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Boardman Park hosts Senior Fun Day
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Neighbors | Tim Cleveland.Scott Garlough (left) and Matt Varian of Western & Southern Life gave a presentation during the Senior Fun Day event about how seniors can maximize their Social Security benefits.
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Neighbors | Tim Cleveland.The seniors who attended the Senior Fun Day event at Boardman Park played bingo with many different prizes available to win.
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Neighbors | Tim Cleveland.Boardman Park recreation director Karen McCallum made announcements at the start of the Senior Fun Day event.
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Neighbors | Tim Cleveland.Approximately 50 senior men and women gathered at Boardman Park's Lariccia's Family Center for the Senior Fun Day event.
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Neighbors | Tim Cleveland.A group of seniors watched and listened intently during the presentation about Social Security benefits during the Senior Fun Day event.
By TIM CLEVELAND
Boardman Park hosted its Senior Fun Day event on Nov. 20 at the Lariccia Family Community Center, giving area seniors a chance to get out and enjoy fun activities.
The Senior Fun Days are done three times every month – the third Thursday, the fourth Thursday and the fourth Monday.
The event on the third Thursday is the oldest, having been started 11 years ago. The event on the fourth Monday is Community Living Senior Fun Day, which is dedicated to homes and groups bringing their clients out.
“The Senior Fun Days started with Senior independence,” Boardman Park recreation director Karen McCallum said. “They have nine satellites throughout Mahoning County of Senior Fun Days, so there’s one in Sebring, there’s one in Austintown. Boardman was in need of something for the seniors to do, so we became a satellite for Senior independence and their Senior Fun Days.
“The Boardman one has grown so tremendously that we are holding our own as a Senior Fun Day, having grown from one day to three days a month. We’re accommodating close to 200 seniors every month in doing these Senior Fun Days.”
Due to the high demand, seniors are limited to attending one of the three monthly events. The cost to attend is only $1.
Each Senior Fun Day is three hours long, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., during which the seniors do several different activities, such as exercise, a craft, blood pressure screenings and lunch. The final activity is bingo, where prizes are available to win.
“Bingo is more for fun,” McCallum said. “They win different kinds of prizes, anything from candy to air fresheners to purses. It just depends on what was donated for them to have as prizes.”
There is usually a guest speaker who gives a presentation on an issue seniors are interested in. The speakers on Nov. 20 were Scott Garlough and Matt Varian of Western & Southern Life, who talked about ways in which seniors can maximize their Social Security benefits.
McCallum said several different organizations sponsor the Senior Fun Days, including Boardman Park, Sunrise Assisted Living, Senior Independence, Shepherd of the Valley and the Blackburn Home. Beeghley Oaks provides the desserts at each of the events.
“It’s a wonderful day out for them, whether it’s snowing out or whether it’s sunny,” McCallum said.