SENIOR FUN FEST FITTING TRIBUTE TO SENIOR CITIZENS

Senior Fun Fest organizers are preparing to feed and entertain 8,000 senior citizens at the Show Me Center Saturday. This is no ordinary festival.

This event symbolizes the good will of area agencies and volunteers toward our elderly. We are paying tribute to our friends and neighbors who have invested in the region's development through career and civic contributions. This is a yearly way to say thanks, and to celebrate the contributions of these senior citizens.

If past events are any indication, the festival should draw participants from Cape Girardeau, Scott, Bollinger, Perry and Stoddard counties in Missouri, and from Union and Alexander counties in Southern Illinois.

As in the past, there will be no admission charge for adults 55 years and over; free tickets are available from merchants throughout the region. Financial obligations are underwritten by area businesses, service clubs and individuals.

Senior Fun Fest organizers have never calculated the total contributions in dollars, services, and products. But it's fair to say contributions are impressive, and would tally in the thousands of dollars.

Deserving particular credit for the event are the corporate sponsors: Mercantile Bank, Schnucks, the Southeast Area Agency on Aging, and Southeast Missouri Hospital. The event also involves hundreds of volunteers who provide entertainment, refreshments, and countless manhours to ensure the festival's success.

The day will be chocked full of activities, including dancing, refreshments, exhibits, informational displays, and a patriotic salute. It will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Senior Fun Fest can be an eye-opening experience for those who feel that growing old means slowing down.

This marks the second year the Senior Fun Fest will be held in the Show Me Center. It was moved from Trail of Tears Park so organizers could avoid unpredictable weather problems. The reception was overwhelming, with attendance growing from 4,000 to over 6,000 in 1989.

This is the first time the festival has been held in the spring. Because of the changeover, it's actually been about 18 months since the last festival in October of 1989. The date now coincides with a national salute to seniors during Older Americans Month. The warmer weather could also promote an even bigger attendance.

The Senior Fun Fest has become a fitting tribute to the region's remarkable senior citizens.