NEWBURY — With a barely audible twinkling piano playing among a steady stream of conversations and laughs, dozens of area seniors spent a good chunk of Tuesday at Plum Island Taxpayers Association Hall getting into the holiday spirit during the Newbury Council on Aging’s annual Christmas party.
A turkey meal — replete with stuffing, mashed potatoes, canned cranberry sauce, green beans and squash — was ladled out by COA Director Cindy Currier and others in a separate antichamber. The plates were then picked up by Friends of the COA members wearing red sweaters or smocks who delivered them to roughly 50 lunch guests.
Their efforts were augmented by a half dozen Newbury firefighters who gave new meaning to the phrase “protect and serve.”
Seated at Table 5, Newbury Select Board member William DiMaio said the luncheon serves as a way for seniors to stay connected not only to their peers, but also the community as a whole.
“I think that is what’s best about the COA,” DiMaio said.
DiMaio, who used to be on the COA Board of Directors, said the town’s demographics show a great need for a more-robust COA saying a “big chunk” of the town’s roughly 7,000 residents would make use of added services and space.
Friends of COA member Laura Short and her husband, retired Newburyport letter carrier John Short were at the same table as DiMaio and about six other guests. As they waited for their meals, they sipped on coffee and cider and shared stories about the holiday season.
Laura Short, who said she participates in many COA events, tried to dispel the myth that the COA is only for the very old.
“We’ve made a lot of new friends,” she said.
In addition to a hearty meal, the luncheon featured an appearance by Santa and Mrs. Claus, and an expected performance by the Triton Middle School choir. In preparation for the musical performance, COA volunteers made sure each guest had a stapled booklet of holiday song lyrics so they could sing along.
Currier said the luncheon was catered by Newburyport’s Starboard Galley and paid for by the Friends of COA, which not only bought food and drink, but also supplied the plates, party favors and more touches that made the afternoon stand out.
“We try to make it a special event,” Currier said.
The Christmas luncheon, according to Currier, is the COA’s second largest party of the year, only bested by last month’s Thanksgiving luncheon. Making it as special as possible is a way of making sure seniors have a memorable Christmas.
“You never know if they don’t have somewhere else to go for the holidays,” Currier said.
Dave Rogers is the editor of the Daily News of Newburyport. Email him at: drogers@newburyportnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @drogers41008.