Fun Programs, Classes, Trips, and Adventures
The Gibson Center has developed a HUGE menu of programs for seniors of all abilities and interest levels. Much of what we do has come directly from your suggestions, so keep them coming!
- $250 gift certificates to Stone Mountain Arts Center will be raffled at the end of the month. Every day you attend lunch during the month of December, your name will be entered to win.
- Edible Cookie Painting, Thursday the 7th. This year you can create edible works of art for your family and friends who “have everything” or are in the process of downsizing! We will be painting sugar cookies using edible tempera paint. You can choose from our cookie cutters or bring your own favorites. Sugar cookie dough, edible tempera paints, and new brushes will be supplied. Local artist Elaine Klement will also be on hand to offer suggestions for techniques. The supply cost is $2 for a dozen cookies. Please sign up in advance so we know how much dough to make. Call Penny 603-356-3231.
- We will play BINGO after lunch on Monday the 11th. Bring a prize for the table.
- Christmas Dinners: served at our usual lunch time on Wednesday the 13th & Thursday the 14th. The special meal is Durgin Park Roast Beef and all the fixings sponsored this year by White Mountain Oil & Propane. Invite your family and friends to these special meals.
- American Legion Fish Fry: Friday the 15th 4:00-7:00 Post #46 is donating $2 of every plate to the Gibson Center. Come with all your friends for the best fresh haddock, fries, and slaw.
- Santa Gift Exchange: Monday the 18th. Bring a gift, marked for a man, woman, or either. Items like a box of cookies or a book of stamps are useful/welcome gifts for all. People may pose for a photo with Santa.
- Baked Item auction: Wednesday the 20th. We are looking for people to bake items to donate to our auction. Pies, cakes, cookies are all welcome. Jams and jellies make wonderful gifts! We will hold the auction between lunch and dessert. Please sign up for what you plan to donate.
- The Winter Solstice, Friday the 22nd, is the date of the longest night of the year. We will host a pizza party around the fireplace where we will create luminaries for our walk way and share memories of holidays through poems, songs, and chatting. For those who want a ride from home, this will be a local See the Lights ride as well. Call Penny to sign up. Please sign up for the pizza too, so we know how much to make.
- Gibson Center will be closed Monday December 25th and January 1st.
- We will do our after lunch Word Search on Tuesday the 26th.
- Virtual Magic of Christmas, after lunch on Thursday the 28th.
Looking Ahead, save the date:
- OLLI/Hospital Lunch N Learn, Monday January 8th. Learn about the fun ways to remain social, and vibrant, both indoors and out.
- January 23rd: Art for Lunch Cameron Sutphin; as an acoustic solo act, Cameron performs original music, as well as Country and Folk covers.
- John Williams Scores! This winter (First & Third Thursdays after lunch )we will be showing six movies for which John Williams composed the scores. We will culminate with the trip to the Portland POP’s John Williams concert on April 7th. The movies are free, the concert tickets are going fast so sign up for the tickets.
Strength, Balance, & Stretch
- Taught by Exercise Specialist, Ann Fargo
- CDC & NH State health precautions followed
- Meets Tuesday & Thursday at 10AM
- $75 for 25 classes
- See Penny for the new Doctor Release form, and Liability Release Form
Veteran’s Meet
- Meets First and Third Wednesday at 10AM
- Live at the Gibson Center
- Health Precautions followed
- Social and Educational Programs for Veterans
Caregivers
There are now two options for caregivers, REACH, and 1:1 Peer Support.
REACH: stands for Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer’s Caregiver Health in the Community. Caregivers will meet with trained coaches and learn to solve common caregiver challenges. Meeting options are currently in-person one to one coaching or via phone or ZOOM.
Caregiver Peer Support: There are caregivers who have probably experienced your challenges and can offer a non-judgmental ear. Currently caregivers prefer phone calls so they can keep their loved ones safe.
Contact Jill at the Gibson Center, 603-356-3231 or for more information, or to sign up for 1:1 coaching.
FunDay
- Mondays at 12:45PM
- Group Games
- Word Search
- Crossword
- Jeopardy
- BINGO
- Yard Games
- CDC & NH State health precautions followed
Chair Exercise
- For people who have not exercised recently, or use assistive devices for walking
- CDC & NH State health precautions followed
- Meets Monday and Friday at 10:30 AM
- Donations accepted
Friday Painters: 12:30pm – 3:00pm
The Mount Washington Valley Arts Association holds it’s Friday Painters at the Gibson Center. Each week people take turns setting up a display, and then people paint, or color, the display. At the end, people share their work, and ask if they want suggestions.
The group is open to Gibson Center members, bring your own supplies.
Computer training by Andrea Libby of Libby Computers -Fridays
- Free Tablets and Chromebooks available depending on demand and distribution from grant sources
- Learn skills to communicate and connect through email and video conferencing (Zoom),
- Learn how to access medical practice portals for appointments, labs and questions
- Learn how to access Telehealth appointments
- Internet safety
- Scam Prevention
- CDC & NH State health precautions followed
Limited number of attendees, call 603-356-3231 to sign up for classes at the Gibson Center
Computer tutoring 1:1 with volunteer experts
If you have other questions, besides communication, this might be for you.
- Learn to use devices including phones, tablets, computers, cameras
- Photos and games
- Call to sign up for this one to one time, 603-356-3231
- CDC & NH State health precautions followed
Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance
- For people who want to improve their balance and strength
- An Evidence Based program
- Developed by Fuzhong Li, Ph.D
- Learn to recognize when your body is unsteady
- Learn the response to maintain balance, using 8 forms
- CDC & NH State health precautions followed
- Meets Monday & Thursday afternoon at 4:00PM
Small Town Quilters
- Bring current projects for show and tell
- Bring craft supplies you no longer need, for swaps
- Monthly group projects
- 2nd & 4th Wednesday 10AM-12PM
- CDC & NH State health precautions followed
Check the Calendar section for updates on all Ongoing Programs
Gibson Center Day Trips
For all bus trips, please sign up, and pay in advance. Call 603-356-3231. Federal health precautions are followed on the bus. For Door to Door Transportation trips, you will be called with your individual pick up time, the day before the trip.
Please sign up for trips as soon as possible, we often need to make reservations weeks in advance.
All trips this season have reduced rates due to the generosity of program sponsors.
- Monthly trip to the Humane Society, to socialize Cats, first Wednesday each month, after lunch.
- We will visit the Brownfield Market on Tuesday, December 19th. They have amazing produce! Bring your own bags.
- Festival of Trees: Friday, December 1st, after the Annual Meeting. Call to sign up for this trip. Starts at Gibson. Home drop offs are available after. Bus donation is requested, and you pay your own entrance fee at the door.
- The Mount Washington Valley Band Christmas Concert: Sunday the 3rd. Home pickups are available, Donations are requested for the bus and the concert. Sign ups are needed by 12/1.
- Magic of Christmas 12/8 Full
- The KHS Variety Show, on Saturday, the 9th. Join the Dance Team & Choir to welcome in the Christmas season. Door to door home pickups are available for this evening program. Donations are requested for the bus, pay your own entrance at the door.
- Raptor Program after lunch at the Conway Library. We will leave from Gibson Center and offer home drop offs afterwards. December 15th.
- The Longest Night, Local Light Ride, and Luminaries. Friday the 22nd is the winter solstice. There will be home pickups and the traveling will allow us to see the local holiday decorations. We will then gather by the Gibson Center fireplace for a pizza and sharing. We will have Luminary Bags that you can decorate in honor of or in memory of a friend or loved one. This is also the Longest Night when we think of caregivers who have long hours of devotion and caring. We will share poetry and sing traditional carols. Afterwards, those who ride the bus will see the decorated Village. If space allows, we can add people who attend who want to join the lights ride but you must sign up.
- The Gift of Lights & Full Moon Ride: Wednesday the 27th we will travel to the NH Speedway where we will be awed by an amazing 3 mile long light display. Afterwards, we will stop for dinner at the 104 Diner. Dinner is on your own. The ride and light show are $15.
- Snow Sculpture January 29th. We will travel to Great Glen to walk around the snow sculptures. We will stop on the way home for cocoa. Bus by donation, snack on your own.
- Johnny Cash: The Official Concert Experience: 3/8/24 $85. We have enough registrants to obtain the group rate and we are down to the last 2 seats on the bus. Sign up now!
- John Williams POP’s Concert: 4/7/24 $60. We’ve been given another month to generate interest. Please sign up today. This program meshes with the Winter Movie Series.
Spotlight on South Dakota:
- September 13-19, 2024
- Trip organized by Collette Tours
Tour Highlights:
Six nights in Rapid City with day tours to Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Bad Lands, Devils Tower, Wall, Deadwood, as well as a lot of wild life along the way
Ottawa Tulip Festival, Montreal, Quebec:
- May 19 – May 24, 2024
- $1165 ppdo
- Trip organized by Diamond Bus Tour
Tour Highlights:
Visit the highlights of each city, including a cruise on the Saint Lawrence, and the Tulip Festival. 2 hotels, 10 meals. Passport needed. We are now collecting deposits for the trip.
For full itinerary and booking, click the link below:
The Ark Encounter Trip:
- October 20-26, 2024
- Trip organized by Diamond Bus Tour
Tour Highlights:
Spend a day touring the life size recreation of Noah’s Ark, built to the specifications in the Bible! Also visit the Creation Museum, and the Cincinnati Museum in Ohio. $965ppdo.
