Synthesis

Bay Ridge Center is a nonprofit, nonsectarian multiservice agency sponsored by Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Established by Darrell Helmers in 1976 as the Bay Ridge Nutrition and Home Care Program, Bay Ridge serves more than 6,000 senior citizens and over 3,000 individuals under the age of 60. The center is located in Brooklyn, N.Y., and also serves Dyker Heights, Fort Hamilton, Boro Park, Bensonhurst and Sunset Park, N.Y. It offers a wide variety of programs, including arts, crafts, dancing, aerobics, computer classes, foreign languages, trips, parties, transportation, shopping assistance, home repairs, telephone reassurance and social services. Bay Ridge s senior center is open Monday through Friday and offers free membership for adults up to 60 years. The senior center provides health screenings, a women s support group, men s club and a monthly restaurant dining club. Its other activities include ballroom dancing, line dancing, tai chi, self-defense, Yoga, needlecraft, quilting, painting, creative glass, movies, discussion groups and theater workshop.