Two rooms were packed for a celebration of 31 years of the Watertown Senior Center on June 20.
The birthday celebration was attended by about 100 people, said Lydia McCoy, Watertown’s Director of Senior Services. Attendees had the choice of two room.
“We have a quite room and we’re calling this room the fun room,” McCoy said. “We’ve got games and a DJ.”
Lunch was served in both rooms, and afterward people could make Independence Day cards with kits provided by Council on Aging member Arlene Smith.
“They can make it for themselves, or we have a little basket — they can leave it there and then I’m going to send them to the veterans at the hospital,” Smith said. “I do all kinds of crafts here. I usually do one a month.”
The birthday celebration has been held in prior years, but it was in another location.
“There was a dinner last year, but was at the Hibernians,” said attendee Monica Fairbairn.
Lenore Gibson said she was also interested in hearing about the new Gogo Grandparent program offered to seniors in Watertown.
McCoy said about 130 rides have been provided to seniors through the program, where seniors can make a phone call to arrange a ride with Uber or Lyft, and the cost is covered by the Department of Senior Services.
“It is for pretty much everything. We don’t want folks who need medical assistance to be using Uber or Lyft,” McCoy said. “If it’s a regular doctor’s appointment, that’s fine. But we do let folks know if you are having a medical procedure, call the Senior Center. We have bus drivers who can give them a ride. Our case manager can also give rides.”
Attendees of the Senior Center’s birthday could also enter a raffle, that was raising money to help cover the cost of the Senior Center bus trips.
“The fiends of the Senior Center are doing a nice raffle,” said Kathy Cunningham, the Watertown Food Pantry Coordinator, which is part of the Department of Senior Services. “We support all the trips, the bus trips. For the next six bus trips, whoever signs up will receive a $25 credit from the Friends, which is a lot, and which is nice.”
For more information about the Watertown Senior Center and the programs offered (including Gogo Grandparent and the bus trips) call 617-972-6490, email SeniorCenter@watertown-ma.gov, or go to https://www.watertown-ma.gov/284/Senior-Services