Shelby Township

Senior fun in the summertime

By Kristyne E. Demske
C & G Staff Writer

Photo by Deb Jacques Roy Schnee of Shelby Township, an accordion player for 72 years, serenades the seniors before bingo began at a picnic held Aug. 25 in River Bends Park.

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — Although clouds threatened, a few sprinkles didn’t deter local seniors from filling picnic tables at River Bends Park on one of the last days of August.

The Shelby Township Senior Center hosted its annual Senior Picnic Aug. 25 at the park, kicking off with coffee, doughnuts and socializing for its members.

“I try to come every year,” said Barbara Ferreras of Shelby Township. “We always have a good time.”

She said she enjoys the activities and the time to meet up with her friends from other communities, like Virginia Galecki of Clinton Township. Galecki turned down an invitation to an event with her Red Hat Society group in Clinton Township to come to the picnic, and said she loves the socialization and entertainment at the annual picnic.

“I love the picnic because they have good food here,” she said. “This is a beautiful location.”

Entertainment this year was provided by members of the Shelby Township Music Society, including Gus Heise of Shelby Township and Bob Forgione of Harrison Township, who serenaded the seniors before a long bingo game with tunes on the harmonica and a chord harmonica, which looks like a very long, double-decker version of the instrument.

Heise said he’s been playing since he was 10, even taking his instrument overseas during World War II and playing it in front of his regiment in Sicily.

“I’ll be 88 soon,” he said. “It’s a good instrument.”

He played all across Europe and Africa — from France and Belgium to Sicily and during the Battle of the Bulge. Although he doesn’t have that particular instrument anymore — its wooden center warped and cracked from the moisture — Heise now has several harmonicas in different keys that he carries with him in a brown leather suitcase.

The full Music Society joined together to give a performance after the bingo game and a lunch catered by Crank’s as the seniors enjoyed the breezes under the Hickory Grove Pavilion in River Bends Park.

“We have fun,” said Shelby Township resident Mary Phillips as she kept track of her bingo numbers. “It’s just to get together. This is a nice park … clean, and it’s centrally located.”

Parks, Recreation and Maintenance Director Joe Youngblood said they have such an active population at the Senior Center, organizers like to get them out and about to see what else Shelby has to offer.

The picnic is a “great way to show them what beautiful parks we have,” he said. “Now they’ll come out here with their families, maybe come back” for a family picnic.

“This event is a great opportunity for the seniors to come and spend some time outside,” agreed senior coordinator Amy Drake. “Spend some time doing something different.”

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Kristyne E. Demske at kdemske@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1041.