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Seniors Enjoy Celebration
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In a first of its kind event, members of the Escalon Sunrise Rotary Club, supported by many local businesses and residents, hosted a special holiday gathering for local senior citizens.

The evening of food, fun, music and gifts was served up at the Escalon United Methodist Church on Jackson Avenue on Thursday, Dec. 13 and organizers are already looking forward to the event next year. It likely will be moved to a larger venue, as they want to include more seniors on the 'invite' list.

This year, said co-organizer Ray Caparros, the invitation went out to seniors living at the local Paddack Village mobile home park and the Escalon Heritage House. Many of those seniors turned out and were treated to a buffet-style dinner with everything from empanadas to egg rolls, chicken and ham to potato salad and pie for dessert. There were multiple gift baskets, blue Rotary bags filled to the brim with soaps, lotions, treats and assorted necessary items, with the night also including a performance by a Polynesian dance troupe and Christmas carols offered by the church choir.

"I talked to my club and we wanted to do something for the community," Caparros explained of the idea. "I also talked to my church."

With the use of the church hall for the festivities, and backing by the club, other churches and community, the local senior citizens had a holiday party to remember.

"I think it's good," said senior Dora Jensen, enjoying a plate of festive food.

Club member Jordon Freitas added that all the Rotary members donated gift baskets and there were also gifts provided in wrapped boxes by the local P&L Concrete in addition to Ace Hardware and Vineyard Pharmacy supplying many gift items. There were drawings for the gift baskets and other treats, enough to make sure no one went empty handed.

Rotary President Joe Terra said he was very pleased overall.

"It's really nice to do things for the senior members of our community," he noted. "Tonight, they get a good, hot meal and take home lots of presents."