Sixth annual Senior Summer Picnic

In the spirit of getting back to normal, Gulfport Leisure Services Department and Southern Care Hospice came together to host the sixth annual Senior Summer Picnic.

Two hundred seniors gathered under the Barksdale Pavilion in Gulfport to enjoy free lunch, music, and prizes in celebration of the sixth annual Senior Summer Picnic. Southern Care Hospice Community Relations Director Alisha Plummer said, “This is the first event that we have been able to offer to our seniors in these times that seems normal.”

When COVID-19 struck in 2020, it left many seniors isolated, wondering if they would ever get a chance to get back out and enjoy normal activities. “Being able to offer this to them, get them back out, let them be able to socialize with other people, is so important for them. So, that’s why we did this this year.”

Many of the seniors say that this is their first big outing since the pandemic and they are just excited to be out seeing old friends and making new friends. “We get to meet other people that we haven’t seen, especially after the pandemic. We have been closed in so it’s really, really fun filled way to be out today and enjoying ourselves as well as getting health care information with us being seniors.”

The health care information the seniors received came from the 30 vendors set up around the pavilion. “We have anywhere from funeral homes, home health companies, hospice, insurance companies, community resources, room care, home care sitters, we have them all.”

The goal of the Senior Summer Picnic is to take care of the seniors while also making sure they stay informed. “We are so fortunate that the city finds it very important to support our senior population and so with that being said, just having them active and like I said, socializing with one another, it keeps them healthy.”