For day time activities, if Portland Public Schools are closed, the community room is closed.
Parks & Rec Department posts on their social media and local news stations regarding cancelations after school hours. You may also call 756-8130 which is their cancellation hotline.
Reiche Community Room Schedule – September-December, 2023
| DATE | TIME | EVENT | PRESENTER | NOTES |
| September | ||||
| Mon, Sep 11, 2023 | 7:00 p.m. | Classic Movie | WENA | Doors open at 6:30; popcorn & fizzy water available |
| Wed, Sep 13, 2023 | 6:30-8:00 p.m. | WENA General Meeting | WENA Board Members | Program – Project Canopy – Alex Marshall & Nan Cumming |
| Thu, Sep 14, 2023 | 4:15-5:15 p.m. | Bridge | Katherine Charbonneau | Learn to Play or Learn to Play Better – Materials Provided |
| Thu, Sep 14, 2023 | 6:30-8:00 p.m. | Die Well | Leona Oceania | Session 1: Why Talk About Death? |
| Mon, Sep 18, 2023 | 6:30-8:00 pm. | Magazine Readers | Mary Lou Moulton | Topic: Mental Health |
| Thu, Sep 21, 2023 | 4:15-5:15 p.m. | |||
| Thu, Sep 21, 2023 | 6:30-8:00 p.m. | **AARP SmarTek | Andrew Grant | Learn about the latest high-tech auto safety features. |
| Mon, Sep 25, 2023 | 7:00 p.m. | Animation Movie | WENA | Doors open at 6:30; popcorn & fizzy water available |
| Thu, Sep 28, 2023 | 4:15-5:15 p.m. | Bridge | Katherine Charbonneau | Learn to Play or Learn to Play Better – Materials Provided |
| Thu, Sep 28, 2023 | 6:30-8:00 p.m. | Speakers Series | Allen Armstrong | Electric Cars |
| October | ||||
| Mon, Oct 2, 2023 | 6:30-8:00 pm. | Magazine Readers | Pat Shutts | |
| Thu, Oct 5, 2023 | 4:15-5:15 p.m. | Bridge | Katherine Charbonneau | Learn to Play or Learn to Play Better – Materials Provided |
| Thu, Oct 5, 2023 | 6:00-8:00 p.m. | Card Making | Faith Garnett | Basics of Card Making – materials provided |
| Wed, Oct 11, 2023 | 12:30-4:30 p.m. | **AARP – Safe Driver | Andrew Grant | Refresh your driving skills and get a discount on insurance |
| Wed, Oct 11, 2023 | 6:30-8 p.m. | Election Forum | WENA & WPNA | Mayoral Candidates |
| Thu, Oct 12, 2023 | 4:15-5:15 p.m. | Bridge | Katherine Charbonneau | Learn to Play or Learn to Play Better – Materials Provided |
| Thu, Oct 12, 2023 | 6:30-8:00 p.m. | Die Well | Leona Oceania | Session 2: Film: Barbara Karnes’s ‘This is How We Die’ Pt.1 |
| Mon, Oct 16, 2023 | 6:30-8:00 p.m. | Felting | Paulina Bondarava | Learn to Make 3-D Figures and 2-D Pictures & Mending |
| Wed, Oct 18, 2023 | 6:30-8:00 p.m. | Election Forum | WENA & WPNA | At-Large Council & School Board Candidates + Referenda |
| Thu, Oct 19, 2023 | 4:15-5:15 p.m. | Bridge | Katherine Charbonneau | Learn to Play or Learn to Play Better – Materials Provided |
| Thu, Oct 19, 2023 | 6:30-8:00 p.m. | Felting | Paulina Bondarava | Learn to Make 3-D Figures and 2-D Pictures & Mending |
| Mon, Oct 23, 2023 | 7:00 p.m. | Animation Movie | WENA | Doors open at 6:30; popcorn & fizzy water available |
| Thu, Oct 26, 2023 | 4:15-5:15 p.m. | Bridge | Katherine Charbonneau | Learn to Play or Learn to Play Better – Materials Provided |
| Thu, Oct 26, 2023 | 6:30-8:00 p.m. | Speakers Series | Steve Graef | Travelogue – Eastern Germany, Czech Republic & Poland |
| Mon, Oct 30, 2023 | 6:30-8:00 p.m. | **Climate Café | Rosanne Graef | How Does Climate Change Make You Feel? Discussion |
| November | ||||
| Thu, Nov 2, 2023 | 4:15-5:15 p.m. | Bridge | Katherine Charbonneau | Learn to Play or Learn to Play Better – Materials Provided |
| Thu, Nov 2, 2023 | 6:30-8:00 p.m. | |||
| Mon, Nov 6, 2023 | 6:30-8:00 pm. | Magazine Readers | ||
| Thu, Nov 9, 2023 | 4:15-5:15 p.m. | Bridge | Katherine Charbonneau | Learn to Play or Learn to Play Better – Materials Provided |
| Thu, Nov 9, 2023 | 6:30-8:00 p.m. | Die Well | Leona Oceania | Session 3: The Importance of Legacy Work |
| Mon, Nov 13, 2023 | 7:00 p.m. | Classic Movie | WENA | Doors open at 6:30; popcorn & fizzy water available |
| Thu, Nov 16, 2023 | 4:15-5:15 p.m. | Bridge | Katherine Charbonneau | Learn to Play or Learn to Play Better – Materials Provided |
| Thu, Nov 16, 2023 | 6:30-8:00 p.m. | |||
| Mon, Nov 20, 2023 | 6:30-8:00 p.m. | |||
| Mon, Nov 27, 2023 | 7:00 p.m. | Animation Movie | WENA | Doors open at 6:30; popcorn & fizzy water available |
| Thu, Nov 30, 2023 | 4:00-6:00 p.m. | Card Making | Faith Garnett | Using Stamps and Watercolors – materials provided |
| Thu, Nov 30, 2023 | 6:30-8:00 p.m. | Speakers Series | ||
| December | ||||
| Mon, Dec 4, 2023 | 6:30-8:00 pm. | Magazine Readers | ||
| Thu, Dec 7, 2023 | 4:15-5:15 p.m. | Bridge | Katherine Charbonneau | Learn to Play or Learn to Play Better – Materials Provided |
| Thu, Dec 7, 2023 | 6:00-8:00 p.m. | Card Making | Faith Garnett | Holiday Cards – materials provided |
| Mon, Dec 11, 2023 | 7:00 p.m. | Classic Movie | WENA | Doors open at 6:30; popcorn & fizzy water available |
| Thu, Dec 14, 2023 | 4:00-6:00 p.m. | |||
| Thu, Dec 14, 2023 | 6:30-8:00 p.m. | Die Well | Leona Oceania | Session 4:Barbara Karnes’s ‘This is How We Die’ – Part 2 |
| Mon, Dec 18, 2023 | 6:30-8:00 p.m. | |||
| Thu, Dec 21, 2023 | 4:00-6:00 p.m. | |||
| Thu, Dec 21, 2023 | 6:30-8:00 p.m. |
| Ongoing – A.M. Exercise Begins 9/11 except as noted | 8:15-9:15 a.m. Mon –Fri | Monday Strength, Balance, Flexibility – DVD | Tuesday Tai Chi Chih Sara Leonard Begins 10/17 | Wednesday Qigong/Tai Chi Karen Morency | Thursday Gentle Yoga Karen Sheingold | Friday Strength, Balance, Flexibility – DVD |
| Book Nook | 7:30-9:30 a.m. Mon–Fri | Collection of Free Books | WENA | Browse, Borrow, Donate – No Library Card Necessary |
About the Activities and Presenters
Introductory Bridge Lessons
Have fun with other beginners and those who would like to review the game. This class will start with the basics of how to play bridge: evaluating different hands, when to bid, how to communicate with your partner. Bridge is good mental exercise. The classes will be an opportunity to meet neighbors
and have an enjoyable time.
Katherine Charbonneau, has been playing bridge for over 20 years and knows she still has much to learn about the game.
Card Making for Beginners
This class will focus on card stock, decorative paper, folding and stamping. All materials to make three cards with envelopes will be provided along with detailed instructions so that the student can go home and make more on their own with their own supplies.
There will be follow-up sessions in November & December. All supplies will be provided. Limited to 10 participants.
Faith Garnett began teaching card making in 2009. She sells her work at craft fairs, through private sales and online.
Die Well Death Education
We are all going to die, so why don’t we talk about it? Do our best toprepare for it so we can facilitate the “best death” possible for ourselves? While it can be overwhelming to think and talk about, talking about it does not “make it happen,” and once you have taken the steps to prepare the best you can, you can live your best life with the confidence and comfort of knowing that you have prepared for the inevitable. It is one of the greatest gifts you can give to your loved ones. It all starts with a conversation. Let’s have that conversation.
Leona Oceania has always been fascinated with death and baffled by the fact that we don’t talk about the one thing that is going to happen to all of us. She has trained to become an End-of-Life Doula, a Home Funeral Guide, a Life Legacy Facilitator, and a Death Educator. She also serves on the board of the Funeral Consumers Alliance of Maine, is the facilitator of the Portland Death Café, and is a volunteer with a local hospice organization. She has built a bookcase coffin with the prodigious Chuck Lakin, which is currently in use as a bookcase in her living room until it is needed as a coffin.
Electric Cars
Is There an EV In Your Future? What’s the story on Electric Vehicles? Are they a good way to reduce emissions? Are they really more expensive? Is charging a big hassle? Are they actually more fun to drive? What’s available?
Allen Armstrong is a retired mechanical engineer who has presented on topics related to climate change. His experience with electric vehicles goes back to 1972 when he designed an electric truck for the post office. His family has been driving a Chevrolet Bolt for six years.”
Felting
Learn to make small figures out of wool – animals, houses, trees and more. Explore needle felting pictures and as a method for repairing or embellishing textiles. All supplies will be provided. Limited to 10 participants.
Paulina Bondarava is from Belarus. She taught hearing impaired youth and is experienced at different arts, including watercolor and silk painting, batik, and tie-dye.
Qigong/Tai Chi
Qigong/Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese mind-body exercise that is about moving more of your body parts with ease and awareness, opening up energy flow, circulation, and enhancing balance and strength. Tai chi is relatively easy to learn and, for many, it often continues as a lifetime journey.
Karen Morency has been teaching Seated, Low Key, and Water Tai Chi/Qigong since 2007. Being a Mechanical Engineer by training and with her knowledge of energy healing, Karen shows students how to move out of compensatory patterns into optimum ease of flow and movement.
Tai Chi Chih
T’ai Chi Chih is made up of 19 moves and 1 pose. It is a form of Moving Meditation, and with regular practice, it has been clinically proven to help with sleeplessness, ADHD, blood pressure, balance, stress, and much more. It’s a “user-friendly” form, doable just about anywhere, at any age, seated or standing. Just dress comfortably, wear shoes you feel balanced in, footies, or go barefoot.
Sara Leonard has been been a Certified T’ai Chi Chih instructor in the Greater Portland area for several years and was a student for several more. She came to T’ai Chi in search of better health, a way to combat stress, find better balance in life, bring blood pressure down. She has found that and a lot more.
If you would like to look up information on T’ai Chi Chih, simply go to taichichih.org.
Yoga
In this gentle one-hour class discover how meditation, breathing and asana can bring you clarity and calm. Soften and open as you move, breathe and focus. Relieve stress as you strengthen, balance and stretch.
Karen Sheingold has practiced yoga since 1990 and taught since 2005. With warmth, humor, clarity and a calm presence, she teaches classes that are life-affirming, heart-opening and empowering. She encourages students to explore and appreciate the potential of their hearts, minds and bodies.
Have something you would like to add to WENA’s Calendar?
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