La Center City Councilman Al Luiz greets a group of Woodland residents at a senior lunch event Thursday at the La Center Community Center. Loaves and Fishes provides hot meals twice a week to seniors in the La Center area. In the past year, attendance at the event has doubled.Photo Gallery
A year ago, La Center’s twice-weekly senior lunches were sparsely attended. Few people knew about the meals offered by Loaves and Fishes, and many believed the food was available only for seniors in need.
Fast forward 12 months, and the La Center Community Center presents an entirely different image.
Now about 30 seniors attend the lunches on Mondays and Thursdays, some driving in from as far as Woodland and Vancouver for the hot meals.
Live music fills the room once a month, and the tables are always adorned with homemade centerpieces and place mats. The lunches are now a twice-weekly social event for seniors.
“What it’s providing right now, besides a hot meal … is a spot where they can come together, socialize with other people,” City Councilman Al Luiz said. “Just a place for them to get out of their homes and come interact with people their age.”
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Luiz and his wife, Trish, are a big reason behind the turnaround.
Before Luiz ran for city council in 2009, he didn’t know the lunch event existed. He realized then that many seniors are probably unaware, as well. So earlier this year, the couple and former Councilwoman Barbara Vining went door-to-door in senior living communities and spread the word. Trish Luiz provides the homemade treats and decorations to spruce up the community center, and Al Luiz arranges for the musical entertainment.
The event also receives help from the city of La Center. The city started putting messages about Loaves and Fishes events on its utility bills and now includes the meal dates on the city calendar.
Since the efforts began a year ago, attendance has doubled.
“I think a lot of it is the community’s effort to get people here,” said Sandi GeBorde, center manager for Loaves and Fishes.
At Thursday’s lunch, about 20 seniors took time out of busy holiday schedules to attend.
Woodland resident Ruth Peabody was there for first time Thursday. Peabody and her husband used to drive to La Center to have breakfast at local restaurants from time to time. He has since passed away.
“It’s kind of getting me out and bringing me back,” she said.
Peabody and friends Melva Hafso and Lois Bowen also attend a lunch event once a week in a Woodland church. As they waited for their corned-beef sandwiches, the trio cracked jokes and swapped funny personal stories.
“That’s why we come, so we can laugh,” Bowen said. “We get to enjoy everybody. It’s like a family. We know everybody and love everybody.”
At a nearby table, La Center residents Ralph and Gloria Chipman ate their salads as they waited for sandwiches to be served. The couple has attended the lunches for nearly nine years, and said the good food and companionship are what bring them back week after week.
Despite the success of the event, Luiz said he still has bigger plans for the senior community. His first goal: Use volunteers to set up a transportation system for seniors.
“A lot of folks would like to come but don’t have transportation,” he said.
As for a loftier goal, Luiz would eventually like to see a dedicated senior center in La Center. He envisions a building with a small library, a TV and board games — a place where seniors can connect with people their age and have a good time.
“I feel the city has always lacked a place for the senior citizens and the teens,” Luiz said. “You can tell the health of a city or a state or a country by how they care for their seniors.”
“I think we’ve got good things coming in 2011 and 2012 because we’ve got other people coming forward to help,” he added.
