WeHo Offers Array of Events to Celebrate Senior Month

The City of West Hollywood is celebrating seniors in May. For more than two decades, West Hollywood has organized an annual series of events to engage its population of older community members. The tradition is rooted in President John F. Kennedy’s national designation of “Senior Citizens Month” in 1963. In 1980 President Jimmy Carter renamed it “Older Americans Month.” In West Hollywood, “Senior Month” continues its own proud history.

Senior Month programming is presented by the City of West Hollywood and its Senior Advisory Board, as well as the Senior Activity Programs of the West Hollywood Comprehensive Services Center, in conjunction with Jewish Family Services of Los Angeles (JFS).

In May 2016, the City has this line-up of Senior Month events:

1) A Hancock Memorial Museum Excursion will take place on Friday, May 6. The bus will leave at 9:30 a.m. from the Fountain/Vista parking lot, and will return by 1 p.m. The museum is an architectural masterpiece that consists of the four public rooms of the original Hancock mansion. Participants are encouraged to pack a lunch for a courtyard-area picnic. The cost is $10 for JFS Activities members and $15 for non-members. To reserve a spot, please call the West Hollywood Comprehensive Services Center at (323) 876-1717.

2) The 15th Annual Healthy Seniors Fair will take place on May 11 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Community Center at Plummer Park, 7377 Santa Monica Blvd. Sponsored by the City of West Hollywood, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Jewish Family Services of Los Angeles, the Saban Community Clinic and SCAN Health Plan, the fair will offer free health screenings and a complimentary lunch. To reserve a lunch, please call (323) 848-6820 in advance.

3) A trip to see the “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” musical at the Glendale Centre Theatre will take place on May 15. The bus will depart from the Santa Monica Boulevard/Martel parking lot at 1:30 p.m. and return by 6:30 p.m. This musical is a comedic look at life on the corporate ladder. The show won the Tony award for best musical and a Pulitzer Prize. The cost is $30 for JFS Activities members and $35 for non-members. To reserve a spot, please call the West Hollywood Comprehensive Services Center at (323) 876-1717.

4) A planting seeds workshop will be presented by master gardener Denise Neumann, on May 17 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on the Senior Patio at Plummer Park, 7377 Santa Monica Blvd. This hands-on workshop will provide participants with seeds and the skills to grow a vegetable garden. The workshop is free, but reservations are required by May 10. RSVPs can be made by calling the West Hollywood Comprehensive Services Center at (323) 876-1717.

5) A lecture on the Benny Goodman Story will be presented by Dr. Thomas Mason, USC Music Professor, on May 24 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. in the Community Center at Plummer Park, 7377 Santa Monica Blvd., in Room 2. Known as the “King of Swing,” Benny Goodman created numerous hits and led the first jazz band to play Carnegie Hall. The lecture is free; no advanced reservations are required.

6) The city’s Senior Advisory Board meeting and reception will explore important community issues for seniors in West Hollywood and honor outstanding members of the community. The event will take place on May 25 at 2 p.m. at West Hollywood City Hall, 8300 Santa Monica Blvd. at Sweetzer. The meeting will feature readings from contributors to Senior Stories WeHo and refreshments will be served. The event is free; no advanced reservations are required.

7) A visit to the Fullerton Arboretum, the largest botanical garden in Orange County, will take place on May 26. The bus will depart at 9:30 a.m. from the Fountain/Vista parking lot, and return by 3 p.m. The arboretum maintains a collection of more than 4,000 unique and unusual plant species from around the world. Participants are encouraged to bring a lunch to enjoy while seated one of the many benches throughout the 26-acre grounds. The cost is $10 for JFS Activities members and $15 for non-members. To reserve a spot, please call the West Hollywood Comprehensive Services Center at (323) 876-1717.

Approximately 15 percent of West Hollywood’s population is comprised of seniors, compared with 11 percent in Los Angeles County. The city has a history of providing services and programs for seniors, which help older people to continue aging in place. In a 2013 survey of the community in West Hollywood, 86 percent of seniors reported that their quality of life is excellent or good.

For additional information about Senior Month events in the City of West Hollywood, please call (323) 848-6510. For people who are deaf or hearing impaired, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.