Seniors celebrate the season at NOVA

By Tara Donaldson

The holiday season means parades, Christmas-tree lightings, religious services and shopping. For senior citizens in western Prince William, it also means a free lunch.
Each year in early December, the Manassas Campus of Northern Virginia Community College sponsors a luncheon for seniors.
The event is such a popular part of the holiday season that reservations start pouring in as soon as registration opens and by the end of November, every seat has been booked.
During the two-hour event on Dec. 3, participants were treated to a free luncheon, complete with entertainment and a visit from Santa Claus.
“It was great,” said Patricia Gary, the luncheon coordinator, who said 165 seniors attended this year.
Gary said math professor Ed Anderson made an appearance as Santa Claus to hand out gifts and prizes to the seniors.
The event is funded primarily by the college's community fund with a lot of help from others, Gary said. The faculty, staff and students donate money and poinsettias for door prizes and local businesses pitch in as well with cash, gift baskets and other presents.
“It's really a collaborative effort,” Gary said.

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