Shepherd's Center of Columbia

Shepherd's Center of Columbia is a social services organization in Columbia, SC. It brings together adults age 50 and up for lifelong learning and community connection, meeting on Wednesdays with morning classes beginning at 9 AM, followed by a three-course hot lunch with dessert and a speaker or presentation. Classes cover topics such as history, religion, music, yoga, dance and gardening, and each nine-week session includes a range of courses, with a few new ones added each time. Sessions run three times a year in winter, spring and fall. The center also runs a Book Nook offering used books and CDs, accepts donations of books and CDs in good condition, and publishes a weekly newsletter, Shepherd's Staff, with class details and lunch menus. It holds a rating of 5.00 from 3 reviews.

The center is an affiliate of Aging Forward. Its lunch program is catered, and participants may reserve a meal or bring their own lunch, with iced tea and water provided. Speakers and entertainment have included a harmonica program, a talk by an American soldier who served in Vietnam, an annual update on the SC State Fair, a presentation on Medicare and health insurance, a session from the SC Department of Environmental Services on recycling, a German folk music group, an annual Halloween costume parade with cash prizes, a Congaree Riverkeeper update on local rivers, and a Veterans Day musical salute. Classes have included senior adult yoga designed for students who prefer not to lie on the floor, Zumba Gold, ukulele, a short-story discussion group, an open art studio for acrylic and watercolor painters, Tai Chi, and a nutrition class. The center follows Richland One school district weather closures.

It is located on Trenholm Road, about 0.2 miles from the road of the same name, half a mile from the Kilbourne Heights neighborhood, and roughly 0.7 miles from Dreher High School, North Beltline Boulevard, Millwood Avenue and Forest Drive.

The center is supported by congregations and organizations including Trenholm Road United Methodist Church, Shandon United Methodist Church, Eastminster Presbyterian Church, St. Joseph's Catholic Church Senior Life, the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Columbia, and The Church of the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church. Its rating reflects the positive response of the customers who have reviewed it.

Services:

• Community Engagement
• Educational Classes
• Lunch Programs
• Social Activities