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LANSING -- Seniors at Lansing Senior Center signed Christmas cards Wednesday that will be sent out to troops serving overseas.
Coordinator of the Lansing Senior Center David Ward said all 500 cards will go to United Soldiers and Sailors of America. He said USASOA is a nonprofit organization that supports all U.S. veterans. Ward said this is the senior center's third time participating in the Christmas Cards for our Troops program.
"We just like doing it. It puts everybody in a good mood. It's always a nice time," Ward said.
Bryan Raudenbush, professor of physical therapy at Wheeling University, also stopped by the senior center with four graduate students to help with the card signing.
Ward said that signing all 500 cards goes quickly once the students arrive and start helping out.
He explained that Raudenbush and the students stop by fairly often and offer free blood pressure checks or help the seniors with basic exercise routines. He said Raudenbush has been helping the center for about six years.
Ward said that sometimes the students stop by and just play games with the seniors.
"They teach us some games, and we teach them some of the games down here," Ward said.
He said the students enjoy playing dice games such as 10,000 and card games such as Euchre with the seniors.
Raudenbush said he has been teaching at Wheeling University for 26 years and enjoys working with the seniors.
Ward said that signing Christmas cards also helps the seniors work on maintaining their dexterity.
"It helps get their hands working," he said.
Ward said he works with the seniors to help them maintain their dexterity and physical health along with their memory.
"We do a lot of continued learning type of stuff," he said.
Ward said he will have seniors memorize an inspirational quote or a joke to help them keep their brains and memory active.
Ward said many people visit the senior center, thanks to the center's transportation services.
"We do have a lot of people that come here, and we pick them up. Our driver, Dan Shepherd, will pick people up and take them to and from home and on our trips," he said.
Ward said the center offers many trips and activities for the seniors to participate in. He said that bowling is very popular with the seniors, so the center goes bowling about once a month. He said the seniors visited the Tri-State Military Veterans Museum in Belmont on Thursday to recognize Veterans Day.
Ward said more Christmas events are coming up this month including a visit to Steubenville's Nutcracker Village.
Belmont County Senior Services Director Lisa Kazmirski and Belmont County Senior Center Administrator Leslie Thompson also signed Christmas cards at the event.
The Lansing Senior Center is located at 68583 Scott Road in Lansing in the former Lansing Elementary School building.
The center is open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, and the center can be reached at 740-609-5109.
Ward noted that the center will be closed today, Friday, Nov. 10, in honor of Veterans Day.
For more information about the USASO, visit usasoa.org.