Photo by Sarah Finnegan.
Senior members of the Vestavia Hills community meet up for a monthly luncheon in the Dogwood Room of the Vestavia Hills Civic Center on Jan. 8.
The attendees at the Jan. 8 Senior Citizens Luncheon may have thought performer Jerry Ryan was a one-man band, but Ryan prefers to call himself a “member-challenged orchestra.”
To be a one-man-band, Ryan told them, you have to play at least three instruments at once and be willing to play shows in different locations, but you also have to be willing to get up and move about the room.
Not wanting to do that, he said, he decided he would form a “member-challenged orchestra,” with his cardboard dog, Blue.
The performance was the main attraction at the luncheon that is held on the second Monday of each month, January through September.
Vestavia Hills Senior Association Chairperson Ruby Denson said the luncheons have been going on at least a few decades.
“We don’t have anything talking about ailments or finances, we just have fun,” Denson said.
She said that most of the seniors are from Vestavia, with a few coming from Hoover.
“We’re happy to have anyone,” she said.
The next Senior Citizens Luncheon will take place on Monday, Feb. 12 at 11:30 a.m. at the Vestavia Hills Civic Center in the Dogwood Room.
OLLI UPDATE
The Birmingham chapter of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute released its spring catalog of classes this month, and is looking forward to a spring and summer full of new classes and activities.
The catalogs are available at libraries and other public buildings throughout the greater Birmingham area, including the Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest.
Joining OLLI costs just $25 a year, and the $50 program free is good for all classes and activities in Birmingham as well as Tuscaloosa.
On Feb. 23 at the Homewood Public Library, award winning musician Sam Frazier, Jr will be giving a bonus program talk about Black History Month.
SENIOR HAPPENINGS
New Merkel House
► Mondays through Fridays: Lunch and fellowship, 11:45 a.m.
► Wednesdays and Fridays: Bingo, 11 a.m.
► Mondays and Wednesdays: Exercise, 10:30 a.m.
► Feb. 9: Guest speaker Greg Lawrence, Clear Caption Phone Services, 10:45 a.m.
► Feb. 13: Mardi Gras art with Tina, 10:30 a.m.
► Feb. 14: Valentine’s Day Party, 11:45 a.m.
For more information, please contact Melanie Perry at 967-5977
Other Senior Events
► Feb. 12: Senior Association luncheon, 11:30 a.m.
► Feb. 14: Senior Volunteers Valentine’s Day luncheon, 11 a.m.
