01/08/2026
WELL! WE HAVE HAD SOME BIG CHANGES AT THE PAWNEE SENIOR CENTER!!! THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT😏 VICKI CROMWELL HAS BEEN SELECTED TO BE OUR NEW MANAGER UPON PASSING THE APPLICATION PROCESS NEEDED FOR NORFOLK. WE ALSO WANT TO SAY A BIG THANK YOU TO LEROY THIEM, AS HE HAS AGREED TO BE THE CATERER FOR ALL OF OUR MEALS. JANUARY WILL BE A LITTLE CRAZY AS HIS CALENDAR HAD SOME FAMILY THINGS PLANNED SO THE 3RD WEEK WILL NOT HAVE ANY MEALS PROVIDED DUE TO NO LERO!
With these decisions made, we are a little late getting the January Newsletter out and the January Menu, but it is available at the Center and posted on Facebook.
Here's to a prosperous new year for the Pawnee Senior Center!!
PAWNEE SENIOR CENTER
JANUARY 2026 PEBBLES
Email Address
[email protected]
Facebook: Pawnee Senior Center
Physical Address:
115 North Oak St, Genoa
Phone number: 402-993-6002
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 189, Genoa, NE
Editor: Cathy Hill-Klein
The Pawnee Senior Center provides services without regard to race, color, religion, or national origin and complies with all federal and state laws relating to civil rights. The Center is partially funded through the Northeast Nebraska Area Agency on Aging, personal donations, and fundraising projects.
Board Members
Cal Becker - President
- Vice President - Secretary
Cathy Hill-Klein - Treasurer
Janet Zelazny Leroy Thiem Mary Lou Rupp Kenny Strain
Vicki Cromwell - Manager
Leroy Thiem - Caterer
Happy, Happy Birthday to our Seniors!
JANUARY BIRTHDAYS
Birthstone - Garnet Flower - Carnation
Carol Po***ck Jan 3 Ed Pearson Jan 6
Joe Swantek Jan 13 Gary Behrens Jan 15
Michelle Reis Jan 15 Fred Fricke. Jan 18
Grace Fricke Jan 19 Janet Zelazny Jan 19
Mark Andreasen Jan 21 Paul Kozak Jan 24 Richard Green Jan 25 Richard Rohde Jan 25 Sandy Koutnik Jan 29. Tony Stec Jan 29 Norman Frerichs Jan 31
HAPPENINGS IN JANUARY
Genoa Food Pantry- Monday
January 5th & 19th & 9 - 11 AM
Coffee @ PSC 9 AM every Monday!
Activity Meeting @ PSC TBA
PSC Board Mtg January 12, 2026 @ 9:30
Dine-in Meal January-CANCELLED
F.R.O.G.S - Mon & Thurs @10:00 AM Foot Clinic -Jan 14th - 8:00-9:00 AM
Chili Soup & Cinnamon Rolls - Jan 18
Cheesy Ham & Potato Soup or
Beef Noodle Soup w/ Pie - Feb 15
ATTENTION All Residents
Participating in Meals
The suggested price for those aged 60 and over will now be $9.00, and for those under 60, the suggested price will be $10.00.
Meal Schedule!
Meals are served in to-go containers on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 5:00 PM. Check the Pebbles Newsletter, Genoa Leader Times, and Facebook for menus.
Remember, meals can be delivered through our Meals-on-Wheels program if the senior qualifies, or can be picked up at Great Plains Cafe on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, except on the third Tuesday, which is the dine-in meal at the Center. The phone number to request a meal is 402-993-6002 by 11:00 A.M. the day of the meal. If no one answers, please leave a message with your name and the meal or meals you are ordering. MOW can now be ordered to cover weekend meals. Contact the office for details.
Coffee on Mondays in Genoa!
Join us on Mondays at the Pawnee Senior Center at 9:00 AM for coffee, a sweet treat, and possibly a card game or put in a puzzle piece or two. We will meet for coffee on January 5th, 12th, 19th & 26th.
DINE-IN MEAL
Sorry to inconvenience our seniors, but no meals will be served on January 20, 22, or 23. Our new caterer had previously planned to be out of town that week before agreeing to be our caterer for all of the meals. Be ready to join us the week of January 27th for a senior meal!
Needs for January
Coffee Paper Towels Kleenex Tall Kitchen Garbage Bags
Supplies for the Chili Soup & Cinnamon Roll Fundraiser
12 lbs hamburger Chili Beans
Red Beans 2 onions
Tomatoes Tomato Sauce
2 doz Sticky rolls
2 doz frosted rolls
Remember to pre-order your cinnamon rolls before January 18th!
Financial Report
@ December 8, 2025 MEETING November 2025
Receipts: $2,605.18 Disbursements: $3,487.87 NET LOSS -$ 882.69
A detailed report is posted at the senior center.
Durable Medical Equipment
The Pawnee Senior Center has medical equipment for loan to seniors and all community members. Check with us if you need equipment to help you through your day. Call - 402-993-6002
IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS
Pawnee Senior Center: 402-993-6002
Northeast NE Area Agency on Aging: 800-672-8368
Social Security Administration: 800-772-1213
NE SHIP: Norfolk Office:
402-370-3279 or 800-672-8368
Legal Aid of NE-Elder Access Line: 800-527-7249
FOR RENT
The Pawnee Senior Center is available to host community or family events. Residents are always welcome to call and reserve the Pawnee Senior Center for family reunions, birthday parties, bridal or baby showers, Holiday parties, and coffee groups to enjoy robust conversations or visit and socialize in friendly fellowship. Rental cost is now $100, and a $100 deposit is required.
Please keep your Best Choice Labels coming in! We are still counting them!
F.R.O.G.S. (FROGS: Fitness Reaching Older Gen’s”)
Cindy Korgie has volunteered to revitalize the F.R.O.G.S. (FROGS: Fitness Reaching Older Gen’s”), which is a program for interested seniors.
Classes are being held every Monday and Thursday from 10:00 to 10:30 AM. Men and Women are welcome to attend. No charge to join, and everyone is welcome!
Please welcome Vicki Cromwell as our new manager, pending the completion of all the paperwork required to secure the job!!!!
Jokes About Winter
What bites but doesn’t have teeth? Frost.
What happens when you catch a cold? You get cabin fever.
What's the difference between ice and icicle? Ice has noel.
What kind of fish do penguins catch at night? Starfish.
Who is Frosty's favorite aunt? Aunt .
What do you call a snapshot from the North Pole? A polaroid.
What is the Mexican dish that snowmen like? Burrr-ito.
What do the elves eat for lunch in the North Pole? Cold cuts and chilly.
Where does a snowman get the weather report? The winternet.
Why did the husband pour warm water on his computer? He had asked his wife what to do if the windows froze.
Why did the bear keep getting fired? He always disappeared in the winter.
What did the tree say after a long, cold winter? What a re-leaf!
What do you call a ghost in the winter? Casp-brrr.
What did the icy road say to the car? Wanna go for a spin?
Gratitudes to Mary McQuinn
The community of Genoa and our own Pawnee Senior Center has lost an outstanding pillar of our community as Mary McQuinn passed away on December 24, 2025. Many organizations in Genoa were privileged to have Mary serving on their committees promoting goals to area citizens. She dedicated her life to serving people of all ages and to organizations that provided substance to everyone in the community. She will be greatly missed by seniors, adults, and youth.
Be on the Alert!
Scams Against Seniors
Bogus FREE Gifts & Prizes
If it sounds too good to be true, then it usually is. Be Wary of free gifts, prizes, and reward texts from unknown senders. These texts often come from individuals impersonating your phone company or well-known retailers. They would ask you to click on a link to claim your reward, and sometimes, they might even ask you to pay a small fee for the shipping of the prize.
Phony Bank Fraud Warnings
Remember! If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!!!
FOOD INSECURITIES
(Notice from Connie Kramer)
The Twin River Parish, in partnership with the Columbus United Way and Catholic Charities, provides food boxes for Senior Citizens who may need a little help. Boxes are distributed to senior citizens in the home (60+ years). A form is submitted with name, county, gender, race, and ethnicity. These boxes have included such things as peanut butter pancake mix, tuna, canned chicken, boxed pudding, etc.
Food boxes are also distributed as a different program to families that fall below the income guidelines plus the family must have children in the household age 18 and below. Families must sign a form. These boxes have included bread, pasta, canned chicken, tuna, grapes, oranges, apples, blueberries, lettuce, cereal, ect.
Another program they have is a distribution of eggs, cheese, and hamburger to families, seniors, or individuals who need some help with supplementing their food budget. No forms required.
I am more than happy to pick up and distribute the food offered through these programs. So please, if you would like to be a recipient, just let me know. Let’s face it, prices for everything are high right now, so please reach out if you or someone you know is interested in these programs. Call or text 402-495-3700, and this is completely confidential.
Healthy Heart, Mind, & Soul
Scientists Reveal the Hobbies that Improve
Older Adults’ Health
This study investigated the association between art and mental health among 2,843 adults born between 1946 and 1964. The Data showed that the adults who had performed any recreational art activities during the year-long study saw significantly better mental health and physical health afterward than those who didn’t do any art.
After adjustment for 12 demographic and lifestyle factors, it was found that older adults who engaged in any recreational arts in the last 12 months had significantly better mental well-being and physical health than those who did not engage in the arts at all.
The type of art experienced by the participants varied from creating art to watching or experiencing the art of others. Study participants took part in the arts in a variety of ways. This includes attending art events (e.g., concerts, theatre, movies, art exhibitions), participating/making art (e.g., workshops, courses). Some study participants also volunteered or were a member of an arts organization.
The type of art that each person finds most beneficial to their health will vary between individuals. “We know from literature that individual differences are important. This means that people should take part in the art form that makes them feel good. For one person, this may be listening to music: for another person, it could be singing or dancing or painting or photography,” she said.
The study found that the participants didn’t necessarily have to be good at the art and experienced better mental well-being regardless of skill level. You don’t have to be good at art for the arts to be good for you. It’s about having a go and taking part in the arts activities and events that make you feel good. According to the literature, arts engagement outcomes include happiness, joy, enjoyment, relaxation, connection to others, and the creation of good memories.
This study suggests that activities, events, and programs that encourage engagement in recreational arts may be a useful approach for healthy aging of older adults living in the community and in aged care.
