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Community Corner

Sierra Madre Senior Community Commission Prepares for Older American of the Year Reception

The Senior Community Commission will honor Pat Alcorn as this year's Older American of the Year.

The made final plans at Thursday's meeting for the much anticipated to honor this year’s Older American of the Year, Pat Alcorn. The reception will be held next Friday, May 13, from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the . There will be a buffet of finger foods and other appetizer dishes donated by the local eateries of Sierra Madre.

The Older American of the Year Award has been awarded for 15 years to senior individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to public service and volunteer work within the community. Individuals are nominated each year by organizations in town, such as the or Civic Club, in addition to local residents.

The Senior Community Commission then reviews the applications and makes a  selection. There were six to eight candidates to choose from this year, and the decision was a tough one to make, according to Ann Luke, Chair of the Senior Community Commission.

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“It’s a wide open field about how you define a senior’s contribution to the community, wide open, so you get all these applications, and then you sit and stew about it. … It’s very difficult,”  Luke said during the meeting.

Despite the difficult decision, it is a Sierra Madre tradition to recognize the seniors who make a difference in the community, as well as inspire others of any age to follow suit.

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“What we are saying to the world is, it doesn’t matter how old you are, you are still capable of giving back to your community, and sometimes those seniors have more insight and almost more vitality than younger people,” Luke added.

The Senior Community Commission has many activities to look forward to this summer, including the big Community Yard Sale, in which people are invited to rent a space at the parking lot for $25 to display their items for sale.

Registration for a space can be found online and must be submitted by May 31. Also to support and raise money for senior programs and activities, items may be donated to the Senior Community Commission booth.

Also on the summer agenda, seniors can also look forward to a more modernized Hart Park House Senior Center, with renovation plans underway. There will be a new kitchen, hardwood floors, a new ping pong table and computer cameras for Skype access. 

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