SELCC introduces Community Eats

Tonight (Thursday, March 19) Southeast Linn Community Center is launching a new event, Community Eats! Join SELCC, for a free community dinner from 5-7 p.m. Bring the family or meet some friends and enjoy a hot meal at the center — or get it to go! This Thursday’s meal will be:

Spaghetti (with meat or meatless — your choice!)

Garlic bread

A variety of desserts

The next Community Eats! dinners will be April 16 and May 21.

Join Lisbon Public Library every Wednesday to build strength, balance, and confidence while making physical activity and healthy cooking part of your daily life as they kick off the spring into health: Walking and Cooking Club. Each session begins at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Lisbon Public Library.

The club will start out with a warm-up and neighborhood walk, followed by a cooking demo and an opportunity to sample healthy foods that incorporate fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. We’ll ease into walking using the American Arthritis Association’s Walk with Ease program. The walking and stretching activities should be accessible for anyone that can stand for at least 10 minutes without feeling increased pain, but there are additional guidelines listed below. You may want to check with your doctor before you start a new exercise program.

For the cooking portion of the program, you’ll have access to Full Plate Living resources to learn about how to add more healthy ingredients to your meals.

This program is free and open to the public and was made possible thanks to a donation from Howard and Phyllis Ciha and support from Cornell College and Iowa State University.

Health Screening

If you have any concerns about your health and capacity to be in the Walk With Ease Program, you should ask yourself whether you have any of these health problems:

• Do you have heart trouble?

• Do you have chest pains or pain on your left side (neck, shoulder, or arm) or breathlessness when you are physically active?

• Do you often feel faint or have dizzy spells?

• Do you have high blood pressure?

• Do you have bone or joint problems that could worsen if you are physically active?

• Are you age 50 and have not been physically active?

Answering no to all of the questions gives a general indication that a person can participate in a physical activity program. However, if you think you’d answer yes to any of the questions, or if you’re uncertain, then you should check with your health care practitioner before you begin this walking program or other forms of physical exercise.

For more information, contact Lisbon Library director Elizabeth Hoover de Galvez at [email protected]