Community Events

DECEMBER NIGHTS

When

December 6 – 7, 2024

Where

Balboa Park
1549 El Prado
San Diego, CA 92101

What

Join us on Dec. 6 and 7 for the City of San Diego’s largest holiday festival in beautiful Balboa Park. This free family-friendly event brings San Diegans together to enjoy the lights, the sounds, the attractions, and of course, the amazing food. Check the City of San Diego’s December Nights webpage for up-to-date information!

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

Seniors Free at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in February

When

February 1 to February 28, 2025

Where

San Diego Zoo Safari Park
15500 San Pasqual Valley Rd
Escondido, CA 92027

What

During the month of February, all visitors age 65 and older receive free admission to the Safari Park. Enjoy the sights on an Africa Tram, see the platypuses and other Aussie species at Walkabout Australia, wander through Tiger Trail, take a stroll around Mombasa Lagoon, and relax with refreshments on the patio at Kijamii Overlook. There’s a world of sights to see—all at the Safari Park!

For more information about Seniors Free, check out the Seasonal Events section of the FAQ page by clicking here.

Seniors 65+ must present valid photo ID at turnstiles for free entry. Parking not included.

February is National Senior Independence Month!

When

February 1 to February 28, 2025

Where

San Diego County

What

National Senior Independence Month is observed every year in February. This month allows senior citizens and community members to share resources that help the elderly live independent and full lives. Even though with age we tend to become more dependent on those around us, we can continue to live a fairly independent life with local senior centers and retirement organizations helping with resources and building a community of like-minded people. Encourage the elderly you know to engage with senior centers — this allows them to have higher levels of health, social interaction, and life satisfaction. Below you can find some resources on how to make the most of your senior years.

Senior Independence Month: Tips and Resources in San Diego

San Diego County Parks and Recreation AgeWell Services

San Diego Oasis: Getting Older, Growing Stronger

Scripps Senior Resources

San Diego Oasis

San Diego Oasis is a unique educational program for adults 50+ who want to continue to learn and be productive throughout life. Membership is free and open to anyone 50 or older. Join Oasis and enjoy stimulating classes and opportunities to serve your community.

The mission of San Diego Oasis is to ensure that adults age 50+ have opportunities to pursue vibrant, healthy, productive and meaningful lives. We seek to positively impact their lives through partnerships to share knowledge, offer evidence- and research-based programs, conduct evaluations and adapt to meet the needs of diverse audiences. Our approach includes the following key areas:

• Lifelong Learning
• Health and Wellness
• Community Involvement through intergenerational programs

Our team is thrilled to present to you our current online offerings. You will find exciting opportunities to participate in classes, lectures, discussion groups, performances, trips, off-site adventures, and mentoring children in our community through our intergenerational tutoring program.

Click here to learn more about San Diego Oasis and sign up for classes

Seniors Computer Group

About SCG (Seniors Computer Group)The Seniors Computer Group of San Diego was founded in 1984. Our mantra is “Seniors Helping Seniors” – we’re here to help, and to learn from, each other. For more information check out our website at www.scgsd.org

Weekly meeting at Wesley Palms
Seniors Computer Group’s primary activity is our weekly meeting, which includes a presentation on some relevant topic and a group Question and Answer session. In addition, we usually have a separate Beginners Q&A and have several computers around the room with members available for individual help.

Meetings are held at Wesley Palms, Woodbury Hall, 2404 Loring St, San Diego, CA 92109 from 9:30am-1:00pm every Saturday. Meetings are FREE.

Objectives
Our objectives are:
1. to encourage the use of home computers as a means of keeping mentally alert and active.
2. to foster computer activities.
3. to provide education on computer use.
4. to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas on computers and their use.

Seniors Helping Seniors
Studies have shown that older computer users prefer to get help from people their own age, rather than from impatient youngsters. Our members don’t have to wait for the next meeting to get help. Look at the ‘Computer Help’ page for a list of experts and their areas of expertise. You can contact them by email or by phone.

Facebook Page
Our newest venture is our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/SeniorsComputerGroup, moderated by President Wil Wakely. Anyone, member or not, can read and post to this page. It’s a good place to get current information about the SCG and to informally post questions and comments about anything computer or SCG related. Make friends, do networking and chime in at this friendly site.

Restorative Justice Mediation Program
Seeking Volunteers to Facilitate Victim-Offender Dialogue

The Restorative Justice Mediation Program is a community-based, non-profit organization that helps to address the effects of crime in ways not met by the traditional justice system through face-to-face meetings between crime victims and offenders, assisting them in developing written agreements to repair harms as much as possible. This occurs by participation in the Victim Offender Dialogue program.

Victim Offender Dialogue (VOD) is a process that engages the primary parties affected by crime in face-to-face dialogue including victims and their families, offenders and their families. Restorative Justice Mediation aims to:

• put key decisions in the hands of those affected by the incident
• make the criminal justice process more healing and transformative
• reduce the likelihood of future offenses

Each of the cases requires a trained facilitator to serve as a neutral party. This facilitator is present to guide and direct the conversation and to help develop the written agreement. Lawyers, Mediators, Educators and Counselors are all excellent candidates, but anyone who has an interest in conflict resolution can become a qualified facilitator by going through a 20-hour facilitator training program and passing a background check.

For more information, please contact Restorative Justice Mediation Program at (619) 280-1993 or visit www.sdrjmp.org.

View this information as a PDF flyer.

Operation Bigs Seeks Volunteers

Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego (BBBS) has a special program called Operation Bigs and is currently seeking volunteers to join the cause.  In this unique program, individuals mentor military children at several after-school programs around the county. Due to the time schedule involved, this could particularly be a great opportunity for many older adults.

Please see the Operation Bigs volunteer flyer for more information, or visit http://sdbigs.org/OperationBigs. To learn more about volunteering as an Operation Bigs mentor, email OpBigs@SDBigs.org or call Megan Hartwell at 858-746-9173.

BBBS is also always recruiting “Bigs” (especially males and Spanish-speaking volunteers) to mentor the many children on their waiting list through their traditional program. Interested individuals can get more information about all of BBBS’s wonderful programs through the contacts listed on the flyer.

AARP Foundation Experience Corps is Seeking Volunteers

AARP Foundation Experience Corps is recruiting volunteers age 50 or over to serve as reading tutors for struggling readers in grades K-3 at local elementary schools during after school.

Did you know that nearly 50% of San Diego County’s 3rd graders are not meeting state literacy standards? Children who don’t read proficiently by the end of third grade are four times more likely to leave school without a diploma compared to proficient readers. You have the opportunity to help change this statistic.

By volunteering as an AARP Foundation Experience Corps literacy mentor, you will help change the course of students’ lives. Experience Corps is a proven reading program made up of tutor’s ages 50+ who work with struggling readers in Kindergarten through 3rd grade to help them with their literacy skills.

The program is currently recruiting volunteers for the 2019-2020 academic school year to tutor during the after school expanded learning programs in about 10 schools in and around zip code areas 92102, 92103, 92105, 92113, 92115, 92116 and 91945. Please contact An Das at 858-581-5887 or 858-581-5880, or by email at pdas@theci.org.

Click here for a sharable flyer with this information.

• No previous tutoring experience necessary
• Comprehensive training and ongoing support will be provided
• A commitment of twice a week for a full school year is preferred
• As a reading tutor, you have the opportunity to be part of the solution.
• Just a few hours in a neighborhood school can change a child’s life — and yours!

Don’t think you can make the commitment? Learn how you can still be involved as a substitute tutor!

For general information about the AARP Foundation Experience Corps, visit the AARP website.