Senior lunch brings Gunnison community together

For many older residents of the Gunnison Valley, lunch at the Gunnison Senior Center is about more than what is on the plate.

The senior lunch provides a chance to sit down with friends, meet neighbors and catch up on the news of the community — all while enjoying a hot meal in good company. What's on the menu? On a recent visit, lunch consisted of taco salad; on another day hot turkey was served.

During lunch at the Gunnison Senior Center on Sept. 28, regular lunch patron Bud Smith celebrated his 95th birthday. When asked to comment on his special day to appear in the Gunnison Country Times, Smith joked, "Are you sure? I don't want to set the newspaper on fire."

"When you are 95, you are not 35; for 95 I'm doing pretty good. I try to keep moving; I go to these exercise classes [at the senior center].

"I go to a lot of doctor appointments; when you get to be my age, a main thing is going to doctor appointments. I take a lot of pills, and it is confusing, but when I see what they are doing, it is worth it," said Smith.

"I grew up poor in Redding, Pennsylvania; you had to fight, and I hated fighting; to this day I hate it. Nobody ever wins fights, wars, nobody wins."

Smith fondly spoke about his wife, Dorothy, who passed away in 2000, "I had the best wife in the world and a great family."

Smith is a regular at the senior center, which feeds about 40 people on-site and another 40 seniors who have it delivered.

Lunch is served on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, beginning at 11:30 a.m., and reservations are appreciated one day in advance. Alicia Sandstrom, senior center coordinator, said the center can be more efficient in meal planning by having people call the day before.

Located in the same building as the recreation center, the senior center serves as a gathering place for local older adults, offering opportunities for meals, conversation, and social connection. On lunch days, tables fill with familiar faces and newcomers alike, creating the kind of informal gathering that has long been a part of small-town life. On a recent visit during lunch, several people were talking about the joys of exercising at the rec center and then walking the short distance to the senior center, which is located in the same building as the rec center.

In the Valley, where winter weather and long distances can sometimes make getting together a challenge, regular gatherings such as senior lunch offer an important opportunity for community. On a recent visit, the weather outside was rainy and dreary; inside, it was energetic, with deep conversations and abundant laughter.

And there is something particularly Gunnison about it: good food, familiar faces, and plenty of conversation around the table.

For some seniors, the meal offers a welcome break from cooking at home. For others, it is the conversation around the table that keeps them coming back. Brent Starkebaum, a regular at lunch, remarked on the camaraderie, saying, "There is a lot of love in this room."

Senior lunches are open to local older adults and offer an opportunity for residents to gather over a meal and stay connected with their neighbors and the wider Gunnison community.

For information about lunch menus, reservations, or other senior center activities, residents can contact the Gunnison Senior Center directly at 970-641-8272. Call one day in advance to RSVP for lunch. The cost of lunch is $6. The menu appears weekly in the Gunnison Times Shopper.

The Gunnison Senior Center is located adjacent to the Gunnison Rec Center, 200 Spencer Avenue, Gunnison.