Oldies but goodies keep the senior crowd rocking.
Guests of the Seniors 55+ Going Green Potluck Dinner had an early celebration in Lakeland on March 10 for St. Patrick’s Day and the coming of spring. Tables at the International Harvester Clubhouse were decorated with shamrock, coins, necklaces, and lapel pins detailed with popular Irish lingos for an Irish feel to the event.
The group feasted on a menu of chicken donated by Kroger, lasagna, and side dishes that included deviled eggs, corn casserole, baked beans, potatoes, pasta salads, and sauerkraut, traditionally servee as a St. Patty’s Day meal.
Student volunteers Miranda Swift, a senior, and Kate Swift, a sophomore, pampered the event’s guests. The sisters attend Bartlett High School and earned community service hours by keeping drink glasses filled and by helping with cleanup. Miranda also took on the responsibility of being the event photographer for those willing to play around with the selection of St. Patty’s Day props for the occasion.
It wasn’t long before some fancy footwork hit the dance floor as singer and keyboard player Charles Norman played irresistible tunes that kept things rocking throughout the evening. Guests did a whole lot of shaking and twisting to some ’50s and ’60s favorites.
Miranda said she had fun mingling with the crowd of mature adults. She even learned a few new steps when she joined a group of seniors out on the dance floor.
“I want to come back,” she said. “They are so sweet and so much fun.”
Prizes presented to the lucky ticket-drawing winners included a $40 nail salon gift card, a $25 restaurant gift card and a $25 Lakeland Cleaners gift certificate. Nobody went empty-handed, as all guests enjoyed a little luck of Irish, thanks to Sprouts for donating fresh ripe bananas for the occasion.
Robbie Spencer, director of the Lakeland Parks and Recreation Department, said, “Our goal is to engage senior participants in fun and exciting activities. The Going Green Potluck Dinner is one of four dinners hosted annually for our more mature adults. We have a calendar full of activities weekdays, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Our quarterly dinners provide an opportunity for an evening out filled with fun, laughter, and in tonight’s case lots of Irish fun.”
Written by Kim Odom, special to the Express. Odom is the Senior Center manager for Lakeland.
