May is Older Americans Month all across the nation and older Americans were front and center in Troy this week.

On Thursday, Pike County older Americans were treated to a fish fry by the Kappa Alpha Psi Alumni Chapter of Troy University at the Colley Senior Complex. On Friday, Pike County’s older Americans were honored along with older Americans from five other area senior centers by the South Central Alabama Council Area Agency on Aging at the Troy Recreation Center.

Jerome Solomon, Kappa Alpha Psi Alumni Chapter president, said the brothers have hosted a cookout for senior adults during Older American Month for four years and look forward to future opportunities to honor the county’s older Americans.

“Most of our ‘guests’ are participants at the Colley Senior Center and the Troy Nutrition Center but all senior adults are invited,” Solomon said. “Our senior adults have done so much for us – prepared the way – that we want to do something to recognize and honor them, and to have good time together.”

Solomon said the alumni chapter does not have a special fundraiser for the annual fish fry. The funds come from the chapter’s treasury. Most of the brothers are from Troy and Montgomery and their careers fall primarily in the categories of law enforcement, private business and education.

“We all know the debt we owe to our older Americans and we want to show our appreciation to them,” he said.

Catherine Jordon, director of the Colley Senior Complex, said the senior adults at the complex look forward to the fish fry each year.

“This is a fun outing for our older Americans and they know how to have fun,” she said.

“They enjoy being outdoors and the fellowship of other senior adults and they greatly appreciate being remembered and acknowledged for the many contributions they have made to our better way of life.”

Shelia Deveridge, Troy Nutrition Center director, said, too, that the seniors at the center look forward to the Kappa Alpha Psi Alumni Chapter’s fish fry.

“As soon as May rolls around they start looking forward to this event,” Deveridge said.  “Our seniors are the foundation of our city – of our country. Older Americans month is a special time to honor them but here in Troy, we honor our older Americans every day at the Troy Nutrition Center and the Colley Senior Complex.”

Senior adults from the Troy centers were out again Friday to continue the celebration of “their” month at “Age Out Loud – Celebrating the Decades MayFest 2017.”

Wanda Vinson, director of the Robert E. Barr Nutrition Center,  said the senior adults at the Brundidge nutrition center could hardly wait for MayFest.

“They were ready to buy their shirts and ready to celebrate,” Vinson said. “This event is a wonderful way to let our older Americas know they have not been forgotten and how much they are appreciated.”

Sharon Redd, SCADC Area Agency on Aging director, said Older American Months has been celebrated for many Mays but this is the third time MayFest has been held at the Troy Recreation Center.

“This is a great place to bring senior adults from several centers together for a time of celebrating the generations,” Redd said. “We have more than 600 older Americans from Bullock, Butler, Crenshaw, Lowndes, Macon and Pike here to celebrate Older Americans Month 2017. We also have vendors with information of special interest to senior adults. It’s great to see everyone out and enjoying themselves.  This is a special day for all of us.”