Publication Date: 09/19/09
"Old age isn't for sissies."
Have you heard that before?
If not, Cathy Brown and Pat O'Connell, the dynamic duo that organize St. Johns County Council on Aging's programs are fond of repeating the sissy phrase to challenge today's senior population to stay active.
In fact, COA's new slogan is Forward from 50. They're looking to expand the spectrum of participants to keep them connected as they move forward in life.
Brown is COA's executive director and O'Connell is program director.
You can hook up with activities at the three COA centers and put yourself in the picture with COA staff and volunteers at work-like play. Approximately 4,000 seniors participate in COA programs monthly at Coastal Community Center on Marine Street in St. Augustine , The Players Senior Community Center in Ponte Vedra, and Trout Creek Pavilion in Orangedale.
This being National Senior Center Month and the Coastal Community Center a nationally accredited senior center, it's time for you to visit. Contact 209-3700 for program details. Once you get the "bug," you'll come back again and again.
If you see anyone in a rocking, it's because they want to. Come to think of it, rock-in' is more like it.
Call COA today to find your niche.
Trend taps St. Augustine businesses
Tampa, Tallahassee, Miami, Jacksonville, Coral Gables, St. Augustine.
The common denominator is that each city has at least two of Florida Trend's top 25 Best Small Companies to Work For in 2009.
St. Augustine's Davidson Realty ranked second and Herbie Wiles Insurance, 22.
Florida Trend. the state's premiere business publication, ranked large, medium and small companies, small being 15-49 employees. Companies that participated did so at no cost. The voluntarily submitted to surveys conducted by the Best Companies Group on behalf of Trend.
Survey questions included company practices, policies, demographics. In addition, employees were surveyed anonymously about the company itself.
Congratulations to Jim and Sherry Davidson and Herbie and Doug Wiles for this achievement and their willingness to put their companies under Trend's microscope.
It's good to see St. Augustine businesses on this prestigious list.
Community education opens Monday
It's not too late to register for community education courses the St. Johns County School District is offering starting Monday.
Magic is one of the many courses offered, one that sparked our interest. Participants will learn tricks from a real magician plus how to write a performance.
But that's not all, there's so much variety, you might want to more than one night a week in a community ed. For nominal fees, courses are available, for example, in guitar, percussion, dance, acting, drawing and painting, computers, business development, Spanish, sign language, exercise, and dog training.
These classes will enrich your life, says Tommy Bledsole, the School District's Community Education Coordinator and also its program specialist for the arts and world and foreign languages. Trust us, Bledsole wouldn't say it if he didn't believe it.
The Web site, www.communityed.com has the classes and on-line registration. Or, contact 547-7565 or 547-7503
If you have been saying, "Gee I wish I could do that," or "Someday I will do that," it's time to do it.
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