These are unsettling times in our city. The presence of National Guard, ICE, and FBI agents on our streets is a constant reminder of how fragile our freedoms can be. As I write this column, the threat of a government shutdown looms, and free speech is under strain as public voices are silenced and media powerhouses bow to pressure. Thankfully, our Village remains a place of connection, joy, and resilience.
Autumn is here, brightening our neighborhoods with color and crispening the air. We would like to celebrate the changing of seasons and the beginning of ERCV’s new fiscal year. Please register and join us for our Fall Picnic for Members & Volunteers this coming Sunday, October 5th, 3:00–5:00 pm in the beautiful backyard of Roger and Linda Glass. We’ll provide the food and drinks; you bring yourself, your energy, and good cheer. Your presence will make the day complete.
With Medicare Open Enrollment season starting October 15th, ERCV will host a Medicare Open Enrollment information session via Zoom on Tuesday, October 21st, with a colleague of mine, Mark Gottlieb, to help members learn about their options. I hope you will come with questions.
October also offers other excellent opportunities to get together. Toast your neighbors at our Happy Hour at Olive Lounge on Thursday, October 9th. I am especially pleased that we will be celebrating the talent of our senior artists at ERCV’s first Visual Artists Exhibit & Sale on Sunday, October 12th. And, on Wednesday, October 22nd, our Lunch Bunch will meet at the soul food restaurant Oohh’s & Aahh’s. Plus, throughout the month there will be on offer walks, chair yoga, and Otago balance classes.
Whether as a member, a volunteer, or both, I hope you’ll stay connected and invite neighbors to join us. Together, we show what community can mean in difficult and unusual times: caring neighbors helping each other, laughing together, and finding added strength side by side.
–David Mackoff
P.S. I want to thank everyone in our community who sent (or, had they known, would have sent) their kind wishes and offers of help while I was incapacitated this summer. My back surgery went well: I’m on the mend and look forward to visiting many of you in person or seeing you at ERCV events in the months to come.