Upcoming February 2026 Happenings at The Center!
February may be the shortest month of the year, but those 28 days are packed at The Brainerd Center!
Is 2026 going to be the year you try new things and meet new people? The Center offers its members 50+ activities and reasons to connect every week. Even if you are an introvert, stop by to shoot a game of pool, rent some snowshoes, or listen to live music on Thursdays. Our full calendar of monthly events and classes can be found HERE.
Bingo!
We kick off the month with one of our Big Bingo Events! Tailgate Bingo is on February 1 and includes a Meat raffle and a light lunch. Cost is $10 per card for 16 games.
On February 9, members and non-members alike are invited to enjoy an evening that includes a fine-dining style meal, a non-alcoholic Happy Hour, and a show from our Platinum Players. Cost is $15 per person. Happy Hour starts at 4:30 pm, the show begins at 5:00, and the meal will be served at 5:30. Stop by to purchase your ticket and reserve your spot before 2/6/26.
Multigenerational Crafts!
Crafting is not only a great way to pass the time, but also beneficial to our mental health as well! Join us on February 13th at 1:00 pm in our Great Room for a papercraft/origami class with member, Mary Hesse. The chance of a few origami frog races is pretty high as well! This class is free for members and non-members. sign-up is located at our front desk.
Lunch and Learn!
Our monthly Lunch & Learns are a great way to meet new people and discover new recreations, organizations, local businesses, and new things to try. Ben Winchester is our February 27th Lunch & Learn presenter, and he will be talking about Senior Housing and Aging in Place.
Title: Moving In, Moving Out, and Moving Over: The Future of the Rural Housing Supply
There’s a wave of change coming to rural America – people are moving in, moving out, and moving over resulting in major demographic shifts that will forever change the face of rural communities and have far-reaching consequences. Since the 1970s there’s been a regular march of new residents populating our rural communities resulting in a housing shortage the past 15 years. During these next 20 years we are poised to welcome in a whole new generation of residents as nearly three-quarters of our owner-occupied housing will turn over as seniors and baby boomers move out. A broad examination of the trends related to these moves – such as workforce housing, a tight labor market, and changing residential preferences – will be discussed.
About Benjamin Winchester
Ben Winchester
Rural Sociologist, University of Minnesota Extension, Department of Community Development, Ben has been working both in and for small towns across the Midwest for around 30 years. He lives in St. Cloud, Minnesota with his wife and two children. Ben is trained as a Rural Sociologist and works in the Extension Department of Community Development at the University of Minnesota. He conducts applied research on economic, social, and demographic topics surrounding a theme of “rewriting the rural narrative” and received the Rural Renewal Research Prize in 2021 for this work.
The cost of this Lunch and Learn is $5.00 per person and that includes a light lunch. Tickets and sign-up are available at our front desk.
Interested in becoming a member? A membership to The Brainerd Center is only $25 for the year and includes dozens of things to do and learn that facilitate Active Aging. Go here to become a Center member or stop by our front desk for more information. Come and join the fun!
