Group promotes active seniors with local events
Published in the August 31 – September 13, 2016 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Heather Perlitch
Heather Perlitch
“I’m old!” I used to think this was a disparaging and demeaning label. But now? Absolutely not! I’ve discovered that being a senior citizen is the prime of my life.
In April, I eagerly entered my 60th year on the planet. Transforming cultural views on what it means to be a “senior citizen” has become my passion.
It started when I turned 50. I went to the local senior center to get my senior discount card, walked in and smiled nicely at the receptionist. They took my picture, I soon received my card and I promptly walked out, never to return again. I was facing a huge transition and I felt alone. I didn’t see anyone my own age and the programs were not a match for me.
Because of this, I had to have a heart-to-heart talk with myself and ask some tough questions.
To my surprise, the past 10 years have proven to be a maturing into a depth of being and community connection I didn’t realize was available.
Oddly enough, this all came about by building positive community connections. Several years ago, my husband and I started inviting friends and family to enjoy musical concerts in our home. During the years we saw how these concerts filled a basic human need for social connection.
My husband and I recently moved to Morgan Hill, and we have been looking forward to making new friends. He grew up here and is having a wonderful time reconnecting with people. In addition, we were lucky enough to be able to bring our business into town. As part of my hunting around for resources to offer our older employees, I called the city of Morgan Hill. They sent out the director for the Centennial Senior Center, Debbie Vasquez.
We told her about our concerts and how they fostered community connections. She got it. It’s been a dream of hers to add new creative programming for those older than 50 as well. So the three of us collaborated to start up a social club for all ages of seniors, including people in their 50s. The reception and participation has been amazing. It’s called the El Toro Social Club. Check us out at www.eltorosc.com and learn more.
After a few weeks working on the club, Vasquez asked me to be on the Morgan Hill Senior Advisory Committee. You can imagine my delight when I heard that Morgan Hill Senior Advisory Committee’s main goal is to create an age-friendly community here. I readily accepted the opportunity.
The committee targets eight “domains” to create our age-friendly community. One of the most far-reaching and essential domains is social participation. Studies point to how crucial having interaction with other people is to maintaining seniors’ health and our longevity. And it’s just plain fun. Our El Toro Social Club has become a perfect venue for supporting the social participation domain.
We have added more events and classes as well. Since working on the committee, I’m grateful to be old. Senior citizens, prime lifers or whatever you call us, you can catch us being active, friendly, compassionate, wise beyond belief and full of life.
Even when we are set in our ways, we can change with a simple person-to-person connection: walking together, biking, sharing a meal, singing a song or inviting a smile
Come participate… even if you are young.
Heather Perlitch is a member of the Morgan Hill Senior Advisory Committee. She wrote this for Morgan Hill Life.
