Yakima Valley Senior Centers

As in any community, senior centers throughout the Valley create the cornerstone of Yakima’s senior scene.  Aside from simply providing a place for older adults to engage with one another and with their communities, senior centers foster independence and provide resources and opportunities for life enrichment.  From hosting social events and activities such as dances and potlucks to providing meeting places to share special interests through participation in clubs and groups, local senior centers provide abundant opportunities for community connection. Local senior centers also offer tools for living, such as fitness classes designed specifically to meet the health needs of older adults, classes for computer and other life skills, art and craft classes, health workshops and screenings and other resources.

While most senior centers offer similar services, some are equipped to provide a broader range of activities and assistance. The Harman Center, Yakima’s newest addition to senior living, features amenities such as a lounge, classrooms, a computer room, a billiards room, a television room, library and a healthcare suite. In addition to the usual offerings, they offer extensive programming for Valley residents, including a wider range of art classes and a full calendar of club meetings, special activities and outings.

The Grandview Senior Center also offers a particularly well-rounded array of services and leisure activities, including a Senior Club, dances and potlucks. If you don’t find a senior center in your neighborhood, check out local civic and community centers for senior services.  For instance, the newly remodeled Selah Civic Center offers senior fitness classes, yoga and ballroom dancing and hosts the Senior Silver Set (509-697-8171), an opportunity for seniors to connect with others. You can also participate in water aerobics through Selah Parks and Recreation.

The Harman Center in Yakima — 509-575-6166

Grandview Senior Center — 509-882-9230

Union Gap Senior Center — 509-248-2668

Sunnyside Senior Center — 509-839-4220

Wapato Community Center 509-985-7500

Selah Parks and Recreation — 509-698-7300

Additional Resources

Looking beyond the wealth of services provided by Yakima’s senior centers, you can find a range of enrichment activities throughout the Valley. Make the most of Yakima’s climate and outdoor amenities, such as extensive trails for walking, bird watching and photography. Play a round at a local golf course or hit the river for an evening of fly fishing. Join one of Yakima’s many clubs, such as the Quilters Guild, Vintiques car clubs, bridge and dance clubs and prospecting, rockhounding and gardening clubs. Visit Allied Arts for additional art, craft and theater classes and check out the YWCA and the Yakima Athletic Club for more senior fitness classes.

Enrich life in the later years with programs that celebrate lifelong learning in many forms. Connect with others who share your interests by enrolling in continuing education and other college courses offered to Yakima’s 60+ population at greatly reduced rates or at no cost. Audit college courses at Central Washington University in Ellensburg (509-963-1111) or at the Deccio Higher Education Center in Yakima (574-6894). Through the Gold Card Program at Yakima Valley Community College, take classes for a minimal fee or participate in community service classes covering a wide range of topics (Grandview Campus, 882-7000 and Yakima Campus, 574-4600).

Yakima’s healthcare organizations also offer a wide range of resources for Yakima’s seniors. In addition to fitness and health education classes, the Third Age program offered by Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital provides a wealth of information through their Third Age Alive newsletter, discounts and special programs such as grown-up driver’s ed.

Yakima Regional Cardiac & Medical Center, along with other local healthcare providers, provides Valley residents with Innovaging, A Guide for Seniors. This comprehensive publication offers contact information for local services and resources. In it, find topics related to healthcare, finance, and living life fully in later years. Among other information, the publication provides listings for clubs and service providers.

By now, you’ve probably noticed we placed a YouTube video player on our homepage. We recently added a video clip featuring some of our new residents explaining what they like about the Yakima Valley. These scenes are blended with interviews with some our the region’s lifelong residents, underscoring the attractions, amenities and resources available in our community.

Our organization worked to produce this informative video to enhance the website’s utility for new or prospective residents. New Vision staff will also add shorter video clips featuring new residents over the next couple months all in the attempt to soften the landing for technical or professional employees joining our community.

We will also post the quality of life segment to our ycda.com website where it will replace an older lifestyle clip. Our new series complements topical video segments that tout the Valley’s assets (workforce, location, etc.) for expanding business. New Vision also has a series of video clips highlighting our region’s key industry sectors.

New Vision is pleased with all our video clips. They compliment the hard data and pictures on our websites and give our visitors another way to learn more about the Yakima Valley. Posting these videos to our websites is also a way to better position our websites for maximum visibility.

Naches Heights AVA

Yakima Valley vintners and wineries are celebrating another reason why the region is a premier location for growing wine grapes.  Recently the federal government approved the Naches Heights American Viticultural Area (AVA) north of Yakima and the fifth such designation within Yakima County.

Encompassing over 13,000 acres, the Naches Heights AVA features Pinot Gris and Syrah vineyards intermingled with apple and cherry orchards.  Located in the foothills of the Cascade Mountain Range the federal government sited several characteristics that make this growing area unique.  In addition to its higher elevation, ranging from 1,200 to 2,100 feet, the area sits upon a volcanic rock formation that is located northeast of Naches.  On its western edge is a 3,578 foot ridge which serves as protection from the Pacific winter storms and preserves its volcanic rich topsoil.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed the AVA’s soil is some of the oldest and most nutrient rich in the Yakima Valley.

According to David McFadden, president of the Yakima County Development Association, “The designation of the Naches Heights AVA is the fifth viticultural area in Yakima County out of 12 in Washington state.  This underscores the region’s reputation as a premier area for growing grapes and making wine.”

Community Service from Season to Season

Christmas Tree Chipping for Camp Prime Time

While the holiday season tends to raise awareness about community need, students in the Valley rise to the challenge year-round, lending their time and energy to assist organizations that offer support to members of our community.  While most Yakima Valley high schools mandate community service in the form of required volunteer hours, students frequently go above and beyond the minimum.  In fact, youth volunteers at Memorial Hospital provide almost 5,000 hours of service each year.

Rather than mandating service hours, some local schools take a different approach, incorporating community service as an integral part of education.  For instance, at La Salle High School, the spirit of service is viewed as a natural extension of each student’s growth as opposed to a requirement.  “They’re service oriented by nature and see it as something that is normal and necessary rather than as something they have to do go get something,” says Kevin Jam, Director of Campus Ministry.

Other schools adopt in-class service projects throughout the year.  At Montessori of Yakima, Betsy Martin guides her students as they develop and complete their own projects, such as making scarves for the homeless.  Students at St. Joseph-Marquette are helping with the Red Cross Holiday Letters For Heroes project by making homemade Christmas cards that will be sent to men and women serving our country abroad.

Whether meeting service requirements or not, Yakima youth can find volunteer opportunities no matter the season, from aiding families in crisis, mentoring children with special healthcare needs and helping with blood drives, to helping those with disabilities and elders with fall or spring yard clean up.

Finding The Right Fit

Delivering Holiday Plants to Veterans

For those seeking the perfect volunteer opportunity, keep your availability and limitations in mind.  Most of Yakima’s nonprofit organizations depend on their volunteers to keep things running smoothly, so youth volunteers should take care to commit only to opportunities that fit their schedules, interests, and skill sets.  Some types of community service require more extensive time commitments or more hands-on participation than others.

Students with busy schedules may want to consider organizing one-day group service projects to make a big impact in less time.  Others may want to look for organizations that have a variety of needs and offer a little more flexibility.

For instance, the Yakima Valley Red Cross welcomes youth volunteers at all levels of participation.  “People might not realize that we’re 97% volunteer driven,” says Lisa Reinhart, executive director.  “We’re screaming for youth participation and they can help with just about everything from office work or responding to emergencies with the Disaster Action Team (DAT) or special projects such as the Holiday Letters for Heroes.”

Service in The Valley

For youth volunteer opportunities, consider helping these and other local organizations in need.

Yakima Valley Red Cross  Assist with office work, help with check-in or in the canteen during blood drives, respond to emergencies with teh Disaster Action Team, participate in a special project, or even coordinate your own project.  Contact Lisa Reinhart, 509.457.1690

Salvation Army  School groups can adopt families to meet their needs over the holiday season.  Click here to email their volunteer coordinator.

EPIC  Students 16 and older can assist with a number of projects, including painting murals or classrooms to adopting special projects.

Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital  Youth volunteers ages 14 and older commit to a minimum of six months or 100 hours to help as information desk assistants, office assistants, gift shop assistants, child care assistants, or with wheel chair round-up.  Those 16 and older can fill one of more than 50 positions as a hospital volunteer.  Students who meet requirements can apply to the YouthWorks Council to become an advocate and make a difference in the future of healthcare for Yakima youth.  Volunteers 13 and older can become Children’s Village One-to-One mentors, helping children with special healthcare needs participate in recreational activities they would not otherwise have access to.  Kids On The Block volunteers provide puppet presentations to educate kids about disabilities.

Volunteer Chore Services  Help with yard work, house painting, or other chores for Valley elders and those with disabilities.  Groups with an adult leader are preferred.

Yakima Valley Partners Habitat for Humanity  Volunteers 16 years and older can assist with specific home-building projects

Camp Prime Time  Families are welcome to help with work parties to help open camp in the spring.

Yakima Valley Libraries  Help with book sales, English and Spanish translation, and with special projects and activities.

Early Roza Canal

In the late 1890’s local entrepreneurs were privately funding irrigation districts throughout the Yakima Valley then in 1902 the United States Congress passed the Reclamation Act paving the way for federally funded dam and irrigation projects.  The formation of the Federal Bureau of Reclamation was crucial for regulating water rights and water storage efforts.  The Yakima Project of 1905 was one of the first and largest efforts by the Bureau.  The project encompassed the purchase of many of the existing canals and building water storage reservoirs at Keechulus, Kachess, and Lake Cle Elum which feed the Yakima River while building of the Tieton and Bumping Lake reservoirs feed the Yakima’s tributaries, the Naches and Tieton Rivers.  These rivers in turn supply the Yakima Valley’s nearly 2,100 miles of irrigation canals.  By the 1920’s Yakima Valley growers were producing over 40 million dollars annually in fruit and produce earning us the title of “The Fruitbowl of the Nation.”

Today's Canal System

Since then the Bureau of Reclamation has continued improving water storage and delivery efforts through building dams, maintaining reservoirs, and working with various irrigation districts.  The Roza and Sunnyside Valley Irrigation Districts are the largest and fourth largest, respectively, statewide.  These two districts together serve over 180,000 acres of farmland and deliver an average of over 450,000 acre feet of water to their users each season.   According to Ron Van Gundy, policy director for the Roza Irrigation District, “One only needs to be looking out over our land to see the importance of irrigation to our tree fruit, grape vineyard, and dairy industries.  These canals combined with our nutrient rich soils produce the highest quality apples in the world.”

Today Yakima County is the 12^th largest agricultural region in the nation producing over 39 commodities and the largest producer of apples, hops, and mint.  We are blessed to feed our families with farm fresh produce, dairy, and beef products grown right here by growers we know and support.

The small town of Sunnyside, WA started the Christmas tradition of lighted parades back in 1989 that celebrate the region’s deeply-rooted agricultural heritage.  Today the Sunnyside Lighted Farm Implement Parade is one of the ten best in the United States, according to the A&E channel which featured the event in a documentary.  Families from all over the Northwest come to see the beautiful sights of farm tractors, trailers, and other farm equipment all decked out in holiday lights galore.  The parade is scheduled for the first Saturday in December and is truly an experience that’s not easily forgotten.

Other popular lighted events include the Downtown Yakima Holiday Lighted Parade and Christmas Tree Lighting the first Sunday in December, the second Sunday brings Union Gap’s lighted parade, and the second Friday and Saturday evenings bring the Yakima Area Arboretum’s Holiday Luminary.  This event features over a mile of candlelit luminaries amidst a wintery landscape and a lighted 80 foot spruce tree.  Local companies provide snacks to enjoy and enough Starbucks and hot chocolate for all.  To learn more about these winter events, click here.

In addition to incorporating faith and worship into their students’ education, almost all our private schools have a reputation for delivering challenging challenging curricula in a more personal learning environment.  Parental involvement is typically required at private schools, both in the classroom and at school events.  The Yakima region’s private schools enjoy a reputation for cultivating student’s leadership skills and getting students involved in their communities.  Emphasis on community service usually increases at the high school level and is typically part of each school’s graduation requirements.

Private schools are deep-rooted in the Valley and are very proud of their heritage and accomplishments.  St. Joseph/Marquette Catholic School in Yakima was founded in 1875 before Yakima formed its own public school system.  Today the PreK-8 school boasts SMART Boards in every classroom thanks to fundraising efforts.  Sunnyside Christian School, the largest in the Lower Yakima Valley and serves K-12 students, was the first private school located there with its founding 70 years ago.  According to Del Dykstra, superintendent of the Sunnyside Christian School system, “The most rewarding aspect of working with our students is following their successes upon graduation and seeing their leadership skills put to good work in the community.”  Yakima’s newest private high school, LaSalle High School in Union Gap, has placed 100 percent of its graduates in college or technical school for the last four years.

For a comprehensive listing of all ESD105 serviced private schools, click here.

Nearly 30 years ago, a group of dedicated volunteers formed the Cowiche Canyon Conservatory (CCC) and the very next year railroad bridges and tracks were beginning to be removed.  Since then the conservatory has grown to preserve over 200 acres of open space which features several hundred species of trees, shrubs, wildflowers, and wildlife including a run of Coho salmon.  Folks can enjoy hiking the 14 trails and walk across the nine foot bridges where the railroad bridges once stood.  The conservatory is also used as an outdoor classroom for many local students on their field trips.

Provided by Mike Dawson

In 2005, with help from outside agencies, the CCC purchased the 1,800 acre Snow Mountain Ranch directly west of Cowiche Canyon.  With an elevation gain of over 1,000 feet scenic vistas of Mt. Adams, Mt. Rainier, and Mt. Hood in Oregon can be witnessed along with sweeping views of the entire Yakima Valley.  Whether visitors are on foot or horseback, they can view the snow-capped mountains year around or marvel at the blankets of colorful wildflowers typically beginning in April.  There’s even a short trail to The Tasting Room, a winery featuring fine Washington wines and a perfect venue for experiencing the breathtaking view.

The Cowiche Canyon Conservatory is continuing its effort of preserving historic trails by taking the lead in partnering with various groups in creating the William O. Douglas Trail.  When completed the 80-mile trail will extend from downtown Yakima to Mount Rainier and run along ancient trails where thousands of Native Americans crossed the Cascades into western Washington.  To learn more about the Cowiche Canyon Conservatory, click here.

Located on 17 acres, the museum boasts 29 buildings containing exhibits such as a replica of a local family’s century-old homestead, two working railroad box cars, a tack shop, early gas station, wood-smith shop, over 3,000 fully-restored hand tools, and early farm machinery and equipment.  Summertime visitors may also enjoy riding in a restored horse-drawn carriage.  Volunteers are on hand to demonstrate some of the antique machinery, including chain saws used by Boise Cascade Lumber Mill.

Many long-time Yakima Valley families have donated their time, their farming equipment, and their money ensuring future generations can learn the knowledge and skills it took to farm and raise a family in the pioneering days of our region.  To learn more about the museum, click here.

example of ornate sign

Recognizing the need to improve, update and unify directional signs to wineries in the lower Yakima Valley, the Yakima County Development Association (YCDA) has led a project with various partners to replace and update existing directional signs. The work group was started out of the realization that there were a significant number of tourism directional signs that were out of date or in need of repair.  According to YCDA President Dave McFadden, “The wine industry is incredibly important to our local economy and many of these businesses depend heavily on sales to tasting room visitors.   We recognized the need to invest in new signs that would help support this vital industry.”

The project to update the signs in Yakima County got a boost when Yakima County’s Supporting Investments in Economic Diversification (SIED) Board recommended modernizing and improving signs for wineries and visitor related businesses. The SIED Board set aside an initial $50,000 for this project and is looking at adding more funds to this initial allotment to cover remaining project expenses (estimated at $30,000) Directional and winery identifying signs from Gleed to Grandview will be erected this fall and winter.

Many of the signs will incorporate the Yakima Valley destination logo developed by the Yakima Valley Visitors and Convention Bureau.  Each winery will get new signs near their entrances to accent their location.  Ornate signs featuring pointer signs to proximate wineries will be located at key intersections throughout the region.

During the past year, meetings were held with wineries to seek input, signage suggestions and to identify key locations for the signs. “These new signs will greatly help visitors and residents find the wineries,” said John Cooper of the Yakima Valley Visitors and Convention Bureau. “Directional signs are crucial to the success of our wineries.” Project partners included YCDA, Yakima County, Yakima Valley Visitors and Convention Bureau with the feedback and support of the wineries in Yakima Valley. Here’s an article on the project in the October 16, 2011 Yakima Herald Republic.