As the old year ends and a new year begins, the Crest Forest Senior Citizens’ Club (CFSCC) has installed their 2021 officers, although an election wasn’t necessary.

When a call went out for new officers, only one person volunteered to fill each of the positions for 2021, so no election nor campaign was necessary since all positions were unopposed. Everyone was highly qualified for those positions, so those volunteers were declared elected. Several new officers are taking over important positions.

Usually, the new board members get installed during the December membership luncheon. This, however, is not a usual year and the luncheon could not be held so the seniors, since they are technologically knowledgeable go-getters, chose to hold a Zoom meeting.

The Zoom meeting was held among the outgoing and incoming officers to keep the group small. A few of the officers went to the Fireside Room at Leisure Shores for the Zoom event. They are the ones who have been volunteering at the grab-and-go senior meals at the San Moritz Lodge and have been working together for months. They invited Lewis Murray, the field representative for Supervisor Janice Rutherford, to Zoom in and install the new officers, since he has been the installing officer for the CFSCC in previous years.

Afterwards, those who were in the Fireside Room enjoyed some pizza, cheesecake, orange juice and champagne to celebrate that they made it through 2020 with all the challenges the club faced, including the extreme changeup involving the senior lunches.

The new officers are President Betty Lowery; 1st Vice President Lori Hudson; 2nd Vice President Mark Rexford (also groundskeeper); 3rd Vice President Jean Allen; Secretary Candace Pearson; Treasurer Penny Shubnell; and Membership Sue Bare.

The trustees will be appointed at the board meeting in January, with Marci Collar managing the Thrift Store, but the positions of fundraising chair and parliamentarian are open. “Anyone who wants to serve,” said Penny Shubnell, “should call the office at (909) 338-5036 and leave a message indicating their interest or leave an interest letter at the grab-and-go lunch at the San Moritz Lodge.

“The grab-and-go senior meals are going forward this next year. It has funding guaranteed through January on each Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Each day we provide about 210 hot meals; just get into the drive-up line and, when attending for the first time, fill out the senior enrollment form,” added Shubnell. After getting signed up, seniors are put onto the e-mail list so they get the weekly menus in advance. They are also accepting applications from those who would like to volunteer to hand out the meals.

The seniors’ Ye Olde Thrift Shoppe in Top Town Crestline is considered an essential business for the community, as long as they continue to maintain county COVID-19 principles of sanitation, including requiring masks for entry. They provide inexpensive clothing, household items and furniture for the community, six days a week, Tuesday through Sunday.

They were forced to be closed from March through May and feel fortunate to be allowed to reopen. “We must follow the rules so we can remain open since so many depend on us,” said Thrift Store Chair Marci Collar. The thrift store finances much of the expenses of the senior luncheons and other senior center expenses.

The CFSCC’s Leisure Shores on the east shore of Lake Gregory at this time is still required to remain closed, but it is hoped this next year that situation will change and they will be able to offer the classes and activities they have in the past. An active senior, it has been proven, lives longer than one who just sits around and does nothing. Being involved leads to a healthier life.

Up until the weather drastically changed, yoga and Tai Chi classes were being held on the front lawn of Leisure Shores; however, those classes are now suspended until the temperatures warm up again or they are allowed to hold the classes indoors.

Getting older is a privilege denied to many, so the Crest Forest Seniors try to make every day count. If you are 60 or older and want to join the CFSCC, email them at [email protected] You also can get more information at Ye Olde Thrift Shoppe in Top Town Crestline at 23454 Crest Forest Drive. Their phone number is (909) 338-5413; they are open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., weather permitting.