Even at 92 years old, Eleanor Law likes to keep busy.

So when she suffered a fall a year and a half ago, and had to move from her home in Colorado to be closer to her daughter and son-in-law in Sun City West, she couldn’t wait to get back into action.

“I was incredibly busy in Colorado Springs before I fell,” she said. At the request of her doctor, she had gotten some new shoes to help with her balance, but one day while running errands, the new shoes tripped her up and she went down hard. She broke her leg, hip and shoulder.

“My daughter threw those shoes away! They cost a fortune, and she threw them away,” said Eleanor. “That’s when I decided I’m old and I have to do something about it.”

After moving to Sun City West, Eleanor spent a bit of time healing, but then, “My son-in-law said, ‘Let’s get you over to the library so you can see what they have,’” she recalled. “Well, my late husband worked for the airlines, so we moved around a lot, and I can say, the library in Sun City West is absolutely the best library I’ve been to in any of the places I’ve lived.”

Still attending physical therapy for her injuries, Eleanor isn’t able to keep up with her Colorado schedule – but she’s sure trying. The energetic and always happy volunteer assists with the craft classes at the R.H. Johnson Library, where she also participates in an aging discussion group and just recently joined one of the Banned Book Clubs.

“The (Navigating Aging Discussion Group) is about what you can do to occupy your time, and how your emotions are going to change,” she said. “It sort of takes a look at how to deal with getting older.”

Library Assistant Samantha Anderberg pointed Eleanor to the various activities that now fill her schedule.

“Samantha is the best person you’ll ever run into,” Eleanor raved. “She can sell you anything. She told me about the Banned Booked Club and I said I needed to think about it. When I came back to join she said, ‘Well you’re too late, the group is full.’ I was on the waitlist until a spot opened up but now I’m in that group, too.”

Eleanor assists twice a month with craft classes, and on one particular Wednesday was helping volunteer instructor Jane Eve show a group of residents how to make cupcake liner flowers. Eleanor had all of the supplies set up and ready for the participants when they arrived.

“She’s my right arm,” said Eve, who loves to come up with new craft ideas and share them with others. “My brain goes 24-7 and three hundred and sixty-NINE days a year! My brain just thinks of this stuff. I love to teach and share ideas with others, and I like to see the grins on their face as they leave.”

Jane will be back at the library in January and March with new crafts, and Eleanor will be by her side, helping participants navigate the instructions so they go home with a fun take-home craft.

“Go to the library. They have everything,” said Eleanor. “You have to look around. If you want to do something, you better just go find it because Sun City West has everything.”

Jane agreed. “Yeah, if you don’t have something to do, you’re the problem. It’s not because there isn’t enough to do here.”

Information about the Library’s classes, groups and lectures can be found at suncitywest.com/libraryprogramming.

If you do stop by, be sure to say hello to Eleanor – if you can catch up to her!