LARSO Kicks Off Older Americans Month with LAHS Jazz Band Concert on Friday, May 6

Come cool, the melodious golden tones of Hilltopper Jazz set your mood this Friday night at the Betty Ehart Senior Center. Courtesy / LARSO

By BERNADETTE LAURITZEN
Executive director
LARSO

Although it’s not over, we seem to have some semblance of a gradual return to a graduated normality.

May is Older Americans Month and local senior centers will be celebrating throughout the month. It begins with a community concert, presented by the Los Alamos Hilltopper Jazz Band, after award-winning teacher Ryan Finn makes the offer.

There will be indoor and outdoor seating from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. this Friday at the Betty Ehart Senior Center. Although masks are not mandatory, they are welcome and respected. The community is invited, knowing that you don’t know if people are vaccinated, so many COVID protocols, including sanitizer, social distancing and others, remain in place.

The center will take the opportunity to raise funds for youth and elders throughout the night. Pre-packaged drinks and snacks will be sold, benefiting both organizations. While there is no admission charge, the opportunity to donate will exist by passing the proverbial hat and rocking it the old-fashioned way by tossing donations into the artists’ music box.

Local and regional community partners will be on hand to inform about the services offered to the community. They include Mesa Public Library, State Technology Program with assistance for visually and hearing impaired community members, Home Place, BeeHive, LARC, Visiting Nurses, Cardiac Nurses, Aegis, Ambercare, Community Services and more. Booths will be on display and set up throughout the night, if you prefer a more low-key crowd.

Local Girl Scouts will be kicking off a great community program called Brilliant Hineys. They will be collecting disposable underwear for adults, plus size and the popular 2XL size, as well as baby diapers, cleaning supplies, wipes and anything that boosts the bottom and morale of local families. This community project will benefit the tiniest Tots, the elderly and people with disabilities in and around our community. These donations can be made monthly.

You can also donate breakfast items and snacks, to donate to the new senior center pantries. For more information, contact the senior center at 505.662.8920.