FEBRUARY 2012
HEALTH BITS
Jan. 31+ Feet First
The Baltimore County Department of Aging and We Treat Feet present “Taking Care of Your Feet,” with screenings and informational sessions throughout the year. The first one will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 31, at 12:45 p.m. at the Catonsville Senior Center, 501 N. Rolling Rd. The topic will be “aching heels.” Additional topics at upcoming sessions will include gait scan/screening, sports/athletic injuries, and wound care. For information, contact (410) 887-2594 or see www.baltimorecountymd.gov/agencies/aging/healtheducation.
Feb. 2+ Caregiver Support Group
St. Joseph Medical Center in Towson offers a free monthly support group for caregivers the first Thursday of every month from 7 to 8 p.m. To register, call (410) 337-1109. The medical center is located at 7501 Osler Dr.
Feb. 6 Cholesterol and Glucose Screening
Get free cholesterol and glucose screenings at Essex Senior Center from 9 to 10 a.m. on Monday. Feb. 6. For most accurate results, you should fast six to eight hours prior to the test. Water and necessary medication is permitted. The center is located at 600 Dorsey Ave. Sign up at the front desk or call (410) 887-0267.
Feb. 14 Vitamin D and Cancer
What is vitamin D, its functions and possible benefits? Learn about the research on vitamin D and its connection to cancer on Tuesday, Feb. 14, at St. Joseph Medical Center, 7501 Osler Dr. in Towson. The guest speaker will be Deborah Kispert, oncology dietitian at St. Clare’s Health System, in Denville, N.J. The workshop will be held from 1 to 2 p.m. There is no cost, but registration will be taken at 1-800-278-7837.
EVENT BITS
Jan. 19+ Dream About Setting Sail
It may be frigid now, but a visit to the Baltimore Boat Show from Jan. 19 to 22 will have you dreaming of sunny skies and sea breezes. Boating experts from around the world will be on hand at the Baltimore Convention Center to share the latest on boating activities, product exhibitions and buying advice. The Convention Center is located at 1 W. Pratt St. Call (410) 649-7000 or visit www.baltimoreboatshow.com for details and ticket information.
Jan. 20+ Bring Your Appetite
Winter Restaurant Week has returned, so bring your appetite to any of the participating restaurants for a two-course lunch or three-course dinner for the low prices of $20.12 or $30.12, respectively. Visit www.baltimorerestaurantweek.com for details.
Feb. 14 Happy Valentine’s Day
Celebrate Valentine's Day on Tuesday, Feb. 14, at the Arbutus Senior Center, 855 A Sulphur Spring Rd. Enjoy a special lunch and entertainment by "Nancy Sings!" Suggested donation for lunch is $2.50. There will be door prizes, party favors, 50/50 raffle and raffle for a pound box of Rheb's Chocolates. Bring a picture of your sweetheart. RSVP by Feb. 8 to (410) 887-1410.
Feb. 18+ Great Backyard Bird Count
Gather at Robert E. Lee Park on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 18, for a bird count extravaganza. Help park rangers count birds and more for a national database. No experience needed. Enjoy up-close bird encounters with captive birds, crafts for the children, and sip hot beverages around the fire. This free drop-in program runs between 8 a.m. and noon. Participants can come for 30 minutes or stay for the duration. Robert E. Lee Park is located at 1000 Lakeside Dr. For more information, call (410) 887-4156 or e-mail: releepark-rp@baltimorecountymd.gov.
Feb. 27 Spaghetti Dinner in Arbutus
Join the Arbutus Senior Center for a spaghetti dinner on Monday, Feb. 27, at 4:30 p.m. at the center, 855 A Sulphur Spring Rd. Admission is $7. RSVP by Feb. 21.
MONEY BITS
Jan. 31 VA Benefits and Retirement Planning
Join attorney Michael C. Hodes and financial advisor Timothy M. Herb for a free workshop discussing VA benefits and retirement income planning on Tuesday, Jan. 31 at 9:30 a.m. To register, call Erin Covell at (410) 938-8800 or contact ecovell@hpklegal.com.
Feb. 7 Money Workshop for Couples
Attend this workshop with your partner and uncover your personal money style and identify financial goals. Presented by the Baltimore CASH Campaign, this informational session will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 7, at 6 p.m., in the Poe Room of the Enoch Pratt Central Library, 400 Cathedral St. Call (410) 234-2803 or email meghann@baltimorecashcampaign.org to register.
Ongoing Online Self-Help Guide
The Baltimore County Self-Help Guide, a resource for women, families and service providers, is available online. It lists services in areas including health, education, employment, as well as crisis hotline phone numbers. The guide can be found at www.baltimorecountyonline.info/agencies/women/resources. Call (410) 887-3448 for more information.
Ongoing valuable info and resources Hotline
Maryland Access Point (MAP) offers expertly trained staff utilizing a comprehensive and up-to-database to provide information about services and resources for seniors and persons with disabilities in Baltimore County and beyond. Call the information hotline at (410) 887-2594.
VOLUNTEER BITS
Ongoing Deliver Meals to the Homebound
Volunteer visitors and drivers are needed to deliver meals on wheels to homebound residents in Northwest Baltimore. The pickup site is 2434 Belvedere Ave. and meals are delivered between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. To volunteer for one or more available time slots, call Liz Galea at (443) 573-0940 or email galea@mowcm.org.
Ongoing Help out at a Hospice
Seasons Hospice and Palliative Care is seeking patient care volunteers at Northwest Hospital and office volunteers to serve Baltimore City and Baltimore, Anne Arundel, Howard and Harford Counties. Contact 1-888-523-6000 or jjordan@seasons.org for more information.
Ongoing Help Frail Elderly Once a Week
Through the Baltimore County Home Team, volunteers provide services to eligible older persons who have limited social supports and need assistance to remain in their own homes. Some of the services volunteers offer include: friendly visiting once a week; telephone visiting via regular phone calls; running errands; escort trips for medical appointments; shopping; and limited handyman service. Volunteers, who are asked to make a six-month commitment of approximately one hour a week, are matched with people in their neighborhoods. Visit www.baltimorecountymd.gov and click on “volunteer opportunities.”
Ongoing Help Protect the Environment
Join one of Baltimore County's local watershed associations and make a difference in your local streams. Baltimore County EPS encourages citizens to get involved in volunteer opportunities that make improvements to our streams, forests and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay. Local watershed associations continually conduct restoration activities and can always use your help. Find a listing of local watershed associations at www.baltimorecountymd.gov under “volunteer opportunities.”
ART BITS
Jan. 31+ Wishful Drinking with Carrie Fisher
AKA “Princess Leia” of “Star Wars” fame, Carrie Fisher comes to Baltimore to talk about her life as the daughter of Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, the stepdaughter of Elizabeth Taylor, her bipolar disorder and more in her one-woman play, Wishful Drinking, at the Hippodrome Theatre, Jan. 31 through Feb. 12. Tickets are $28 to $58. For more information, call (410) 547-SEAT or visit www.ticketmaster.com.
Feb. 12 Habla Usted Espanol?
Sharpen your Spanish and/or English skills while having lively conversations about art and artists in Intercambio: Artful Language Exchange, a new free series of bilingual gallery experiences at the Walters Art Museum. Each session is conversational, and beginners as well as fluent speakers are invited to participate. The next meeting will be held on Sunday, Feb. 12, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the museum’s Centre Street lobby. For more information, call (410) 547-9000, ext. 323 or visit www.thewalters.org.
Feb. 14+ Traveling Music Show
The Music & Art Traveling Heart Show will bring its toe-tapping oldies music to senior centers in Baltimore this winter, including shows on Tuesday, Feb. 14 at the Edgemere Senior Center, 6600 N. Point Rd., Baltimore, and on Friday, Feb 17 at 1 p.m. at the Liberty Senior Center, 3525 Resource Dr., Randallstown. For a complete schedule, see www.travelingheartshow.org or call (410) 499-9777.
Ongoing National Pinball Museum Opens
The National Pinball Museum (featured in The Beacon’s December issue) is now welcoming visitors to its new Baltimore location at 608 Water St. The museum, which opened Jan. 14, houses a one-of-a kind collection of pinball machines, as well as a gift shop and a gallery where visitors can play up to 40 machines. The $13 admission gives visitors full access to all of the museum’s exhibits and unlimited play in the gallery. Hours are Fridays, noon to 8 p.m., Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sundays, noon to 6 p.m. For more information, visit www.nationalpinballmuseum.org.
Ongoing Art of the Great Outdoors
Steven Scott brings “The Great Outdoors” to his gallery in Fells Point. In this latest exhibit, Scott features painting, prints and photographs from artists Katja Oxman and Annie Leibovitz, among others. The exhibit runs through March 31 at 808 S. Ann St. Call (410) 902-9300 or visit www.stevenscottgallery.com for more information.
Ongoing Centerstage Features Gleam
Based on the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, Centerstage’s latest production, Gleam, follows 16-year-old Janie on the journey she embarks upon to avoid an arranged marriage. The show runs through Feb. 5 at 700 N. Calvert St. Tickets range from $15 to $55. Call (410) 986-4000 or visit www.centerstage.org for information and reservations.
TRAVEL BITS
Feb. 16 Try Your Luck at the Casino
The Woodlawn Senior Center is hosting a trip to Midway Casino in Harrington, Del., on Monday, Feb. 6. Cost of the trip is $35. For reservations, call (410) 887-6887.
Feb. 25 A Bit o’ Ireland in Frederick
Enjoy the show “Step Dance” by the Teelin Irish Dance Company after having lunch on your own at Brewers Alley Restaurant, on this day trip sponsored by the Essex Senior Center. Cost is $46. For reservations, call (410) 687-5113.
March 5+ Casino and Flower Show Trip
Join the Pikesville Senior Center on this trip to Atlantic City, N.J., and the Philadelphia Flower Show from March 5 to 7. The cost of $289 (double occupancy) includes motor coach transportation, two nights lodging at the Tropicana Casino Hotel, one dinner buffet and two breakfast buffets at the casino, $15 free slot play and more. Call (410) 484-5285 for information and reservations.
March 24 Baltimore’s Central Business District
Growing rapidly after the Civil War, Baltimore’s historic central business district is full of wonderful buildings and architecture. It also shows the scars of a devastating fire in 1904, the influences of urban renewal projects from the 1950s through the 1980s, and the individual efforts of many Baltimoreans. This two-hour walking tour on Saturday, March 24 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. is sponsored by Roland Park Country School’s Kaleidoscope program. Cost is $15. For more information, call (410) 323-5500, ext. 3091, or visit www.rpcs.org.