Our Programs

"Always do whatever's next."
                                --George Carlin

Programs, Classes, Trips, Adventures, Fun

The Gibson Center has developed a HUGE menu of programs for seniors of all abilities and interest levels. Much of what we do has come directly from your suggestions, so keep them coming!

For complete information on ANY Gibson Center programs, please email Jill or call 356-3231, Extension 16. Program information is regularly updated in the Calendar and Special Event section of the web site and can also be found in the "Gibson Gleanings" usually published in the weekend edition of the Conway Daily Sun.

Up coming day trips:

Look for trips listed in green on our calendar page.

Click on the event (with a green background), and details will appear in a box in the upper left hand side of your screen.

Please sign up for trips as soon as possible, we often need to make reservations weeks in advance.

Special Programs:

Look at calendar page, and click on the event.  A box will appear in the upper left hand side of the page.

Ongoing Programs

Game Day is every Wednesday from 12:30-3:00 PM!
Play bridge, cribbage, scrabble, checkers, cards, monopoly, friendly poker, and have fun while meeting new friends!   Looking for Canasta Players.

Wii is every Wednesday from 10:30-11:30 AM & 12:30-1:30 PM
Play tennis, practice your golf swing,make a ringer with horseshoes, or go bowling, and have fun while getting a bit of exercise!

The Pool Hall Gang meets just about every day before and after lunch in the Carroll Reed Room at the Center. Stop in and enjoy a game. We're usually pretty well behaved and our pool table is professionally maintained.

Movie Matinee in the Glenna Mori Room from 12:30 (after lunch) until the movie is over. We have a large screen television and show the latest releases as well as classics. And yes, we take requests. 

The Carriage House Thrift Shop is right in our parking lot in North Conway. The Thrift Shop is generally open Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM until 2:45 PM and on Saturdays from 10 to 2. The Shop is staffed by volunteers. Donations of clean clothing and items are appreciated. If you have ANY question about the suitability of a donation, please call Karen James at the Center at Extension 13.

The University of New Hampshire Speakers Bureau provides world class experts from New Hampshire's flagship public University to New Hampshire citizens.  Look for specific topics in the above list of events.

Fitness & Wellness

Without a doubt, one of our most popular programs is our Exercise Class. Since 2001, Bobbi Broeme, RN has been keeping us in shape with her custom classes. Since 1973, Bobbi has a wide range of experience including: ER, rehab, public health, well child, corporate health and safety. Bobbi has been active in the fitness industry giving classes since 1985. She is certified by Aerobics & Fitness Association of America and the Aquatic Exercise Association. Bobbi has been trained and is certified by the Dept. of Health & Human Services for the Strong Living Program.

Thanks to Bobbi's expertise and training, almost anyone can participate in her classes. If you are taking her class for the first time, she will consult with you to see what exercises are right for you. In some cases, your doctor's permission may be required. ALL participants are required to sign waivers.

Our  Strength, Balance & Stretch exercise program meets on Tuesdays & Fridays from 9:30 to 10:30 AM  in the Glenna Mori Activity Room. The cost is $70 for Gibson members, $80 for non-members. Scholarships are available.  

See Calendar Page for class information

Alice Clapp's Ballroom Dance Class in the Glenna Mori Activity Room.  Alice is an expert teacher, dancing anything from the waltz, to the swing, with line dances and ice breakers in between. The cost is $30 for Gibson members, and $35 for non members. 

See Calendar Page for class information

Yoga  

If there is interest in a class, please see Jill.

ZUMBA

ZUMBA is exercise disguised as Latin Dance.  It is a fun way to improve your cardiovascular system, while strengthening your core muscles.  Gerrie Beck is a certified ZUMBA instructor. 

If there is interest, please see Jill

Chair Exercises.  We started this program with a grant  from the State of New Hampshire.  The class is an exercise program for people with balance issues or people who need assistance walking, getting out of a chair or in and out of a car.  The aim of the class is to improve balance, increase independence and reduce the risk of falls.   We do this by strengthening core muscles, working with weights and resistance bands.  If you are interested, or know of someone who is, please contact Jill at the Gibson Center, 356-3231 extension 16.  Classes start at 10:30 so people who ride the bus can attend, and stay for lunch. 

See Calendar Page for class information

Bowling.  Join the Gibson Bowling League.  Mondays after lunch we will board the bus and travel to Saco Valley Sports Center where we will bowl two strings. This is a group that is more interested in having fun while exercising, then in competitive scores.  The cost is $72 for 10 weeks or $8 per class.   If you are interested, or know of someone who is, please contact Jill at the Gibson Center, 356-3231

See Calendar Page for schedule

Growing Wiser is an innovative health and educational program in support of senior independence and healthy life choices. The program was designed by Healthwise in Boise, Idaho to help seniors cope in a constructive manner with life changes, especially personal losses. It offers techniques for sharpening memory and enhancing mental alertness. The series combines discussion and activities with relaxation and laughter. The primary goal is to replace the negative myths of aging with positive expectations for healthier and more fulfilling golden years. The idea is to celebrate aging as an adventure, honoring the wisdom within as a guide to personal growth. Our staff is proud to facilitate this program which is offered every March.  

Walking Club  Fridays at 10:00 AM   We will walk the local sidewalks here in North Conway.  We will be back to the Gibson Center in time for lunch.

Introductory Taoist Tai Chi   Please speak with Jill if you are interested in this class.

AARP Safe Driving Program 

Please sign up 356-3231.  The class costs $14, $12 for AARP members.

See Calendar Page for current class schedule

We also have regular dances and after-lunch presentations on health and wellness issues. Check the Calendar section for updates.

Adventures and Fun Trips

There are lots of events and attractions within a short driving distance of The Gibson Center. We take full advantage of this whenever possible. Just a sampling: Portland SeaDog's baseball, Currier Museum, Lupine trips to Sugar Hill, State House tours, summit trips to Mt. Washington, Portland Museum of Art, whale watching, Portland Flower Show and ..well, you get the idea. The cost is as reasonable as possible and scholarships are available.

Gibson Global Gallops

While there's lots to do in our own backyard, we sometimes travel farther afield. Several times a year, the Gibson Center arranges spectacular multi-day trips. We have been to Great Britain, Austria, Ireland, Williamsburg, Niagara Falls and Ontario, Montreal, Quebec City and taken an Alaska Glacier Cruise. Some of these trips sell out almost instantaneously, so early sign up is strongly suggested. These tours are very competitively priced and are escorted by a Gibson staff member.

Lancaster Show Trip :

October 25-28, 2010

Travel to Amish Country during harvest season. Join the Gibson Center as we tour picturesque Lancaster County.  We will travel by motor coach, and stay in the same hotel all three nights so you only have to unpack once!  We will have a guided tour of Lancaster County, including Amish Country, and the Landis Valley Museum &  Village.  We will have the opportunity to shop at Kitchen Kettle Village.  We will see the "Joseph" at the Sight & Sound Millennium Theatre. We will tour a pretzel factor as well as a cannery for an up close look at traditional Amish specialties.

The cost is only $425, which includes the motor coach and driver, local guides, 3 nights in one hotel, 6 meals, the show, taxes, tips, and travel insurance.

Deposit of $110, due now, Final Payment due August 10, 2010.

The Trains of the Colorado Rockies :

June 8-17, 2011

Travel to Colorado before the children are out of school.  We will ride the Georgetown Loop Railroad, the Silverton & Durango Narrow Gauge RR, the Royal Gorge RR, and Pike's Peak Cog RR.  We will visit Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park, Vail, Colorado National Monument, Mesa Verde, and the Garden of the Gods.  We will tour a vineyard, and have a winemaker's dinner. One evening we will be entertained an an Old West adventure, featuring traditional cowboy food and fun.  We will stay in each hotel 2 nights.

The cost is $2639, which includes the Airfare, taxes, gratuities, 8 nights in 4 hotels, 12 meals, the tours, and travel insurance.

Southern Charm :

October 16-22, 2011

Experience true Southern hospitality and charm in Georgia and South Carolina.  We will start in Antebellum Charleston where magnificent formal gardens grace much of the historic district, we will visit Fort Sumter and Boone Hall plantation.  Then we will travel through Beaufort on our way to Savannah where we will visit Savannah's Candy Kitchen, and the home of Juliette Gordon Low.  Next we will head to Jekyll Island, the winter retreat of prominent gilded age families.  We will see their grand "cottages", and St. Simons Island.  We will stay in the Jekyll Island Club Hotel for two nights.  From there we will travel to St. Augustine, the oldest city in the US, where we will visit the Old Spanish Quarter.  We will end our tour in Jacksonville.

The cost is $2289, which includes the Airfare, taxes, gratuities, 6 nights in 4 hotels, 10 meals, the tours, and travel insurance.