Page 6/The Battalion/Wednesday, January 11,1984
Elderly find fellowship, fun in association
by Pat Allen
Battalion Reporter
Every Tuesday and Friday
afternoon, at 1402 Bristol Dr. in
Bryan, senior citizens of Brazos
County get together for a little
fun, food and fellowship.
They’re members of the Bra
zos County Senior Citizens Asso
ciation, an organization helping
the older adults of the commun
ity enjoy their lives.
“Something has to alleviate
the feeling of being alone and
growing old,” Willie Belle
Bogard, president of the asso
ciation, said. ‘‘We provide a
place where older people can
come for fellowship and use
their talents.”
The association was orga
nized in 1976 by a handful of
people who saw the need for
such a group in Brazos County.
In the beginning, members met
in an old medical clinic on W.
28th Street.
Now, thanks to Jack Lester
Sr., they have a new facility. It’s
two years old, worth $1 million,
and paid for.
Lester wanted to help senior
citizens in the county, so he gave
the association land for a build
ing. He then told the association
5 Other
Models
Available
Aggie
Special
$550.00
+ TTL
GET AROUND THE
HIGH COST
OF GETTING AROUND
Aero™ 50
Whether shopping, commuting or just soaking
up sun, the Aero’" 50 is the economical way to
make it ail fun. A stingy 49cc two-stroke engine
gets the most out of every gallon of gas, while
still providing plenty of zip. Plus, an electric
start, automatic choke and automatic oil
injection make it as dependable as it is easy to
handle.
TWIN CITY HONDA
903 South Main, Bryan
823-0545
he would give $50,000 to the
construction fund if tpey would
match his donation.
“I like giving mor^y to peo
ple,” Lester said. “This town
needed a place like this for the
older people, and Ftp happy I
was able to help.”
“Jack told us he’cl give us
$50,000 and all we had to do was
match him,” Mickey McGuire, a
member of the association and
unofficial groundskeeper said.
“So we went out and began
raising the money. We had bake
sales and yard sales. We also re
ceived funds from tpe Brazos
County Development Council
and several donations from peo
ple in the community who really
wanted to see a place for senior
citizens,” McGuire said-
McGuire takes c^re of the
landscape and is an all-around
handyman for the association.
He paints and varnishes
cabinets, raises the flags, sweeps
the dining room and still finds
time to sneak in a game or two of
dominoes.
“We did all the landscaping
ourselves,” he said. “Those pro
fessional guys wanted $15,000
to do a job we did foy less than
$2,000. We planted 70 shrubs
and enough trees to start a
forest.”
When members gather at
their “home away from home,”
they begin the afternoon with a
covered dish lunch. Everyone
brings something to spare.
This provides a family-like
atmosphere and allows the
ladies to show off their favorite
recipies. Before the feast begins,
visitors aye introduced, and a
prayer is given for members
who are ijl or absent.
After lunch, the fun and
games begin.
In one room ladies are quilt
ing blankets that sell for $150 to
$250. In other rooms people are
making pottery items, painting
china and sewing stuffed anim
als. The items are sold in the
association’s craft shop, and the
money goes into building
maintenance.
Dewain “Pappy” Wade and
friends are in another room in
volved in a traditional domino
WHY PAY MORE?
Buy Used Books
and
LOUPOT’S BOOKSTORE
•' v,-:
Northgatc — Across from the Post Office
wing.
“I was a wreck when I came
here and I was really thinking
about killing myself,” Murial
Stein said. “Everyone here has
been so warm and friendly. I
needed companionship and I
found it here. What 1 get here
you can’t get from a doctor. You
get back into the habit of living
n nnr 4 drive-^ ru l aneS
We've out9 Sa f ? 0 n U thanks to you.
in College Stat ^ ^ apd a
We are parkway 1° 3 . 000
Avenue at So^ommodate new
square feet ^ an d loan services,
accounts, sa 9 create
This new construction^^^, Soon
wTerazosBanc Sav^gs.
Ill 1 H*"
game.
“We h#ve a good time here,”
Wade said- “We don’t care if we
get beat, we’ll keep on grinning.
That last game was nip and tuck
the whole way. We’re gonna
get’em this time.”
Lucille Newcomb joined the
association in 1981. Her in
terests lay in the association’s
craft shop, which she manages.
“I love doing the quilting and
taking care of that shop, but I
especially enjoy meeting the
people here and making new
members feel welcome,” New
comb said- “Many of the people
here have lost their mate and be
gin to feel lonely and unwanted.
We try to get them interested in
games and crafts. We’re a close
family here, just like brothers
and sisters.”
McGujre said the senior
citizens are a group which needs
service from the community. He
said many of their families have
moved and they are left alone.
“There’s nothing worse than
old people hiding themselves in
side,” he said. “We try to keep
them living. One lady told me if
it wasn’t for this place that some
one would have had to lock her
up. She came here and was
accepted by everyone. Another
lady told me she’d be dead from
boredom if it wasn’t for this
place.”
One member might be dead
because of suicide if the associa
tion hadn’t taken her under its
Lucille Newcomb, left, chairman
of crafts, and Julia Cross work on
a baby doll quilt together. The
quilt hanging on the wall behind
them is a 1976-81 membership quilt
with 225 names.
a:
ir
u
BR
Texa
Tues<
repor
board
of tw
miles
zone.
incidt
asked
ment
Ra
direcl
said h
to Ed
Assist
for 0
duct ;
the Ct
the D
such i
ated.
Ra
Depar
mend
Guarc
ican fl
seas, r
“hot j
the M
the sh
again and then you know you're
going to make it.”
The association also provides
its members with activities away
from the Bryan-College Station.
For example, travel groups are
set up among members and
friends so that the senior citizens
don’t have to travel alone.
mimnj
sation
and ve
acts of
Owi
boats c
McGuire said the association
accepts as members anyone over
55 years old. He said he believes
the youngest member is 62 and
that Janies Lang, 95, is the oldest
member of the group.
“We have about 350 mem
bers but the center is available to
any senior citizen in the county,”
he said. “The National Associa
tion of Federal Employees and
the Retired Teachers Associa
tion use our center for their
meetings also.”
“Just seeing your friends en
joying life and seeing the satis
faction you’re bringing to others
makes all the hard work worth
while,” McGuire said. “What
you can do for others is what
gives you satisfaction. I get the
biggest kick out of helping peo
ple. When you start doing things
for yourself, well, you’re riding
on the wrong boat.”
MID
on chai
withoui
Mai
drugs i
Safety :
Mid
Friday
spokesi
arrestei
Mrs.
while I
'neroin
The
case an
Bill Hughes, Battalion staff
“I’m Connie . . the first of the Cotton
Patch Kids.” Th ese dolls are for sale in
the association^ craft shop, along with
pillow cases, and other hand-made crafts.
Tired of Renting?
Want out of the Dorm?
Roomate driving you crazy?
Need a housing alternative?
If you can say yes to
any of these questions,
Call Chuck Schmitt
at 779-8222
THE BAIT
DOES IT
DAILY
Monday
through Friday
GAL
on Nev
improv
The
last wee
day, he
Wha!
all aftei
LaFil
fisherm
Mari
follows
Res
Now Better Than Ever. You Will Be Pleased With
^ ese ^ are ^ u lly Prepared and Taste Tempting Foods
Each Daily Special Only $2.39 Plus Tax
“Oper Paily”
Dining: 11 A.M. to 1:30 P.M. — 4:00 P.M. to 7:00 P-M
MONDAY EVENING
SPECIAL
Salisoury Steak
with
Mushroom Gravy
Whipped Potatoes
Your Choice of
One Vegetable
Roll or. Corn Bread and Butter
Coffee or Tea
TUESDAY EVENING
SPECIAL
Mexican Fiesta
Dinner
Two Cheese and
Onion Enchiladas
w chili
Mexican Rice
Patio Style Pinto Beans
Tostadas
Coffee or Tea
One Corn Bread and Butter
WEDNESDAY
EVENING SPECIAL
Chicken Fried Steak
w cream Gravy
Whipped Potatoes and
Choice of one other
Vegetable
Roll or Corn Bread and Bute
Coffee or Tea
THURSDAY EVENING SPECIAL
* “v
en
*o c ,^' d
SERVEDwT-TH^Snirn 9 ! 11 Spa 9 h e«' Dinner
Parmesan ChL M -r EAT BALLS AND SA UCE
Choice of Salad n ' Tossed Gr een Salad
Choice of Salad Dressing — hot Garlic Bread
fea or Coffee
FOR YOUR PROTtCTHON OUR ppdc-muk,,-, .
UR PERSONNEL HAVE HEALTH CARDS.
FRIDAY EVENING
SPECIAL
FRIED CATFISH
FILET w TARTAR
SAUCE
Cole Slaw
Hush Puppies
Choice of One
vegetable
Roll or Corn Bread & Butter
Tea or Coffee
SATURDAY
NOON and EVENING
SPECIAL
Yankee Pot Roast
Texas Style
(Tossed Salad)
Mashed
Potato w
gravy
Roll or Corn Bread & Butter
Tea or Coffee
SUNDAY SPECIAL
NOON and EVENING
ROAvST TURKEY DlME R
Served with
Cranberry Sauce
Cornbread Dressing -
Roll or Corn Bread - Butter-
Coffee or Tea
Giblet Gravy
And your choice of any
One vegetable
ASH
County
wpress
Tvposa
Dr. V
Waste I
least tvv<
be one
U.S.
W'ftstioi
about 1
Hesa
on the i
To\
Un-
Mice cl
Morr
Lxas C
Tlucatii
live spei
Little
three se
n ew chi
Uni
tyle
Station
to strike
"ednes
Thee
at a Tyl
duri
mg a
|e Bud
duces d<
v, Local
Worker:
’be arre
Justic
’Ron w
New Or
Thel;
c 3ch oil
om
PORl
0 28,00
^ichw,
board s
Lt. Mi
^ moi
Theb