Festive Holiday Party At Waterview For Senior Center Members

By Nancy K. Crevier

It was a festive day, despite the rain, as 171 members of the Newtown Senior Center gathered for the Annual Newtown Senior Center Christmas Party on Wednesday, December 13, from 11 am to 3 pm. After many years of ringing in the holidays at the Fireside Inn in Newtown, the sale and demolition of that facility this past year prompted a search for a new venue, resulting in carloads of seniors disembarking at the stylish Waterview banquet hall on Route 34 in Monroe.

With soothing dance music provided by The Country Gentlemen — Denny Cox, Larry Ace, and Greg Chasey — playing in the background, seniors settled around candlelit tables to visit and have a cup of cheer. A few dancers who could not resist the lilting melodies took to the polished dance floor, putting their turn at the buffet line on hold to spin beneath the crystal chandeliers.

Felice Lundy, a new member of the Senior Center who has recently moved to Newtown from Florida, was very impressed with the surroundings. “It’s a lovely place,” she said. “Everything is done so nicely.” Her tablemate, Heidi Roesch, agreed. “The food was very good and the service was good, too,” said Ms Roesch.

The meal that Ms Roesch referred to was the buffet luncheon of filet mignon, swordfish with buerre blanc sauce, chicken piccata, roast potatoes, penne ala vodka, and steamed vegetables. A fluted chocolate cup filled with raspberry mousse topped off the dining experience.

The remainder of the early afternoon was filled with more opportunities for well-wishing and visiting, and a chance to work off lunch calories on the dance floor. Many of the partygoers made a point of stopping by one table in particular to offer congratulations to Armando and Angelina DiCarlo, who were celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary that day.

Along with a new location, seniors noticed another change at the popular party this year. Rather than a long table heaped with handmade items to raffle off, a 50/50 type raffle with a cash prize was implemented. That change was met with mixed reactions from the seniors, some of whom missed the goods, others who felt that the cash raffle was better suited to the elegant site.

In the end, the 50/50 raffle winners Helen Szamantulla, who won $100, Shirley O’Neil, Kay Kzanda, and Rosemary Fiverstein, who each won $50 of the $500 collected, probably had no qualms with the new method of fundraising. The remaining $250 goes into the Commission on Aging Gift Fund to pay for future Senior Center functions.

“I think this has been very successful,” said Newtown Senior Center director Marilyn Place. “Everyone is having a good time.”