Baltimore County, MD Time of Your LIfe, 4 Nov 2019

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From YouTube: Getting to Know the Jacksonville Senior Center and its Special Members

Description

Barbara Franke, Director, Jacksonville Senior Center and
John Donohue, Volunteer and Senior Center Member

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(Upbeat music).

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The jacksonville senior center is a community senior center in northern baltimore county.

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We currently have 1400 members..

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We have 145 volunteers.

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We offer many activities,.

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Including a fitness studio which costs $60 a year,.

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We have pickle, ball,, zumba,, chair yoga,,.

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We have a band that goes around.

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And performs at other locations, they're called the macadamia nuts..

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We have a train garden, and we just have many other activities..

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The jacksonville senior center was actually formed.

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In 1979,, so we had our 40th anniversary in september.

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We were over on paper mill road for many years,.

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We moved into this new, beautiful building.

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In august of 2010., it's in beautiful condition, and we share our site here,.

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It's called sweet air park,. We have activities on our side,.

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The senior center side,, but we also share the space during the daytime, with rec and parks next door,, which has a gym,, which also opens up a lot.

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Of activities that we can offer in the gym.

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We have a train garden committee of approximately 30 people.

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They put on a train garden display during the holidays.

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For the public to come see., they work for a year,, a lot of it in their homes,.

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To build models for the train garden.

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And create artistic features..

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Last year we had over 7,000 visitors., we have schools come,, we have retirement homes, come,.

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They come from everywhere, other states, to come, see it.

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Those who visit other train gardens have said ours is the most unique because it's hand-crafted.

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The train garden event is free.

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It is enjoyed by all age groups., it's a positive experience.

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this year. The features will be the preakness,.

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The kite fest in baltimore,, the 1960 hochshild kohn hutzler's exhibit,.

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Artscape, jerusalem, mills in kingsville,.

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Ladew topiary in monkton, and many other exhibits.

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the hours this year are december 9th through december 29th.

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Weekends, it's 10 o'clock to 4 o'clock.

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Weekdays, 11 o'clock to 3 o' clock.

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And were closed december 24th and 25th.

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It is definitely worth the drive out to see this garden.. You will be wowed.

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(Upbeat music).

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John donohue was recognized recently as the baltimore county volunteer of the year.

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I started with being a monitor in fitness.

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That was my first experience.

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What that allowed me to do is meet a lot of people.

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Who came in the fitness center and built relationships.

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That's how we got our treasurer, who changed everything.

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As I spent time in the fitness center,.

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I just developed a love for this place that wanted me to do more..

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That's when I decided to become president at the same time.. So I've been the chairman of the golf tournament, which we've had,, which we started when I became president,.

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Which really has raised funds for the center that has allowed us to do things that we could've never done.. I think the veterans groups have been involved, with.

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And it really has reached out to the community and has had an impact on this center dramatically,.

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In the fact that we've always had the funds that are necessary to carry our programs forward and then some.

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It's been so successful., I guess, if you look at the ten years, we've raised over $100,000 from that tournament.

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It's included the community.

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A lot of the businesses didn't know that the center was even here., and now the businesses in the jacksonville community.

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Really have rallied around us and supported us and the veterans program..

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We had obviously quite a few veterans in the area.

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But we partnered with the american legion for a lot of it.

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And the american legion, as a group, was having trouble getting members.

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World war 2 guys were passing on.

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And so what's happened because.

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Of the american legion's relationship with the senior center,, the american legion has grown..

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So we've see the growth of an outside group.

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Because they have a relationship with us.

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And that's had a tremendous impact on the community.

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John definitely deserved that award.

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I've known john for about nine years..

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He joined our former site.

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And then, when this building opened in 2010,.

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He went right to the top..

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John is great with getting sponsors..

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He also initiated a community service award,.

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Which we award one time a year, during the holiday time.

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That goes to a member here who has incredible volunteerism at our center,.

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But also in the community., this center could not run without volunteers.

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And we offer many classes.

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Because of the talents and skills of our members.

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And they offer to teach those skills to others, here.

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They want to give back to the community.

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so,. We love volunteers,.

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And that's what makes jacksonville thrive, is the volunteers and their energy.

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(Upbeat music).