By PATRICK RECORD
This afternoon, a number of Missoula’s seniors made their way to the Missoula Senior Center for its annual Valentine’s Day lunch.
The lunch was open to the public, and for a small fee attendees enjoyed a full course meal along with some live piano music.
Sitting at a table with some friends, Jack Reidy and his wife of 60 years, Alvina, had some tips for what it takes to make a marriage last.
“You can’t just be lovers, you’ve got to be friends,” Jack says. “We’re the best of friends,” he adds.
The Reidy’s met when Alvina missed her bus home one afternoon after work, and Jack gave her a ride home. On the ride home, Jack asked her out on a date. A year later they were married. The rest is history.
Many seniors in attendance planned on sticking around after the Valentine’s Day lunch for bingo.
“We had a good turnout today,” Missoula Senior Center Administrator, Sheri Wittlake says.
The Senior Center opened its doors in 1969, and has been holding the Valentine’s Day lunch as far back as Wittlake can remember.
The Missoula Senior Center strives to serve as a focal point for community projects, according to its website. In addition to community projects, and the center hosts a wide range of activities, from cribbage and dominoes, to yoga and line dancing.
For information and schedules for upcoming events, feel free to log onto the Missoula Senior Center website and visit the Make it Missoula Senior Living page.
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Prior to moving to Missoula to attend the University of Montana’s Journalism School, Patrick Record lived in Los Angeles, where he worked as a freelance audio technician and camera operator. Currently, he’s the photographer for the UM Foundation. Patrick is also minoring in Central and Southwestern Asian Studies and his career goal is to be a war photographer following graduation from the journalism school. Check out Patrick’s website to see more of his work.