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Putnam Valley Senior Center Holding Open House Extravaganza on November 7
by Edward Paul Greiff
William Huestis, Director of Putnam County's Office of the Aging and his staff can't seem to do enough to help the senior citizens of Putnam Valley. There is only one problem; they wish more seniors took advantage of the many programs being offered at the Senior Center.
The Putnam Valley Business Association has appointed Maureen McLaughlin their senior citizen advisor and she is taking a proactive approach towards getting more seniors involved. According to the PVBA there are over one thousand seniors living in Putnam Valley but only thirty-five are card-carrying members of the Putnam Valley Senior Center Club. The PVBA would like to change that ratio because too many seniors are losing out on the Senior Center's wonderful programs: free trips, great lunches, and soon to be added by the PVBA, merchandise discounts.
For starters PVBA members Maureen McLaughlin and Marie Zarcone came up with the idea of having an "Open House Party." The Office of the Aging and the Putnam Valley Senior Center agreed and together with the PVBA sent out 3,600 RSVP invitations to seniors inviting them to an Open House Party to be held on Wednesday, November 7th between 1 and 4 pm. This is after the lunch meal served at 12:00 noon. When responding to the invitation you will be asked if you are a senior (60 years and older); preference will be given to seniors. If you are planning to partake of the noon meal you must call the day before and let them know you will be attending for lunch so a place can be set for you at the table and a meal prepared for you.
The purpose of the Open House is to encourage more of the seniors to become a member of the Senior Club and to participate in the activities that are offered at the Senior Center and the Nutrition Center. PVBA has built into the Open House party some incentives for seniors to attend. There will be door prizes, games, live music, a sing-along and other activities to make it a fun afternoon. Sam Oliverio is donating cookies and apple cider, platters of fruit will be served, and a new senior benefits package will be introduced by the PVBA.
McLaughlin has been going around to the local merchants and asking them to participate in a senior discount card program. If you are at least 60 years old and a resident of Putnam Valley you can become a card- carrying member of the Senior Center Club for just $10 a year. The Putnam Valley Business Association will donate the discount card as one of the fringe benefits to owning such a card. With this card a senior can go into a participating merchant's store, show them the card and receive an immediate discount on their purchase. When you are a member for two years you get to go on a free trip.
"We went around and got many discounts from stores that seniors would normally frequent such as King Buffet, a cleaners, a liquor store, and so on," says PVBA representative Marie Zarcone.
The senior center is a great asset for Putnam Valley. They have so many good programs they give Yoga , Tai Chi and computer lessons, they have group discussions, play Bingo, play cards, line dancing, ball- room dancing . . . A lot of the people who participate in these programs are not card-carrying members of the Senior Center. "The Center gets many people from Mahopac and other surrounding communities because the food at Putnam Valley is so good," says Stanley a Putnam Valley resident.
The daily lunch program is a federally funded program to make sure seniors have at least one daily nutritious meal. It costs the government $22 per person to provide that meal and the Senior Center only asks for a $2.50 contribution if you can afford it, otherwise the meal is free. All they ask is that you call the day before and let them know you are coming so they can have a meal ready for you. Call 845 528-2662, ask for Kathleen. Lunch is served Monday through Friday at 12 noon.
"When I was in California," says Stanley, "in these small towns the Fire Department would serve meals to the seniors. You should see the meals they put out, you can't believe it. All you have to do is let them know the day before so they can prepare food for you. The procedure is the same throughout the country. When you get there you sign in. If you have $2.50 to put into the kitty you throw $2.50 in the can. If not it's free and lunch is served every day except Saturday and Sunday."
Even with all these incentives there is still a perception that needs to be corrected. "I have one friend who is an 89-year old woman," says Marie Zarcone, "and she said she doesn't want to go to the Senior Center because those people are too old."
"The Putnam Valley Senior Center has a wonderful staff," says Marie Zarcone, "there's Lorraine who takes care of the nutrition program, Karen who is from the Office of the Aging, Lisa who takes care of home visits and then there is the Day Care program for those seniors who have special needs they have their own special room."
In December the Putnam Valley Business Association is planning an after lunch party to get in the holiday mood. "We will do something for them that would be nice," says Marie Zarcone.
Thanks to Maureen, and Marie and the rest of the PVBA volunteers the seniors should have a memorable day on November 7, one that hopefully will result in more card-carrying members of the Senior Center. "If their plan is successful the seniors will have a way of stretching their fixed incomes and the local businesses participating will have found a way to increase their customer base without spending a lot of money. It seems the PVBA has come up with a win-win situation," says a local businessman who is also a member of the PVBA.
The PVBA meets on the 4th Tuesday of each month. On December 11 they are having their Christmas meeting at "Pizza Roma" (Formerly Pasta Plus) in Cortlandt Town Center.
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