator Jacqueline Calder, Vermont History Center, Barre
February 27: Threats to the Vermont Forest: Pesky, Petite and Powerful Pests,
Forester Barbara Burns, Aldrich Public Library, Barre
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute is a membership organization under the auspices
of the University of Vermont. Non-members of OSHER are welcome to attend
for a suggested donation of $5.00. Questions? 802-223-1763 or email
clb247@cornell.edu.
Full Spring Brochure available at MSAC — Series continues in March.
WANTED
I’m anxious to ADOPT a dog:
Middle Aged
Medium Size
Male or Female
Will Consider ANY BREED
If you can help, please call Robin
229-4740
Barre Senior Center Trips
Feb 22, Weds., 7 am-8 pm. New England Flower Show,
Rhode Island Convention Center, Providence, RI. Members
$78/nonmembers $83. Additional food & wine festival
$95 members/$100 nonmembers. Bus leaves from
Barre Auditorium. Five hours on your own at flower
show & Providence mall (attached to convention center).
On your own for lunch. To register: 479-9512 by Feb.
8th.
Mar 16, Sat. , 10 am-5:30 pm, Indian Head Resort.
Includes individual photos, welcome cocktail reception,
deluxe Irish luncheon buffet, floor show & dance band,
tax & gratuity. Member (any senior center) $65/
nonmember $70. Call 479-9512 to register by March
1st! There is a cancellation policy for this trip. Lamoille
Valley Transit Bus departs from Granite Museum parking
lot (Jones Brothers Way). Please refrain from wearing
perfumes.

9
Announcements of This and That
WINTER CLASSES THAT ARE FULL: All Yoga, Living Strong, Poetry, Advanced Beginner
Spanish, Writing at 1:30. If you are interested in one of these, there will be a waiting
list. If you are in one of these and drop out, please let us know so that we can give your spot
to another member who is waiting!
CLASSES THAT STILL HAVE PLENTY OF SPACE: Facebook & Social Media (if you
have a laptop/device of your own), Spanish Beginner, Line Dance, Tap Dance, both Italian
classes, Writing at 11:00, Handbuilding in Clay and Rughooking.
KITCHEN GARDEN GRANT– An MSAC group of interested gardeners submitted a grant
proposal in January to Kitchen Gardeners International (KGI), an organization
that helped start kitchen gardens all over the world and was instrumental
in helping with the White House Vegetable Garden. Thanks
to all who gave their valuable expertise on gardening, purchasing implements,
measuring space and pulling it all together. Those involved included
Bob Troester, Betha Hedenberg, Larry Masure, Liz Dodge, Fran
Krushenick, Mary Alice Bisbee and Lisbeth Dodd. Our proposal is to sow it forward to 58
Barre Street residents, MSAC members and visitors who partake of our congregate meal programs
and the Meals on Wheels program we hope to provide once our kitchen is up and running.
We should know by Feb. 1st if we will be awarded a grant worth $600.
MSAC Music Group, “Swingin’ Over Sixty” seeks additional musicians to play danceable
music from the 1920s to the 1960s. For more info, contact leader, Dean Merrill at (802) 472-
3649 or just show up at 58 Barre Street on a Tuesday at 11:00 to play. All gatherings start
with playing music, then lunch, then more playing. Regular dancers as well as other Senior
Center members enjoy the music. The group also performs occasionally at various venues
throughout Central Vermont.
Heard about Knit for Warm Paws? Join in on a great way to bust your stash, meet fellow
crafters, keep homeless cats warm and comfy, and have fun! The Knitting Studio is launching
its annual community project on Saturday, February 2nd at the Montpelier Senior Center from
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm, as part of the MontPolar Frostival. This quick and easy knitting project
will provide colorful and unique blankets for the homeless cats at the Central Vermont Humane
Society. More info on posters around the center, and pattern available in the office!
This spring: Rummage Sale: Sat-Sun. May 18-19. SAVE THE DATE.
Please wait for announcements about when items may be dropped off, as we are not ready to
store them. Volunteers wanted to help plan, organize, and staff the sale!
The Vermont History Museum seeks volunteer tour guides to lead tours for school
groups. Learn more on Thurs. 2/21 at 10:30 at the museum at 109 State Street. For additional
information, contact Victoria Hughes at 828-1413.
Vermont River Conservancy seeks volunteers to fill envelopes and use other skills you might
have to share. Contact Stephan Syz at 229.0820 for more information.

10 2012 Income Tax Returns:
Important Information for Tax Preparation
Appointments!
As the mailman starts delivering those ‘Important
Tax Information’ notices, it’s time to begin planning for
the preparation of your 2012 tax returns! Set aside a large
envelope, desk drawer or file folders where you can collect
all those pesky papers, and call the Senior Center for
an appointment (223-2518). Volunteers affiliated with the AARP Tax-Aide Program will be
at the Center to assist with the preparation and electronic filing of federal and Vermont income
tax returns. Appointments will be scheduled on Mondays and Fridays, mornings and
afternoons. It’s more efficient if you can pick up an Interview Form and a list of required
and recommended information from the Senior Center office before your appointment, or
you can come early to get a head start on it when you arrive. The Center is not able to mail
these forms to you. You may pick them up at the registration table in the front lobby outside
the front office.
As volunteers, we are trained and certified to prepare most ordinary returns including
those with gains or losses on the sale of securities or mutual funds or even of your home (if
you have the cost or ‘basis’ information) but we are neither trained nor authorized to prepare
complex returns with income from a business or rental property. If you have questions
about whether or not we can prepare your return or what information you need to bring,
please leave your name and a telephone number and time where you can be reached, and I
will call you.
Bring a photo id for yourself and either the Social Security card or letter or form
from the Social Security Administration showing the name and SS Number for each
spouse and any dependents you’ll want to claim. For those receiving Social Security
benefits, the annual tax reporting form is sufficient. Any name that is not spelled exactly the
same as the one assigned to the SS Number, or if the number is incorrect, will cause the return
to be rejected and we’ll have to correct the information and re-file the return.
If you own your home, bring your 2012/2013 property tax bill!! Homeowners are
now required to file a Declaration of Homestead every year in order to get the lower residential
education tax rate, and we will also want to complete the claim for any property tax
reduction (‘adjustment’ or ‘prebate’) to which you’re entitled..
Please bring your 2011 returns for reference and also any letters with changes or
corrections to those returns so we can be certain they’re accounted for this year.
If you prefer direct deposit of any refund, bring a blank check from which we can copy the
bank ID and account numbers for a checking account, or the bank routing number and account
number for a savings account.
As always, we look forward to seeing you and working with you to make this winter
chore as easy and pleasant as it can possibly be!

11
DO YOU KNOW WHY SOMEONE DOESN’T
VOLUNTEER? –THEY WEREN’T ASKED!
MSAC volunteering options come in as many sizes and
shapes as MSAC members, and this diversity continues to grow
with MSAC’s expansion. At least 150 members have donated over
3,000 volunteer hours in the last year, and of these, many were new
members within the last year. They have served in countless ways such as helping with
mailings, making phone calls, serving on the Board, bringing in bakery goods, and serving
as activity leaders and docents. Although MSAC members may not all have initially
expressed an interest in volunteering when they joined, experiences have evolved for
many. Perhaps it was to help out on a specific activity (giving a one time workshop,
which morphed into an ongoing discussion series.) Or, they were an “on call” volunteer
called in to paint a bookcase or hang pictures. MSAC is expanding efforts at reaching
those who have expressed an interest in volunteering; if you have expressed in volunteering
and haven’t heard from us, please let Janna or Liz know.
Individual members have also come to MSAC staff with personal requests for support.
With support from our partnership with the AmeriCorps, MSAC is now able to more
effectively match these requests with MSAC members who might be of assistance. For
example, there is a MSAC member who is an avid snow-shoer and is simply looking for
another member to enjoy this sport with her this winter. Please let Liz know if you would
like to become a snow shoe partner, and we will be glad to assist you in making the connection.
Now, an additional volunteering avenue is available to MSAC members through
the partnership with AmeriCorps Neighbor to Neighbor program (N2N). Members will
be able to volunteer one-on-one in direct service roles. N2N staff (Liz) receives requests
for direct services for individuals in need who have contacted the CVCOA Senior Help
Line 800-642-5119. (Examples of some N2N direct services include: decluttering, assistance
with food shopping and errands, organizing mail or bills, friendly visiting, and essential
transportation.)
Liz can provide two to three visits herself; beyond that, she works to match the
person requesting service with a volunteer to assist them. There are now several Montpelier
area residents, some of whom may already be MSAC members, who are waiting to be
matched with volunteers, hopefully another MSAC member, to assist them on an ongoing
basis. Assistance requests are varied in type and length of time required. For example,
one individual is seeking a companion to assist her to get out from time to time to a community
event, while another seeks help with organizing her kitchen (she
has limited mobility). Background checks are required for volunteers
through this AmeriCorps initiative, given the vulnerability of some of the
individuals served. They are not required for MSAC volunteering. For
further information about either option, please contact Liz Dodd in
the MSAC Resource Room, 262-6288, ldodd@cvcoa.org.

12 13 for 13….thirteen healthy tips for
starting the New Year off right!
‘Tis the season for New Year’s resolutions! Year after year people resolve
to “lose 25 pounds by March” or “exercise everyday for one hour”. Many
times these resolutions are unrealistic and people feel guilty if they fail to meet them. Before
making a list of all the things you should do, think about what you can do. It’s important to be
realistic and take small steps at a time. Thirteen health tips for 2013 are listed below. Choose a
few that might work for you and have a happy, healthy new year!
Talk positively to yourself. Positive self-talk will allow you to identify aspects of yourself that
you like and appreciate. This can help encourage positive thinking and positive actions.
Eat breakfast! A research study looked at two groups of people trying to lose weight. Both
groups ate the same number of calories. The group that ate breakfast lost 7 pounds more at
the end of one year. And breakfast eaters are more likely to be alert in the morning. Try a
simple bowl of oatmeal….1/2 cup water, ¼ cup oats, 1 T. raisins, 1/8 tsp cinnamon: combine
and microwave for 2 minutes.
Get moving! Start slowly. Begin by walking 5-10 minutes in the morning and 5-10 minutes in
the afternoon. Walk the dog, walk to the mailbox or walk around the house. Write it
down…mark the calendar with a colored dot for each 10 minutes you walk. Strive for a ‘dot
a day’ for 2 weeks; then aim for 2 dots a day until you have 3 dots a day for 5 days per
week.
Avoid skipping meals. When a meal is skipped, it is easy to get “over-hungry” and snack
mindlessly on high calorie, low nutrition choices. Plan ahead and figure out what you will
eat for the day.
Practice portion control! Think of your dinner plate as a circle divided into 4 quarters. Serve
starchy food such as pasta or rice or potato in one quarter, protein food such as meat, chicken,
fish or beans in another and fill up the rest of the plate with vegetables or vegetable/fruit.
Laugh and smile more often!
Slow down….when you’re eating that is! Put your fork down a few times during the meal.
The appetite center in your brain requires 20 minutes to realize that you are full.
Set goals. Chart a course for yourself. Set small achievable goals. Work on one or two goals
at a time. For example, this week I will prepare a meal without meat or this week I will
walk for 15 minutes after lunch everyday.
Drink plenty of fluids- aim for about 2 quarts a day. Water, juice, herbal tea, soups and other
non-caffeinated or non-alcoholic liquids all count as fluids.
Get enough rest. Try to get 8 hours of sleep per night.
Relax for 15 minutes or more a day, using such techniques as resting, visualization, knitting
and meditation.
Share your Feelings. Talk to someone you trust – a family member, friend, clergy, or mental
health professional – about what’s bothering you.
Take up a hobby or activity that interests you. Join a senior center or volunteer.
Sue Johansen, RD, CDE and Kathy Paquet, Nutrition & Wellness Coordinator Central Vermont
Council on Aging

Contains updates:
SUPPORTING TOWN FUNDING:
13 Supporting Towns
Why it matters
On July 18, 2012, the Montpelier City Council
adopted the following policy, which
affects MSAC:
Overview
Benefits: Members (17% of
our total) from Berlin, Calais,
E. Montpelier, Middlesex and
Worcester have lower annual
dues and can register for classes
earlier than other towns.
Finances: These towns give us
modest tax appropriations, averaging
$17 per member. Due
to increasing pressure from
our City Council, we have
ramped up our strategy and
are now seeking $50 per
member in public money,
based on current participation.
In the coming several
years, we will increase our requests
to more equitably share
the costs of operating MSAC.
Montpelier tax-payers are contributing
appr. $244 for each
MSAC Montpelier member
this year. This is why Montpelier
members pay less and
register for classes earlier.
When public funding is eventually
shared in proportion to
membership, class fees may
equalize, too.
What you can do now: Stand
up at Town Meeting in our
support. Ask Janna for a factsheet/training
about how you
can help educate your town
about the value of MSAC. If
you don’t volunteer, we may
ask you! Thanks to all who signed
and collected petition signatures in
January!
“City agencies and non-profit entities
that provide services to residents of
Montpelier and surrounding towns
shall reasonably strive to, as a condition of receiving
funds from the City of Montpelier, ensure that per
capita costs of services are reasonably apportioned
between the City of Montpelier and Montpelier participants,
and other communities and non-resident
participants.”
Read section to the left about how MSAC responds!
June 2013 Elections
to MSAC Advisory Board
There are three seats to be filled on the MSAC Advisory
Board this year—for three years each. The terms begin on
June 25, 2012, the date of the Annual Meeting. Please consider
nominating someone. The Board is advisory in nature
to the Director and to City Council, but we have always had
a say in decisions related to the Center. Any member of the
Center is eligible. Those who are elected have the responsibility
to attend a board meeting monthly or bimonthly for
about two hours at the Center. In addition, Advisory Board
members fulfill other duties and committee assignments as
needed. We need new and different points of view as we
continue to increase the membership of the Center, so please
consider joining us!
Nomination and voting procedure:
Any member may nominate any other member by leaving a
note of nomination in a box at the front desk at the Senior
Center. This note must include the person’s full
name and phone number. Nominations may also be
mailed or emailed. Deadline is April 1st.
Nominees will eventually need to provide a photo and brief
bio for the newsletter, and ballots will be sent to all
members in the May and June newsletters.
Please contact your Advisory Board members if you have
comments or questions. Contact info may be found on
the bulletin board outside the office!

14 A FEW RECENT
EVENTS AT MSAC
Pie Luncheon &
Mix it Up Day 1/15
with over 30 people!
Thank you to Liz Snell for leading,
The Swingin’ Over Sixty Band for
music, and Irene Nettler, Brenda
Snetsinger, Barbara Arley, and
Joan Moreau for help with lunch.
Facebook Class at MSAC
with Erika Mitchell
Tuesday afternoons the lab is transformed
into a classroom of 12, complete with digitally
projected screen guides!
“Keeping the Winter Blues at Bay” Panel on 1/16 saw a great turnout despite
the winter weather! It featured three great panelists speaking
about winter depression, prevention and treatment; 35 audience
members with great questions, and MSAC’s own Senior Moments
production crew taping a two-episode program for future broadcast
on ORCA and at other senior centers. Bravo to N2N member Liz
Dodd for organizing this successful healthy aging event!
Thank you to:
All the instructors, members, board, and staff who participated in the Dec. 13 th Strategic Planning session,
as well as Brian O’Regan for pro-bono facilitation and the Masonic Lodge for free space rental.
Look for an update in future newsletters about the status of the planning.
Charlotte and Earnest Gibson for a very generous contribution toward the new window shades
Brenda, Joan, and Barb for a nice job organizing the December holiday
meal, when holiday music was enjoyed by all, amplified by our
new sound system donated by the Elks Club and Play it Again Sam.
Rick Winston and the class for their patience while we adjusted to
using MSAC space and equipment for the film series!
Everyone for your patience and understanding when parking is even
more limited than usual due to snow in the parking lot!
members and friends who are diligently removing boots in the entryways
of the Center. It is vital to keep the floors in the 2nd floor classrooms and in the Community
Room free from slippery water and ground-in dirt. Please use the trays and racks in the side entrance,
the coat room, and upper classrooms.

15
Happy Birthday to MSAC Members in February!
Feb 1 Fran Glasner,
Robert Lizzari, Ellen Urman
Feb 2 Rebecca Singer, Barbara
Thompson
Feb 3 Hannie de Leeuw,
Renate Klatt,
Feb 4 Regina Baez, Brenda Bean
Feb 5 Lorraine Pilon, Linda Suter
Feb 6 Joseph Fernandez,
Marie McWilliam
Feb 7 Leslie Parr
Feb 8 Judith Lindner
Feb 9 Marvin Smith,
Colleen Wilford
Feb 10 Nancy deGroff,
Mark Greenberg
Feb 11 Thelma Corey
Feb 12 Patricia Balkcom,
Dan Lindner, Dorian MacDonald,
John Pratt, Nancy Sherman
Feb 14 Ann Geiger, Nancy Jordan,
Jehrusha Keene
Feb 15 Linda Coble
Feb 16 Josephine Romano
Feb 17 Liz DiFazio, Kristin Glaser,
Katherine Langlois, Tom Lever
Feb 20 Beverly Chaffee,
Herb Propper
Feb 21 Tami Calliope
Feb 22 Susan Barrett, Jean Jolley,
Ray Kingsbury
Feb 23 Charles Ballantyne
Feb 24 Tom McKone
Feb 26 Peggy Baird
Feb 27 Karen Roos
Feb 28 Irene Badeau,
Harris Webster, Marit Young
Feb 29 Diane Murtagh
With Our Sympathy
—Deceased
Lawrence Abbiati
Betty Daniels
Alice Farrand
Marie Kelley
Margaret McCormack
Alice Spaulding
Marcia Walker
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!
Linda Alexander
William Beard
Alice Blachly
Robert Brower
Scottie Brower
Susan Catlin
Ann Charles
Michelle Clark
Carol Cromwell
Ann Geiger
Claire Gilbertson
Eric Gilbertson
Bob Hamilton
Marilyn Hart
Sarah Hooker
Patty Jones
Melinde Kantor
Renate Klatt
Michael Levine
Robert Lincoln
Robert Lizzari
Fran Lovelette
Holly McDermott
Tom McKone
Linda Prescott
Mary Roehm
Susan Roop
Susan Sanderson
Judy Scruton
Steve Sirch
Wendy Soliday
Kristine Struminsky
Karen Swails
Marilyn Sykas
Lynne Walther
Holly Wetherell
Colleen Wilford
Nat Winthrop
Marit Young

MSAC Advisory Board 2012-2013 (Agendas and Minutes posted on website!)
3 Years 2 Years 1 Year Next Board Meeting Dates:
Sylvia Kingsbury Elizabeth Dodge Fran Krushenick No meeting in February
Jane Osgatharp Peter Harris Tina Muncy March 20th, 2-4 at MSAC
Janet Ressler Frank Woods Brenda Snetsinger
Thierry Guerlain is the City Council Representative appointed to the Advisory Board.
The mission of the Montpelier Senior Activity Center is to enhance the
quality of life for older adults in Montpelier through opportunities
that develop physical, mental, cultural, social, and economic wellbeing
in a welcoming, flexible environment.
Montpelier Senior Activity Center
58 Barre Street
Montpelier, VT 05602
PRSRT STD
US POSTAGE PAID
MONTPELIER, VT
PERMIT NO 113
Dear Newsletter Subscribers! Some of
you are receiving Action Times by email only.
Thank you for saving MSAC $1 per
month (and paper!). To make the switch,
and always have your newsletter in color
online, send an e-mail to: msac@montpelier
-vt.org.
CLOSED for Presidents
Day, February 18th.
Montpelier Senior Activity Center
802-223-2518 / 802-262-6285 (fax) / www.montpelier-vt.org/msac
New Email : msac@montpelier-vt.org
Janna Clar, Director
Susie Gomez, Office Assistant
Johanna Nichols, Program Assistant
Lisbeth Dodd, N2N Americorps Member
MSAC Equipment Fund: Approx. $75,000 is needed for new equipment (including for
the kitchen) and furnishings— Your tax-deductible contributions are appreciated!