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Poughkeepsie, NY … Though the COVID-19 pandemic has postponed a variety of events throughout the Hudson Valley, Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro announced the Dutchess County Office for the Aging (OFA) will continue providing socialization opportunities for local seniors by offering socially distant, drive-through Senior Picnics in a dozen communities over a six-week period, in lieu of the traditional, in-person picnics the OFA has held since 1993.
Beginning on July 28th, and continuing each Tuesday and Thursday through Sept. 3rd, the County will welcome seniors from individual communities to a central gathering point to drive up and receive a bag lunch to take home and enjoy – providing seniors with a balanced meal, important information about aging and interaction with OFA staff and volunteers, while maintaining social-distancing guidelines. Local establishments will prepare the lunches for each drive-through picnic; seniors can drop off unused/unwanted medications for safe disposal at each event; and County Executive Molinaro and local leaders will attend picnics, greeting seniors in their cars. County Executive Molinaro said, “While the pandemic has altered the way Dutchess County Government has delivered many programs and services to residents, our commitment to our seniors is unwavering, and we’ll continue to provide a picnic experience, albeit it slightly different than in years past. Our ‘drive-thru’ Senior Picnics will provide our residents with a nutritious meal, which they’ve received at OFA picnics for decades, while still providing fresh air and socialization as they pass through to pick up their lunch and say, ‘Hello.’ We look forward to welcoming thousands of seniors this summer, and we’ll continue to find ways to mitigate the pandemic’s impact on residents as we continue restarting Dutchess.” Earlier this month, OFA staff began mailing invitations to residents 60 years of age and older, inviting them to the drive-through picnic in their respective community; OFA staff will provide seniors a designated time to pick up their lunch when they RSVP. Reservations to each picnic are limited, and there is an $8 fee for those under 60 who wish to receive a lunch. The schedule of picnics is as follows: Tuesday, July 28th Pleasant Valley West Road School 181 West Road, Pleasant Valley Thursday, July 30th Beacon Memorial Park ballfield Robert Cahill Drive, Beacon Tuesday, August 4th Town of Wappinger, Village of Wappingers Falls Wappingers Junior High School 30 Major Macdonald Way, Wappinger Thursday, August 6th Town of Poughkeepsie Bowdoin Park 85 Sheafe Road, Poughkeepsie Tuesday, August 11th North East, Pine Plains, Stanford and Washington Stissing Mountain High School 2928 Church Street, Pine Plains Thursday, August 13th City of Poughkeepsie St. John’s Church 55 Wilbur Boulevard, Poughkeepsie Tuesday, August 18th Clinton and Hyde Park Regina Coeli Church 2 Harvey Street, Hyde Park Thursday, August 20th Town of Fishkill, Village of Fishkill Geering Park Geering Way, Fishkill Tuesday, August 25th Beekman and LaGrange Freedom Park 212 Skidmore Road, LaGrange Thursday, August 27th East Fishkill Hopewell Recreation Park 890 Route 82, Hopewell Junction Tuesday, September 1st Milan, Red Hook, Rhinebeck Dutchess County Fairgrounds 6636 Route 9, Rhinebeck Thursday, September 3rd Amenia, Dover, Pawling, Union Vale Boyce Park 6420 State Route 55, Wingdale The OFA’s 2020 Senior Picnic Series is sponsored by Evercare at Home and Home Energy Consultants, Inc. Residents who would like to volunteer at any of this summer’s Senior Picnics can contact the OFA at ofa@dutchessny.gov or (845) 486-2555. More than 3,800 residents attended the dozen OFA Senior Picnics held in 2019, and 190 pounds of unwanted/unused medications were collected for safe disposal at last year’s picnics. The OFA plans, coordinates and provides an array of community-based services to seniors and persons who require assistance in the long term care system, in an effort to promote independence, dignity and quality of life. In 2019, OFA staff served more than 13,000 residents through a variety of services and programs. More information about the OFA and its critical work is available on the County’s website.
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