Schoolhouse Center celebrates holidays
Schoolhouse Center seniors and guests celebrate holidays at Springhaven party
NETHER PROVIDENCE » The Springhaven Club was rocking with Christmas spirit recently when 160 Schoolhouse Center members and their guests socialized, ate, danced and visited with Santa at the center’s 40th annual holiday celebration.
“Schoolhouse is a special place. We’re a special family,” remarked Schoolhouse Executive Director Kim McDaniel as she fondly watched a roomful of seniors, decked out in festive red and green holiday wear, cutting the rug on the dance floor, laughing, talking and sharing in the fun afternoon.
Phil Atwood of Holmes, a longtime member of the center’s Advisory Council, was the chairman of the four-hour-long holiday banquet. Atwood joined Schoolhouse Center in 1987. He retired from a career with AT&T in 1985, and then drove a Community Transit van.
“When I would pick up or drop off residents at Schoolhouse Center in Folsom, I would think it looked like a fun place,” Atwood remembered. “So I joined.”
Atwood didn’t just join, he got involved. In addition to being a vibrant member of the center’s Advisory Council, he has chaired the party for several decades. The annual holiday celebration was initially held in-house at Schoolhouse, and then at the Knights of Columbus Peace Council in Crum Lynne in earlier years. From there, the party moved to Springfield Country Club and then, about 15 years ago, the celebration transitioned to the Springhaven Club in Wallingford.
Atwood said the members look forward to the event all year, as a time to get together and celebrate the holidays with friends.
“I couldn’t have put such a nice event together without the help of many people,” Atwood stated as he gestured to Bob Healey of Darby Township, president of the Center’s Advisory Council, and his wife Lorraine.
Members of the Advisory Council who helped to orchestrate the event, in addition to Healey and Atwood, include Judi Haines, Ed Guzik, Shirley Carroll, Tom McElvey, Jeannie Meserole, Larry Campbell, JoAnna Campbell, Carole Fisher and John Girolami.
“A lot of time was spent by the entire council,” Healey said. “They worked on menus, purchased gifts to hand out as door prizes and favors, and added all the special touches that make this event so special. Everyone on the council had a little part in making our
Christmas party happen.”
DJ John Scibello has been providing the music for the Schoolhouse party, which is now a treasured tradition, for well over a decade. As the seniors dined on filet mignon and sole filets, with background holiday music playing, Santa Claus, AKA Larry Campbell of Ridley Township, made his rounds through the room, handing out candy canes and posing for photos.
“I like the people at Schoolhouse Center,” smiled Maureen Paravecchia of Ridley Park, donning glittery candy canes on her head and Christmas lights around her neck. She has been a member of Schoolhouse for three years and this is the second Christmas party that she attended. “I like how everyone just relaxes and has a good time here.”
Schoolhouse Center is a part of Senior Community Services, which is drawing its year-long 40th anniversary celebration to a close this month. Senior Community Services (www.scsdelco.org) is a nonprofit organization founded by SCS Executive Director Arthur Weisfeld in 1977 through the joint efforts of Delaware County Office of Services for the Aging (COSA) and concerned citizens. SCS has grown into a strong community organization, encompassing four multipurpose senior centers in Ridley Township, Chester, Darby Township and Darby, as well as a broad array of services for homebound older persons throughout Delaware County. Nearly 7,000 individuals made 83,743 visits to SCS Centers in Delaware County last year.
SCS celebrated its 40th year with a progressive dinner to all four of its centers in September, a gala at Paxon Hollow Golf Club in October and other special events throughout the past year. Every member will get a complimentary 2018 SCS wall calendar. The fun will continue on Dec. 14, when Schoolhouse Center hosts a “Center Appreciation Day,” with a special dance presentation, Crazy Rhythm and Fancy Feet, at 12:30, sponsored by Kevin Lyons.
In its final event of 2017, Schoolhouse Center will hold a New Year’s Eve bash on the afternoon of Friday, Dec. 29. The event will simulate New Year’s Eve, only the 12 midnight countdown will be a 12 noon countdown. The event will feature noisemakers, Mummers music, a toast to the new year, and music by Joe Staffieri for dancing and entertainment pleasure.
For more information on Schoolhouse Center and other SCS senior centers, and to find out all of the activities, trips, classes and events planned for 2018, visit www.scsdelco.org.