By Stephen Smoot
Gray pillowy clouds seemed to hang just above the ridgetops. A cool breeze made the air feel more like early November than early September.
While not very late summerish, the cool air provided the perfect contrast for a hot rockin’ good time inside the main hall at Thorn Spring Park. One could hear the wayback machine sounds of the doo wop and early rock n’ roll era along with the delight from those there from a hundred yards’ distance.
Janice Lantz, director of Pendleton Senior and Family Services, along with her team organized the day. Attendees started to gather at 10 a.m. and would stay until midafternoon.
“It’s our first annual,” Lantz smiled and said. “Hopefully we’ll do it next year and then the next year.”
If the reaction from seniors and their family and friends was any indication, Lantz will have plenty ready to party come next September.
“We had planned for 150,” stated Lantz. Within an hour and a half of the doors opening, however, easily more than 100 had come. Awaiting the crowd at 12:30 p.m. was a huge buffet of food prepared and brought in, including a lot of desserts. “Almost everybody has brought something,” she said.
Lantz, staff, and volunteers worked until 9:30 the night before to get the main hall ready. The celebration also used the large shelter next door. Cornhole and ladder golf were set up for those who wanted to add a little friendly competition to their experience.
Her big goal lay in deepening the bonds between PSFS and others in the area. “We wanted to bring our seniors, the staff, and members of the community together to socialize for a day of fun,” Lantz commented.
“My staff,” she praised, “we couldn’t do it without the staff we have.”
The day kicked off with a remembrance of events from a quarter century ago that morning. Mary Wadsworth and Steve O’Toole led the ceremony as there was a raising of the colors, the Pledge of Allegiance recited, and the National Anthem played.
As Ryan Cain and the Ables wound up the crowd with “Earth Angel” and other hits from the ’50s and ’60s, people chatted, shared stories, caught up and reminisced of old times.
A few brave souls took to the floor in front of the band and danced as joy and music filled the room.
Lantz explained that she was thrilled with the turnout. She noted that she saw a lot of seniors who typically do not come out to the center in Franklin, but enjoyed the fellowship at the picnic.
A number of sponsors helped to support making the day a great one. These included Dean Brothers, Two Sailors Who Remembered, WVU Medicine/Grant Memorial, Pendleton Community Bank, Highlands Bank, Heritage Hearing, the Aumann family, Shop N Save Petersburg, and T&K Markets.
