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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (July 19, 2017)
COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL JULY 19, 2017 9A Living 50 Plus in Cottage Grove New Main St. Coordinator hits the ground running By Caitlyn May Carlene Girouard found herself with an empty nest one day. She and her husband had spent 30 years in Eugene raising three girls and when they found themselves climbing three fl ights to do laundry and discovered there was no need to heat and cool bed- rooms no one slept in they decided to fi ll their nest again. A differ- ent nest. With chickens. “We knew we wanted land and to maybe grow food and fruit trees and have a few chickens,” Girouard said. “I looked every- where. Brownsville, Coburg and one day it just hit me. Look in Cottage Grove.” Girouard took the 20-minute drive from Eugene to the Grove and says, it changed her life setting a course for her new position with the city that has her connected businesses with people like her. “I lived in Eugene for 30 years and had never been to Cottage Grove. There are other people like me,” she said. While there may be others in surrounding cities that have never stepped foot in Cottage Grove, there’s not another Main Street Co- ordinator; a position Girouard recently fi lled. She’s an Oregon State University Graduate with a Bachelor’s of Science in horticulture and business. She says it gave her a little bit of everything but she was never sure if she was good at anything. “I graduated in the ‘80s when the economy was really bad. There were no jobs for anyone,” she said. So, Girouard decided to go into business for herself as the owner of TruScapes, a landscaping and design company. Now, she’ll use what she learned to help other small businesses in Cottage Grove cmay@cgsentinel.com thrive. The Main Street coordinator is a fl uid position. Prior to Gir- ouard’s arrival, the coordinator was not a direct employee of the city. That’s since changed. Girouard will work under city planner Amanda Ferguson and work on addressing downtown businesses’ concerns and attempt to facilitate relationships. It’s a job Girouard almost didn’t get. “I read the newspaper every week. Every page,” she said. “I was going through and I saw the ad for the job and my fi rst thought was, ‘That sounds like fun.’” But Girouard wasn’t convinced she had the necessary skillset and so she left the ad pinned to the wall in her of- fi ce until an urgency fi lled her days before the application deadline. “I just fi lled it out and sent it in,” she said. “And I waited and waited and didn’t hear so I thought they didn’t want me.” But the city did want her and now less than a month on the job she’s already connected with Cottage Grove’s merry band of char- acters, including city councilor Ken Roberts. “He came into the offi ce three times in my fi rst fi ve days,” Gir- ouard said. “He said the planters on Main St. needed some love and I thought he was right.” After a phone call to a contact in Eugene, Giouard secured 150 plants for the city’s planters. “I’m just taking things one day at a time,” she said. “I’m doing a little traveling to a coordinator conference and then I’m going to be meeting every business owner and making sure there’s an open line of communication. It’s just making sure we have that relationship.” CARLENE GIROUARD Heading to the gym after 50 R egular exercise and a nutritious diet are two of the best things seniors can do to maintain their health. Exercise can delay or prevent many of the health problems associ- ated with aging, including weak bones and feelings of fatigue. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says a person age 65 or older who is generally fi t with no limiting health condi- tions should try to get two hours and 30 minutes of moderate-inten- sity aerobic activity per week, while also including weight training and muscle-strengthening activities in their routines on two or more N DIE’S BL OO MS O L B RRIES & BE erries b e u l B are y! Read days a week. Individuals often fi nd that gyms have the array of fi t- ness equipment they need to stay healthy. But many peo- ple, including older men and women who have not ex- ercised in some time, may be hesitant to join a gym for fear of intimidation. Some seniors may avoid machines and classes believing they will not use the apparatus prop- erly, or that they will be judged by other gym members. Some seniors may feel like gyms do not cater to their old- er clientele, creating an atmosphere that is dominated by younger members and loud music. Such misconceptions are often unfounded, as many gyms welcome older members with open arms. But even if seniors fi nd gyms intimidating, they should still sign up for memberships. In such situations, the following tips can help seniors shed their fears and adapt to their new gyms. • Start the process slowly. Shop around for a gym that makes you feel comfortable. Get fully informed about which classes are offered, and the benefi ts, if any, afforded to older members. • Get a doctor’s go-ahead. Make sure to clear exercise and gym membership with your doctor prior to purchasing a membership. He or she also may have a list of gyms where fellow senior patients have memberships. • Build up gradually. Begin with exercises you feel comfortable performing. Spend time walking on the treadmill while observing other gym members. Tour the circuit of machines and other equip- ment. Find out if you can sample a class to see if it might be a good fi t. • Find a gym buddy. Working out with a partner in your age group may encourage you to keep going to the gym and increase your comfort level. You each can offer support and enjoy a good laugh through the learning process. • Don’t get discouraged. Anyone working out for the fi rst time, regardless of age, will feel somewhat out of place until exercise becomes part of a routine. Give it some time before throwing in the towel. Once you catch on, you may discover you enjoy working out. • Choose a senior-friendly gym. Some gyms cater to senior mem- bers. They may offer “SilverSneakers” classes at their facility. Oth- er niche gyms may only accept members of a certain age group. Investigate these gyms if working out with a younger crowd is proving too great a deterrent. Fitness is important for healthy seniors. It can prolong life, help seniors maintain healthy weights and reduce their risk of injury. NEW: Digital X-Rays (use less radiation) Implants •Teeth Whitening • Extractions Lumineers (no prep veneers as seen on TV) Pints 1/2 F , or 1 F lat lat C ll Blueberr e w s ie re 34030 Orchard Ave., Creswell 541-895-8907 s U-Pick or Call to Order Open Daily 8-5pm Accommodate off hour picking by appointment Cottage Grove Dental Closing the nursery section. 1/2 OFF on shubs, trees, and perennials. July –August with eight different varieties No Spray! We provide buckets & boxes Please leave pets at home. 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