Senior Fun Day set for Salem residents

By ELISE McKEOWN SKOLNICK

news@vindy.com

SALEM

It’s time for the annual Senior Fun Day.

For the third consecutive year, senior citizens will be treated to food, games and giveaways.

The event will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Salem Memorial Building, 785 E. State St., and is open to anyone 55 and over, said Adam Cook, chairman of the Salem Senior Fun Day committee.

“It’s really a community event that gives back to senior citizens that paved the way for all of us younger ones,” Cook said. “It just really is fun. I really enjoy doing it.”

Area businesses provide activities or something for free. Offerings range from games where everyone wins a prize to free samples and chances to win gift cards and other prizes.

“Each year, it keeps getting bigger,” Cook said. “It’s just a day that you couldn’t do without the big hearts of the vendors.”

The first year of the event, 412 senior citizens took part. Last year, around 467 enjoyed food and fun.

This year, as seniors enter, they will be given a lei to wear. Food options are luau-themed and include ham and pineapple pizza and pineapple upside-down cupcakes.

And for the first time, a grand prize will be offered. One senior citizen will win an indoor/outdoor Martha Stewart patio set valued at more than $400.

Everything, including the food, raffles, entertainment and games, is free, Cook said.

The original idea came from a similar event in another state, Cook said. However, that event had a fee attached, and the Salem committee didn’t like that aspect.

“There’s a lot of fun stuff that goes on in Salem, but we just decided to form a committee and offer something fun for free,” Cook said. “We just wanted to make it totally stress-less and free for seniors.”