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!

AdventHealth, sponsor of Pictona’s covered courts, will offer wellness classes once a month at Pictona, beginning in March. These informative workshops will specifically address the needs of pickleball players and senior athletes. The first workshop is scheduled for March 8^th at 12 pm in the Senior Activity Center. Grab a bite to eat in The Kitchen, and then join Shelli Reinhardt, AdventHealth Daytona Beach Wellness Center Manager, as she shares how to achieve your most optimal quality of life through cardio and strength building activities. Shelli will also discuss the latest technology and services available at the Wellness Center, as well as the new safety procedures in place so you can feel confident. Feel healthy. Feel whole - body, mind and spirit.

Contact Rynn in the Senior Activity Center (rynng@pictona.org ; 386-238-9276) for more information.

In the fall of 2020, Pictona invited Holly Hill School to participate in a Children's Garden, a specially designated area of the Humana Community Gardens at Pictona dedicated to offering students opportunities to learn about gardening, healthy living, and environmental sustainability and stewardship. Teachers planted initial crops in the fall and have been cultivating the garden over the last few months as they established their curriculum, invited teacher assistants, and recruited student participants.

Earlier this month, students had their very first opportunity to take an educational field trip to Pictona. Led by outstanding Holly Hill School teachers, Patricia Galbreath and Hallie Dunning, eighteen elementary students rotated through several stations of hands-on instruction. Ms. Galbreath and Ms. Dunning incorporated lessons in the disciplines of science, math, and even art! Several parents accompanied their kids and toured the facility, and for many students and parents, it was their first time visiting Pictona. 

Rynn Goldstein, Director of the Senior Activity Center, said, "This is exactly what we envisioned for the Children's Garden. Students were actively engaged and having so much fun that they didn't even realize they were learning. I applaud Ms. Galbreath and Ms. Dunning for the valuable educational experience they are providing for their students. Pictona is, at its core, a community center. We're proud to be here in Holly Hill, and we hope our Children's Garden will contribute to the success of Holly Hill's next generation."

More field trips are planned for this semester, bringing students from multiple grade levels to take part in such lessons as "STEM in the Garden," "Celebrating Our Earth," "Art in the Garden," and "Garden Math Games," among others. The Children's Garden, sponsored by Humana, is a partnership between Pictona and Holly Hill School.

            

       

And, just like that, The Kitchen House Salad has become the Pictona Salad, fulfilling the vision of a farm to table experience here at Pictona. Led by Master Gardener, Russ Royce, Pictona Garden Club Hydroponic Committee Co-Chairs Corrie Wise and Trish Kabus, and The Kitchen Manager, Josh Ricasolo, Pictona's hydroponic initiative is now under way!

Set in the midst of the Humana Community Gardens at Pictona, the hydroponic garden is a source of fresh vegetables and herbs that are grown by members of the Pictona Garden Club for use in Pictona's own restaurant, The Kitchen. The Pictona Salad features fresh greens from our towers, along with other scintillating ingredients. These delicious greens are harvested multiple times each week, prepared by Kitchen staff and served fresh on your plate for lunch and dinner. 

Stop by the towers in the Humana Community Gardens at Pictona anytime Pictona is open to check on the progress of our Buttercrunch Lettuce, Cilantro, Parsley, Romaine Lettuce, Microgreens and more, and come visit The Kitchen for the freshest salad around!

        

        

   

We have a brand new lineup of FHCP Wellness Workshops for February! Register and join us for FREE on Tuesdays at 1 pm in the SAC.

Humana Community Gardens at Pictona in the Hometown News! 

 

 

On Tuesday evening, January 12th, the Pictona Garden Club received an outstanding demonstration on the inner workings of the tower gardens from Master Gardener (and Pictona member!), Russ Royce. Our journey begins, as the Garden Club launches this very special and enriching initiative in the Humana Community Gardens at Pictona - to produce a healthy and supplemental food source for Pictona's onsite restaurant, The Kitchen. In approximately one month, these towers will begin yielding fresh vegetables and herbs that will go directly to The Kitchen and then to your plate - a true farm-to-table experience here at Pictona!

Let the growing begin!

This January, DANCING comes to Pictona! The FHCP SAC features three new classes, including Ballroom Dancing, Beginner Line Dancing and Intermediate Line Dancing. Move to the beat with our awesome instructors as you learn solid fundamentals in an enjoyable atmosphere while participating in meaningful exercise.

Join Marta Pascale on Saturdays from 4 - 5 pm for Ballroom Dancing. January's classes will feature the Waltz, the mother of all ballroom dances. 

Join Joe Parilla for Beginner Line Dancing on Mondays from 5 - 6 pm (Two left feet? No problem!). For those who have more dancing experience, Intermediate Line Dancing will allow you to enjoy dancing to the fullest!

Find more information and register for classes at the individual class links above. If you have questions, please email SAC Director, Rynn Goldstein, at rynng@pictona.org or call 386-238-9276.

 

Pictona is pleased to offer Wellness Workshops beginning in January 2021. These workshops are completely free to the public and focus on health, nutrition and general wellness. Topics for January include:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Workshops are sponsored by our valued partner, Florida Health Care Plans. FHCP health insurance and Pictona membership are not required to attend.

When: Every Tuesday, 1 pm – 2 pm, beginning January 5, 2021

Cost: Free and open to the public.

What to bring? Masks are required.

Maximum Class Size: 10 participants. Registration for each class is required.