RICE LAKE, Wis. -- You might think the big box stores, or maybe one of Rice Lake’s grocery stores are busy. If that’s how you feel, you’ve never visited the Rice Lake Senior Center. Read on, you won’t believe what they offer.
Honestly, they are busy from the moment the doors open at 8:00 am when the continental breakfast begins serving, right up to 4:00 pm Monday through Friday, when yoga and belly dancing and bingo and lunch have finished. Yes, that’s right, belly dancing.
Anyone can attend any of their classes whether you live in Barron County or not. You don’t even have to be a member. There are no reservations for breakfast but lunch needs a day’s notice. Donations for the meals, if you’re over 60 are $4.00 for either meal. If you’re under age 60 the price doubles to $8:00. Menus change daily and the day you visit the menu of the day might be biscuits and gravy, fried potatoes, scrambled eggs, sausage, oatmeal and deviled eggs, all of that served buffet style. Lunch can be baked chicken, mushroom pilaf, yellow beans, a dinner roll and Texas sheet cake. Joe Barnes is the site manager and comes to the center’s kitchen with 25 years of catering experience and years with the Country Kitchen restaurant. Amy Haight, the morning site manager cooked for the Head Start program for 15 years and also assisted in the catering business for over 20 years.
Once a month they hold a Dining at Five meal that’s served by the volunteers so they can earn some of the money that keeps the place open, that money combined with several grants combined with a very generous city board that own the building. May’s dinner is Thursday, May 18 and the menu is shrimp scampi with parsley noodles, full salad bar, corn chowder, warm garlic bread sticks, and blueberry pie. Milk and coffee included in the price. This meal’s suggested donation is $6:50 and reservations are not needed.
Back in 1916, the building housed a Ford dealership where you could buy any color Model T as long as it was black. Miriam Yarish looked at the building back in the early 1970’s and decided the seniors who were then meeting at the Masonic Lodge in Rice Lake could really use it.
The city thought so too and a deal was struck that even though the city owned the building, the seniors had permission to do whatever they wanted with it. So a large group of senior men got together and gutted the place and started from scratch. What they accomplished is amazing.
Not only is there a beautiful dining room that seats over 100, but there are rooms here and there containing such things as computers so classes can be held that are taught by WITC personal. Keeping everyone in the tech loop, and class has advanced from the desktop computers to laptops and now are heavily into learning the ins and outs of using a tablet. There is already work is in progress to add some round tables giving the room more of a computer café.
Another room off to one side is a wood shop for all those folks who have always wanted to learn the art of woodworking or need to have a piece of furniture repaired. This is where you’ll find 89-year-old Harlan Fredrickson for one, who is a frequent flier turning out new furniture and occasionally making his signature bowls that take two weeks to make, using saws for the initial steps and then advancing to the lathe for the big finish.
You can play pool using one of the two pool tables in the pool room which also includes a place for throwing darts. They’re in the process of giving the room the full English Pub look.
The art room would blow your socks off offering classes in rosemaling, ceramics, and pottery. Naturally, they have their own kiln and a room full of greenware from which to choose your next project. The instructor of the rosemaling class is Gail Olah, who was the talented artist who painted all the beautiful work on the walls of Rice Lake’s Norske Nook.
There’s a stage room with a large stage for plays and parties and it’s the room used for their Day Break Alzheimer’s Respite Program that takes place both Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm; giving caregivers a much-needed break.
There is a garden in the back and plans are being made to plant more perennials and maybe move a few tables outside so meals can be eaten al fresco. A call has gone out for perennials, so if you have some to share, they’d be happy to get them.
If that isn’t enough for you, the center hosts a foot clinic where toenails are clipped and one where blood pressure’s monitored or driver’s safety class is held or there’s a visit from the Miracle-Ear people. The center works with the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) Lakeview Medical Center, WITC and the United Way.
Once a month Beneficial Bites, a free tasting more akin to lunch, occurs. It’s always focused on a certain ingredient, spinach, pistachios etc. and three dishes are created using the special ingredient and recipes are handed out. Plus there are lots of door prizes which might be coupons for meals or samples of the current food topic. May’s BB will be featuring spinach and it will be Wednesday, May 24 at 1:00 pm.
The center is easy to find at 12 West Humbird Street in Rice Lake’s north side and the information is just a phone call away, 715-234-7224. When you visit, make sure you snag one of their monthly publications that list everything they do and serve each day of that particular month.
Their mission statement says it all “The Senior Citizens of the Rice Lake Area Inc. exists to provide a place for all people fifty-five and over to enjoy programs and resources which promote participation, support, and education in ways that encourage continued growth as active and needed citizens.”
Belly dancing anyone?
Last Update: May 12, 2017 9:02 am CDT
