SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, Pa. — A place in the shade for seniors visiting Schuylkill County Fair. This hot summer day is Senior Appreciation Day.
"So that's something we partnered with Diakon Community Services a few years ago to do to open the grounds early. We were never early on a Thursday, and it was an opportunity for Diakon and our county service partners and other public and private sector partners to come together to have a forum to outreach to our senior community," said Paul T. Kennedy, Schuylkill County Fair Association President.
A one-stop-shop, says Rhonda Carl. Over the years, she's been the fair's Little Miss, the fair princess, and a fair queen.
Now a registered nurse, she believes community outreach events like this are extremely important for seniors who don't know where to find resources.
"This is a day that we recognize our seniors and all that they go through and have so many different opportunities for them here, you know, from different health networks to also different outreach opportunities," added Carl.
Pottsville native Judy Mehling has been attending Senior Appreciation Day since its inception.
"I love senior day because we get all these fantastic gifts for free, and I love free," said Judy Mehling of Pottsville.
Donna Keeley, another Pottsville native, loves the fair and Senior Appreciation Day for their affordability. She and her family have been attending the fair for generations.
"Four generations come. Me, my daughter, my granddaughter, and my great-grandson came."
Senior Appreciation Day gives her a chance to bond with the community of seniors around her.
"Suddenly, you're not strangers. You know, you just, and it seems like the same ones come every time, so you know, you get to see them every year," added Keeley.
Senior Appreciation Day at the Schuylkill County Fair included a free lunch and ice cream as a treat for later.