Alfred and Clara Maye enjoy lunch at the Essex County Office for the Aging picnic in Newcomb Aug. 16. Photo by Keith Lobdell.
Newcomb — More than 300 senior citizens from throughout Essex County came to the Newcomb Town Beach Aug. 16 for the annual Office for the Aging picnic, an event that almost had to be cancelled.
Earlier this summer, members of the Essex County Board of Supervisors restored up to $5,000 in funding for the picnic, which is put on by the county department each year.
“I know that we have held one in Newcomb since I have been in the department,” OFA Director Patty Bashaw said. “The supervisors have always supported the older adults no matter what and we were pleased to get the funding to put this event on.”
Bashaw said that the picnic, for some, was their one-a-year chance to see friends from other ends of the county.
“It is a real benefit and it gives them all the chance to socialize and meet people from throughout the county,” she said. “It gives them the chance to enjoy these awesome facilities and may encourage them to come back down as a group or with their families.”
The picnic was also a time to honor Dennis Everleth, who is retiring as the Essex/Willsboro mealsite coordinator.
“Dennis always goes 100 percent and does the extra things for the participants at his site,” Krissy Leerkes said. “He has been very instrumental in building that place to a site where the older adults want to go to.”
“I am going to miss all the friends and the things we were able to do together,” said Everleth. “But I plan on going back to the mealsite to visit and have a good meal from time to time.”
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