On April 16, the senior citizens of Portage gathered in Oakwood Hall at Woodland Park for the Spring session of the Food and A Flick event. This free event, which was sponsored by the Mayor’s Senior Advisory Committee, is designed to give the seniors of the community a chance to socialize with one another while they enjoy a delicious meal and a lighthearted film.
For this event, attendees watched the baseball movie “A League of Their Own,” starring Tom Hanks, Madonna, and Geena Davis. Coffee, soda, and bagel sandwiches were served. In keeping with the baseball theme, the attendees were also given mandarin oranges and bags of Cracker Jacks.
The Food and A Flick event, a long-standing mayoral tradition in Portage, is held in the spring and fall every year. Volunteers give their time to Portage Mayor Austin Bonta and his wife Meg Bonta were in attendance and both helped set up for the day’s event.
“I think that as people become seniors, they need new ways to connect with others in their community,” Austin Bonta said. “Loneliness is something that everyone deals with. We all want to be a part of something and we enjoy connecting with others in our area. It’s great for our seniors to connect with people their age, but I also think it’s really important for them to have the opportunity to connect with everyone in their community.”
Although the Food and A Flick series has existed for some time, the Spring 2024 installment was the first to have a theme that matched the featured movie. Not only did the snacks reflect the baseball theme, but many of the volunteers at the event also dressed in the jerseys of their favorite baseball teams. Additionally, each table featured colorful baseball-themed decorations. Mary McCafferty, one of the attendees, had attended a Food and A Flick event once before and was pleased to return for this year’s spring installment.
“I like the social environment and I like being able to participate in activities with my friends,” McCafferty said. “This event is age-appropriate for us, which is nice. We also get a free lunch, and you can’t beat that. It benefits us and I appreciate the Mayor's Senior Advisory Committee for putting it on every year.”
Austin Bonta praised the efforts of the individuals who helped execute a successful Food and A Flick event this season and emphasized the positive impact it has on the Portage community.
“The amazing work is really done by the members of the Mayor's Senior Advisory Committee,” said Austin Bonta. “It’s a volunteer organization, so people are doing this out of the kindness of their hearts. It's great seeing so many great for-profit and nonprofit organizations send us representatives to participate in the Food and A Flick event. It means a lot to us and to the city of Portage as a whole.”
The attendees continued to enjoy their snacks as they sat back contentedly to watch “A League of Their Own,” a truly humorous and heartwarming 1992 classic.
To learn more about the Mayor’s Senior Advisory Committee and its upcoming events, please visit portagein.gov/257/Senior-Advisory-Committee.
