Last updated September 27, 2008
Saturday, October 4, will be the Los Alamos Memory Walk to raise awareness and funds for the New Mexico Alzheimer’s Association. The event includes breakfast (8:00-10:00 a.m.), a walk around the Historic District (9:00 a.m.) and a Silent Auction (bids stop at 10:30 a.m.). Please consider forming a walk team or join the BESC or WRSC teams. Donations may be made to the New Mexico Alzheimer’s Association. Registration for the walk begins at 8:00 a.m.
Today in Los Alamos, there are about 500 people with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. This walk is a really important reminder for our community that we support those who are challenged by this disease.
Festival Time
LARSO will once again be hosting a
Festival of Chocolate to
kick off our annual Festival of Trees.
Both events are fundraisers for our centers and for the
Community Health
Council. The
Festival of Chocolate will
be on Saturday, November 15, 7:00 p.m.
Tickets will go on sale in November.
The Festival of Trees will be from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
on Saturday,
November 22 at the BESC. Craft
tables
are available to seniors to sell their handwork.
We will also sell poinsettias, baked goods
and the decorated holiday trees. The silent auction will end around
2:00 p.m.
that day. If you
would like to donate a
decorated tree or wreath, please contact Pauline at 662-8920 for
details.
Memorial Trees
 |
On August 27 both our centers were pleased to receive a charitable gift from Los Alamos National Security in the amount of $3100.00 on behalf of senior volunteers who designated the centers as their charity. There were about 70 seniors who qualified for the donation because they had volunteered more than 100 hours in 2007. We are very grateful for this donation and for the seniors who chose to direct this money to LARSO.
On Wednesday, October 15, at noon a representative from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will be at the BESC to talk to seniors about being ready for the switch to digital TV which will happen in February, 2009. At that time, TV stations will only broadcast in digital, so older sets which rely on rabbit ears or antennas will no longer get a signal. Bring your questions to this talk.
On Monday, October 27, at 1:00 p.m. Sarah Rochester of Los Alamos Visiting Nurses will be at the BESC to give a presentation on the Five Wishes Living Will booklet. It will help participants to think about and articulate their personal, emotional and spiritual needs as well as medical wishes. The information comes from the American Bar Association’s Commission on the Legal Problems of the Elderly. This is a very helpful tool to have as you discuss with your family or caregivers issues of life support, designating a health care agent and other topics related to the dying process. Cost for the booklets is $2.00.
The Low Vision and Hearing Challenged meeting is Tuesday, October 28, at 10:00 a.m.
Our speaker will be an audiologist from Santa Fe. Time will also be available for comments and concerns about vision. These meetings are open to the public. Call 662-8922 for lunch reservations and van rides.
Oxygen Support Group will meet on Tuesday, October 14, at 12:30 p.m. Suzanne Prinz, representative from Albuquerque on the National Home Oxygen Patients Association, will be our guest speaker. She will discuss the new bills on tap for oxygen users and new “toys”. If you need a ride, call the center at 662-8922 or Peg at 662-8881.
In August, 2008, the New Mexico legislature passed a law giving a tax rebate to residents with less than $70,000.00 in income. To receive this rebate the taxpayer must file a state tax return for the tax year 2007.
The United States congress passed a law in July, 2008, that allows an extra amount of standard deduction for those who do not itemize deductions on their federal return and who pay property tax. The amount is the smaller of the property tax paid, and $1000 for married persons or $500 for single persons. This law applies only to tax year 2008, but could be extended to later years. The benefit can be maximized by paying, in December, 2008, as much of the tax bill as necessary to reach the amount of the full benefit.
I am available to answer questions or provide assistance with either of these matters. My phone number is 662-7969.
Dexter Sutherland
Local Coordinator, AARP TaxAide Program
The Friday Walk-in-the-Woods returns to a departure time of 9:05 a.m. We meet at the benches of the lower level at BESC.
(or Think before you build)
