Senior center party a decade in the making
Lolita Harper
COSTA MESA -- Since when is a 10-year-old classified as a senior?
Since this month, when the Costa Mesa Senior Center is celebrating its
10th anniversary.
Although the center is only a fraction of the age of its members, its
existence has improved the lives of seniors dramatically, supporters
said.
Mayor Linda Dixon, one of the center’s loudest champions, said the
center provides a place for seniors to congregate, interact with each
other and take part in exercise and educational courses.
Dixon welcomes members of the community -- young and old -- to come
out to the anniversary celebration and see what it has to offer.
“Come see what it is all about,” Dixon said. “Get familiar with the
programs and ways to volunteer.”
The celebration, slated for June 18, is an open house and includes
refreshments, dessert, informational displays and tours of the facility.
Former Mayor Mary Hornbuckle and Dixon will also deliver keynote speeches
before the entertainment portion of the afternoon, which will showcase
the High Tones and a professional disc jockey.
“It is a fun, festive celebration to highlight the center’s impact on
the community,” Executive Director Aviva Goelman said.
Goelman hopes some of the older members will join the festivities and
bring in pieces of memorabilia from the center’s inception to shed some
light on the early years.
Before the Costa Mesa Senior Center opened in 1992, the activities it
provides could be found at three separate locations: the Neighborhood
Community Center, the Golden Timers Senior Center and the Rea Community
Center. Each place was hampered by space restrictions and unable to
expand.
Finally, the need for a central senior center was answered.
The Costa Mesa Senior Center is the largest in Orange County and the
only senior center that is not city run, Goelman said. In addition to
social and recreational activities, the center offers housing and
employment services, counseling, tax and legal advise.
It has become a home away from home for many senior residents, Goelman
said.
FYI
What: Costa Mesa Senior Centers’ 10th anniversary Where: 695 W. 19th St.
When: 1:30 to 6:30 p.m., June 18
Cost: Free but donations will be accepted
Information: (949)645-2356* Lolita Harper covers Costa Mesa. She may
be reached at (949) 574-4275 or by e-mail at o7
lolita.harper@latimes.comf7 .
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