Free event included car show for Mansfield OH-area senior citizens
The Ohio District 5 Area Agency on Aging‘s Senior Spring Extravaganza on Thursday drew hundreds of senior citizens to the Richland County Fairgrounds.
An Area Agency on Aging employee handing out free bags to hold the dozens of free snacks, trinkets and information said organizers ran out of their 800 free meal tickets at 10:15 a.m.
That didn’t seem to bother the seniors who packed the buildings, many walking but others using walkers and wheelchairs.
Hundreds of vendors offered information geared to older residents’ health in Fairhaven Hall and the Youth Building.
A group called Fusion performed, and outside the car show was a big hit.
Mike Schopp, 68, of Bellville, had an eye-catching rusty pickup in the car show. The 1972 Dodge rat rod had a skeleton seated inside.
Schopp found the truck in a building on Mansfield-Washington Road where it had sat for 19 years.
“I paid $1,300 for it,” he said.
He does get a lot of questions about it.
“You can’t get out of a gas station,” he said.
He did the work himself and said everything is all brand-new underneath. He rebuilt the engine, too.
“It’s dependable,” he said, adding he drove it around Indianapolis after a Colts’ game released and the pickup and others were moving at 90 mph around the six-lane outer belt.
Nearby, Pat and Patty O’Leary of Mansfield sat enjoying the 1970’s music, having driven their 1955 cherry red Mercury to be part of the car show.
They, too, collected snacks.
“I got lots of snacks, enough to last us a month,” Patty O’Leary said from her lawn chair. She said the couple also picked up some good information from the many exhibitors.
Pat O’Leary said the couple have been married 64 years.
His wife said they’re still together because “I keep him downstairs with the big-screen TV.”
While the buildings were hot and stuffy, no one seemed to mind as they waited in lines, played bingo and met new friends.
Sharon Harper, 74, of Mansfeld, said she couldn’t believe all the snacks she collected.
“Next year I will get here early and bring my own bag,” she said.
Al Wadley, 95, of Mansfield, drove his 1990 Lincoln Continental to the event, which he registered in the car show.
“Someone broke the gold-colored hood ornament off of it,” he said before heading inside to get his bag and goodies.
This free event was held in recognition of Older Americans Month. It also commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Ohio District 5 Area Agency on aging.
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2024-05-18 09:06:53