About 75 senior citizens from the communities of Brooklyn Heights, Cuyahoga Heights, and Valley View enjoyed an evening of fun, friendship, and fabulous food on October 23 at the annual Cuyahoga Heights Schools fall dinner. Now redubbed “Seniors Serving Seniors” to reflect the involvement of members of the Class of 2025, the event was held at Cuyahoga Heights’ Klima Gardens.
Superintendent Matt Young welcomed everyone and introduced district administrators, board members, and student helpers from the Class of 2025. They included Macgowan Rott,, Nia Koloini-Hunter, Katelyn Maras, Skylar Sane, Lorenzo Amato, Ava Kmetz, Alex Nemeth, Katie Buccier, Arushi Shinde, Paige Henley, Kelia Goines, and Zach Unger. They helped prepare the food, decorate the tables, serve the food, pour coffee and drinks, and respond to the guests’ requests.
“I could talk to them for hours, learning about their lives and asking them about their experiences,” said Macgowan Rott, one of the student volunteers. “I also enjoyed helping with the food and serving because we should always give back to our community.”
Attendees enjoyed a hearty dinner of chicken parmesan, eggplant parmesan, penne pasta, salad, and rolls and butter. A festive sheet cake decorated with fall colors to celebrate the season was served for dessert. Mark Chase, a local caterer and CHHS alumnus, coordinated the food preparation.
“It was a beautiful night,” said Tracy Deal, administrative assistant to the superintendent, who coordinated the event. “The doors were opened and we had a fire going. As the evening wore on, the sky turned an array of beautiful colors.” To provide easier access for those with mobility issues, the event, which was previously held at the high school, was moved to Klima Gardens where partygoers simply walked in and took a seat. “The buses were able to pull up and let our guests off right at the door. There was no need for them to walk a long way or walk up stairs to get to their destination” noted Deal.
The setting also enabled everyone to watch the Mighty Red Wolves Marching Band as they performed selections from their football halftime show, tunes they routinely play in the stands and during pregame, and some Halloween hits. “Because the students performed alongside the pavilion, it was easy to hear and see the performance,” added Deal. She expressed appreciation for the Village of Cuyahoga Heights which provided Klima Gardens free of charge.
Future gatherings for senior citizen residents include a winter music concert and luncheon, and a dress rehearsal performance of this year's musical, “The Wizard of Oz.” Dates and times will be announced soon.
