Seniors enjoy their picnics on the go

PINE PLAINS — After being cooped up in their homes for the entire spring due to the coronavirus pandemic, local seniors were thrilled to participate in one of their favorite summertime traditions as the Dutchess County Office for the Aging (OFA) organized a socially distant, drive-thru Senior Picnic in lieu of a traditional sit-down picnic on Tuesday, Aug. 11. 

“These are hugely successful — the seniors have been enthusiastic that we’ve done these picnics,” said OFA Director Todd Tancredi in reference to the dozen drive-thru picnics that the OFA scheduled for this summer, adding that the seniors have been coming out in large numbers to the events peppered throughout the county.

Running from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the drive-thru picnic was organized in the parking lot of Stissing Mountain Junior/Senior High School. Encouraged to RSVP for the picnic ahead of time, participating seniors from around the Harlem Valley were greeted warmly by OFA members and received, in addition to a bag lunch, a goodie bag with hand sanitizer, cloth face masks and information from the OFA. 

From Pine Plains town Supervisor Darrah Cloud and Pine Plains Superintendent of Schools Martin Handler to Democratic New York State Senate candidate for the 41st District Karen Smythe and Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, local officials pitched in to hand out lunches. 

Tancredi thanked popular Pine Plains eatery Moose on the Loose for contracting with the OFA to make the lunches for the picnic. Along with picking up their bag lunches, seniors were also invited to drop off any unused or unwanted medications for safe disposal.

— Kaitlin Lyle