Warrenbrook Senior Center to Hold Jazz Presentation, Medicines Collection

Somerset County's Warrenbrook Senior Center, located on the golf course at 500 Warrenville Road in Warren Township will kick off the new year with two special January programs open to all Somerset County seniors, including a jazz history presentation and a collection of unused and unwanted medications.

Get Rid of Unused Medications

A Somerset County Sheriff’s Officer will be stationed at Warrenbrook between 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 15, to collect unwanted and potentially dangerous medications. 

The only time medicines can be dropped off at the center is when a Sheriff’s Officer is present, according to information from Somerset County.

Residents are encouraged to drop off any unused, unwanted or expired medications in re-closable plastic zipper-type bags. Pills can be emptied into the bags and the containers discarded.

Needles and syringes cannot be accepted. The program is free and anonymous.

Sleeping pills, anti-depressants, pain killers, and even over–the-counter cough and cold medicines all have the potential for abuse, authorities say.

A 2011 survey conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found that over 70% of people who abuse prescription pain relievers got the medicine through friends or relatives; a statistic that includes raiding the family medicine cabinet.

History of Jazz Through Song

Starting at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 27, participants can swing through the history of jazz, including Ragtime, the Blues, Dixieland Jazz and the Big Band Era, with a presentation by recording artist Gordon James. 

Famed artists to be discussed and performed during the program include Scott Joplin, W.C. Handy, Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis and Dave Brubeck.

Smoothjazz.com has referred to Gordon James as one of the “smooth Jazz elites on trumpet and flugelhorn.”  He has been categorized with other Jazz heavyweights, including Chris Botti, Rick Braun and Greg Adams.  

Stylistically, James has been compared to Chet Baker, Miles Davis and Chuck Mangione, according to information from Somerset County.

Contact the senior center by 10 a.m. at least one business day in advance, to make a lunch reservation. A suggested lunch donation of $2 is recommended for individuals age 60 and above. The cost of lunch for those under age 60 is $6.75.

One of seven centers operated by the Somerset County Office on Aging and Disability Services, Warrenbrook is a multipurpose facility that offers a variety of educational, recreational and entertaining activities for active older adults, including wellness programs and health screenings. The center is accessible to individuals with disabilities. 

Somerset County senior centers offer a wide range of experiences designed for lifelong enrichment in a social and uplifting atmosphere, intended to positively impact overall health. Many of these programs are funded, in part, through the Older Americans Act.

For more information or to register, contact Manager Gwen Chalker, Warrenbrook Senior Center, at (908) 753-9440.