Chautauqua Adult Day Services Senior Day program participants are pictured at a recent picnic at Midway State Park.

The participants of the Chautauqua Adult Day Services Senior Day programs took time to celebrate a picnic recently at Midway Park in Maple Springs.

For the last 24 years Chautauqua Adult Day Services has a picnic at Midway Park with food, music and a theme for all four sites serving Chautauqua County. This year’s theme was “The Wizard of OZ.”

The pavilions were decorated highlighting the theme of the picnic and were displayed all over the picnic areas. Decorations were made by the participants. The Chautauqua Works summer youth program assisted with decorations and helped throughout the day. As a special novelty, participants and guests were able to have a picture taken in a Unique Barn which was made by the Dunkirk participants.

More than 175 people attended the picnic which took place in two pavilions. Participants, family members, friends and dignitaries attended the event. Kristina Fuller from U.S. Rep. Tom Reed’s attended as did Assemblyman Andrew Goodell, R-Jamestown, and Sheriff Jim Quattrone.

Live music was provided by the Rustic Ramblers.

“With funding very limited for such events that seniors enjoy, the agency is grateful to all who help in any way,” said Karen Lucks, associate director. “Many of the people who attend our program never get the opportunity to participate in such a fun event and seeing the smiles on everyone’s faces shows the true value of having such an event. Participants look forward to the picnic each year and it is one of the agency’s most enjoyed activities.”

The Chautauqua Adult Day Services also worked together with the Jamestown Area Meals on Wheels and the Retired Senior Volunteer Program, Office for Aging, volunteers, and CARTS to help provide an all around good time for the participants. Donation was made by St. James Christian Community Center to cover the cost of the pavilions

The Chautauqua Adult Day Services is a not-for-profit United Way partner. The mission of the agency is to provide an affordable day program that helps older adults remain independent and at home.

For more than 35 years, Chautauqua Adult Day Services has provided day programs that enable seniors to have quality of life through socialization and activity programming in a caring, friendly atmosphere. Activities include pet therapy, ceramics, music programs, arts and crafts and a community recreation program, just to name a few. In addition, the agency now has a Saturday Program in Jamestown that focuses on participants being involved in community events. Senior day programs provide supportive staff, a secure group setting, supervision, meals, social work services and companionship.

Chautauqua Adult Day Services has four sites throughout Chautauqua County located in Westfield, Jamestown and Dunkirk. One of its sites in Jamestown, the Present Center, is a program specifically for older adults with Alzheimer’s disease. For information call Jamestown at 665-4899 or visit www.seniordayprograms.com.