Hi Villagers:

It’s December, the final month of this year which seems to have flown by faster than ever.

As we publish this final 2010 edition of the Village newsletter I want to thank you for your strong and loyal support of this Village we all love.

We’re hoping to see you at our Members’ Holiday Party on December 15th to celebrate the season and toast this year while looking forward to an even more exciting New Year for the Village.

Holiday Party Reminder

We hope to see you again this year or if you weren’t there last year, don’t miss this one!

The Village Holiday Party is on Wednesday, December 15th at Glady Thacher’s from 6:00-8:00PM.

Her address is 3979 Washington, near Arguello. Thanks to Glady who is generously opening her house again as party central for Villagers this year.

Repeating the success of the last one, this will be an opportunity to taste the finger food favorites of our marvelous Village cooks, meet friends, make new ones and just have an enjoyable evening together.

It used to be one didn't have to get into the Holiday spirit until after Thanksgiving. Now it seems that every year tree ornaments, toy commercials and Christmas blockbuster movie ads start sprouting everywhere, sometimes already in late August.

But of course we know that in order to be good, patriotic citizens we must buy, spend, consume, purchase, acquire and accumulate and make this our number one priority at all times. This commercial chorus seems to reach its most blaring crescendo at Christmas time.

Some kind of midwinter celebration has been with those of us of European ancestry, particularly northern, even before it became a major Christian event. People came together to share their hope of surviving through the darkest winter times and exchange gifts of food and materials to cheer each other on and help each other out. Christmas as we know it also used to be about families and friends loving, sharing and being grateful for what life had given them throughout the year.

Welcome to our New Members

Welcome aboard new members who have joined the Village adding to our membership growth for 2010.

Bill Bessey, Dione Bowers, Marilyn Hayward, Phyllis Lund, Bonnie McClintock, Tom Purvis. We hope you join us at the Holiday Party.

We need your support. This New Year will bring many great things to SF Village members, but only if we have the resources to build programs and services and to maintain our infrastructure.

This past year the generous support of our donors has brought major accomplishments in developing specific new service benefits for our growing SFV membership:

• 24-Hour Crisis Phone Service from a Live Person!
• Daily Medication Reminders
• Daily Check-In Calls
• TYZE Personal Networks for Online Organization of Care and Support
• Transition to Home Services for Hospital Discharge Needs

As the "mature" years set in, the condition of one's physical state becomes of increasing concern. Indeed, a gathering of gents and ladies in their "golden years" will often devolve into what is lightly referred to as an "organ recital." Your own doctor is, of course, the best person with whom to consult on any medical concern. But there are also some interesting tips on how to stay in shape that are no further away than the click of a computer mouse.

One broad-ranging service can be found on the Internet at www.aarp.org/health. This is the AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) web site and it is full of interesting offerings. The non-profit organization for people over 50 lists lists, for instance, in its "featured groups", something called "Fat 2 Fit" that promises to get one "into the spirit of healthy living without skimping on the fun." There are also suggestions on how to save on eyewear, hearing care and prescriptions.

The holidays are here and it’s time to give thanks. We have so much to be grateful for and we’d like to take this opportunity to acknowledge those who have been such an important part of our success. And that means you...

Our Members – Thank you all for being social entrepreneurs in our new, innovative movement in aging. We are truly creating a new way of living.

One of the best ways to look back at the San Francisco Village in 2010 is to celebrate the opportunities that came to be as a result of new strategies, programs, and partnerships. And it’s safe to say that many of the evolving goals and directions would not have taken place without the energy and experience of our new Executive Director, Christabel Cheung!

Launched in January 2009, San Francisco Village has now grown into a lively community of 121 members, 2 full-time staff, 14 board members, 19 advisory council members and a dedicated group of almost 30 village volunteers. And a mutual goal has emerged that is easily stated: Our villagers do for each other, what good family members would do if they lived nearby. And it’s all one phone call away!

Since Christabel arrived in May 2010, The Village has been expanding its programs at record speeds. Although referrals for vetted and discounted services will remain a cornerstone, there are some very compelling programs that became active in 2010 and more that are being introduced in 2011: 24 x 7 Access to Immediate Support, Coordinated Communities of Intergenerational Support, Protection in Discharge & Transition to Home, and Education on Healthy Aging & Finding Meaning in Third Age, to name a few.

Are you ready for the holidays? It’s that time of year again where you are invited to intimate parties of 500, have days where you “shop till you drop”, and wish the punch were spiked with something stronger than cranberry juice. Actually, the holidays can be a lovely time, and here are a few tips to survive the holidays intact…..

First, preserve your energy. Plan your shopping outings. If you can shop online for books and CD’s (and save the shipping fees as well as long lines) then by all means do it. Shop during the week, if possible, and avoid lunchtime and after work hours. Plan some “fun“ times with friends or by yourself that are relaxing and restorative, such as a massage or a spa treatment or even a tea date. There are lovely tearooms in the city that serve sandwiches and desserts in a beautiful setting.

IOA Cable Car Caroling

Purchase Your Tickets Before It's Too Late!

Join IOA in our 24th year hosting this heartwarming event.

Cable Car Caroling brings a special sparkle and joy to our senior neighbors in San Francisco.

When and Where

Sunday, December 5th -- Noon to 5:30pm

Presidio Officers Club - Free Parking All Day!

Tour the city on motorized cable cars and sing to elders in senior homes and private residences. After caroling, share a festive holiday dinner at the Presidio Officers Club. Enjoy a silent auction and our exciting prize raffle.

Reservations and Pricing

Reserve your spot online today! Children 6-16 are only $10. Children 5 and under ride for free! Adults are from $35 - $45.

Family packages and discount pricing available.

A Great Event for Kids

Cable Car Caroling invites children of all ages to enjoy the holiday season in a new way, actively serving homebound seniors in our community. Seniors love seeing the kids' excitement and joy, and hearing their sweet voices. Cable Car Caroling is a great way to help your children practice giving to others in a fun and festive atmosphere.

Ticket and auction proceeds support the Center for Elderly Suicide Prevention and Grief Related Services, a program of Institute on Aging.

Questions? Please contact Marie Bautista at (415) 750-4180 x143 or via email at cablecarcaroling@ioaging.org.