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 .