The Festus senior expo at the Jefferson County YMCA exceeded expectations, organizers said.
“We had such a good time last year, I didn’t know how we were going to top it. And this year was just so much fun,” said Katelyn Mary Skaggs, Leader advertising manager.
About 700 people came out June 24 for the senior expo.
“We had so many more seniors come out and see the Y, and the Y is such a great space for a senior expo,” Skaggs said. “They already are a community venue, so it’s just so perfect to have a community event, and it just felt so lovely and fun all day long.”
The expo featured several speakers.
YMCA fitness instructor Maureen Menendez led a session on chair yoga for seniors. Jefferson College history teacher and host of the Jefferson County Minute podcast Joseph Thurman spoke about Selma Castle in Jefferson County. Tim Krysl, vice president of the Museum of Unity and Hope, spoke to seniors about the history of the museum project and the importance of building the museum in the area.
About 40 vendors shared information with seniors, handed out free items and offered some giveaways.
Autumn Ridge provided a shuttle service for attendees who had to park in the Schnucks/Home Depot lot farther from the expo.
Jan Wilson of High Ridge was the winner of the grand prize: an Ashley Nerviano Recliner Zero Wall Recliner from Genuine Appliance and Furniture in Festus. The chocolate-brown recliner was valued at $599 and features a one-pull reclining motion, reinforced frame and metal seat box and polyester upholstery.
Wilson said she had been looking for a recliner for her living room.
“I’ve been looking at different recliner chairs, and I thought, ‘Well I have to kind of wait until I kind of get the money together,’” she said. “Because it’s a rocking chair and it reclines, it’s going to match my couch, because my couch is a brown color, so it’s going to go perfect.”
Wilson said she likes to attend all the expos she can throughout the year.
“I love these senior expos. It gives you something to do, and it gets you out of the house for four hours, and all the staff at the Leader are just great people,” she said. “You meet a lot of nice people, you kind of make friends, and then you sit with them during the expo when they’re playing bingo. You just never know what’s going to be in store when you go to one of these expos.”
Roxie Lane came to the expo with her friend, Bev Pusateri, who both live in De Soto.
Lane said they went to the De Soto Senior Expo, held at the Knights of Columbus Hall on April 15.
“We wanted to compare and see if the same people were here,” she said. “Some of the information that is available (at the expo) is a highlight. You’re not going to walk into a business and ask a lot of questions, usually, but at this place, it’s easier to talk. And some of the free gifts are great.”
Similarly, Ginger Friedhoff of Barnhart came with her friend Donna Walker of Festus. This was Walker’s first expo experience, and she said it was informative.
“We signed up for the weather alerts at the Jefferson County (Health Department) booth,” Friedhoff said. “Another county program I’m interested in is when they come to a subdivision and spray for mosquitoes.”
Both women take water aerobics classes at the Jefferson County YMCA and spoke highly of the venue.
Walker said aerobics participants usually stay long after class ends to chat in the lobby and regularly grab lunch and dinner together.
“I wouldn’t have known Ginger if not for the Y,” she said.
Leader Publications is hosting four more senior expos this year.
The remaining expos include: West Side Senior Expo, July 22, at Northwest High School in Cedar Hill; Arnold Senior Expo, Aug. 19, at the Arnold Eagles Hall; Farmington Area Senior Expo, Sept. 16, at the Mineral Area College Tech Center; and Eureka Senior Expo, Oct. 28, at the Timbers of Eureka.
The events are free and geared to people 50 and over. Businesses and organizations interested in securing a vendor space for any of the expos may contact the Leader at 636-931-7560 or ads@myleaderpaper.com.
Reporter Abby Stetina contributed to this story.
Click here to see more photos from the event:
