Senior picnic offers services, lunch Wednesday

MOSES LAKE — One advantage to senior citizen status is knowing how to do things in style. The Columbia Basin All-Senior Picnic is scheduled for Wednesday, and don’t expect cold fried chicken.

The picnic is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the commercial building at the Grant County Fairgrounds. Admission is free for seniors, and $5 for chaperones and caregivers.

Major sponsors are Confluence Health and KDRM/KBSN.

Gregg Fletcher, director of Confluence Health-Moses Lake Clinic, said the organization supports the senior picnic because part of its mission is to promote healthy living in the entire community, from childhood to old age.

Seniors are part - a big part - of that community, and Confluence administrators want residents to know what options are out there for their care. “It’s about quality of life,” said Confluence Health communications director Clint Strand. The clinic’s goal is care for people for their entire lives, and ensure their patients live as healthy a life as possible.

Sponsoring the senior picnic is one of the ways the clinic shows its commitment to the community, Fletcher said.

The Moses Lake Fire Department’s new ambulance and fire truck will be on display, with firemen and EMTs on hand to answer questions. A display of antique tractors is scheduled as well.

Vendors and representatives from agencies and healthcare companies will have booths. Representatives will answer questions from seniors and talk about the services and products they offer.

The senior picnic grew out of an event sponsored by the Moses Lake Senior Center for their members, said organizer Terry Riley-Brown. The event got so big and popular that it outgrew the ability of the senior center to sponsor it. Organizers expect about 500 people Wednesday.

As a result, the Columbia Basin Senior Networking Forum took over sponsorship. The forum is a group that meets monthly to share resources for information for seniors.