Senior Scoop: Inside Yukon’s Robertson Activity Center

Farewell to February and Old Man Winter. Punxsutawney Phil has spoken -- we’ll get an early spring. But we can’t leave without kudos to the merry band that made February’s Las Vegas Night so much fun. Entertainment was by magician Dean Johnson, owner of the Costume Fun House in Oklahoma City and dinner was served to more than 50 guests.

Wheelers and dealers at the gaming tables included Casey Barnett, Director of the Yukon Senior Center, Bus Driver Darrell Janko and Aide James Williams, all dealing Craps; Senior Center Assistant Michelle Hort and Nancy Ritts, Mobile Meals, Blackjack dealers; Tim Rhodes from the Jackie Cooper Gym, Texas Hold ‘Em; and Opal Stone, Mobile Meals, Bingo.

March is chock full of things to remember and things to do. Mark your calendar: March 8 is Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday, the last big feast day before Ash Wednesday, March 9. The 40-day Lenten Season begins with Ash Wednesday and leads to Easter Sunday on April 24. And don’t forget -- we lose an hour when Daylight Savings begins March 13. Spring arrives on March 20.

Some special events are in store.

On Thursday, March 10, Darrell Janko cranks up Big Rob for a 9 a.m. departure to the Route 66 Museum in Clinton. The historic Mother Road runs right through Clinton's downtown business district and the museum is the city’s largest attraction, drawing tens of thousands of visitors from all over the world. Complete with nostalgic photographs, vintage cars, and hundreds of Route 66-era artifacts, the museum provides a narrated journey of the Mother Road, decade by decade. Cost is $7 for bus and museum admission.

More history is on tap Tuesday, March 15 when the bus leaves the Yukon Senior Center at 9 am. for the Stafford Air and Space Museum in Weatherford. Cost is $9 for the bus and admission. The center is named in honor of Lt. General Thomas P. Stafford, a native of Weatherford and graduate of the United States Naval Academy. He piloted Gemini VI, and commanded Gemini IX, Apollo 10, and the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project Mission, the historical Soviet/American “handshake in space.”

Numerous items on loan from the Smithsonian include a Gemini flight suit, space food and survival items flown to the moon on Apollo 11, and the flight pressure suit General Stafford wore on the first flight of the lunar module to the moon, Apollo 10. There are also flown aircraft, including a T-38, F-86, Russian MiG21R and an F16 with bombs and sidewinder missiles. Full-size replicas displayed include the Wright Flyer, Spirit of St. Louis, Apollo Command Module, and Gemini spacecraft.

Saturday, March 19, we’ll travel to Hinton for the ever-popular Country Jamboree. The music show is great family entertainment, and homemade sandwiches and desserts really hit the spot. The bus will leave the Yukon Senior Center at 4 p.m. Cost is $15, which includes your meal.

Monday, March 21, join us for a trip to the Sugar Creek Casino in Hinton, run by the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes. There’s a deli on the premises and more than 400 Vegas-style slot machines, along with virtual poker. The bus leaves at 10 a.m. Cost is $5.

Tickle your taste buds on Thursday, March 24 with “A Taste of Yukon” at the Yukon Senior Center from 5:30-7:30 p.m... Tickets are $8 in advance or $10 at the door. More than 20 local restaurants will tempt you with a “taste” of their specialties. All those “tastes” add up to a full meal so come hungry.

Regular activities continue in March, with Arm Chair Exercises each day at 8 a.m., Devotionals at 10 and Line Dancing at 10:30 on Tuesdays, Aerobics Classes at 9:30 and 10:30 on Wednesdays, Sign Language Club at 10:30 on Thursdays, and Wood Carving at 9 on Fridays, to name just a few of the ongoing activities.

Special note: AARP representatives will be on hand from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays to help with preparing tax returns. This is for personal returns only, not business returns.

You can pick up the monthly calendar and menu at the reception desk. You can also look it up on the Internet at: www.robertsonactivitycenter.blogspot.com. Check out the colorful snapshots of members and activities in the blog.

The Robertson Activity Center is at 1200 Lakeshore Drive, phone number 350-7680, open Monday through Friday except for holidays. Two for the price of one note: Yukon’s library – the Mabel C. Fry Library – is in the same building with the Robertson Activity Center.

-- With Pat Browning
-- Yukon Senior Center

March Calenders are out

Make sure to pick up you March Calenders at the RAC.

We will continue to have volunteers from the AARP here on Mondays and Thursdays from 10am - 2pm to help with Income Taxes.

There are 5 trips scheduled in March. The first trip is to the OKC International Car Show, on Thursday March 3rd. The cost is $12.00 for the bus and admission, the bus leaves at 10:30am. Next trip is to the Route 66 Museum in Clinton, OK on Thursday March 10th. The bus leaves at 9am and the cost is $7.00 for bus and admission. Then on Tuesday March 15th there is a trip to Stafford Air & Space Museum. The bus leaves at 9am, the cost is $9.00 for bus and admission. We have a special trip planned on Saturday March 19th to go to the Country Jamboree. The cost is $15.00 for bus and admission and the bus leaves at 4pm. The final trip is to the Sugar Creek Casino on March 21st. The cost is $5.00 for the bus and the bus leaves at 10am.

Don't miss The Taste of Yukon at the RAC on Thursday March 24th. Tickets are $8.00. The event starts at 5:30pm and end at 7:30pm. Come out and let your taste buds burst with flavor. For daily activities please see the calender.

There will be a St. Patricks Day Party and a Mardi gras Party please check with the center for dates and times.

Wii Bowling Tournament

Don't miss our Wii Bowling Tournament on Feb 22nd, starting at 12:30pm. Find a partner and sign up. Teams of two will compete against each other. You must sign up in advance and there is a $2.00 entry fee. The Wii Bowling is available to practice with any day of the week. So sign up today and get practicing.

February at the R.A.C.

Every Mon. and Thur. during Feb. you can get help with you Income Taxes there will be someone at the RAC from AARP between 10am and 2pm. There are 3 trips planned this month.The 1st one is tomorrow Feb 9th (weather permitting) to the OK History Museum cost is $8.00 bus leaves at 12:30pm. Next on the 15th is the trip to Gold River Casino cost is $5.00 bus leaves at 9:30am. last is the trip to the U.S.S. Batfish on Feb. 18th cost is $12.00.
The big event this month though is the Las Vegas Night on Sat. Feb. 19th.

It will be a dinner, Magic show, and realistic gaming. This one is not to be missed, make sure you get your tickets now! tickets are $8.00.