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Welcome
Welcome
Welcome to Harry J Olson Senior Center!! The Center has a mission of providing age appropriate activities, exercise classes, informal social groups, and other events specifically designed for age 50 and older residents in La Crosse and surrounding areas. We are here to help each other age gracefully, while remaining physically, mentally and socially active. Come join us or come for a visit. Everyone 50+ is welcome.
IT'S HAPPENING......
Our Capitol Improvement Project Is Finally Starting!
Please Be Patient When You Are Visiting The Center! There Is Bound To Be Confusion and Mess! 😅
We Will Try To Keep Both To A Minimum! Borton Construction Is Handling The Project And They Will Be Starting With The Bathrooms In The Main Room.
There Will Always Be A Functioning Bathroom At HJO During The Construction.
If You Have Any Questions or Concerns, Please give Me (Erin) a Call At 608-781-2122
We Are Still Working At Meeting The Goal of $70,000 To Pay For It All - But We Get Closer Every Week. We Received a $5,000 Donation March 25, 2025!!
It Never Ceases To Amaze Me How Much Support HJO receives From The Community!!
Friday May 9, 2025
ABBA at The Legacy Theatre in Wisconsin Dells
Bus Departs Harry J Olson Senior Center - 9:30am
2 Hour Casino Stop
Then on to a 1:00pm Lunch Seating
Followed by ABBA show (I hear it is FANTASTIC!)
Bus Returns To HJO at 6:00pm
Cost: $145.00
Sign-up by April 11, 2025 - You Do Not Have To Be A Member To Join The Fun!
Call 608-781-2122
Tuesday May 13, 2025
MAID-RITE FUNDRAISER
10:30am-1:30pm or until SOLD OUT!!
Harry J Olson Senior Center
$5.00 gets you a delish Maid-Rite sandwich and Chips. Each additional Maid-Rite is $3.00
Need to do a Drive thru? Call us ahead and we will try to accommodate (this is for those of us who have trouble walking - because parking is crazy) This will be LIMITED
The Maid-rites are delish!
SEE YOU AT THE CENTER!!!!!
608-781-2122
Work is finished on the Roof Project at Harry J Olson Senior Center!
Stop by or drive past and see all the activity.
Not only is the roof being fully replaced, the gutters, the front point of the building and all the dormers are getting an upgrade as well.
We are excited and thankful for this generous donation from a member of Harry J Olson Senior Center!
THANK YOU NANCY CARLSEN and In Loving Memory of your Sister Donna .
Looking for a Little Activity to Help Your Balance, Core Strength and Your Brain?
Come Check out our Tai Chi/Chair Yoga Class
Monday and Fridays
9:30a.m.
This class is guided by a Certified Tai Chi/Yoga Instructor!
You can do Tai Chi, Tai Chi and Chair Yoga, or just Chair Yoga - your choice, your comfort zone.
(I'm not sure we'll be doing that pose! :) )
The class will cost $2.00 per session. This class is open to all 55+ - you need not be a member to participate. Come join us - all ability levels are encouraged!
Harry Olson Senior Center
1607 North Street
La Crosse, WI 54603
Call with any questions 608-781-2122
SEE YOU AT THE CENTER!!!
Jim Bloedorn is looking for interested folks who want to learn to play Bridge.
Know a little? Haven't got a clue?
Jim is a patient and kind teacher. Callus at the Center and let us know if you are interested in morning, afternoon or evening meeting times.
The class will be free, the Bridge book will have a fee
You do not have to be a member or a senior to come to this!!!
608-781-2122
What's Going on at Harry J Olson Senior Center?
Mondays and Fridays - 9:30a.m. - Chair Yoga/Tai Chi
Monday and Friday -9:30a.m. - Tai Chi
Monday 12:00pm - Coulee Region Woodcarvers
Tuesdays and Thursdays - 9:00a.m. - Strong Seniors
Tuesdays -1:00p.m. - 500 Cards - Call Cheryl 608-786-1114 to register
Tuesday 7:00p.m. - Duplicate Bridge - Call Dave Melin 608-797-3587
Wednesdays - 1:00p.m. - Euchre - Call Cheryl 608-786-1114 to register
Wednesdays - Public Dance/Live Music 6:30pm - EVERYONE WELCOME!! You don't have to be a dancer, senior or a member to come!
Thursday - 12:30p.m. - Duplicate Bridge - Contact Dave Melin 608-797-3587
**Every THIRD Wednesday of the Month: **
WEDNESDAYS FOR LUCH - Lunch from 11:00a.m.-12:30p.m. - Menu will vary - Please call 608-781-2122 to RSVP - 55+ years invited - No Cost Event!
You do not have to be a member to attend the Wednesday for Lunch Events. Bring a friend - Come and join us!
**Second Thursday of Every Month**
Craft Corner - 1:00pm Hosted by Jackie Tulius and Deb Carlson
Every month has a different theme/craft. Fun/free and great conversations!
608-781-2122 to R.S.V.P
Harry J Olson Senior Center is OPEN!!!
SEE YOU AT THE CENTER!!!!!
Don't Forget to Come into Harry J Olson and Sign up for Monthly drawing!!
You must be a Member to Sign Up! One Entry per Member!
You must COME into the Building to Enter! You Need Not Be Present To Win!
"Ticket" is available at HJO!!!
Drawing is held at Wednesday for Lunch (every third Wednesday of the month)
Harry J Olson Senior Center Volunteers out ringing the bell for the Salvation Army!!
SEE YOU AT THE CENTER!!!
A Little History of the Harry J Olson Senior Center:
Around the time of 1964-1965 the residents of La Crosse and the surrounding communities became aware of a growing need for Retirees. Three local community leaders stepped up: Professor Walter Thoreson UW-La Crosse, Dr. Sig Sivertson Gundersen Clinic/Lutheran Hospital, and Russell Cleary Heilman Brewing Company. These men had a survey commissioned that showed the need for a Senior Center. Several other local leaders became involved and formed an Advisory Board of Directors, which became the governing body for this new idea. Harry J Olson, became the first President of that Board.
In May of 1965 a group of interested retirees furnished, painted and prepared the U.A.W Building at 624 Gillette Street to be the home of their group. July 12, 1965 was the first official meeting. Eighty people attended. A governing body of the retirees within the organization became the first Executive Board.
The meeting place at 624 Gillette flourished. As more events and activities were added: from square dancing, lip reading classes and much more the retirees were finding that they were growing out of their building. In 1974 the hunt was on for a new place to meet. The Board wanted to stay on the Northside of La Crosse and found a building to purchase. The Bethany Free Church at 1607 North Street. The City purchased the building from Herman Tillman who owned it at that time. The building was originally built in 1886. It was the Chicago Burlington and Northern Railroad Dormitory back then.
Well, as the story goes...after the purchase in 1975 many ambitious seniors brought their hammers and saws to be part of the remodeling. Never looking for a handout, the seniors wanted to pull their weight in this new endeavor. The kitchen was overhauled and modernized, the walls and ceilings were replaced and painted, windows repaired, floors buffed and carpeted. This as they say was all done by the "Silver haired senior brigade".
On May 2, 1976 the Harry J Olson Multi-Purpose Center celebrated it's grand open house. Goverment officials from Senator Paul Offner to Mayor Zielke (and many more) were all here to celebrate the new home for seniors to gather. A new flag which had been flown over the White House was raised outside our doors.
June 1, 1978 saw the groundbreaking project for a "new" 60' x 60' addition. Also part of the project was a new parking lot east of the building. The project took 185 days to complete.
Present day: There has been a lot of activity and changes in the last 57 years, we continue with the original mission of a Senior Center that is a vibrant evolving part of the community.
An update: As of March 31, 2024 at 2:39pm we are officially the owners of the Harry J Olson Senior Center!!! We are a 501(c)3 and follow all rules that apply. Harry J Olson receives no money from the City or the County at this time.
Update: Thank you Nancy Carlsen for the extraordinary donation of a NEW ROOF for Harry J Olson Senior Center. We are forever grateful to you and your sister Donna for this amazing gift. Sping 2024
Update: Thank you Cary Heating for the generous donation of a new furnace. A NEW FURNACE! Your generosity makes our hearts sing! Fall 2024
Update: Thank you to Jack Hammond for his generous donation of a John Deere Riding Lawnmower/Snowplow Spring 2024
UPDATE: We are in the middle of a Capital Improvement Campaign - So far, we have raised over $50,000 on a $70,000 ask. With another $110,821 coming in from La Crosse County. This is just the best place to see where people make the difference. Whether it is treasure, time or talent - IT IS AMAZING!!! Spring/Summer 2025
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO WORKED SO HARD TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN
PUBLIC DANCES
PUBLIC DANCES
There are dances every Wednesday night at Harry J! Come and shake your socks with dancers of all abilities. All ages are welcome!!
Cost: $8.00 single $15.00 couple. Don't dance? You can come for the live music and the social gathering. Music, treats and conversation....does it get any better? DANCES Begin at 6:30pm
April 2, 2025 - Ryan Herman
April 9, 2025 - Daddy's Girls
April 19, 2025 - Wally and Jerry
April 23, 2025 - TBA
April 30, 2025 - Ed Stellner and The Band
May 7, 2025 - Ryan Herman
May 14, 2025 - Jeff and Ron
May 21, 2025 - Wally and Jerry
May 28, 2025 - TBA
Again - Everyone is Welcome! You Do Not Have To Be A Senior Or A Member Or Even a Good Dancer
This is Baxter. His human is a member at Harry J Olson. We encourage you to send us photos of your favorite things so that we can post them on the website. Your garden, your grandkids, your artwork. A few suggestions to start you out!!
This is Baxter. His human is a member at Harry J Olson. We encourage you to send us photos of your favorite things so that we can post them on the website. Your garden, your grandkids, your artwork. A few suggestions to start you out!!
Make sure that you check out our new FACEBOOK PAGE and like what you see. We are working on trying to get the news out about Harry J Olson in any way that we can think of. There are lots of rumors out there....the best place to check and see what's going on is to check in here on the Website or on FACEBOOK. We are OPEN - Come in and join us!!! Friend us on Facebook - Harry J Olson - The one with almost 1,700 followers!!!
Interesting.....
While doing a little cleaning around the Center today I came across a program from the Harry J Olson 25th Anniversary Banquet. It is dated July 12, 1990 and taped behind a plaque hanging in the game room. In the program it has "The HJO Senior Center Philosophy". I thought it would be appropriate to print it here and see what you think. It reads:
The HJO Center seeks to create an atmosphere that acknowledges the value of human life, individually, collectively, and affirms the dignity and self worth of the older adult.
Older people are individually adults with ambitions, capabilities, and creative capacities. They are capable of continued growth and development. They, like all people, have certain basic needs, including opportunities for relationships and to experience a sense of achievement.
Society expresses its attitudes and concerns about older people in many ways. A Senior Center facility makes an important statement about a Community's commitment to the well being of its older citizens.
The Harry J Olson Multipurpose Senior Center has been designated as a focal point to accomodate the recreational, educational, vocational, and individual activities for older adults.
It was true then and it is true now, Seniors are a vital part of the Community. Seniors deserve a safe, dignified place to gather to share what they know, what they have experienced. A place to come together to support each other. A place to laugh, to sometimes cry, but most of all a place to find friends and share life's ups and downs. You are always welcome at Harry J Olson.
SEE YOU AT THE CENTER!!!
Blast from the Past!!!
Blast from the Past!!!
While exploring around HJO I came across a little salad recipe book that was put together by the Harry J Olson Autumn Queens. These were gals that were nominated and would go on to win the title of Autumn Queen. One of the highlights of their year reign would be riding in the Oktoberfest Parade in a convertible sponsored by the Northside Merchants Association
I thought I would share a recipe: MOLDED SHRIMP SALAD
And the recipe goes like this:
1 pkg Lemon Jello 1 can salad shrimp or frozen pkg
2 cups boiling water 1/2 cup shredded pimento cheese
1/2 cup coffee cream 1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 Tb. grated onion 3 hard boiled eggs - chopped up
1 Tb. chopped green pepper
2 cups celery - chopped fine
Mix together Jello and boiling water. Set in refrigerator till partly set. Combine cream and mayonnaise, then add remaining ingredients. Mix with the Jello and pour into mold. Refrigerate to set.
***From the Kitchen of Bernice Berg
There are more recipes that I will post as we go!
GRIEF IS NOT ONE SIZE FITS ALL
Recently while talking to some members at Harry J Olson the subject of grief came up. "What should I say?" "This is taking too long". "When will they get back to normal?" Wouldn't you know that an article about grief was in the paper only a few days later. Some of the article is summarized here. I hope you can find something useful, or comforting in these words.
Grief is omnipresent, but it is not a universal experience. Grief is as unique as a fingerprint, no two ways of grieving are alike. It is important to give a person the dignity and allowance to grieve in their own individual and respective ways.
The five stages of grief that are often referenced - denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance - are tools to help name what a person MAY be feeling, though not everyone experiences every stage and there is no set order.
How people grieve is influenced by the relationship that had with the person they lost, also what our religion may have taught us, our culture may have shown us, and what our family teaches us.
How to help a grieving loved one:
Experts say concerned loved ones ought to remember that a person who has experienced profound loss may never completely look like themselves again
Unless grief is severely impacting a loved ones life - not being able to keep their job, home or experiencing prolonged clinical depression - grieving people need space to process their loss
Experts say their is no quick fix for grief. It would be helpful for people to remember that grief itself is not a problem. It is an experience.
As much as we want to fix people in grief, they are not broken. Love them, care for them where they are.
Leave phrases like: "I know how you feel", "You'll get over this", "He or She is in a better place", " When my ________ passed..." Instead, simply let the grieving person know that you are sorry for their loss. "I am sorry for your loss".
Checking in with a phone call or a card to remind the person that you are thinking of them is always welcome. The first year of loss is always the hardest. Be patient. Be present.
SEE YOU AT THE CENTER!!
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