2 September 2023 The Charbonneau Villager

By ANNE SHEVLIN

“ Gee , what shall I do today in Charbonneau ?” Good question , one with a multitude of answers . Fellow Charbonneau Country Club board member Lindy Anderson is famous for coining the phrase , “ Charbonneau is like a cruise

SHEVLIN ship on land . You can do all you want , or do nothing , it ’ s all here for you .”

Whether you are a cruise ship aficionado or not , you get the idea . Choices of activities abound in our lovely community . To learn more , be sure to attend the annual Community Information Day on Wednesday , Sept . 6 from 5-7 p . m . in the Clubhouse . Newcomers are invited to attend a special session from 4:30-5 p . m . in the adjacent Pavilion . Many of the groups and clubs will be represented for you to sign up or learn more about . Even if you have lived here for many years , there is always something new to learn regarding what is happening in our community . Please plan to join us for a complementary beverage and a chance to win one of the many gift baskets donated by our vendors .

Before I list a few activities to keep you busy ( or quietly relaxed ) on this cruise ship , I want to be sure to mention the Charbonneau Arts Festival and the Pink Ball Golf Tournament , both coming up this month . The arts festival will both inspire and entertain you , while the Pink Ball Tournament will raise funds for cancer research .

Besides these two , here are just a few things you can do in Charbonneau : Want to sit quietly and contemplate life ? Find the bench on the Riverwalk along French Prairie with a view overlooking the Willamette , a little north of the entrance to the Edgewater HOA . Or take a walk over to Edith Green Park in the Country Club Estates neighborhood . The park is open for all Charbonneau residents and their guests to enjoy . Development plans are underway to

add activities to the park , but there will still be ample places to sit and read a book or visit with a neighbor . Bring a blanket and picnic lunch and enjoy the park .

If you played bridge many years ago but need a brush-up before getting back into the game , there are groups designed to help you do just that . Plus , there are a number of other contract and duplicate bridge groups that meet at various times and days of the week . There is a mah-jongg group , a poker group and I even heard tell of an evolving Canasta group . If you like ping-pong or billiards , we have regulation-size tables in the lounge in the Clubhouse . Get your grandchildren off their electronic devices and bring them over for a fun game of pool or ping-pong . In fact , grandpa can spring for a snack and soda from the Market Café next door in the Golf Pro Shop and bring it over for the kids to eat while they play !

Check out a book at our library , take a watercolor class , learn to knit , join in a French conversation group , take a mindfulness and meditation class or learn card-making . Join a Bible study group . There is even word of an emerging chess club . Do you have a background in medicine or healthcare ? Consider joining your community Emergency Preparedness group . Each homeowner ’ s association has an established group of members who are ready to act in an emergency .

Want to be more physically active ? Well , we have just the ticket : Golf for all abilities , ladies groups , men ’ s groups , couple ’ s groups . tennis , pickleball , boating at our marina and don ’ t forget to check out the well-appointed fitness room in the Activity Center . Learn to line dance . Join an aerobics , yoga , or karate class . Take a stretch or Essentrics class . Go for a swim in your neighborhood pool . You can even get in a good workout by walking around the beautiful streets in Charbonneau , and get to know your neighbors while you ’ re at it . We are a very friendly group .

So , you are on the HMS Charbonneau , permanently at dock here on the Willamette River . You can sit and enjoy the view , or jump in and take part in any number of activities that fit your fancy . It ’ s all here for your enjoyment , and it ’ s part of the lifestyle you signed up for when you came on board . Sit back , or hop in . Either way , live it up !

If you have an idea for a group or class and don ’ t see it here , or have any questions about these or other events , please be sure to contact the Charbonneau Activities Coordinatior at 503-694- 2300 or office @ charbonneaucountryclub . com

By LESLIE LEEPER

Last month we enjoyed the beautiful watercolors of our longtime resident Kathie Thompson . This month on display are pastels and an oil painting of Musa Wolcott ’ s . Please plan to stop by the Activity Center and enjoy her wonderful , colorful depictions of life around her , both near and far .

Musa Wolcott is displaying in August and part of September .

Kathie Thompson displayed her art in July .

COURTESY PHOTOS

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