Over 150 people came to eat delicious food donated by area restaurants, bid on items donated by area theaters, restaurants, and other gathering places, and just visit with friends. We celebrated Ardis Johnson, former board member, current volunteer, and active community member in Marcy Holmes. It was a beautiful day, but the energy was high and conversation engaging.  Each year we talk about not having this event due to the enormous amount of work in preparation. But, when we are at the event, it is all worth it.  People look forward to seeing friends and catching up.  The fact that we raised over $14,000 is an additional bonus!  Thanks again to all who came to enjoy the day, and staff and volunteers who worked hard making it happen.

The summer is here so staff at Southeast Seniors are making plans for the year ahead.  An exciting addition to our program will be a canoe trip in the afternoon of September 8 with Wilderness Inquiry.  Two options are available, a 2 or 3 hour trip.  Canoe in 12 person voyageur canoes and finish at Boom Island for a picnic with the whole group.  Look for information on the events page.

We are also working on many programs and seminar offerings for the next year, and hope to have a calendar for all of 2018-2019 available soon.  We will be offering programs at Van Cleve Park as well as at our office in the coming year.

Another task we are working on is outreach, to introduce our program and services to those in need. If you know someone who lives in the 55414 zip code (Marcy Holmes, Prospect Park or Southeast Como), is 65 or older, and needs support to stay in their home, please let us know!

It's been just about a month since we Celebrated Southeast with a Taste of Southeast on April 28.  Thanks to the over 170 people who attended, we raised over $12,000 to help us continue providing services for over 315 people over 65 and their caregivers.  We also celebrated our 30th Anniversary with testimonies from those who have received and provided services and the premier of our new video.  We felt the strength and vitality of our wonderful community strongly communicated through the presence of so many people and the financial support received.

Watch your mailbox for our Spring Newsletter. Articles include a welcome to Maryanna Blomer, RN, our new Outreach Nurse; meet Alberta, a talented senior who lives in Southeast; fall canoe trip with Wilderness Inquiry; and listing of all our generous donors for 2017. 

Coming soon, April 28, 2018, will be our 7th Annual Celebrate Southeast with a Taste of Southeast, our signature fundraising event.   Featured are

• buffet lunch with food donated generously by neighborhood restaurants
• silent auction with items graciously donated by area organizations, businesses, and friends
• program to celebrate our 30th anniversary

By purchasing tickets ahead, it helps us know who is coming. You can find information about tickets, and the auction elsewhere on our website under the Events page.

It's 2018, and we hope Southeast Seniors will be a place where people turn when they want to do something fun in a new year.   Join a group to have coffee on a monthly basis, become a member of the Connection Club, or a Pen Pal.  Participate in the Joy Club at Pratt School, a program co-sponsored by Community Education.  Become a Visiting Volunteer with a neighbor who can't get out as much as they once did.  There are lots of ways Southeast Seniors can help you get connected.  Our strength is in making those connections within the community - it keeps both the community and those within it strong and vibrant. Be a part of the action.  Call us today to find out how you can be involved.

2017 has been a wonderful year. Highlights include:

• receiving the Outstanding Community Partner Award from the University of MN Center for Community-Engaged Learning for our Connection Club supporting UMN students, faculty, and staff engaged in service-learning.
• partnering with Minneapolis Community Education to serve older people in the JOY Club
• serving interesting people over 65 from all over the 55414 zip code area
• supporting people, who have been clients, in their move to assisted living
• financial support from new sources and people that underscore the value of what we do
• recruiting new volunteers from the University and community

Over the years, Southeast Seniors has been lucky to have wonderful volunteers.  In the last 3 years, over 40 of those have been UMN students.  For the most part, they have been members of the Connection Club, a special way that students and folks over 65 connect for at least one semester to do many different activities together.  By opening their doors, older folks get to see what life as a student is like while students come to understand what life's lessons can teach you.  Active people over 65 often have an hour or two each week that can give younger people a new view on aging.  We would love more older partners, so if you are reading this and would like to participate yourself, or know someone who would, please get in touch with us.