COMMUNITY COMMENTARY:

What a tragedy Orange County encountered with these recent wildfires. My thoughts are with the fireman and victims at this difficult time. Hopefully, many will be able to return to their homes and daily lives soon.

If you haven’t heard already, the Costa Mesa Senior Center had a small electrical fire on Aug. 29. It started in the computer lab from a small oscillating fan.

The building was empty at the time, and nobody was injured. The center is an important part of many people’s lives, and the fire disrupted many senior’s daily activities. The staff at the center has done its best to continue classes at the Neighborhood Community Center or classes have been relocated to another area of the building.

After almost two months, most of the building was cleaned and is open and functioning with the exception of three classrooms upstairs that were badly damaged. We lost our computer room and its contents.

It will take until January to replace and start our regular classes. We also had to cancel our big fundraiser of the year, “Bayou Bash.”

The center changes the lives of its seniors from hopelessness and despair to happy, fulfilling days of newfound activities, new interests and new friends and sociability. This is why we are so anxious to bring back our center to where we were before the fire and maybe even better. Please help us by making your donation of any size from $1 or more so that the seniors who call the Costa Mesa Senior Center their home can return.

Despite setbacks, seniors are excited about having their center open for activities. To paraphrase the poet, “… neither flood, nor fire, nor frost, shall work to do [the center] ill.” We invite you to join us soon and participate in our activities.

The following are upcoming events:

 Nov. 16: The Costa Mesa Senior Center will be giving flu shots at our annual Health Fair. Shots will be given to seniors 50 and older. The flu shots won’t be given to children or pregnant women or to anyone who has had a serious allergic reaction to eggs, or a serious allergic reaction to a previous flu vaccine, or if you have a history of Guillain-Barre Syndrome. For more information, call (949) 645-2356.

 Nov. 21: Surat Singh from Angel’s Car Wash in Costa Mesa will again sponsor our Thanksgiving lunch, including all the traditional foods: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, yams, cranberry sauce and dessert.

Mr. Singh has been generously sponsoring this event at the center for the past six years. He is a strong believer in seniors and all that they have taught us and feels it is a time for him to give back to the community.

If you are interested in joining us for this great occasion, call (949) 645-2356, as reservations are a must. The cost is $3 (if there is a hardship please let us know — we will not turn anyone away).

AVIVA GOELMAN, executive director of the Costa Mesa Senior Center, writes occasional columns about the center, its members and senior issues.