By HEATHER WRIGHT
Are you retiring and moving to Hyattsville? Or are your parents retiring and moving to Hyattsville? How can seniors start getting involved in the city? We’ve put together some resources and ideas to smooth the transition, deepen connections, and unlock some of Hyattsville’s offerings — especially for those age 60 and better.
Testing the waters
Hyattsville Aging in Place (HAP) is a nonprofit grassroots organization that provides volunteer services, along with educational and social events, for seniors. As stated on its website, HAP’s goal is to help Hyattsville residents stay in their homes as long as possible, while remaining active and having fun. They host the virtual Corridor Conversations often listed in our “Community Calendar,” as well as in-person lunches and other activities. (Disclosure: Streetcar Suburbs News board member T. Carter Ross works for HAP).
HAP hosts a listserv that shares HAP-related events, as well as senior-related information. Visit groups.io/g/hyattsvilleaginginplace to join. Accessed at groups.io/g/HOPE, the HOPE (Hyattsville Organization for a Positive Environment) listserv aspires to create a sense of community. The HOPE listserv is open to all Hyattsville residents — and is a good resource for keeping up with events; discussing safety, environmental, economic and other municipal concerns; and connecting with other Hyattsvillians — not just seniors.
The City of Hyattsville has consolidated a list of resources for Hyattsville seniors on its website that includes sections for caregivers, transportation assistance, veteran support and volunteer opportunities. The city offers several regular groups for seniors, including a Lunch and Learn series — the June 9 topic was “Fraud 101,” which explored how to recognize and avoid common scams and fraud. Other activities include Board Games with Ladies and Gents, Seniors on the Go!, and a seated exercise class that meets most Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Register for these and other city-sponsored groups and events at hyattsville.recdesk.com/Community/Program.
Check out the Prince George’s Senior Provider Network, pgspn.org, for a broader range of resources and supports. You can access their most recent senior resource guide, which includes home care providers, housing resources and senior activity centers, at issuu.com/pgspn/docs/pgspn_guide_2024_webuse.
Have a passion — or open to developing a new one?
Trying to develop a green thumb? Do you like sewing, arts and crafts, blues music or playing bridge? Some interests lend themselves to group meetings or classes. A few to consider:
The Hyattsville Horticultural Society is one of the oldest garden clubs in the U.S. Members hold monthly meetings, organize seed sales and plant exchanges, and host workshops and presentations. (See “Miss Floribunda” on p. X for the society’s next meeting.)
Three Little Birds Sewing Co., on Baltimore Avenue, not only hosts sewing, garment-making and quilting classes, but also provides both makers nights and “sewcials” on Wednesdays in conjunction with Sweet Pea Fiber. Participants come from 6 to 9 p.m. and work on their own projects in the company of other crafters. (Makers nights are free to anyone who shows up, while sewcials require registration and cost $5 for the use of a sewing machine and studio tools.)
Interested in developing your art and music skills? Pyramid Atlantic Art Center, on Gallatin Street, hosts printmaking, papermaking and book arts workshops. Members have access to studio happy hours, as well. Art Works Now, on Rhode Island Avenue, offers art classes with sliding scale prices. Art Works also offers free classes to those 55 and over through its Creative Aging Program — note, however, that these limited classes fill up very quickly.
The Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation offers regular jam sessions, including weekly acoustic blues, monthly swing jazz, and monthly ukulele sessions. The foundation has also joined forces with the Hyattsville Branch Library to offer free beginning guitar, harmonica, blues vocals and ukulele classes on Saturday mornings at the library. Register at pgcmls.info/events.
If you’re interested in learning and playing bridge, consider journeying to Mount Rainier, to the dome-shaped Quonset building, aka The Hut, with the “Washington Bridge Unit” sign outside, at 3801 Eastern Avenue NE. Email Wilma Bonner at wafbonner@aol.com for a complete schedule of classes, which Bonner notes will start back up in September.
Volunteer opportunities
Volunteering alongside other residents — as neighbors help neighbors — can quickly forge bonds and lift up the community.
HAP has a wide range of volunteer opportunities, including driving neighbors to appointments and helping them run errands; assisting with house and yard work; checking in on residents; planning or helping with HAP programs, like its annual valentine-making party; and publicizing events and keeping HAP up and running.
The county library system has volunteers help with library and office work, as well as with computers and with programming like storytimes, puppet theatres and special events. Visit the Hyattsville Branch Library, on Adelphi Road, and ask to speak to the volunteer coordinator.
Go to hyattsville.org/volunteer or call 301.985.5000 to explore volunteer opportunities afforded by the City of Hyattsville, including tutoring and mentoring, helping with community events, partaking in neighborhood cleanups, protecting city trees by removing invasive vines, and distributing diapers and food.
Volunteer opportunities for food distribution abound. The city’s free produce distribution occurs on the third Tuesday of each month, at the First United Methodist Church, on Belcrest Road. St. Mark’s food pantry (stmarkhyattsville.org/st-marks-food-pantry), on Adelphi Road, distributes food every Tuesday. St. Jerome’s Café (stjeromes.org/st-jeromes-cafe), on 43rd Avenue, serves lunch to those in need every Thursday.
Meals on Wheels (mealsonwheelsofcollegepark.org/volunteer) delivers daily meals to homebound seniors. They moved out of College Park to the Elks Lodge building on Kenilworth Avenue in Riverdale Park in 2021. (If you or a loved one needs meals delivered, sign up at mealsonwheelsofcollegepark.org/signup to be put on the organization’s waiting list.)