ATHOL – Bettyann Smith of Athol stands in front of a hot grill with a smile on her face, sporting a baseball cap with a golden retriever on the front, while cooking hot dogs to perfection at the annual North Quabbin senior picnic Thursday afternoon.
Though Silver Lake itself may have been quiet and still, plenty of hustle and bustle came from the pavilion where local seniors gathered for grub.
Cathy Savoy, executive director of the Athol Council on Aging, has been planning the event for the past 11 years to bring local seniors from the nine surrounding North Quabbin communities together for some fun before Labor Day weekend.
“It is a chance for them to get together, to meet new friends and have a stress free day,” she said. “The seniors look forward to it every year.”
The parking lot was packed with cars, while local seniors and community members gathered under the pavilion at Silver Lake Park. Music performed by The Relics, a band back by popular demand, filled the air, and the scent of hot dogs and burgers on the grill started to become more prominent as people chatted at picnic tables installed by the Athol Department of Public Works.
Savoy said it takes many individuals from the community, along with volunteers who start setting up for the event around 8 a.m., to run the picnic.
“It is really a community collaboration. We have many individuals that donate to the picnic in one way or another,” she said.
The Friends of the Athol Council on Aging, LifePath Inc., various local businesses and surrounding councils on aging from the eight other North Quabbin communities all sponsor the event, she said. The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office also made an appearance at the picnic.
Marguerite Goulet of Athol, Nancy Sawyer of Orange and Nancy MaGill of Orange all sat chatting at a picnic table ready to enjoy their meal. Sawyer said they have been attending the event for years and look forward to socializing with other seniors, along with the music and food.
“It is wonderful that they do (this) … it gives seniors a chance to socialize. It gets a lot of people out that don’t get out otherwise,” said MaGill.
All three said they attend various events held by the local councils on aging, but said the picnic is the largest one.