April is National Volunteering Month. Did you know that volunteering is a reciprocal act? The benefits of volunteering can be improving mental health, making new friends, gaining a sense of purpose and connectedness, as well as boosting your overall happiness! Volunteering also enhances the programs and offerings at Trinity Woods. We would not have the robust programming if it were not for the volunteers. Community participation is what makes Trinity Woods the premier place to be. Let me say “thank you for all your efforts and dedication!”
Even during the trying times of 2020 members found ways to volunteer on campus. Some of our long-standing opportunities were put on hold, some were able to be adapted throughout the year, and new opportunities were created. As we celebrate National Volunteer Month, we want to celebrate the 140 on campus volunteers from 2020.
Here are just some of the ways people volunteered: Bargain Basement, Caring Mat-ters, Fifth Thursday, Food Committee, Health Center Volunteer, Holliman Center Volunteer, Event Help, Libraries, Manor Bears, Manor Mirror, Marketing Ambassadors, Member Council, Movie Nights, Needlecraft, Program Presenters/Organizers, Screenwatchers Guild, Worship and Spiritual Life, Pianists, Walk and Rollers, WAC, Thanksgiving, CLC Planning, Development, Spann Set-Up, Welcome Wednesday, and the Safety Committee.
If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Irene Brown at 918-346-6614 or ibrown@trinitywoodstulsa.com.
The beginning of a new year is an opportune time to start afresh. Don’t let 2022 just be another year of moving forward – make it a year of leaving some things behind. Past hurts, failures, pains, decisions… are often weights that hinder our ability to move forward. Even good things that are energy drainers could potentially need to be left behind. If you have done something you thought was meaningful without getting meaningful results, maybe, it’s time to leave it (or them) behind as well.
Actually, any unnecessary weights or baggage should be left behind. Sometimes that includes individuals who have become baggage by occupying too much of your time, space, and energy, unnecessarily. Leave them behind and love them from a distance.
Ultimately, the most difficult thing to do is move forward when you are totally focused on the past.
As one who was intimately aware of hurts, pains, beatings, and shipwrecks in life, the Apostle Paul teaches us the importance of forgetting past things and moving forward. He encourages us to press on towards a greater prize.
Just a reminder: faith is the key element for moving forward. Your heavenly Father did not create you to live a life of mediocrity – you were created to live life in the faith lane. The faith lane is not to be mistaken for the ‘fast lane’ because often it is just the opposite. Patience will be required as you embark on the new.
There is so much more ahead of you than behind you. Like Paul, let it go, leave it behind and move forward.
Tulsa Youth Opera at Trinity Woods: Amahl & the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti Friday, January 7 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, January 8 at 2:30 & 7:30 p.m. Community Life Center, Westervelt Hall
This one-act, fully staged opera in English tells the story of Amahl and his mother as they encounter the three kings who are journeying to bring gifts to the baby Jesus. It is an inspirational story of faith, told from the perspective of a child. Admission is free but tickets are required.
Gardening is a great way to stay fit and active in your golden years, and the best part? Reaping the tasty benefits of what you sow. And
with a few adjustments and modifications, gardening can be an easy and
enjoyable task for seniors.
Enjoying the
environment is one perk of digging in the dirt. Studies on home and community gardening point to even more
positives, including a reduced risk of dementia, and a happier life. Gardening
raises serotonin, a chemical in the brain that puts people in a good mood. It
also lowers stress-producing cortisol levels.
Tips on
Easy Gardening
As
we get older, not everyone is cut out for heavy digging, pulling weeds, and
lugging around hoses or large watering cans. A low-maintenance garden reduces
the amount of work and makes the garden more “senior-friendly.”
1. Mulched beds, paved pathways, lush groundcovers, and hardy shrubbery add elegance to the yard, and don’t require a lot of upkeep.
2. Set out chairs or benches under shady trees or on nearby patios to take a rest.
3.
Bright colors are always easy to spot. Paint gardening tool handles or wrap
them in colored tape to make them easy to find when dropped.
4.
Raised garden beds are easier to weed and harvest. Stack landscaping timber
edging
to reduce straining and bending — this is especially helpful if you have back
or joint pain.
5.
Design vertical gardens with trellises, bamboo stakes, arbors, and tomato cages
that encourage vines and other plants to grow upward. Growing upward instead of
to the side makes plants much easier to prune and harvest.
6.
Avoid hanging baskets. Sure, they’re pretty, but they need constant watering
and fertilizing. These containers can be hard to reach … except, of course,
when you bump into them.
7.
Plant flowers and vegetables in foamy containers that use lightweight soil
mediums. This reduces the weight of each container. Place the single pots on
casters, so you can move them around easily.
8.
Choose native flowers and shrubs that grow naturally in
Oklahoma. Coreopsis, salvia, and phlox are only a few brightly-colored blooms
that attract birds and butterflies. Oklahoma’s hot climate helps grasses thrive
— little bluestem and prairie dropseed do very well. Sumac is a hardy shrub
that sprouts colorful red flowers.
When
it comes to indoor greenery, the more the better, especially for those who
cannot get outside much.
Mini
gardens in pots on a windowsill are enjoyable, too. Indoor hydroponic gardens use water and liquid
fertilizer to grow herbs, flowers, fruits, and vegetables.
Hydroponic
systems come in various sizes, small enough for tabletops and large enough for
the corner of any size room. All you have to do is a little pinching and
pruning to keep these plants growing nicely until their stages are complete.
Get to
Gardening!
You
will definitely stay active with all the bending, squatting, stretching, and
weed pulling it takes to maintain a flower or veggie patch. But the best tip to
make it easy? Choose the plants that make you happy.
Amelia Hoffbauer has been growing her
own fruits and vegetables for more than 60 years, and at 84, she shows no signs
of slowing down. Her real passion is for her prize rose bushes which have won
her six blue ribbons at her county fair.
What comes to mind when you think of August? Maybe sitting at the lake, drinking lemonade, enjoying the sunshine, being with family, or juicy red slices of watermelon? You may only think, “Wow, is it hot,” and you’d be correct! From July even into September, Oklahoma can bring the heat. While increased hours of sunshine entice most of us outside, we need to be careful of that enticing environment. With a few wise choices we can enjoy the outdoors and all that it off ers during the summertime.
Getting out in the sunshine is good for one’s health, providing much needed Vitamin D, helping circadian rhythms and sleep patterns, and even fi ghting depression. Walking outside just feels good, especially when it’s warmer. Early mornings and late evenings are the best times to get sunshine and exercise in one swoop. We all need to exercise 2-3 times a week for at least 30 minutes each day to maintain our lifestyles. (If you want to improve your current activity level or lifestyle then you’ll need to do a little more, but that’s another topic!) If you’re out in the heat of the day, wear a hat and lightcolored clothing to repel the light and heat, as dark colors absorb heat. It’s also imperative to be well hydrated before starting and taking a water bottle to go. Once you begin to feel thirsty, you’re already dehydrated and therefore could be at risk!
“How much water do I need to be hydrated?” you might ask. Surprisingly, here is no scientifi c data to indicate how much a person really should be drinking. Th e old “eight 8-ounce glasses of water” rule doesn’t take into consideration the food we eat. If you’re enjoying a nice slice of watermelon with a glass of lemonade, you’re getting a lot of water. Pay attention to your body; if you feel hungry sometimes it’s thirst. Drink water fi rst and see how you feel, then eat only if you still feel hungry. If you feel thirsty, you are thirsty—DRINK! Listen to your body-your internal environment- it can let you know what it needs. Lastly, I want to remind you: Exercise is fun! If you want to be happier, live longer and have a healthy lifestyle, then exercise! And stay safe in the Oklahoma heat!
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