WESTFIELD – The month of August opens at the Westfield Memorial Library, with travel and Tai Chi. The library is located at 550 East Broad Street.
On Tuesday, August 12 from 7 to 8 p.m., professional traveler Chris McCormack returns to the library to lead the audience on a captivating journey through the vivid tapestry of our planet in ‘Exploring Our Colorful World’, an immersive program that celebrates the diversity, flavor, and wonder of global cultures.
Mr. McCormack will transport audiences across continents, weaving together the threads of food, geography, people, and urban vibrance to paint a panoramic portrait of our shared human experience.
With 10+ years of travel experience and 25+ different countries. Chris McCormack was born to inspire, guide and encourage anyone who needs a little push at ‘getting out there.’ He is a photographer, professional traveler, and humanitarian. He encourages individuals to travel by sharing real world experiences through photographs, presentations, and immersion tours.
On Thursday, August 14 from 7 to 8 p.m.,theFundamentalsofTaiChitaught by Gang Huang continues and will meet every other Thursday through October 23. Each class must be registered for individually, and each builds upon skills learned in the previous session. Upcoming dates are August 28, September 11 and 25, and October 9 and 23.
Tai Chi, an ancient practice that originated in China, is proven to boost both mental and physical health. It’s also proven to promote balance and prevent falls; relieve depression, Parkinson’s disease, dementia; and reverse disease progression in osteoarthritis. It also helps with insomnia, hypertension, and fibromyalgia. Tai Chi is often referred to as “Meditation in Motion.” In each session Dr. Huang leads the class in Tai Chi fundamentals such as joint health, standingmeditation,weightshiftingand balance, and Tai Chi walking.
He is one of the formal disciples of Master Yang Jun, who is the direct descendent (sixth-generation) ofYang Cheng Fu and of Yang Lu Chan, the creator of Yang Style Tai Chi. Huang is an authorized instructor of Yang Family Tai ChiAssociation and is currently teaching Tai Chi classes in Bridgewater.
ASK (Aging Services Kiosk) will be at the library on Thursday, August 14 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Hosted by the Union County Division ofAging and Disability Resource Connection, this a drop-in event in The Gallery area of the first floor. No registration or appointments are required.
TheASK specialist will answer questions about services for seniors or their caregivers. Including pharmaceutical assistance, Home Energy Assistance/ USF, cooling assistance, home care, home delivered or congregate meals, Medicaid eligibility, Social Security, caregiver relief programs, transportation and other topics.
On Saturday, August 16 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., MLK Westfield and the Westfield Memorial Library will hold DreamMakers, a multigenerational handcrafting group that will continue to meet on alternate Saturday afternoons. Part of the MLK (Re Imagining Westfield initiative, DreamMakers provides a place for experienced and inexperienced knitters, crocheters, quilters, cross-stitchers, etc., to come together and work on their handcraft and to help others who are interested in learning. Everyone and all types of handcraft are welcome.
Registration is requested for the travel, Tai Chi, and DreamMakers programs. Visit the library’s website at wmlnj.org and click on the events calendar.
Visit the library’s website at https:// wmlnj.org/ to register for these programs, to sign up for a library card, or to learn more about the library’s resources. Library hours are Monday to Thursday 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; and Sunday 1 to 5 p.m.
