Office for the Aging Summer Picnic Series Returns
with Traditional Picnics, Beginning June 1st
A dozen sit-down picnics to serve thousands of residents throughout summer
Poughkeepsie… After adapting in 2020 and 2021 to serve thousands of local residents at drive-through picnics throughout Dutchess County, the County’s Office for the Aging’s (OFA) Summer Picnic Series returns for its 30th year with traditional sit-down events that will serve thousands of residents throughout this summer. The OFA will host 12 picnics in communities throughout the county, beginning June 1st at Thomas Boyce Park in Wingdale.
Picnics take place on Wednesdays through Aug. 31st – each picnic begins at noon – and the full schedule of picnics is available online at dutchessny.gov/ofapicnics. OFA staff is sending thousands of reminder cards to residents 60 years of age and older, encouraging them to attend the free event in their local community. OFA staff continues to mail reminder postcards to older adults throughout the county, though the postcard is not required to make a reservation.
Proof of residency and advance reservations are both required, and space is limited; walk-ins cannot be accommodated. There is a $8 charge for each non-resident guest and those 59 or younger. Space is limited at each picnic, and residents who wish to reserve their space at the picnic are encouraged to call (866) 486-2555 during office hours.
County Executive Marc Molinaro said, “We are thrilled to finally welcome back our friends and neighbors in person for our Office for the Aging Summer Picnic Series. For too long, our older adults have missed out on getting together in person, dining on a nutritious meal and enjoying the summer weather, but at long last, we’ll all have that opportunity again.”
In addition to providing picnic attendees a complimentary, nutritious meal and live music, volunteer members of the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) of Dutchess County provide attendees information about safety and preparedness, and attendees can also meet representatives from other Dutchess County Government departments and divisions that serve them. MRC members will also assist representatives from the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office and the Dutchess County Traffic Safety Board in collecting attendees’ unwanted or unneeded medications for safe disposal. In 2021, the County 412 pounds of unwanted/unused medication at the OFA’s 12 picnics.
Each of the past two years, the OFA’s drive-through picnic model served more than 4,000 residents – more than ever in the decades-long history of the Summer Picnic Series.
OFA Director Todd Tancredi said, “We look forward to again providing thousands of our older adults an afternoon of free food and fun with their friends and neighbors. Our picnics also offer seniors the chance to meet representatives from various County government departments and local officials who serve them.”
The OFA plans, coordinates and provides an array of community-based services to older adults and persons who require assistance in the long-term care system, in an effort to promote independence, dignity and quality of life. OFA offers an array of programming that provides socialization, recreation and fitness opportunities for older adults to remain active and energized. More information about the OFA and its various offerings is available at dutchessny.gov/aging.
