SPOTSWOOD – Offering field trips, parties and food equipment, the Friends of the Office on Aging is continuing to serve Spotswood Senior Center patrons after two decades.
The Friends of the Office on Aging is a group dedicated to supporting and enhancing facilities and activities available to seniors at the Spotswood Senior Center. The Friends strive to provide extra funds for innovative programs, materials and other needs, and the groups subsidizes trips and the annual Christmas party, according to information provided by the Office on Aging and the senior center.
Friends treasurer Addie Kett said the group, which was established 23 years ago, was created “to give [seniors] something to do and to keep us active and healthy. … If the center needs anything, we try to help by buying things, like a new coffee maker or a new refrigerator.”
Kett said she has been involved since 2005 and is a former president and vice president.
“The Friends have trips; they have a monthly trip to Atlantic City, plus they have other trips. This month, on July 24, we are going to Beach Haven to the Surflight Theatre to see a play called ‘The Wedding Singer’ and we will have a nice lunch out and see the play,” Kett said. “We have parties every three months. We have a birthday party at the center where we celebrate everybody’s birthday.”
The center provides other activities such as Bingo, Pokeno, canasta, Texas Hold ’em, art lessons, quilting classes, knitting/crochet classes, computer classes, yoga classes and exercise classes tailored to seniors, according to Kett.
Kett said every month the center also has speakers who discuss different health issues.
The Friends has nine members – President Linda Caruso, Vice President Marlene Silverstein, Secretary Mary Dabroski, Parliamentarian Barbara Krajceck, Crescent Park area representative Rose Lubrano, Clearwater Village area representative Kathleen Phelps, town area representative Charlie Silverstein, Woodmere area representative Debbie Dudash, and Kett,
Having been a resident since 2004, Kett said when she first moved to the borough she wanted a place to meet new people.
“I moved from Calfornia to [Spotswood] in 2004 and when I lived in Calfornia I heard about senior centers and all they did, but I couldn’t go because I was babysitting grandchildren,” Kett said. “When I moved here I was looking for a senior center-type place to join because I had a lot of time on my hands being retired. Once I found it I went wholeheartedly doing everything there.”
Kett said residents can show their support by visiting the senior center and attending events.
For more information, visit www.spotswoodboro.com/officeonagingpage32.html.
Contact Vashti Harris at vharris@newspapermediagroup.com.
