Bemidji Senior Center to host members-only watercolor bookmark class, Lions Club screenings

The Bemidji Senior Center will offer a watercolor bookmark art class at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 13, at the center, 216 Third St. NW." Local artists Kelli Lien and Lily Hadrava will instruct the class, which is open only to current Bemidji Senior Center members and limited to 10 participants.

The class joins a morning of activity at the center when "the senior center will also host the Lion's Club's free hearing screenings at 9:30 a.m. on Friday. Screenings are open to the whole community." The Lion’s Club screenings are explicitly free, making basic hearing checks available to residents regardless of senior center membership, while the watercolor workshop remains a members-only opportunity.

Specific enrollment details for the watercolor class beyond the membership requirement and the 10-person cap were not published. No fee, materials cost, or registration contact information was provided in the announcement; residents who want to participate should contact the Bemidji Senior Center at 216 Third St. NW to confirm how to join, whether materials are supplied, and whether membership can be completed in time to enroll.

The coincidence of an arts workshop and free hearing screenings highlights a blend of social, creative, and preventive health services under one roof. Access to low- or no-cost hearing screenings can reduce barriers to care for older adults, supporting communication, social connection, and safety in the community. Arts programs at the center can likewise help reduce social isolation; the center’s volunteer biographies underline that tradition. As the site notes, "She has taught several art and craft classes" about volunteer Barb Bjerke, and volunteers like Mikey Lucia and Nadine Mandt are described as welcoming presences whose "energy, warmth, and kindness make [them] a special Volunteer" and whose work helps members feel at home.

The event also raises questions about equity and access. Limiting the watercolor workshop to current members and to 10 seats concentrates a desirable activity among a small group, potentially excluding older adults who lack resources or information to become members quickly. Conversely, the Lion’s Club’s free screenings remove a financial hurdle for hearing assessment, a small but meaningful public health intervention in a county where transportation, income, and service navigation can shape who receives preventive care.

For residents planning to attend, confirm event details, membership requirements, and registration deadlines with the Bemidji Senior Center well before Feb. 13. The combination of arts programming and free screenings offers both creative engagement and a practical health service; ensuring clear sign-up procedures and outreach will help the center make those benefits available equitably across Beltrami County.