Sun staff
Goshen Local School District held its annual senior citizens dinner on Oct. 18.
The event, now in its 16th year, pays tribute to senior citizens in the Goshen area, including alumni and retired staff.
“I still want you to feel like you’re connected to us because you’re an important part of us,”
Darrell Edwards, superintendent, said in his opening remarks.
Nearly 300 senior citizens assembled in the high school gymnasium to be served dinner, which was provided courtesy of the school district and prepared by the high school cafeteria staff.
The school district’s administrative staff and members of the high school’s student council and National Honor Society, as well as student volunteers, waited on the honored guests.
“Tonight is our time to give back to you. We want to thank you by providing you with this very special dinner,” Edwards said, adding, “We have wonderful kids and this is a wonderful opportunity to interact with them.”
The theme of the event was “Glory Days,” and guests were invited to submit photos in advance to be displayed during the dinner.
“We look back with fondness to our high school days,” Edwards said. “As you look back on the glory days, I hope that tonight you can enjoy some friends and some company.”
Robert Winterberger and his wife Helen, both of Goshen, have attended the event since it began.
“I think [the students] have been very polite and helpful,” said Robert Winterberger, who served on the Goshen Local School Board for 20 years.
Helen Winterberger agreed and said that the students were very friendly.
“They look so beautiful and handsome,” she added.
She went on to note that her favorite part of the event was the photo display.
“I love the pictures that you can look at and see people you knew; that was really something that I enjoyed,” she said.
Robert Winterberger said his favorite part of the event was “meeting with friends.”
Student volunteer Allie Popp, 11th-grader, said serving the guests felt great.
“Just seeing all the senior citizens happy and just being able to help them makes me feel really good,” she said.
Avery Amundson, an 11th-grader and member of the student council, said her favorite part of the event was interacting with the guests.
“I’ve enjoyed being able to talk with them, especially because when you’re with kids your age all day, you don’t really get to interact with people that are older than you, past your grandparents or your parents, so it’s nice to hear somebody else’s stories and their opinions,” she said.
For exclusive photos of the dinner, pick up a copy of the Oct. 27 edition of The Clermont Sun.