The senior picnic was held on July 21 at Lum Park in Brainerd. This was the Lakes Area Senior Activity Center’s first year of organizing the picnic. The picnic had been done for many years by the Crow Wing Council on Aging. They made a donation to the senior center to continue the picnic and the process of the selection of Outstanding Senior(s) that represent Crow Wing county at the State Fair. The selection of Outstanding Senior Citizen Volunteers were made; and they are; Connie Murray and Ervin Reuther.
Many of you know Connie, she has been a volunteer in the community for many years. What you many not know about Connie is the list of where she has volunteered. That organization list includes; RSVP, Women of the Moose, Pine Tree Patchwork Quilters, Brainerd School District, Park Methodist Church and the Shriner’s Auxiliary. At the senior center, Connie has volunteered in our Golden Years Gift Shop, making and frosting doughnuts, quilt bingo and with our Craft and Bake Sales. Please congratulate Connie and thank her for her years of volunteer service in our community.
Ervin has a pharmacy background and that has enabled him to use that knowledge while volunteering for the Health Insurance Counseling Program through the Senior Linkage Line. Assisting people through the RX Connect program, Medicare Part D and the open enrollment times, Ervin has assisted many people with his vast knowledge. He also has volunteered for Senior Surf classes in Crosslake and has had many roles volunteering for Habitat for Humanity for the past 10 years. Congratulations Ervin! Thank you for sharing your expertise through your volunteerism.
One of the criteria for the Outstanding Senior Citizen Volunteers is that they demonstrate a commitment to their community; Connie and Ervin have certainly done that. I sense that they both enjoy volunteering! Thank you both for what you have chosen to do for the organizations that you volunteer for!
They will both represent Crow Wing County at the Minnesota State Fair on Senior Day, Sept. 1. If you are interested in supporting them, you can sign up for a bus that is sponsored by RSVP and the senior center. Cost for the bus trip is $28 for members of the senior center and $35 for non-members. To sign up for the bus, stop by the center at 803 Kingwood St., Brainerd.
Good luck Connie and Ervin at representing Crow Wing County at the State Fair!
DEANN BARRY is the Lakes Area Senior Activity Center director.
