Community Notebook: Senior Services Coalition, CW Equiano Forum Coming Up

By Amber Lester Kennedy Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Soroptimist International of Williamsburg is looking for women interested in returning to school; apply now for a chance to receive one of its Women’s Opportunity Awards. This week, seniors can learn more about the misuse of prescription drugs at the Senior Services Coalition meeting on Thursday. This Friday and Saturday, Colonial Williamsburg’s Equiano Forum will explore race and politics. Read on for more details.

Soroptimist Seeks Applicants for Women’s Opportunity Awards

Soroptimist International of Williamsburg seeks applications for its Women’s Opportunity Awards.

Eligible applicants must be women who serve as the primary wage earners for their families and seek financial assistance to go back to school. The award can be used for tuition, books, childcare, carfare or any other education-related expense. The Williamsburg club will provide a $1,000 cash grant to its award recipient, who will then advance to the Soroptimist South Atlantic Region level, where one recipient will receive $5,000. The program culminates with three finalists receiving $10,000 awards.

Applications are available at the Thomas Nelson Financial Aid Office, United Way of Greater Williamsburg, Avalon Women’s Center, Williamsburg-James City County Community Action Agency, Grove Christian Outreach, online here or by calling Mary Minor at (757) 254-1422. Completed applications must be returned to Soroptimist International of Williamsburg by Dec. 15.

For more information about Soroptimist Williamsburg, contact President Tina Sinclair at (757) 719-6783 or email ge21988@msn.com.

Senior Services Coalition Presents Program Thursday

The Senior Services Coalition presents a program for seniors and caretakers at 2 p.m. Thursday in the Fellowship Hall of Williamsburg United Methodist Church.

Kymberly Lucas and Christy Jensen will present information on the SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment) Program. SBIRT addresses the misuse of drugs and alcohol by seniors.

Nancy Siford of the Virginia Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Program will discuss Medicare Fraud, another topic of interest to seniors. In addition, Hollie Krance of Home Instead will show a short video about the Be a Santa to a Senior Program.

At the same meeting, members will elect the SSC officers for 2012 and new members of the Steering Committee. For further information, call (757) 220-3480.

CW Offers Look at First Mental Hospital

Guests can learn about America’s first hospital for the mentally disordered in a new program, “A Method for Madness.”

The program is offered at 5:30 p.m. Thursday and at 10:30 a.m. on Nov. 7, Nov. 11 and Nov. 21 at the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg, located at 326 W. Francis St.

A CW ticket, museum pass or Good Neighbor card gains entry to the program, which will discuss what life was like for the mentally disordered and the people who provided them care.

CW’s Equiano Forum Examines Race, Politics

Colonial Williamsburg’s Equiano Forum on Early African American History and Culture presents “From Black to White: Challenging Racial Identity and Politics” on Friday and Saturday.

The forum brings together historians, anthropologists, interpreters and guest speaker former Virginia Governor and Mayor of Richmond Douglas Wilder for a discussion of race and politics through history.

No tickets are needed, but a free reservation is required. Call 1-800-HISTORY to make a reservation. To see the full schedule of events, click here.

New Town Dental Donates to FISH

Carrie Rhodes of New Town Dental Arts, Nancy Patron, a FISH volunteer, and Dr. Sebastiana Springmann of New Town Dental Arts collect boxes of donated food for the pantry.

New Town Dental Arts held an emergency food collection drive for FISH.

FISH is a volunteer agency that provides emergency help to residents of the Greater Williamsburg Area. FISH depends on donations of food, clothing and cash to provide to those in need.