The Senior Scene

Lenny Wilkens, a legendary professional basketball player and coach, brought a message of hope and inspiration to Wesley Homes Retirement Communities’ campus in Des Moines during an appearance there Oct. 13.
Wilkens, 78, whose experience in basketball included stints as a coach and player for the Seattle Supersonics, talked about growing up in Bedford-Stuyvesant, which he recalled as “a true melting pot” in New York City.
He also discussed the Lenny Wilkens Foundation, which has raised $7.5 million to support programs and services for children in the Puget Sound area, his faith, having an absent father, and how he did not let the conditions of his youth confine him.
“You can either allow your circumstances to be a trap that snares you the rest of your life, or you can use them to learn what it takes to succeed in a world where things won’t always go your way,” said Wilkens.
Wilkens won a National Basketball Association championship while coaching Seattle, was voted one of the NBA’s 50 greatest players of all time, and won a gold medal as a coach in the 1996 Olympics.

Village Concepts, a company of retirement and assisted-living communities whose locations include Auburn, Milton, Burien, Enumclaw and Gig Harbor, has launched educational programming for the elderly.
Village Concepts University, with a goal of enhancing cognitive health and life satisfaction through lifelong learning, offers courses in art history, business education, film series, political science, music appreciation and physical fitness, among others.
Earning a “degree” requires the completion of 60 credits worth of coursework, including general education, electives, physical fitness, experiences, a senior project and internship hours.

National Assisted Living Week produced a proclamation from Gig Harbor Mayor Jill Guernsey (pictured, left) in recognition of The Lodge at Mallard’s Landing, which celebrated the occasion by bringing together residents, families, employees, volunteers and the surrounding community. “The ability to care for our elders in Gig Harbor is an awesome responsibility we do not take for granted,” said Linda Potter (right), executive director of The Lodge. “This celebration recognizes the bonds built between residents and the assisted-living professionals who are committed to providing person-centered care and services.” National Assisted Living Week, which was formally observed Sept. 13-19, recognizes the residents of assisted-living communities and the facilities’ staff members. The annual observance was created by the National Center for Assisted Living and the Washington Health Care Association.

Auburn will again be at the center of salutes to America’s military members during the city’s Veterans Day Parade on Nov. 7.
Now in its 50th year, the event has grown into one of the largest Veterans Day parades since it started in 1965. This year’s procession will include 200-plus units and more than 5,500 participants, including high school marching bands, veterans’ units and honor guards. Organizers say so many groups ask to participate that some must be turned away to keep the size manageable.
Starting at 11 a.m., the parade will follow a one-mile route weste along Main Street to A Street Northwest.
The event is designated by the Veterans Day National Committee as as a regional site for for celebrations of Veterans Day.
Other Veterans Day events are scheduled for:
• Tacoma: Nov. 11 at 11:11 a.m. at War Memorial Park, Sixth and MacArthur.
• Puyallup: Tribue and concert, Nov. 8, 1 p.m., Pioneer Park Pavilion. No charge.
• ‘Service Ink: Veterans’ Tattoos and Their Stories:’ Exhibit through Nov. 15 at White River Valley Museum in Auburn, 918 H St. SE., celebrates the stories behind service-related tattoos of military members. Information: wvmuseum.org, 253-288-7437.