by David Flint
Friday, October 11, 1968: “Our Senior Citizens held their first meeting at Stephentown Fire Hall. Meeting opened 7:30. Six were present.”
So begins the log book of the Stephentown Seniors. At the following meeting on October 25 the log indicates that Ulysses Sweener was elected President, Fred Hanlon Vice President and Chaplain and Mrs. Hanlon was elected Secretary and Treasurer.
The Seniors celebrated their 40th anniversary last Saturday, September 27, with an Open House at the new Fire Hall on Grange Hall Road. Current President Cathy Lawless said it was well attended with about 100 people dropping by during the afternoon. Among the visitors offering their congratulations and enjoying the festivity and refreshments were State Assemblyman Roy McDonald, County Legislator Lester Goodermote and members of the Stephentown Town Board. The Club officers and members present were pleased to accept from Goodermote a Certificate of congratulations from the Rensselaer County Legislature.
On display were the minutes of all meetings of the Club from its inception, along with picture boards depicting numerous birthday and holiday celebrations, the “Senior of the Year” from 1992 to the present and a memory board of past members. Town Supervisor Tom Sherman remarked, “It is really great to see so many seniors having such a wonderful time.”
Lawless said that Ulysses Sweener was not only the first President, he was also the driving force behind the founding of the Club. Morgan Lawless, the Club’s current Treasurer, noted that the Stephentown Seniors was the very first senior club in the area. It included members from “up and down the valley.” Later on members from other towns split off and formed their own clubs in Berlin, Petersburgh and Grafton, but Stephentown was first and gave birth to the others.
“The Club has really progressed in the last five or six years,” Morgan said. Cathy said there are currently 125 paid members, the highest number in a long time. The Club this past year dropped the age at which people can join to 50 years. And with people retiring earlier, the Club now has attracted a “younger” group, and they have brought their friends.
The interesting trips the Club organizes each year have helped also to attract new members. An average of 32 members attend the biweekly meetings, though if food is involved, Morgan said, as at the occasional dinners, attendance doubles. Only the Stephentown club, he said, has two meetings a month and most of the time is spent in socializing and just having a good time.
Cathy Lawless said the Club is now working closely with Mary Linton, a registered nurse with the Capital District Senior Issues Forum. She has conducted a seminar on falling and will be holding another along with some area pharmacists on safe use of prescription drugs and medication. Starting in November there will be blood pressure screenings held monthly. Cathy pointed out that the Club also has access to a collection of useful equipment that can be loaned out to assist the elderly and handicapped. It is available to everyone and includes canes, crutches, wheel chairs, walkers, commodes, tub seats, etc. Another thing the Stephentown Seniors are working toward is to get the County Department of the Aging to establish a Senior Center in Stephentown.
Regarding the 40th Anniversary celebration, the Lawlesses expressed their thanks on behalf of the Club “to all who have contributed to making this event such a wonderful success.”