By Melba McCarthy

Today reminds us all that the cold weather and winter are not far off. I could have used a little longer nice fall weather, but we are so much more fortunate than so many areas of the world that we should not be complaining.

To Howard County seniors, October means the annual Office On Aging 50 Plus Expo; this year, it is the 10th Anniversary! As in previous years, it will be held at the Wilde Lake High School in Columbia, 5460 Trumpeter Road, this year on Friday, Oct. 17, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Also, as in previous years, there will be a health fair and flu shots (Medicare Part B card needed) will be given. Admission is free. There will be more than 140 exhibitors, many educational seminars, and ongoing entertainment in the cafeteria. At 12:30, The Capital Steps, with political satire especially hot in this election year, will perform and food and refreshments are continuously available. A new activity, "speed dating, 50-65 and 65+" will be featured from 10 a.m. to noon. The usual free shuttle transportation, from the Sears parking lot in Columbia to the expo at Wilde Lake, will be available during the day. Something new is available -- transportation, with an advance request by Oct. 8, at 410-313-5921. For additional information, call 410-3313-5927. The yearly expo is sponsored by: Howard County General Hospital; the Columbia Association; CareFirst, BlueCross, BlueShield; and St. Agnes Hospital, and several Gold Sponsors and several more Media Sponsors.

The Women's Group, "The Blossoms" with Carrie Dell and Grace DeGraff spearheading the activities, opened this month's Bingo & Birthdays Party/Luncheon with a surprise presentation. With all of her contributions and support over all the years from the opening in 1987 to present day's position of president of the Ellicott City Senior Center's Council, the Blossoms thought that Velva Howard was due a special recognition and gift. They obtained the Sun Paper's recent beautiful picture of her on the front page, had it matted and framed and presented it to her prior to the Bingo session on Tuesday, Sept. 23. She was "truly, truly surprised" (and that was an accomplishment in itself). The audience let her know she was considered deserving and has done all of her many functions over the years "above and beyond", a truly outstanding "Lady."! The leaders of "The Blossoms", Carrie and Grace, issued an invitation to all the women members of the center to feel free to join the group on Thursdays, 10:30-11:30 a.m. in the activity room. Another Blossom member, Gwen Bowers, also voiced her pleasure with the Blossom functions/activities.

On Tuesday, Sept. 23, about 10 a.m., the Great Room at the Ellicott City Senior Center began to fill with people. Obviously ready to enjoy themselves, groups of friends picked their table and got their colored pens and their books of Bingo cards and tolerated the ceremony honoring "Lady Velva", but they were there to play their monthly bingo. It was clear that it was a bingo crowd! With it being my first time to experience a bingo game at the senior center, some of the instructions were rather foreign to me -- after all, bingo is bingo! I learned in short order that like all games there were tricks to the trade, and Vicki, the assistant center director, kept everyone on their toes with different bingo shapes required. From an H to four corners, to a T, and, of course, trying to keep up, I was pleased when I heard "regular" bingo. I thought with my being there I would be able to identify all of the winners, but with everyone moving on to the next game so quickly, I did not end up with the names of many of the winners, because another game was starting.

The 50/50 raffle winner was Donna Jensen with her friend Helen (sorry we did not get her last name) winning a nice amount -- $60 plus. And the monthly Heartland's gift given to the winner of the "Coverall" bingo game was won by more than one, so they had to draw a chip to identify a single winner, who turned out to be one of the many wonderful volunteers who is there when needed, Sylvia Barron. Thank you, Sylvia, and congratulations!

At the beginning of the gathering, Director Carla Beuhler announced that Catherine Hooper had won the next month's Spotlight Award for a Random Act of Kindness. This is an award newly introduced at the center, with Catherine only the fourth to receive it. Congratulations, Catherine!

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