Activities

Crafts                                                    Recreation

Education                                             Social

Entertainment                                     Sports/Exercise

Fund-Raising                                      Trips   

Health                                                  Volunteerism  

Crafts

We offer classes on quilting, pine needle basket making, sewing and card recycling to name a few.  Join us and learn new skills or volunteer to teach a class.

Education

The Senior Center offers computer classes and sponsors informational programs with topics ranging from political cracker-barrels, consumer information to forest management policies in the Black Hills. Anyone is welcome to attend these classes. Come and join us and if you have any ideas for future programs - let us know.

Entertainment

Music Fest - During the winter months we sponsor a Music Fest featuring local musicians (including our own Silver Swing).  This is a great way to spend a cold winter evening.

  Charlett playing violin solo. 

                                                   "Deech"  performing.

In addition to the Music Fest we also offer monthly movies and travel programs describing trips to Israel, Oman and even China. Other programs include spelunking in Jewel Cave or a walk along the Continental Divide. The topics are varied and quite interesting. These programs are open to one and all so please join us.

Fund-Raising

Our fund-raisers are a major source of income for the Center.  Our most popular event is the Soup and Pie/Bake Sale held four times a year. We also have fish frys, ham and pork dinners as well as a spaghetti dinner for the Mickelson Trail riders in September.  These fund-raising events are a lot of work but also a great deal of fun for the volunteers.  

                   Health                                  

We sponsors blood pressure screenings and bone density heel scans monthly. Flu shot clinics are held annually. In addition, we offer educational programs about eye care, diabetes and general health care concerns of our members. We also coordinate with SHIINE volunteers to offer programs to help our members navigate the new Medicare plans.

Recreation

Card games and bingo are scheduled several times a week. Pool tables are available for those who shoot. There is always a puzzle waiting to be built. This year we will start a fossil and rock hunting club. In the summer we enjoy a picnic together and then there is always the library available for members to enjoy a quiet moment with a good book.

Social

A major aspect of our Center is to provide a place for members to meet, socialize and help one another, especially those who are living alone. We gather every morning for the "8:20 Club", an ad hoc group who enjoys a cup of coffee and a few good stories before heading off to the day's work. We offer monthly movies as well as the "Buck-a-Month Club" where members gather at the end of each month for a pot-luck dinner. In addition, we have parties to celebrate the holidays, member's birthdays and special events. We even hold a luau right in the middle of the Black Hills! New members and visitors are always welcome to join us.

Sports and Exercise     

We have a morning exercise group which meets at 7:00 a.m. M,T,TH and F for an hour.  We have started  our "Walk to Yellowstone" - a walking program co-sponsored with the YMCA.  We have now long passed Yellowstone and Yosemite and are on our way to the Yucatan. We will also be starting chair exercise class for our older members just getting started. On Monday Tuesday and Thursday at 9:00 a.m. a group of us  meet at the YMCA to walk indoors. Feel the need to get some exercise but do not want to "go it alone"? Join us!

This winter we hope to offer a ski bus to the local resorts in conjunction with the YMCA.

On tap for the summer are "show and go" bike rides and hikes for interested members.

We are interested in forming a golf club. Want to join? Let us know.

                                                Morning group enjoying some vigorous exercise.

Trips

This last year we took a balloon ride over Custer and Custer State Park, saw the colors of the Black Hills in the fall and viewed the Christmas lights of Custer and Rapid City. Future plans include a trip to the Badlands, a ghost town tour and perhaps some rock hounding to name a few. Keep an eye on our Calendar Page for more information.

Senior members enjoyed a balloon ride over Custer State Park this summer.

                                                                      Stockade Lake as viewed from above.

The fall colors of the Mickleson Trail.

Volunteerism

Our Center cannot survive without the dedicated volunteers who keep it operating whether by making cards for the gift shop, staffing the gift shop or working at the fund-raising events. We always welcome more help. If you want to quickly become involved and integrated into the Custer community join the Senior Center and volunteer - you will not regret it.

The Custer Senior Center received the Community Service Award for 2006 from the Custer Chamber of Commerce. This award is a tribute to the work our volunteers do for and in the Custer community. We host the senior MEALS Program at our facility, provide space for the Food Pantry, host Coats-for-Kids, Santa and Mrs. Claus, health clinics, cracker-barrels and a variety of informative programs geared to both educate and entertain our members and the community at large.