The Reopening - July/August

With the start of the new Fiscal Year, we are reopening the Tolles Parsons Center on Thursday, July 1st!  While many find this very exciting, we recognize that there are some of us who still have some reservations and anxieties with returning to in-person activities. 

The plan for July and August continues to follow our track of slow and steady.  While we will be opening the building, we will be continuing fitness classes and lectures on Zoom until the Fall.  We hope to offer activities and social opportunities that will meet everyones needs. 

So what's new this summer?  Many things.  We will be holding specific card games as walk-in activities four days a week in the American Legion Room.  Does anyone rejoice at the words "Ping Pong?" If so, you are in luck; every Friday we will be holding drop-in Ping Pong in the American Legion Room.  Card games not your thing, does Scrabble bring you happiness?  Drop-in Scrabble will be held once a week in the Cards & Games Room.  

Not really into games, but interested instead in getting a cup of coffee and socializing with friends? Stop by the Café and grab a cup of coffee.  We just purchased a new coffee pot, and although the delivery date is not yet confirmed, we hope to have coffee up and brewing by the 15th of July.

Day time activities not your thing?  Sign-up for an Al Fresco Night.  These evenings are limited to a smaller group of participants and will be offered once in July and once in August.  Not a fan of driving at night, not a problem; signup for a ride on our COA Bus.  Our drivers will pick you up for the event and bring you home afterwards!  

What will be held at the Tolles Parsons Center in person this Summer?

The American Legion Room

Card Games

Starting in July and August, we will be offering structured card games four days a week in the American Legion Room.  We have procured folding card tables for this purpose and will be able to accommodate up to 24 participants each day.  Reservations are not required.  You may drop-in to the center at anytime after 12:30 PM to join a game.  We have cards and some spare Mah Jong sets available for use.  Have some friends you want to play with, bring them along.  Going alone, be sure to say hi to some folks you may not know and invite them to play along.  Bridge will be on Mondays, Cribbage on Tuesdays, Chinese Mah Jong on Wednesdays, and Mah Jong on Thursdays.  Games are for players who already have a handle on the rules.  Not sure how to play, check in with activities for future class opportunities in the Fall.  

Ping Pong

Interested in being a bit more active?  Is your competitive side ready to go? Drop-in to the Tolles Parsons Center on Fridays to join other enthusiasts in games of Ping Pong from 12:30 PM - 4 PM.  Reservations not required.  

The Arts & Crafts Room

Drop-in Arts & Crafts

Want a place to go to work on one our craft projects?  Interested in some space to come paint?  Have a knitting project you want to work on? Come by the Tolles Parsons Center Monday-Friday this summer and use our space.  Some supplies will be available for participant use, and more supplies will be made available as the month progresses.  Coming Soon - Cushions for the seats in the Arts & Crafts Room.

The Café 

Coffee

The Cards & Games Room

The Cards & Games Room will be open for walk-in cards and billards (pool) most days of the week.  We will no longer be separating card playing and billiard playing, as specific card games now have reserved times in the American Legion Room.  We are currently working to purchase sound absorbing panels for our walls to help alleviate some of the noisy excitement that may occur during billiard games.  

Scrabble
The Cards & Games Room will be closed on Wednesdays from 12:30 PM to 4 PM for Scrabble players.  We have procured a handful of Scrabble game boards and tiles and have also picked up a batch of low vision tiles for anyone's use.  

Bingo
The Cards & Games Room will be closed on Thursdays from 12:30 PM to 4 PM for Bingo games.  

Learn to Play Pool
The Cards & Games Room will be closed on Fridays from 9 AM to 12:30 PM for participants interested in learning to play pool. 

The Conference Room 

In-Person IT Appointments

Lois will meet in person at the TPC with folks in person to assist with their IT needs on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Each day she will take up to five appointments.  Tuesdays she will be available from 12:30 PM - 3:30 PM, and on Thursdays she will be available from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM.  Please call for more information and to schedule a 45-minute appointment today at (781) 235-3961. Still need a phone/zoom appointment, no worries, just ask when  you call to schedule. 

The Multipurpose Room

Movies
Movies will be shown in the Multipurpose room on Wednesdays and Fridays at 1:15 PM.   Each showing will be limited to ten participants at a time, and the movie that we will show will be advertised the week in advance.  If we have enough interest, we may offer additional showings.  Please call us at (781) 235-3961 for our next showing and to sign-up.   

Inclement Weather (Activities indoors)
In the event of inclement weather, lunches and outdoor activities may be held in the multipurpose room.  

The Patio

General Patio Use

Open, No Limits.

As of June 1st, our Patio will be back to full swing.  All of the furniture will be placed on the patio, and the patio will be available for use to anyone who wants to stop by.  The patio will be open except for during scheduled programs (Tuesdays 11 AM-12 PM; Wednesdays & Fridays 12:15 PM -1:45 PM, and periodically during activities).  When the Patio is closed, the sign will show such, with specific times.

No Masks and No Social Distancing Required

Effective May 29th, unless the Governor revises his rescinded orders.  No masks will be required and social distancing is no longer required.  The State and CDC both strongly recommend masks for anyone who has not been vaccinated.  

Unrestricted Activities

Want to play cards on the patio? Bring them along, along with the card players.  Want to have food/drinks out there?  You are welcome to bring any non-alcoholic beverages that you like and food.

Lunch on the Patio (Wellesley Residents Only)

Are you missing lunch at the Tolles Parsons Center?  Sign-up to join other participants for a delightful lunch.  We will be able to accommodate up to 15 people on the Patio each week. Due to space restrictions, we will be offering this program only to Wellesley Residents at this time.  We know this is not a large number, but, we hope to increase this over time.

When?

Lunch will be held twice a week in July and August on Wednesdays and Fridays from 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM. 

Where will we eat?
Lunch will be served on the patio.  The idea behind lunch is to provide a nice meal to our senior residents along with an opportunity for safe socialization. 

In the event of anticipated inclement weather, lunch will be moved inside to the multipurpose room.  Not a fan of that plan? Just let us know on the morning of your lunch and we will do our best to deliver your meal.

What is the cost of Lunch?

All lunches must be prepaid at the time of ordering (credit card or check).  We have a sliding scale on the costs for lunches.  When you call to register, you will be asked if you would like to have your cost subsidized by the Friends of the WCOA, or if you would like to pay the full cost.  The full cost of lunch will be $10 and the subsidized cost of lunch will be $5.  If you have any financial concerns, please contact Kate at kburnham@wellesleyma.gov for assistance.  All financial transactions are kept private.  

Will there be coffee to drink?
Yes.  As soon as our new coffee pot is up and running, we will have coffee to serve.  Please note that this may not happen until the 15th of July.

How do I sign-up for Lunch?

Interested in signing up for lunch?  Call us at (781) 235-3961 to get signed-up today.  Please note that due to limited space, lunch will be limited to Wellesley Seniors over 60 only and each caller will only be able to sign-up and pay for a maximum of two people.

When is the last day I can make changes to my Lunch reservation?

The last day to sign-up for Lunch on Wednesday is Monday at 4 PM.  The last day to sign-up for Lunch on Friday is Wednesday at 4 PM. 

Tuesdays on the Patio (Wellesley Residents Only)

In May and June, our facilitated discussions with our social worker, Kate Burnham, were very popular.  These discussions will return in July and August, with a few changes. They will still be offered on the Patio from 11 AM- 12 PM; in the event of inclement weather the group(s) will meet in the Lee Conference Room upstairs.  

Each of these discussions are designed to offer residents an opportunity to share in dialogue and promote meaningful conversations.  Kate Burnham, Health & Social Services Administrator at the TPC, will lead the groups in a structured format.  Each group has a max of 9 participants and is currently limited to Wellesley Residents Only.  The topics will be:

How do you feel about reopening?

Take five minutes and fill out our quick June survey to let us know your thoughts and feelings, click here to take the survey, we want to hear from you!  We will share the results in our next reopening email blast!