Photo Special to the Dispatch by MIKE JAQUAYS
Oneida-Sherrill Lions Club member Bob Visalli, right, helps Hazel Carpenter Home resident Elsie Brown put mustard on her hot dog at the Lions’ annual senior picnic at the Community Activity Center in Sherrill on Sunday, June 5, 2011
By MIKE JAQUAYS
Contributing Writer
Contributing Writer
www.twitter.com/mikejake1164
SHERRILL -- The annual senior citizen picnic hosted by the Oneida-Sherrill Lions Club is the chance for the Lions to give their elderly friends an afternoon to relax and enjoy a festive time together, said event organizer Bob Visalli.
“I like being able to cater to them all,” Visalli said. “They can come up and get their food themselves, or just sit back and we will bring everything to them. I like playing bingo with them, too.”
“We like to be able to provide the seniors in the Oneida and Sherrill communities the opportunity for some good fellowship, and hopefully some good food,” added chapter president Jerry Baker.
A longtime tradition going back some 30 years, the picnic was held at the Community Activity Center in Sherrill on Sunday, June 5, 2011 and brought out some 40 seniors mostly from Noyes Manor in Sherrill and the Towers apartments and Hazel Carpenter Home in Oneida.
The Lions themselves cooked up a picnic lunch of hot dogs, hamburgers and sausage, with sides of macaroni and potato salads, baked beans plus chips, soda and coffee and homemade cakes for dessert. When lunch was finished, the seniors thrilled to a spirited bingo game called by Visalli.
Volunteer bus driver Lloyd Mahl helped bring the out-of-town seniors to the CAC that morning, and it was Mahl who won the first bingo game that morning. Mahl and all bingo winners got their choice of a prize from a special treasure chest of goodies donated to the event by the Lions.
Visalli also gave special kudos to CAC manager Steve Long for saving the Lions a good half-hour worth of preparation by generously having the tables for the picnic in place in the gymnasium even before the Lions arrived.
Elsie Brown, formerly of Vernon and now living at the Hazel Carpenter Home, said she appreciated the Lions’ outreach to the seniors.
“I think it’s great that they’ve done this for us -- it’s just wonderful,” she said.
“You couldn’t ask for anything better than this,” agreed Doug Shue of Sherrill. “It gives the seniors a chance to get out and spend the afternoon with some very friendly people."
Visalli said he enjoyed watching the seniors having a good time at the picnic.
“It’s just nice to be able to give them a special day,” Visalli said. “I’m glad to see them enjoying themselves.”
SHERRILL -- The annual senior citizen picnic hosted by the Oneida-Sherrill Lions Club is the chance for the Lions to give their elderly friends an afternoon to relax and enjoy a festive time together, said event organizer Bob Visalli.
“I like being able to cater to them all,” Visalli said. “They can come up and get their food themselves, or just sit back and we will bring everything to them. I like playing bingo with them, too.”
“We like to be able to provide the seniors in the Oneida and Sherrill communities the opportunity for some good fellowship, and hopefully some good food,” added chapter president Jerry Baker.
A longtime tradition going back some 30 years, the picnic was held at the Community Activity Center in Sherrill on Sunday, June 5, 2011 and brought out some 40 seniors mostly from Noyes Manor in Sherrill and the Towers apartments and Hazel Carpenter Home in Oneida.
The Lions themselves cooked up a picnic lunch of hot dogs, hamburgers and sausage, with sides of macaroni and potato salads, baked beans plus chips, soda and coffee and homemade cakes for dessert. When lunch was finished, the seniors thrilled to a spirited bingo game called by Visalli.
Volunteer bus driver Lloyd Mahl helped bring the out-of-town seniors to the CAC that morning, and it was Mahl who won the first bingo game that morning. Mahl and all bingo winners got their choice of a prize from a special treasure chest of goodies donated to the event by the Lions.
Visalli also gave special kudos to CAC manager Steve Long for saving the Lions a good half-hour worth of preparation by generously having the tables for the picnic in place in the gymnasium even before the Lions arrived.
Photo Special to the Dispatch by MIKE JAQUAYS
Some 40 senior citizens from Noyes Manor in Sherrill and the Towers apartments and Hazel Carpenter Home in Oneida came out to the Oneida-Sherrill Lions Club’s annual senior picnic on Sunday. The event was held at the Community Activity Center in Sherrill and featured picnic foods, bingo and the chance for a friendly afternoon together.
Elsie Brown, formerly of Vernon and now living at the Hazel Carpenter Home, said she appreciated the Lions’ outreach to the seniors.
“I think it’s great that they’ve done this for us -- it’s just wonderful,” she said.
“You couldn’t ask for anything better than this,” agreed Doug Shue of Sherrill. “It gives the seniors a chance to get out and spend the afternoon with some very friendly people."
Visalli said he enjoyed watching the seniors having a good time at the picnic.
“It’s just nice to be able to give them a special day,” Visalli said. “I’m glad to see them enjoying themselves.”
