Schroon's Senior Citizen's Club turns 50

SCHROON | Gather the balloons, grab some champagne, and get on your dancing shoes. There's a big celebration in town right around the corner, and everyone is invited. This Fall, the Schroon Lake Senior Citizens' Club is reaching its milestone 50 year anniversary, and though you technically need to be 55 to gain exclusive club entry, the town's seniors warmly encourage everyone to join them in raising a glass. "This anniversary displays the importance of the club to the community," noted member Peter Johnson. "And it demonstrates that the seniors in this town are active as all get out." Located at 1108 Main St., the Senior Center is club headquarters, but for many, it is also a second home. It is a place to escape loneliness and cultivate friendships, it is a place to come for stimulating conversations (perhaps some great debates), for entertainment and mental enrichment, and for exercise (chair yoga or bowling, anyone?), allowing seniors to stay physically active. It is a refuge for those who have entered a different phase of life that can sometimes feel smaller. However, club members will be the first to tell you that being in the club has lit a fire under them, and their whole worlds have seemingly opened back up. And for those who enjoyed active lifestyles and being a good steward in their community, the center helps maintain that passion. "I joined the club because I wanted to keep busy- I didn't know what to do with myself after I retired," admitted member Linda Milsom. "I am busier now than ever." The Schroon Lake Senior Citizens Club was formed on October 20, 1975. Two years later In February of 1977, the club moved into the present location. Work began on a new addition in April 1979, made possible through grants, donations and a lot of hard work, sweat equity on behalf of the volunteers. On September 19, 1979, the Club passed inspection as a nutrition site and the first meals were served in October, and is a practice that carries on into present-day. "We are the center for the Essex County Meals on Wheels Program," explained member Jeri Heinzelman, a cause very near and dear to heart. The ACAP Senior Nutrition Program offers lunch to the seniors Monday through Friday at 11 a.m. Seniors are able to enjoy well-balanced, healthy, and tasty cuisine, particularly crucial because many of the members are living on fixed incomes. Grocery bills are scary for most everyone right now, but especially seniors. The center is particularly important in the wintertime because it serves people that don't get out and run the risk of becoming shut-ins, and in the summertime, when the relentless sun heats up the Adirondacks, the center also serves as a cooling center. But there are costs, of course, to keeping the center up and running, and the volunteers must fundraise year-round to ensure that the oasis remains available. Residents can count on seeing members of the club at most community and town events, like their Garage Sale in the Park coming up Aug. 30. There's also the annual Halloween Party they host for local young students, a favorite amongst members. And just like kids, seniors like to party too. The seniors will be kicking off their anniversary period by stepping out this Sept. 5 to a night of dinner and dancing aboard one of the Lake George Steamboat Company's vessels. A night to be remembered, for sure, but the club is regularly in the habit of taking its members on all sorts of out-of-town adventures. Boarding the Senior Bus (owned by the club and handicap accessible), they head anywhere from SPAC in Saratoga Springs to North Creek, Westport, Lake Placid, Glens Falls, and to the symphony at Tannery Pond. Those trips are also something most of the members admittedly wouldn't take if they didn't belong to the club. "My kids say I am never home," laughed member Barbara Sullivan. "It's good variety, and the majority of trips we go on are very affordable." Right now, due to the condition of the aging bus, field trips are limited to a 50-mile radius. However, those days of restricted entertainment experiences are limited. Next year, the club will be purchasing a brand new bus, an expenditure that the 501(c)(3) has been saving its pennies for for the past 10 to 15 years. With many seniors relying on the bus as their primary, if not only, means of transportation, it is crucial that the club always has a reliable and safe set of wheels for the lifeline. The new bus will be 80 percent funded by New York State's 5310 Senior Mobility Program, with the club picking up the remaining 20%, a total of about $30,000. "We had one lady that passed away that was very big in the club, and she gave us a sizable six-figure sum," Johnson shared. "We were able to put that away and help towards the purchase of the new bus. She relied on that bus and was appreciative of it." Senior club members will also be offering town residents the opportunity to witness them in another element, which many thought they may never enjoy again- the spotlight. On Sunday, Oct. 12, the S.O.S. Show (Seniors on Stage) will take the stage of the Schroon Lake High School Auditorium and bring their performance talents out of retirement. Free and open to the public, the show will feature acts of all kinds from the seniors. Doors open at 12:30 for a 1 p.m. showtime. "We have done successful S.O.S. performances before," said Heinzelman. "Seniors will do everything from perform skits from television shows to music." Following the S.O.S. spectacle, the senior center will host an open house from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., with refreshments, raffle baskets, and 50th anniversary merchandise. "And there will be plenty of reminiscing," Heinzelman promised. Finally, the celebration will culminate on Sunday, Oct. 26 with a very special highlight the seniors are proud to bring to town. Their signature anniversary event, "Making Memories," will be held at The Lodge at Schroon Lake in the High Peaks Room. Beginning at 4 p.m., the event will feature a dinner buffet, a cash wine and beer bar, and raffle baskets. Tickets are $50 each, and reservations are required. To ensure you have a seat at the table, please drop in to the Senior Center any morning between 9 a.m. and noon. Reservations must be made by Oct.3. If unable to drop in, checks may be mailed to the center with names and number of people attending. "This is the first time we have ever done a big public celebration," noted Johnson. "We are really hoping the community will join us." For more information on the Schroon Lake Senior Citizens Club or to find out how to make a donation, please call the center at 518-532-7755. For membership applications, please visit the center Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon. Membership is $25 a year.

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Schroon's Senior Citizen's Club turns 50

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