Thanks to the generous donations of Pictona members and friends, the FHCP / Pictona Blood Drive with One Blood was a great success! In a time of low blood donation reserves in Florida and across the nation, we had hoped for 10 donors over the five hours the Big Red Bus was here ... instead, we had 17 donors! Each donation can save up to three lives, so that's as many as 51 lives saved. 

Way to go, Pictona!

As part of the ongoing FHCP Wellness Workshop series on Tuesdays at 11 am in the FHCP SAC, Master Gardener Russ Royce gave an insightful presentation on gardening in Florida and what it takes to start a community garden. After answering specific questions from participants during the Q&A session, Russ led the group on a tour of the Humana Community Gardens at Pictona, showcasing the Children's Garden, the Hydroponic Garden and the individual rental plots. It was an awesome and very educational morning - thank you, Russ!

Join us on Monday, May 10th at 12:30 pm out at the S.R. Perrott Pavilion for a FREE exercise workshop with AdventHealth's Wellness Center Manager, Shelli Reinhardt. Titled Strength and Cardio Fitness, this active one-hour class combines resistance training, functional exercises and light cardiovascular training with post-workout athletic stretching. Come to the Pavilion at 12:30 after a few games of Pickleball to top off your morning workout while learning exercises you can do on your own to achieve your best physical performance. If there is rain, we'll move this workshop to the SAC.

Registration is not required. Contact Rynn (386-238-9276; rynng@pictona.org) if you have any questions. We hope to see you there! 

Pictona, in partnership with Florida Health Care Plans and One Blood, will host a Blood Drive at Pictona on Saturday, May 8 from 9 am - 2 pm. The "Big Red Bus" will be parked right out front of Pictona beside the Chamber building on Ridgewood. Appointments are available now, and walk-ins are also welcome. All donors will receive a OneBlood T-shirt, a $10 eGift card, and a wellness checkup including: Covid-19 antibody test, blood pressure, temperature, iron count, pulse and cholesterol screening!

Appointments are encouraged (but not required). You can reserve an appointment time here.

Contact Rynn if you have any questions (rynng@pictona.org). Donate blood at Pictona to help save lives in our community!

In addition to preparing seeds and planting crops and monitoring growth, our gardeners go the extra mile for Pictona. When the towers need to be cleaned ... Pictona Garden Club to the rescue! These members generously volunteer their time to keep our towers clean and the greens healthy, allowing The Kitchen to continue to serve the freshest salads in town. Thank you, gardeners, for investing your time and energy in the success of the Humana Community Gardens and making our Hydroponic Garden a source of pride at Pictona and in Holly Hill!

Do you work during the day and crave a fitness class you can take on your way home from work? Do you prefer evening workouts as opposed to mornings? Would you like to pair a night of pickleball with an enriching fitness class for a full body, well-rounded workout?

Well, we've got you covered! Kundalini Yoga, with certified instructor, Bob Van Twyver, is now on the SAC schedule and will take place on Wednesdays at 6 pm. Click on the link above to learn more about Bob, find out all relevant details, and register for this exciting new fitness class at Pictona!

Registration is encouraged to secure your spot in the class. Contact Rynn at rynng@pictona.org or 386-238-9276 if you have any questions.

Join us on Monday, April 19th at 12 pm out at the S.R. Perrott Pavilion for a FREE exercise workshop with AdventHealth's Wellness Center Manager, Shelli Reinhardt. Titled Strength and Cardio Fitness, this active one-hour class combines resistance training, functional exercises and light cardiovascular training with post-workout athletic stretching. Come to the Pavilion at noon after a few games of Pickleball to top off your morning workout while learning exercises you can do on your own to achieve your best physical performance.

Registration is not required. Contact Rynn (386-238-9276; rynng@pictona.org) if you have any questions. We hope to see you there! 

Join senior fitness specialist, Artie G., for FHCP Pilates at Pictona every Friday at 11 am in the SAC. Focusing on abs, glutes, arms and legs, you will increase core strength, flexibility and mobility - all attributes that contribute to both pickleball success and general physical wellness. Sessions will take place primarily on the floor (BYOM - Bring Your Own Mat) and will last approximately forty-five minutes.

FHCP health insurance and Pictona membership are not required to participate in this class, which is open to the public. Find more information and register here!

According to the nation's largest hunger-relief organization, Feeding America, most food banks in our country are now serving over 55% more people than when the pandemic began. This creates a tremendous need for donations to help alleviate food insecurity driven by the Covid-19 crisis.

Pictona is, at its heart, a community center. As a community partner, we are vested in the success of our friends and neighbors. Pictona members really stepped up these last two weeks to fight hunger here in Volusia County.  Organized by the Pictona Garden Club's Social Committee and led by Committee Chair, Ricki Stofsky, Pictona members donated over 200 food items to two outstanding food pantries: Community United Methodist Church and the Jewish Federation's Jerry Doliner Food Bank. These two organizations work tirelessly to provide food to our neighbors in need, and Pictona was proud to assist in these efforts with our Spring Food Drive.

Thank you, Pictona, for embracing the spirit of giving and for making a real difference in our community. Great job!     

For the next two weeks (March 16 - 30), the Pictona Garden Club, on behalf of Pictona, will sponsor a Spring Food Drive to assist local families in need. Pictona members and visitors are invited to donate dry and canned foods (basically, any food that is "shelf-stable" or nonperishable; also, please check expiration dates). Items like peanut butter, canned soup, canned fruit, canned vegetables, canned fish, canned stew, canned beans, pasta, rice, etc. will be much appreciated and most helpful in combatting food insecurity in our area.

We are partnering with two local organizations: the Jerry Doliner Food Bank and Community United Methodist Church. These two organizations are committed to fighting hunger in Volusia County, and we are excited to aid in their efforts. Please help us by placing food donations in the boxes at the Welcome Desk entrance. We will deliver our donations after the Spring Food Drive ends on March 30.

The generous donations of Pictona members and visitors alike will truly help our friends and neighbors navigate through these challenging economic and social times. Thank you for your consideration and generosity, Pictona!