BY LOREEN BERLIN: Garden Grove seniors got a jump on Halloween celebrations Wednesday, Oct. 28, with a Halloween costume parade, live band and food at the H. Louis Lake Senior Center, 11300 Stanford Ave.
The “Scare-enaders” (AKA Serenaders) live band played for seniors’ listening enjoyment and dancing.
Prizes were awarded by the Strawberry Festival King and Queen Hazlette Tsukiyama and Yolanda Montano for best costumes in the categories of scariest, most original, and best overall.
BY LOREEN BERLIN: Garden Grove seniors got a jump on Halloween celebrations Wednesday, Oct. 28, with a Halloween costume parade, live band and food at the H. Louis Lake Senior Center, 11300 Stanford Ave.
The “Scare-enaders” (AKA Serenaders) live band played for seniors’ listening enjoyment and dancing.
Prizes were awarded by the Strawberry Festival King and Queen Hazlette Tsukiyama and Yolanda Montano for best costumes in the categories of scariest, most original, and best overall.
"I love it here at the senior center. The music, the people and food are good, and I love to dance; I came from a musical family, they all played musical instruments and I danced," said Montano.
During the costume parade, there was quite a variety of ghosts, masked people and happy witches.
Seniors seem to have five top favorite events they enjoy at the center: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, their Hawaiian Luau and Independence Day, according to Program Coordinator Lori Ochoa.
"This is our first year attending events at the Garden Grove senior center, " said Elvia Colin, who with husband Norberto, won first place in the couple's costume contest. "They have a better program here than some of the other centers we've attended and we have a lot of friends here, plus we live closer here.”
Colin said they like the interaction with the different nationalities they find at the Garden Grove center.
"This is a good experience for us to interact with people here. One lady who is 98 and another who is 95 are still very active and dancing," she said. "I live my life day-to-day and thank God'for my health.”
"This is a really good turnout," said Community Services Department Recreation and Human Services Coordinator Juan Medina. "This is the most attendance we've ever had. We can only handle 120 people in this dining room and sold out quickly.”
"We had to turn away approximately 20 people," Medina said, explaining that the larger ball room in the Community Center is being renovated and will be ready in early 2016.
To start off the Halloween event, those attending were treated to pumpkin pretzels, witch's brew (green punch), devilish donuts, and a 50/50 raffle. Half of the proceeds of the raffle are given back to the center for future parties such as the upcoming Thanksgiving and Christmas festivities already planned.
The Thanksgiving luncheon is set for Wednesday, Nov. 25, for the first 100 people who call for reservations; a $3 donation is suggested for lunch. The Christmas luncheon is slated for Wednesday, Dec. 16 from 10 a.m. to noon, and it requires a $3 donation. An evening Christmas party is also on Dec. 16 from 6 to 10 p.m., for the first 100 people. Cost of the evening party is $10 per person.
The New Year's party is Wednesday, Dec. 30 from 10 a.m. to noon, with a $3 donation suggested for the luncheon.
"This is a fun job," said Medina, "I've had five Halloween parties in one week and my daughter, who is 11 now, was born on Halloween and it fits her outgoing personality.”
