I am writing this article from the island of Kauai which is part of the Hawaiian Island chain. I am here with my wife, Beverley, touring four of the Hawaiian Islands in celebration of our 50th wedding anniversary. Also with us are two of the Center's very active members, Betty Nash and Betty Sanders, who are making this same tour. It is so good for us to be able to join them. Now, why would I choose to write this article from this island? It is because, as we were touring here, we became starkly aware of the massive destruction a 1992 hurricane left here. Our tour guide vividly described it and much evidence still lingers even after 16 years! The tour made us all aware of how devastating natural disasters can be. This disaster awareness also heightened my appreciation for an action in progress by our Canyon Lake Senior Center. At our September board meeting, Ron Smith invited Richard Smith from the American Red Cross to speak to us about our providing a Reception Center for Disaster Coordination. The board reacted in the positive by passing a motion to approve the designation by the Red Cross. I am very pleased by this positive response by our board. It shows their clear recognition of the terrible, devastating effects disasters can have and their willingness for us to assist in the recovery.

November brings the start of the holiday season and smiles. At Canyon Lake Senior Center we are trying new things geared toward our membership. First, we are keeping the Center Office open until 9 p.m. Monday through Friday. That means the Exercise area, Pool Room and Computer Room are available to our members. Should any of those doors be locked just go to the Office our office clerk, Megan Bachand, will be more than happy to unlock the doors and let you in. We are trying this for 180 days to see if it is a need or just a want of a few members. We are also trying a movie night. We are open to suggestions as to the night and movies. Next, we are replacing the marquee on Canyon Lake Drive and need donations to cover the cost. Please give generously. Finally, as we prepare for Thanksgiving, let's remember that we live in a free country, sustained not by politicians, but military services that stands diligently to protect those freedoms Happy Thanksgiving.

Our faithful friends at Tin Lizzie will cater the Christmas dinner on December 9 at 1 p.m. Please purchase your tickets in the Office by December 5. The cost of the dinner will be $8 and no tickets may be purchased after the closing date.

Members of the Seniors and Law Enforcement Together committee announce they will sponsor the second annual Senior Expo. The event will be Saturday, Nov.8, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Canyon Lake Senior Center. The program is designed for seniors and caretakers of seniors. There is no charge to attend. Community Health will provide flu shots starting at 9 a.m. in the Card Room. There will be no charge for seniors who are on Medicare and have a photo ID, but a modest charge for others who take the flu shot. Tiffany Grille will provide lunch on a donation basis. Also, a truck will be available for shredding materials that the seniors may wish to dispose. Contact information for S.A.L.T. is Pennington County Sheriff's Office at 300 Kansas City Street, Suite 100, Rapid City SD 57701.

Avon will have a fundraiser at the Canyon Lake Senior Center Nov. 10,12-14, fron 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The money will go toward the new marquee. It's about time to think about Christmas and birthdays coming up. Check out the Avon products and tell your friends who would like to come to the sale. This will help the Center tremendously.

To all those who like company and good times, give the Lunch Bunch a try! This month two vanloads went to the Taste of Spearfish. We began with a trip through Spearfish Canyon, stopping for supper at the city park in Spearfish for the "taste." We enjoyed square dancers, free pop and generous delicious tastes from many restaurants. Next time out we took our lunches to Roughlock Falls to see the beautiful new improvements made there. We walk on the new elevated, wooden walkways to see views of the falls from several angles. Some of us walked all the way to the Spearfish Canyon Lodge. Then we drove through breathtaking golden aspen and birch trees on the Tinton Road, by Iron Creek Lake and on into Spearfish. It was just a perfect day with a stop for pie and coffee. Won't you join us next time?

Twelve gaming instructions participants went to Cadillac Jack's in Deadwood for a Texas Hold'em tournament on September 9. First place winner was Phy Johnson; second place Larry Hansen; and third place Dave Enos.
We also went to Cadillac Jack's on October 14 for a Texas Hold'em tournament. Winners were first place Judy Smith; second place Shirley Whitingand third place Larry Hoback.
We will be going again to Cadillac Jack's on the following dates: Tuesday, Nov. 11 and Tuesday, Dec. 9.

The holidays are just a month away. It must be time for our Canyon Lake Senior Center’s annual holiday cookie sale. The sale will be Saturday, Dec. 13, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. You will be getting a call to bake cookies for the sale. So we hope you will be ready.
We will need your help setting up from 12 noon to 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 12. We would love to have your assistance or perhaps you would enjoy helping with the sale itself from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.
We know that many of you have special recipes for cookies, candies, or bars. We hope that you will make some and bring them to the Center on Friday, Dec. 12, any time before 4 p.m. Last year we found that specialty items like cranberry relish, dips, and coffee mixes, etc. were good sellers, too. If you are going to be leaving town before then, you could bring your goodies to the Office, stating they are for the holiday cookie sale and we’ll freeze them.
We’re looking forward to meeting some new members and having a fun-filled time while getting ready for our holiday cookie sale. Won’t you please join us for some socializing, visiting, and laughter? LaVonne will have sign-up sheets on the Activity Counter so that each of you may choose the date and activities that fit your busy schedule.

Once again, books were a popular buy at the Canyon Lake Senior Center’s fall rummage sale. Thanks to those who donate books and those who buy them.
Thanks to Ron Smith, Jon Boone, Larry Hoback and Riney Lind for moving the many boxes of books. I hope your backs are doing okay. Thanks to Jeanne Hoback and LaRee Mayes for taking the afternoon shift as cashiers. And last, but not least, thanks to Del Swenumson and Ron O’Connell for helping clean-up the Card Room.
Larry Hoback donated extra shelving for the upstairs book storage area and he and his son, Kip, and Ron Smith installed them. The extra shelving is appreciated.
Are you interested in science? How about animals and their habits? The science section located below the religion section on the short wall in the Library should interest you.
Following are some of the books in that section: Dakota Pheasants…And Iowa Too by Ed McGaa, a Center member; … History of the USGS EROS Data Center; Natural Disasters; The Little Ice Age; The Hot Zone; The Demon In The Freezer; Nanocosm; How In The World?; The Rural Life; Our Amazing Birds; In The Shadow Of Man; Dogs Never Lie About Love; Into The Porcupine Cave; Inspur-r-rational Stories For Cat Lovers; Lily Pond; Dances With Trout; December Goldfish; Marley & Me; and Listening To Catnip.
This is the time of year to be thankful for all we have including our Canyon Lake Senior Center.

In September we had our best-ever Dakota Polka Festival with folks attending from about 20 states. Everyone had a great time and we sold 50 tickets to folks that already knew they wanted to attend in 2009. Two couples traveled together from Muskegon, Mich., and will return in 2009 and that are how just about everyone felt. Food the kitchen provided for us was excellent and enjoyed by all.
Our Viking Hall and the entire facility get very high marks from those attending this festival. Most say they have nothing like it in their areas. We will be back again in September with the Polka Festival so plan now to attend. Only 11 quick months away!
Our dance calendar will begin November 1 with Alan and Carlene Sack playing. November 8 we will have the Easy Sounds Band. November 15 it will be Alan and Carlene again and on November 22 the Wilt Brothers will return. The Easy Sounds Band will wrap up November on the 29th.
Our Great New Year’s Eve Dance will be on Wednesday, Dec. 31, with the Easy Sounds Band starting at 8 p.m. until 12:15 a.m. January 1, 2009!
We surely do hope to see you on the dance floor very soon.

This month I would like to start by telling you about the Card Room which is used nearly every day. As the name implies, it is used for all the card games and for learning card games with very good instructors. It also can be used for a facility use fee. The Canyon Lake Center chorus uses this room and a piano, which small music groups also use for practice. The Card Room also has a movie screen that pulls down from the ceiling. It is used for presentations and other business meetings. The board of directors often meets in this room.
Naturally, the Pool Room is used for shooting pool. It has four full-sized pool tables and two full-sized snooker tables. This room is used by both men and women and is busy. There are also monthly 8-Ball Pool tournaments with exception of a couple months off during the summer.
The Library Lounge is another busy room. We have books of all kinds, big print ones, VHS tapes, some CDs, and puzzles which all can be checked out with no charge to members. A lot of donors keep us supplied with the latest movies, etc. There are two computers for playing games and a TV to watch. There are also many magazines and other pamphlets. We also have people who come there to help members with taxes and other such things. The Library Lounge also has the Activity Counter where you can sign up for special events and also be informed who is in the hospital or needs a card to cheer them up.
This reminds me, we have a greeting card recycling program that is run by members and also an artists group that meets there. A pop machine and coffee are available here, so you can get your fix.
Next is the Annex building, a smaller building used as a business office and for sewing and ceramics. Two kilns and a slip are used by the ceramics group. We have three sewing machines and a weaving machine that are used to make rugs, place mats and other things. There are good instructors.
Thanks again for reading about the Canyon Lake Center. Next month I will post the third and final piece to this series to include the Computer Room, the Upstairs area and a couple other perks.