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Village Santa Cruz County
Aging Better Together
The Village News
December 2024 | |
December 2
November 19 - December 31
Life is unpredictable. A medical crisis, dementia or death can leave everyone scrambling. Critical decisions are hard enough without the stress of searching for documents and passwords.
Our project, Preparing for Life’s Transitions: workshops to gather what’s most important, offers a systematic, proven method to organize and consolidate all essential information in one place — hard copy and digital. Learn more at Santa Cruz Gives
Your donation has impact—it helps raise awareness that Advanced Planning is our power and our peace of mind. Your support today will make this happen! Go to Santa Cruz Gives to learn more.
“I have been blessed by the support of several Village Santa Cruz members after carpal tunnel surgery and after a back injury. Support included rides, attending doctor appts., food delivery, errands, home visits, check-ins and humor!”
- Annaleah
How to donate. Click the link Santa Cruz Gives or:
Send a check, made out to SCGives with Village Santa Cruz in the memo line
Mail to: The Volunteer Center
1740 17th Ave.
Santa Cruz, CA 95062
We'd like to express our appreciation to all who have donated
and a special thanks to
to Catherine Larrick and to the Sunrise Rotary Club
for starting us off with Challenge Grants!
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Bocce group pause their game to celebrate October birthdays
Aptos Circle folks visit the Pajaro Valley Art Center |
Village Members
Holiday Mixer
Friday, December 12
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
@ Simpkin's Center
Let's close out the old year and bring in the new, connecting with old friends we've made through Village Santa Cruz and meeting new friends.
Looking for others to attend cultural events with? Perhaps you'd like to exchange ideas about gardening. Want to start a new Interest Group or just exchange contact information? This year we'll set things up so you can meet others who have interests similar to you.
.
Lunch Provided
RSVP
so we know how much food to order
NOTE: This is a Village member only event. | | |
December Book Group Read: "Bad Monkey" or any of the Carl Hiaasen books.
Bad Monkey (2013) by American journalist and author Carl Hiaasen, combines the author’s signature humor with mystery. The story is set in the Florida Keys and the Bahamas. A former detective turned health inspector navigates a tangled web of greed, corruption, and murder, after a fisherman reels in a severed human arm in the Florida Keys.
Other Recommendations:
"The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny" by Kiran Desai, explores the intertwined lives of two Indian immigrants, Sonia and Sunny, as they navigate love, identity, and the complexities of modern life across continents.
“The Secret Life of Bletchley Park: The WWII Codebreaking Centre and the Men and Women Who Worked There” by Sinclair McKay. The first history of life at Bletchley Park, this is also an amazing compendium of memories from people who were there.
"The Personal Librarian", by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray. A historical fiction novel that tells the story of Bella da Costa Greene, an African American woman passing as white, who becomes the personal librarian for J.P. Morgan.
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Recommendations from
the TV/Movie Discussion Group
"House of Dynamite," Netflix, a riveting movie about a missile coming towards the U.S. about to destroy an American city. Nail biting.
"Death by Lightening," Netflix, an historical drama about the assassination of President James A. Garfield. Interesting piece of American history.
"Arthur, the King," Starz, a 2024 American adventure film that tells the true story of a dog who accompanies people on a grueling 435-mile endurance race in the Dominican Republic. Uplifting.
"The Magic Flute," Netflix, a 2022 German musical fantasy film based on the opera by Mozart. Visually and musically impressive.
"The Asset," Netflix, Danish, about a woman cop who goes undercover to infiltrate a dangerous crime organization. Riveting.
"Murdaugh: Death in the Family," Hulu, a fictionalized version of the true story of the family murders starring Patricia Arquette and Jason Clark. Excellent acting.
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Grey Bears Holiday Dinner, Saturday, Dec. 6, 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, 307 Church Str. Join the Santa Cruz Grey Bears for their annual holiday dinner. RSVP
5 Key Benefits of Shared Housing. This FREE 35-minute mini-course of 7 short videos introduces you to the world of shared housing that shows how living together can improve your physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Register Here |
The window for choosing Medicare plan ends December 7. Medicare.gov has a good and easy to use calculator tool, that allows you to enter all your personal details (location, prescriptions, etc.) to give you an accurate list of potential plans and drug costs at different pharmacies. Go to Medicare Calculator
Property Tax Bills Due December 10. The first installment of 2025-26 property tax bills is due Dec. 10. Bills are available to view and pay on the Santa Cruz County Treasurer-Tax Collector Website
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Investment Fraud is more likely to occur to those who are socially isolated. "Social isolation, whether voluntary or involuntary, has long been a leading factor contributing to the financial exploitation of older investors." That is how an excellent article on the subject begins. The information is useful, clear and worth reading, even if you are not living in an isolated situation. Read the article here.
Independent Together: Villages and the New Map for Aging in Community, The Navigating Solo Podcast. In this episode of The Navigating Solo™ Podcast, host Ailene Gerhardt sits down with Barbara Hughes Sullivan, Executive Director of the Village to Village Network, to explore how the Village Movement is transforming aging in community. Together, they discuss how villages empower older adults, including solo agers, to remain independent while building strong, trusted networks of support. Listen to the podcast
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Adopt-A-Family 2025
There's still time! Adopt-a-Family donations continue through December 5. Help provide gifts and groceries for 2,000 children and their families this season. Find out more.
Holiday Helper Program Seeks Donations. The Family Service Agency and I-You Venture program are seeking donations for the Holiday Helper Program. The program helps forgotten seniors in care facilities in Santa Cruz County have a special and memorable holiday season.
Gift suggestions include new lap blankets, scarves, slippers, slipper sox, socks, shirts, stuffed animals, lotions, calendars, crossword puzzles, word searches or adult coloring books. Please mark wrapped packages for men or for women, with sizes, ready for delivery to the care facility residents.
Drop off gifts from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. December 6, 7 and 10, at the Capitola Mall in the old Sears Building. The Volunteer Center's Adopt-a-Family Gift Wrapping will be there to accept gifts. For information of other drop off locations, call 831-459-8917.
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Happy Holidays!!
Whatever You Celebrate
And really, for the month of December, the list of possibilities is quite extensive. Go to the last section of this newsletter to see holidays celebrated worldwide during December.
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Become a Member of Village Santa Cruz County
|  | Coming UP in December
Members will receive Zoom information in weekly eBlasts.
If you are not yet a Village member but would like to join one of our events, to meet some Village members, please contact
info@villagesantacruz.org
Tuesday, December 2, Pickleball, 10:30 - 11:30 AM, @ Derby Park, 508 Woodland Way, Santa Cruz, All levels, including beginners are welcome.
Tuesday, December 2, Rummikub Social Club, 12:00 - 2:00 PM, @ Leila's mobile home park clubhouse in Capitola. Rummikub is a fun board game for everyone. Easy to learn. We spice up the game with a little wagering on the side, so bring your spare change (pennies, nickels and dimes).
Wednesday, December 3, Aptos Circle Chat, 1:00 – 2:30 PM, @ Aptos Methodist Church, 221 Thunderbird Drive, Aptos. Relax with a cup of coffee or tea and catch up on what's happening with your Circle friends. Curious about Village? Open to all. Non-members are welcome to join us.
Wednesday, December 3, SLV Walks, 1:00 - 2:30 PM, @ various locations. Email Mary K at mary@koehring.com for more information.
Thursday, December 4, Solo Agers, 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM, @ Downtown Library in Santa Cruz, 224 Church St. We meet once a month to talk about how we deal with various issues and to offer aid and support. Note time and location change!
Thursday, December 4, Bocce, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM, @ Felt Street Park, 1904 Felt Street, Santa Cruz. Come play Bocce with us! All members welcome. Bocce Ball is simple to learn, it's a lot of fun, and good exercise (not to mention the great company). Come try it out. Cancelled in the event of rain or wet court.
Thursday, December 4, Westside Circle Chat, 1:00 - 2:00 PM, @ The Abbey 350 Mission St. Relax with a cup of coffee or tea and catch up on what's happening with your Circle friends. Curious about Village? Open to all. Non-members are welcome to join us.
Friday, December 5, Executive Board Meeting, 10:30 - 11:30 AM, on Zoom.
Monday, December 8, Westside Circle Life Stories, 1:00 - 2:00 PM @ The Abbey, 350 Mission Str.. Topic: Comfort Foods: Do you have any foods that you think you shouldn’t eat but do anyway? Was there a food from your childhood that you especially loved? Contact info@villagesantacruz.org to register. Open to Westside Circle members only.
Tuesday, December 9, Pickleball, 10:30 - 11:30 AM, @ Derby Park, 508 Woodland Way, Santa Cruz, All levels, including beginners are welcome.
Tuesday, December 9, Mid County Circle Chat, 1:30 - 2:30 PM, @ Peet's, 819 Bay Ave. Capitola. Note location change! Curious about Village? Open to all. Non-members are welcome to join us.
Wednesday, December 10, SLV Circle Chat, 1:00 – 2:30 PM, @ Cowboy Diner, 5447 Hwy 9, Felton. Relax with a cup of coffee or tea and catch up on what's happening with your Circle friends. Curious about Village? Open to all. Non-members are welcome to join us.
Thursday, December 11, Bocce, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM, @ Felt Street Park, 1904 Felt Street, Santa Cruz. Come play Bocce with us! All members welcome. Bocce Ball is simple to learn, it's a lot of fun, and good exercise (not to mention the great company). Come try it out. Cancelled in the event of rain or wet court.
Thursday, December 11, Advisory Board Monthly Meeting, 12:30 PM - 2:15 PM, Join on Zoom. All Village members are invited to attend our monthly planning meeting. Email info@villagesantacruz.org if you plan to attend, so that we can send you the agenda.
Friday, December 12, Village Holiday Mixer, 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM, @ Simpkin's Center, 979 17th Ave. Santa Cruz. Lunch is on us. Connect with members within and outside of your Circle and Interest Groups. Have an Idea for a new Interest Group? There will be a chance to pitch your idea and find other interested members. RSVP to info@villagesantacruz.org so we know how much food to order. NOTE: This is a Village member only event.
Tuesday, December 16, Pickleball, 10:30 - 11:30 AM, @ Derby Park, 508 Woodland Way, Santa Cruz, All levels, including beginners are welcome.
Tuesday, December 16, Co-Generational Coffee House Chat, 1:00 - 2:00 PM, @ The Abbey, 530 Mission Str., Santa Cruz. The third Tuesday of each month, a group of Village members meet and invite whoever happens to be at the coffeehouse to join us just to talk. Contact Mary Howe villagescmhowe@gmail.com if you’d like to join us.
Wednesday, December 17, Aptos Circle Luncheon, 1:00 – 2:30 PM, @ TBD. Open to Aptos Circle Members only.
Wednesday, December 17, SLV Walks, 1:00 - 2:30 PM, @ various locations, email Mary K at mary@koehring.com for more information.
Thursday, December 18, Bocce, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM, @ Felt Street Park, 1904 Felt Street, Santa Cruz. Come play Bocce with us! All members welcome. Bocce Ball is simple to learn, it's a lot of fun, and good exercise (not to mention the great company). Come try it out. Cancelled in the event of rain or wet court.
Thursday, December 18, TV/Movie Discussion Group, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM, Join on Zoom. Look at the recommendations above for suggestions on what to watch.
Friday, December 19, Book Group Read: "Bad Monkey" or any of the Carl Hiaasen books. 1:00 - 2:00 PM, @ Simpkins Swim Center Library Annex, 979 17th Ave. Santa Cruz, Meeting Room C. See above for a description of this great book.
Tuesday, December 23, Pickleball, 10:30 - 11:30 AM, @ Derby Park, 508 Woodland Way, Santa Cruz, All levels, including beginners are welcome.
Tuesday, December 23, Mid-County Luncheon, 12:30 - 1:30 PM, @ TBD
Wednesday, December 24, SLV Circle Chat, 1:00 – 2:30 PM, @ the Treehouse, 13266 Hwy 9, Boulder Creek. Relax with a cup of coffee or tea and catch up on what's happening with your Circle friends. Curious about Village? Open to all. Non-members are welcome to join us.
Friday, December 26, Westcliff Walk, 10:30 - 11:30 AM. This is an hour walk, 1/2 hour out and 1/2 hour back. Meet in the parking lot of Shrine Coffee. 544 Westcliff Ave.
Tuesday, December 30, Pickleball, 10:30 - 11:30 AM, @ Derby Park, 508 Woodland Way, Santa Cruz, All levels, including beginners are welcome.
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In Our Community
Thursday, December 4, 5:45-7:30 PM, Twistmas Caroling with the Trolley Drop Jug Band. The Trolley Drops have rewritten “standards” from folk, jazz, pop and rock genres, keeping the melodies and replacing the original lyrics with seasonally-themed, nondenominational words. Stop by the Pono Hawaiian Grill, 120 Union St., for lively good-time holiday music.
Saturday, December 6, 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM. Santa Cruz City Downtown Parade. The annual holiday parade is the official kickoff for the winter holidays celebration and the annual tradition of highlighting Santa Cruz County schools, youth based organizations and local nonprofits. The parade route starts at the intersection of Laurel Street and Pacific Avenue and ends at the intersection of Pacific Avenue and Water Street. https://downtownsantacruz.com/do/holiday-parade-2
Saturday, December 6, 6:00 - 7:30 PM. Light Up the Night, at the Scotts Valley Community Center, 360 Kings Village Road. The Scotts Valley Exchange Club invites the community to attend Light Up the Night, a tree lighting festival supporting Valley Churches United.
Monday, December 8, 3:00 - 4:30 PM. Guided mushroom walk at Aptos Village Park. Learn about fascinating fungi and the basics of mushroom identification; just looking, not eating! At 100 Aptos Creek Rd. Cost is $6. For more information, go to the event page.
December Holidays
Do the days shorter, colder, less sunny days of winter get you down? The world celebrates many holidays in December. Download the list Holidays of December 2025 and celebrate whatever and whenever you'd like!
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Articles, Videos, and Listening
Seeking joy to counteract loneliness. Whether we consider ourselves lonely or not, cultivating connections with others can benefit us in many ways. Fortunately, Village Santa Cruz offers many ways to connect with others. Learn the benefits of working on personal connections in this article from Next Avenue.
Sugar. A little bit of sugar is fine, a whole lot, not so much, but not all sugars are created equal. Some are worse for us than others. Find out what the WHO recommends with regard to sugar intake, and which ones are less unhealthy for us in this article from AARP.
How to manage caregiver stress during the holidays. The holidays can be a stressful time for everyone, and especially so for caregivers. Learn some tips to mitigate that stress in this article from Del Mar Caregivers Resource Center.
Ultra-processed Foods and Human Health, The Lancet, November 18, 2025. This 3-paper Series reviews the evidence about the increase in ultra-processed foods in diets globally and highlights the association with many non-communicable diseases. Read the Article.
How to avoid the nightmare housemate, Annamarie Pluhar, Sharing Housing. What makes a housemate a nightmare? Self-centeredness. The nightmare housemate breaks agreements that have been made and then refuses to modify their behavior when there is an issue. The issue could be paying the bills on time, having guests in the house, or not cleaning up after himself in the kitchen. The nightmare housemate cannot consider how their behavior affects others and is unwilling or unable to be kind and considerate. How to avoid nightmare housemates? Read the article. https://sharinghousing.com/avoiding-nightmare-housemates/
Family Denial of a Dementia Diagnosis, By Kitty Norton, October 3, 2025. “It was 2010. Mom had just been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment, likely to develop into dementia. I was relieved. For the last two years, Mom had been “off” — repeating questions, forgetting birthdays, or what she was doing, or where she was and why. Now we knew what we were dealing with and could access medication that could potentially slow the progress. It didn’t occur to me that others might have different and very strong emotions other than relief.” Read the full article at https://beingpatient.com/voices-family-denial-of-a-dementia-diagnosis/
| Village Santa Cruz County
1740 17th Ave., Santa Cruz, CA 95062
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