SOAR@Dorr Monthly Activities
We have been extremely busy this past year adding many new programs at SOAR@Dorr! Please check the calendar regarding our upcoming events in September and October. There are special events that are planned which require registration and occasionally a small fee. If at any time you, or someone you know, cannot afford the fee, please speak privately to any one of us at the Township. WE want YOU to be HERE!!
There is no registration necessary for our Drop-in Programs: Advisory Council, Art Work, Balance, Strength & Stretching, Beading & Beyond, Bingo, Bunco, Canasta, The 5 C’s, Cribbage, Euchre, Handcrafted, The Leicht Brigade, Loss of a Child Grief Group, Mah Jongg, One Step at a Time, Pinochle, Poker, SOAR Reads! Book Club, Tai Chi or the Audubon Society Meeting. To register for other programs, you can sign up in person, call Laura Wassinger at (815) 338-0125 or you can email Laura at lauraw@dorrtownship.com.
***IT’S THAT TIME AGAIN…OPEN ENROLLMENT FOR MEDICARE! You’ve got the questions and we’ve got the expert with the answers. This awesome opportunity is a FREE Q&A about Medicare and is OPEN to everyone. Been on Medicare for many years-you should come. Just starting out on Medicare? You should REALLY come! Please bring your questions, or just come and listen to everyone else’s questions. You don’t know what you don’t know…Please register so we have enough seating for everyone. Check out more about OPEN ENROLLMENT KICKOFF here.***
ADVISORY COUNCIL
SOAR@Dorr wants YOU! There are monthly Advisory Council meetings from 12:00 pm-2:00 pm, the first Wednesday of every month. Please bring your own lunch, ideas, suggestions and, yes, even your gripes and concerns to determine the direction of future activities. Beverages and desserts will be provided. Your voice and opinion matter to us!
CINDY’S COOL ART WORKSHOP
Come hang out with the cool kids and get in on the fun! Join us for a creative art workshop offered once a month on Fridays! This is your opportunity to let that creative part of you shine! Each month there will be a new project! Check the calendar to see when, where and what’s up this month! Reconnect or begin to develop that artistic side of you!
BALANCE, STRENGTH & STRETCH with Cindy
Need to get a little more movement in your day? Have you been thinking about starting a gentle exercise program and were not sure where to begin? Come to this drop in class that is offered each Monday. The class will begin seated and progress to whatever level you are comfortable with. Equipment is provided by Dorr Township but you are welcome to bring your own, too. Each class is $5.00 or you can purchase a Wellness & Fitness Punch Card, eligible for any 8 wellness and fitness classes for $25.00-such a deal! (And, there is NO expiration date!) Learn more about this awesome strengthening class here.
BINGO
Bingo is on the first four Thursdays of the month (unless otherwise noted by a SPECIAL EVENT). Coffee and refreshments begin at 11:00 am with Bingo starting at 12:00 pm. SOAR@Dorr often has one or two special lunch events planned each month for a $5.00 fee. Please check out the dates and the menu for September! Also, don’t forget $3.00 for “the pot.” **SOAR@Dorr does not collect any money for BINGO. It is handled by the BINGO Committee.
- It’s SOUP WEATHER! Yeah!! We are so lucky to be having Isabel’s Restaurant making up some of their famous soup! Make sure you sign up! $5.00 for soup and salad…so healthy & soooo yummy! Learn more about it here.
- We hope you have your creative juices going…because it’s almost time for Halloween! Join us for our Annual Costume & Bingo Party. We will be dishing up some awesome pulled pork sliders and tator tots (we were healthy at the last Bingo…this time we are going to indulge a bit!) MAC Automation will be providing some sweets, too! We’re so lucky! $5.00 for lunch! Can’t wait to see your costumes!
BOOK CLUB-SOAR READS!
Who doesn’t love to curl up with a good book? Now is the perfect time to join SOAR Reads! Members will be part of the process of deciding what books to read from a wide variety of different genres and authors. We will meet on the first Monday of the the month to discuss how much we loved (or didn’t love) our latest read. Come on-You know you always wanted to join a book club…now is the perfect time! Our next SOAR Reads! will be on Monday, October 2nd from 1-3pm and we will be discussing the book Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson. In November, we will be reading The Secret Life of Bletchley Park.
BROWN BAG LUNCH & MOVIE
Bring your lunch and come watch some of the latest flicks with us on our new screen! Movies will be shown twice a month on MONDAY afternoons from 12:30pm to 3:00pm. This October we are going back to the classics-a classic novel and a classic movie reviewer! Join us to watch the latest version of the classic novel, Little Women. If you missed it in the theaters, or thought it would be boring, this is a great opportunity to see it-because it is anything but boring!!! We’ll have the tissues nearby. We will also be showing the documentary, Life Itself, about Roger Ebert. We invited him and Gene Siskel into our homes each week to see what was the hottest movie at the theaters. You will not want to miss this documentary! Bring your lunch and we will have the popcorn ready!
BUNCO
Bunco is offered twice a month on Tuesdays (the 1st and 3rd of each month) from 1:00pm to 3:00pm. Please check the calendar for upcoming dates. If you’re not familiar with this fun, easy to learn dice game-no worries! It’s a great game to play while you have stimulating conversation with your friends-laughter is guaranteed! There is a $2.00 fee for this program-handled by the BUNCO Committee.
CANASTA
Canasta, also known as the Argentine Rummy game, was originally created to be a quicker version of Bridge. Canasta gained quick fame in the 1950’s and is still enjoyed by many today. Canasta will be played on Wednesdays from 1:30pm to 3:30pm! Check out the calendar for dates!
CRIBBAGE
Ahh-the classic game, Cribbage, which has been around since the 17th Century in England, is offered on Wednesday from 9-10am. We’ve got the Cribbage boards and the cards-now we just need YOU! Check out our calendar, for dates and times!
EUCHRE
Our Euchre group is really growing! Come join the fun and the camaraderie! Novices welcome!! Euchre is a fun, social game that is played in groups of 2 to 4 players, usually played with the thirty-two highest cards, the aim being to win at least three of the five tricks played. If that sounds a little complicated, have no fear, the great Roxie Kaminski will be here to lead the group and help you get the hang of it! Euchre will be played on Tuesday afternoons from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm.
KEEP FIT & STRONG
Keep Fit & Strong is a spin off of our wildly successful “Fit & Strong” class! This progressive exercise class is offered once a week and is designed to help prevent falls, increase flexibility and reduce joint pain. This class is awesome if you have arthritis as it is a gentle, total body workout designed for your pace. Modifications will always be demonstrated. Each class consists of a warm up, light aerobic session, weight training and then a cool down. All of the equipment used is provided at no cost! Each class is offered on Fridays and is $5.00 per class. Check the schedule/calendar for September dates and October dates since there are a few Fridays we can not host this class. You can also purchase a Wellness & Fitness Punch Card for $25.00 for 8 classes. The fitness punch card is good for ANY fitness class at SOAR@Dorr! *This class is limited to 24 participants and will run for 8 sessions over the course of 10 weeks. Please call or email Laura to register…or just stop by and see what we are all about!!
THE JEFF & TOM SHOW
Jeff Leicht and Tom Firak loved a good book, good friends and a night of trivia. Join us once a month as we head out one night to a local trivia venue and honor Jeff & Tom as we participate in one of their favorite pastimes-Trivia Night at Stage Left Café in Woodstock on the second Thursday of each month from 7-9pm!
LOSS OF A CHILD GRIEF GROUP
Organized and led by Roxie Kaminski and Colleen O’Brien, Loss of a Child Grief Group meets monthly on the last Tuesday of the month and is offered to those who would like to share with others in their love and grief for the loss of their child. *Please note that the October meeting has been changed to Tuesday, October 24th from 7-9pm instead of the last Tuesday of the month, which falls on Halloween.
LUNCH DATE
Come on out and join us for lunch! Each month we will be meeting at a local restaurant! This is a great way to get out, meet some new friends and patron our awesome, local restaurants. Mark your calendars for this month! This September we will be headed to one of our favorites….El Niagara! And, in October, we will be headed to Napoli’s Pizza! Come check out what else they have other than your favorite pizza! Or, you can order pizza, too if that’s what you’re hankering for! Pre-registration is required for this event so the restaurant can set aside enough seating for us! Please arrive at 11am sharp as they will NOT be able to seat us any earlier than our 11am reservation!
MAH JONGG
You know you’ve heard of it-but you may not be sure what it is. This is your opportunity to find out in a small, comfortable group where all members help one another to learn, improve and develop their Mah Jongg skills. Mah Jongg is a game that originated in the mid to late 1800’s. The game of Mah Jongg has recently become popular once again. Mah Jongg has been proven to help slow dementia, improve memory skills, brain function, mental health and teaches patience. Come and be part of Dorr Township’s Mah Jongg community. Mah Jongg is played every Friday morning from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The very talented and patient Dolly Gibson is always available to teach and mentor all novice and experienced players.
OPEN SEW-NEW
We are so excited to bring you Open Sew! This group is open to all quilters and sewers! This is not a class but rather a supportive space where you can bring all of your current projects or your UFO’s! We will have a table, an ironing board, iron, cutting mat and rotary cutter with blades and safety glove. You need to bring your machine, projects and your sewing supplies! We will have two dynamic ladies here who are ready and willing to answer some of your simpler questions. This group will meet on the 4th Wednesday of the month. There is no charge to utilize the space, but we do ask that you call or stop in to reserve your table! More information coming soon, but in the meantime, check out our calendar so you know when to come!
PINOCHLE
Pinochle is played every Friday in the Community Room from 1:00 pm-4:00 pm. No experience necessary-they are excellent instructors! Come for the game, but stay for the conversation! Coffee and refreshments served. *There is a $1 fee for pinochle every week collected by the Pinochle Committee.
POKER
Calling all card sharks! Get your poker face on and head over to SOAR@Dorr for a little friendly competition. Poker is every Wednesday from 10am to 12pm. Bring your poker face and skills and we will provide the refreshments!
SENIOR CARE VOLUNTEER NETWORK
A representative from Senior Care Volunteer Network will be at SOAR@Dorr quarterly on Thursdays from 11:30a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Check the calendar for dates! Senior Care Volunteer Network is a not for profit organization that coordinates many different services for seniors from transportation to appointments, yard work and minor home repairs, durable medical equipment lending closet, friendly phone calls and visits and even shopping and errands. Come by to find out more about the amazing services they have. Who knows? Maybe there is even a way you could volunteer and help make a positive impact in someone else’s life! Bingo is at about the same time, so bring your lunch and stay for a while! Check out more information about SCVN here.
SHIP COUNSELING
We are very excited to bring to you here at SOAR@Dorr SHIP Counseling! Medicare A, B, D and supplemental insurance confuses everyone! SHIP stands for Senior Health Insurance Program-a government program that trains individuals to help counsel and GUIDE senior citizens in choosing the correct insurance programs. There is NO selling of insurance! The next few months it’s OPEN ENROLLMENT FOR MEDICARE. We will have the incredible Medicare Plan Guru, Lynda Rohe, at our office guiding you to the best plan that works for your individual needs. Please check this flyer for dates. YOU MUST SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT for SHIP Counseling. There is also a form to fill out ahead of time, so please check with Laura, Sue or Amy for the for paperwork.
SUPPER CLUB
Supper Club is one of our most popular offerings at SOAR@Dorr. Each month we will visit a different McHenry County restaurant for dinner. Bring a friend, make a friend….or both! Please register for this event so that we can make reservations for our group! Join us on Thursday, October 26th, when we head out to Jameson’s Char House in Crystal Lake!
TAI CHI
Tai Chi is often called “meditation in motion”. It is a wonderful, gentle form of exercise that maintains strength, improves your balance and your flexibility. Classes are on Monday evenings from 6-7pm and on Thursday mornings from 9:30am to 10:30am weekly. Each class is $5.00 or you can buy an 8 class punch card for $25.00! The Wellness & Fitness punch card can be used for any fitness class at SOAR! A new form of exercise AND a deal on it, too! What more could you ask for?!
TECH WIZARDS-NEW
Got a cell phone? A Tablet? An Ipad? Questions always come with technology-no matter your age (well, unless you’re a teenager and know everything)! We could all use a little help! So, if your grandchild does not have time to fix your technology problems this month, then bring your device to SOAR@Dorr! Our tech gurus will get you up and running! This opportunity is offered once a month and we appreciate it if you would kindly sign up for this! If you have a tablet from MC Tech Connect, feel free to bring that, too! Learn more about Tech Wizards here for September and here for October.
TOPS
TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) will be offered every Wednesday from 9:30 am-11:00 am. This wonderful group of supportive individuals help cheer you on towards your weight loss goals. We all need a little help from our friends, right? The initial meeting is at no charge. There is a yearly fee of $30.00 thereafter required by TOPS.
THE BREAKFAST CLUB (Men’s Division at SOAR@Dorr)-NEW
Calling all MEN!! This group is for you! The Breakfast Club is a guys group that will be meeting this month at Wendy’s on the second Tuesday of the month from 8am to 9:30. This is a great opportunity to meet some new guys in the area that participate in some of SOAR’S many activities. What’s better than some great male bonding over coffee and some bacon? You can talk shop, cars, motors, tools…whatever floats your boat! Seriously…we can hear the Tim Allen grunts already!
THE WEDNESDAY WALKIE TALKIES with Monica
This super fun walking group is taking things to a whole new level! Exercise has never been so easy going! Led by our amazing Monica, you will enjoy walking around some of Woodstock’s amazing parks, our beautiful historical square and some of our most picturesque quaint streets-you won’t even realize how many steps you are getting in. Come on your own, bring a friend, or make a new one while walking and talking. Learn more about it here.
OTHER AMENITIES
- Lending Library for both books and puzzles
- Permanent Puzzle Table