The City of Troy hosted a luncheon honoring the participants at the Troy Nutrition Center and the Colley Senior Complex Tuesday at The Studio in downtown Troy.

The luncheon was an event of Older Americans Month and more than 150 senior adults attended.

Shelia Jackson, Troy public relations and tourism director, said Older Americans Month recognizes the contributions that senior adults make to their local communities, to the state and to the nation.

“Older Americans are the foundation of our community,” Jackson said. “They are the ones we look up to for their experience and their wisdom. Older Americans continue to make contributions to our community. They make a positive impact on the lives of all of us. We appreciate all they have done for us and for all they continue to do. The Older Americans luncheon is a way the city can say ‘thank you’ to our senior adults.”

The guest speakers for the luncheon were Chase Boutwell, Campus Outreach at Troy University, and Mitchell Sneed, owner SUSO Enterprises.

Boutwell said it is the responsibility of all Americans to pray for the laborers of the world.

“We are all to be disciples and, what we can do and should do as disciples, is pray for one another and for our nation,” he said. “We should all be in prayer.”

Sneed encouraged the senior adults to “be active.”

“My grandmother and I have dance night,” he said. “We ‘cut a rug.’ We all need to be active. We need to keep our bodies in motion.”

Sneed invited a senior adult to come on stage and help him demonstrate how simple and fun dance-ercis can be. Louise Toney quickly agreed and the audience enjoyed watching them “cut a rug.”

Gabby Jackson performed a dance tribute to older Americans. The dance honored the senior adults who have given their time, their talents and their resources for the betterment of their community.

In closing the program, Catherine Jordan, Colley Senior Complex director; and Shelia Deveridge, Troy Nutrition Center director; presented participation certificates to the senior adults and thanked them for their commitment to community.

“We love our seniors and we want to keep them uplifted,” Jordan said. “Our older citizens have had a tremendous influence on the younger generations. As teachers, volunteers and leaders in our community, our senior adults have impacted our lives in so many ways. For all their contributions and their influence, we say ‘thank you.’”

Deveridge said it is important for older Americans to know that they are not forgotten.

“Our senior adults are blessed to have lived long lives,” she said. “They have been such a blessing to us. We cannot forget our older Americans or put them on the back burner. They have paved the way for us and our lives are better because of them.”

On behalf of the participants of the Colley Senior Complex and the Troy Nutrition Center, Jordan and Deveridge thanked Mayor Jason A. Reeves and the Troy City Council for honoring the senior adults with the Older Americans luncheon.’