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Dancing The Night Away

Local center has seniors kicking up their heels

by Cheryl Winters-Tetreau

Published Nov 2008 in Redding, CA local spotlight | 0 Comments, Talk about this article »

Stop by the Senior Citizens of Shasta County recreation hall on a Friday night, and you’ll be transported into the Club 50-Plus Cabaret. Here, seniors meet to enjoy live music and tasty treats and dance the night away.

Kathie Sanchez, president of Senior Citizens of Shasta County and coordinator of the dances, says the Friday night crowd averages about 80 people. “The evening starts with a potluck dinner at 6, but for those who just want to come and dance and socialize, the dances start at 7:30 and go to 10:30,” she explains. “We have a half-hour break with refreshments that the dancers bring. We usually have desserts, but our co-chair, Velma Pope, makes delicious enchiladas that she often brings.”

Sanchez usually develops themes for the dances, such as a recent Hawaiian night, and decorates the tables and recreation hall to fit the theme. “One of our seniors is from Hawaii,” she says, “and she brought her two granddaughters to perform authentic dances for us on our break. Then she taught us all how to do the dances. It was a lot of fun.”

dancing

Something for Everyone

The Senior Citizens of Shasta County recreation hall was built on city property in the 1970s. Its purpose is to provide a place for seniors to meet and participate in recreational activities. Anyone age 50 and older may join, but Sanchez emphasizes that you don’t need to be a member to participate in any of the hall’s activities, including the Friday night dances. “We don’t demand that you pay dues to participate; it’s open to all seniors,” she says, “but we do accept donations to help cover the cost of the band.”

In addition to the Friday night dances, the hall offers a full range of programs, including crafting and journaling groups, pinochle, bridge and ping-pong groups, computer classes, and bingo games. “We have a billiard room with three regulation-size tables,” says Sanchez, “and they’re used all the time. Serious players have their own entrance and key cards so they can come in and play even when the hall is closed.”

dancing

The hall also has a lending library with no due dates or fines. “You just check out the book and bring it back when you’re through,” notes Sanchez. “If someone else wants a book that’s checked out, we see who has it.”

Sanchez says the hall offers seniors the opportunity to get out and enjoy themselves. “Having all these social activities available year-round is amazing,” she says. “Coming out to the hall, whether for the dances or for the classes or other activities, gets people out and into a good, healthy atmosphere with an upbeat attitude. It’s not always easy,” she acknowledges. “Seniors have a lot to deal with. Many are not part of the workforce anymore and feel more isolated from the world. You lose friends and loved ones, and medical problems present challenges. So when you have a place where you can go and keep a positive attitude, that’s terrific.”

“One of the fun things I’ve observed over the last six years are the marriages that have come about because of people meeting at our dances,” she says. “We’ve had several people who’ve met here and found they had a lot in common and now enjoy not being alone in their later years. When you can get out of your house and go on living life, there are a lot of opportunities.”