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Vern Hollister - Correspondent

Through the combined efforts of Laona's Quarterback Club, Lions Club and National Honor Society, approximately 120 senior citizens savored a turkey and ham dinner Saturday evening. Any senior citizen 55 years and older could attend the sit-down family style dinner at the Laona Community Center or have the meal delivered to their place of residence.

Requests for delivery neared half the total as the recent snow may have served as a deterrent to drive as Quarterback Club president Jim Aschinger speculated. "It's an appreciation of their support for the Quarterback Club and the Lions Club through the years," Aschinger said.

The two organizations split the cost of giving back to senior members of their community. National Honor Society members served the meal, with help from others, and dispensed salads, dressing, corn, mashed potatoes and gravy, as well as cherry-covered cheesecake for dessert. The seniors were treated like the guests of honor, which they were.

Aschinger said that the evening before they had readied the hall. "We set up last night, put up the tables, put on the tablecloths. Not just men, wives are members of the Quarterback Club; and the sons and daughters and athletes helped set up last night and today." At 10 a.m. Aschinger and the crew arrived to begin cooking the turkey.

Jerry Banie, treasurer of the Lions Club, said, "This is an opportunity for seniors to get out in the winter. They support the Lions Club activities," he said. "Senior have supported our projects."

A service organization that raises money through their corn boil and other activities, Banie mentioned that the Lions club began as a group focusing "mainly for sight; seeing eye dogs, providing glasses. It goes back to Helen Keller."

The two groups also provided refreshments, serving so that seniors need not go get their own. Anything they needed, service members saw to. When everyone had eaten, club members removed tables and chairs from the room's center to create space for dancing. Curt Cooper of "Shake It Up," a D.J. service from New London, provided the music, the lights and served as emcee.

Before the dancing, Cooper read names for door prizes. Some took home flowers in pots or ceramic figures; but others won $10 gift certificates complements of Yeager's Oil. The Laona business also included a number of car washes as prizes. An evening dance highlight, other than Harry Tremmel not missing a dance with Kathy Krawze as his most regular partner, occurred when Cooper held a couples dance. As he counted up the years and dancers dropped out, Willard and Kathy Krull from Newald remained as the longest married couple on the floor. The Krull's have been married 59 years.

For the seniors, it was an evening of good food, plenty of it, dancing, with attentive hosts. Not only did the two organizations set up, but they cleaned up, with Bill Novak up to his armpits in soap and water while scrubbing the pans.

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