"SENIOR TIMES" AUGUST 2026

 OUR THEME FOR AUGUST IS “DISNEY”

GOLDEN NUGGETS

Walter Elias Disney was an American animator, film producer, voice actor, and entrepreneur who co-founded the Walt Disney Company and became a pioneer of the animation industry. Creator of Mickey Mouse and innovator behind synchronized sound, Technicolor, and feature-length animation, he won 22 Oscars.  Walt was never satisfied sitting still.  He constantly was looking for new ways to entertain and bring happiness to others. Disney began to branch out to other venues.  His sights were set on television next.  He created the series about Davy Crockett and the title song, “The Ballard of Davy Crockett”, was sung everywhere and sold over a million copies. Walt believed that there should be a place where young and old could forget about the cares of this world and have fun together. Disneyland was launched in 1955 and Walt Disney World came into existence in 1971.  These two theme parks became known as “The Happiest Place On Earth”.  His legacy spans classic films, iconic theme parks, and a global entertainment kingdom. But he never lost sight of how he got to this state of success. Walt Disney, himself, often said,” I only hope that we don't lose sight of one thing - that it was all started by a mouse”.  Yes, very humble beginnings built this immense empire.  As fantastic as this is, someday Disney Corporation will vanish.  However, there is another empire that began from humble beginnings.  It started with a precious baby being born in a manager.  In the Bible it states, “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.  The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever, his kingdom will have no end.” (Luke 1:32 and 33).  This empire will never vanish.  A mouse began an earthly empire that will end. A baby began a heavenly empire that will last forever. Which kingdom is truly the “happiest place”?

 Brain Teaser

(answer at end of newsletter)

Best friends Ameila, Charlotte, Mia and Sophia are all dressed up as her favorite Disney princess.  Their favorite princesses are Elsa, Moana, Ariel and Belle. Using these clues can you determine which girl is dressed as which princess? Amelia’s name starts with the same letter as her princess’s name. Charlotte has blond hair just like her favorite princess. Mia’s brother is going as Maui to match her costume.

Humor Me

After decades of dating, those two oldies, Mickey and Minnie Mouse finally got engaged.  As they were strolling down the street excitedly planning their wedding they passed a drugstore. “Excuse me” Mickey said to the clerk, “Do you sell medicine for memory problems?” “Sure” replied the clerk “all kinds.” “How about for arthritis?” asked Minnie. “Yup” replied the clerk. Blushing she asked, “Wheelchairs, walkers, adult diapers?” “Yeah”, replied the clerk, “all kinds”. “OK excellent” said Mickey “because we are getting married next month, and we want to use you as our Bridal Registry!” 

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GRANDMA’S COOKING CORNER

Winnie The Pooh Honey Pots

Ingredients

– 2 cups all-purpose flour (sift first for extra fluffiness)

– 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (room temp)

– 1/3 cup honey (local wildflower honey is best)

– 1/4 cup granulated sugar

– 1 large egg, at room temperature

– 1 tsp vanilla extract (pure vanilla gives the best warmth)

– 1/2 tsp baking soda– 1/4 tsp salt

– Extra honey for drizzling (don’t be shy—this is the star!)

Instructions 

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt until fully combined.In a separate large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium speed to cream the softened butter and granulated sugar for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and uniform.Gradually add the honey while mixing on low speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula to incorporate everything.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until a soft dough forms—be careful not to overmix.Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll them into smooth balls between your palms.Place the dough balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.Use your thumb to gently press a deep well into the center of each ball, being careful not to press through the bottom.Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden but the centers are still soft.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and immediately reshape the wells with the back of a spoon if they’ve puffed up

during baking.Let the honey pots cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes be- fore transferring them to a wire rack.While still warm, drizzle each honey pot generously with extra honey, letting it pool in the centers.

Keep these cuties stored in an airtight container to maintain their tender texture. The honey seeps into the crumb, making each bite irresistibly moist with a buttery sweetness that’s pure comfort. Try serving them warm with a dollop of whipped cream for an extra indulgent twist.

Words Of Wisdom

“God wisely designed the human body so that we can neither pat our own backs nor kick ourselves too easily.”  Walt Disney

Who’d A Thunk

Walt Disney was not the first person who loved to make drawings come to life.  Animation is an artistic impulse that long predates movies. History’s first recorded animator is Pygmalion of Greek and Roman mythology, a sculptor who created a figure of a woman so perfect that he fell in love with her and begged Venus to bring her to life. Some of the same sense of magic, mystery, and transgression still adheres to contemporary film animation, which has made it a primary vehicle for exploring the overwhelming, often bewildering emotions of childhood—feelings once dealt with by folktales.  Walt had long thought of producing feature-length animated films in addition to the shorts. In 1934 he began work on a version of the classic fairy tale Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), a project that required great organization and coordination of studio talent and a task for which Disney possessed a unique capacity. While he actively engaged in all phases of creation in his films, he functioned chiefly as coordinator and final decision maker rather than as designer and artist. Snow White was widely acclaimed by critics and audiences as an amusing and sentimental romance. By animating substantially human figures in the characters of Snow White, the Prince, and the Wicked Queen and by forming caricatures of human figures in the seven dwarfs, Disney departed from the scope and techniques of the shorts and thus proved animation’s effectiveness as a vehicle for feature-length stories.

NonProfit of the Month

Disney Foundation actively supports various nonprofit organizations through financial contributions, partnerships, and community engagement, focusing on children's welfare, education, and environmental conservation. Some of these partnerships include:

1.    Make-A-Wish Foundation: Disney collaborates with Make-A-Wish to fulfill wishes for children with critical illnesses, providing magical experiences that bring joy and comfort 

2.    Toys for Tots: Since 1947, Disney has partnered with Toys for Tots to provide toys to children in need during the holiday season, helping to ensure that less fortunate kids receive gifts 

3.    First Book: Disney has donated millions of books to First Book, a nonprofit organization that aims to provide educational resources to children in low-income communities, promoting literacy and learning..

4.    Feeding America: Disney has worked with Feeding America to combat hunger by donating food and financial resources to food banks across the United States, helping to provide nutritious meals to families in need 

5.    Disney Conservation Fund: Established over 25 years ago, this fund supports wildlife conservation efforts and has directed more than $125 million to protect various species and their habitats 

Disney also encourages its employees to engage in community service through VoluntEARS program, where employees volunteer millions of hours to support various causes. The company also provides in-kind donations, such as food and merchandise, to local organizations and disaster relief efforts.

Military Salute

Walt Disney altered his age to join the Red Cross Ambulance Corps in World War II. He drove ambulances in France and sketched cartoons to lift soldiers’ spirits. Pluto enlisted as a Private in the 1943 animated short “Private Pluto” and as a Navy sailor in a 1942 comic. Disney produced more than 1200 custom military insignias and emblems without charge for different units featuring Mickey, Donald and Goofy.

Grandpa’s Sports Stories

Born in 1935 in Rocky Mountain, North Carolina, Boone received his B.S. in biology and physical education and his master’s degree in physical education, both from the University of North Carolina. Beginning in 1958, Boone coached football in Nottoway, Va., and moved in 1961 to become head football and basketball coach, biology and physical education teacher, and janitor at E.J. Hayes High School in Williamston, N.C. He led his teams to 13 state championships. In 1961, Boone returned to his home state of North Carolina to continue his coaching and teaching career. He accepted an assistant coach position at E.J. Hayes High School in Williamston, North Carolina. His football teams amassed a record of 99 wins and 8 losses in a nine-year period. The 1966 football team was recognized by Scholastic Coach's Magazine as "The Number One Football Team in America".  Herman Boone’s successful coaching techniques led the T.C. Williams High School football team – the Titans – to numerous victories, the most spectacular of which was the 1971 season when the team was 13 and 0, won the state championship and advanced to the national championship, making them the number two team in the nation. Boone built a cohesive and cooperative football team out of rival teams brought together by integration into a single senior high school. He also sought out and obtained full athletic scholarships for more than 50 African American athletes, none of whom had been provided opportunities for scholarships before his arrival. In 2000 Disney produced the film “Remember The Titians”, which was loosely based on Hermann Boone’s amazing accomplishments on and off the football gird.

REMEMBER WHEN

The concept for Disneyland began when Walt Disney was visiting Griffith Park in Los Angeles with his daughters Diane and Sharon. While watching them ride the merry-go-round, he came up with the idea of a place where adults and their children could go and have fun together, though this idea lay dormant for many years. Earliest documented draft of Disney's plans was sent as a memo to studio production designer Dick Kelsey on August 31, 1948, where it was referred to as a "Mickey Mouse Park", based on notes Disney made during his and Ward Kimball's trip to the Chicago Railroad Fair the same month, with a two-day stop in Henry Ford's Museum and Greenfield Village, a place with attractions like a Main Street and steamboat rides, which he had visited eight years earlier. Disneyland was dedicated at an "International Press Preview" event held on Sunday, July 17, 1955, which was open only to invited guests and the media. Although 28,000 people attended the event, only about half of those were invitees, the rest having purchased counterfeit tickets,^[27] or snuck into the park by climbing over the fence.^[28] The following day, it opened to the public, featuring twenty attractions. The Special Sunday events, including the dedication, were televised nationwide and anchored by three of Walt Disney's friends from Hollywood: Art Linkletter, Bob Cummings, and Ronald Reagan.

SENIOR OF THE MONTH

August 2026

Mickey Mouse

Still alive and well, Mickey Mouse made his debut in 1928 in “Steamboat Willie.” Created by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks, Mickey quickly became a beloved character, along with his girlfriend, Minnie Mouse; his dog, Pluto; and his best friends, Donald Duck and Goofy. Featured in films, books, and television shows, Mickey is recognized worldwide by people of all ages. He has appeared with almost every U.S. president from Franklin D. Roosevelt to Donald Trump. Although he is not exactly a fashion trendsetter, he is still best known for his red shorts, oversized shoes, and white gloves. And he has a star on the “Hollywood Walk of Fame”!

 Answer to Brain Teaser

Ameila is Ariel; Charlotte is Elsa; Mia is Moana and Sophia is Belle

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DATES TO SAVE

FREE EVENT

Saturday, August 15^th

^{2 pm - Ice Cream Social}

3 pm - “Bridging the Gap Variety Show”

St. James United Methodist Church

3808 St. James Church Road

Raleigh, NC.

FREE EVENT

Wednesday, August 19^th

^{10 am - 1 pm}

3rd Annual “Golden Age Expo”

Theme: DISNEY

Refreshments, Entertainment, Raffles, Vendors

Rolesville Baptist Church

Rolesville, NC

FREE EVENT

Friday, August 21st

11 am - 3 pm

"Senior Day at the Mall"

Theme: DISNEY

Entertainment, Vendors, Giveaways, Raffles

Triangler Town Center

Raleigh, NC

FUNDRAISER

Thursday, September 10^th

3rd Annual Charity Golf Tournament

Heritage Golf Course

Wake Forest, NC

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FUNDRAISER

(Spectators are FREE)

Saturday, December 5^th

^{11 am - 3 pm} 

“Candy Cane Stroll”

Triangle Town Center

Raleigh, NC.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

954-666-2040