Ruth Auerbach started her 101 years as the daughter of immigrants in old Brooklyn and like the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles before her birthday party in Fort Bragg.
That”s where the diminutive centenarian was enjoying lunch on Monday with her friends in the Redwood Coast Senior Center”s Day Program.
For $55 per day, the Social Day Program offers live local musicians, singing, dancing, art, poetry, games, lively discussions, exercise, meditation and imagination exercises, not to mention considerable group laughter.
Auerbach, and the other participants interviewed, all said the company of friends and volunteers is what they love best about the program. Auerbach”s mind is obviously alert, although she likes to take time to think before answering.
“I really like seeing all the people here and having conversation, intelligent conversation,” Auerbach said.
At their third annual spaghetti dinner fundraiser, The Order of the Eastern Star and Mendocino Masonic Lodge #179 raised $1,400 for the Senior Day Program last Saturday. That will provide scholarships to seniors who now want to come but can”t afford it.
“Right now we are aware of frail local elders who need to come to the Day Program but cannot afford to do so,” Program Director Elizabeth Morton said.
“It costs $220 per week for someone to attend full time. Our goal is to build a scholarship fund of $40,000 to $50,000 to support the sliding scale scholarships for those who cannot afford the full cost of the program but desperately need to be here,” Morton said.
Morton and others wanted Auerbach to tell about her life in old Brooklyn.
“Oh, no that was so very long ago,” she said, a twinge of accent still audible. She did want to talk about her decades in Los Angeles.
But contemplating, Auerbach wasn”t so sure.
“What exactly is this for?” she asked this reporter.
When the reportorial introduction was repeated, Auerbach”s face seemed to darken briefly. She looked at smiling neighbors, turned back and finally gave a small smile herself.
“OK.”
The Day Program lost state funding several years ago. While that has caused financial difficulty, it now allows the Senior Center to open the program to anyone, not simply those with cognitive issues. Other funding is also on the decline. Last year, the Social Day Program got $15,750 in federal funds through Area Agency on Aging.
“These monies have been drastically reduced over the years. The Social Day Program, as well as the entire Senior Center, now has to rely on other sources to remain functioning. The Senior Center does monthly fundraisers which benefit all programs,” said Morton.
Friends of Hospice donated $400 monthly for a year to the scholarship fund but recently had to reduce this to $200 due to its budget constraints, Morton said. The Women”s Group of the Presbyterian Church and Calvary Baptist Church make regular contributions.
“We receive periodic one-time donations often in memory of Day Program participants who have passed away,” Morton said.
Fourteen people are using the Day Program this summer, but not every day. Morton said the program would like to serve 10-15 people per day.
“They come from one to four days per week. Eight of them come three or four days every week. Their families rely heavily on their coming here for supervision as well as the fulfillment the program brings. Our numbers have been fairly stable for the past several months,” said Morton.
The Day Program represents an escape from isolation and perhaps the only conversation some participants have during the course of a day.
Seven volunteers help keep the program as frugal as possible. Randy Salmans, known locally as a coach for all levels of youth sports, clearly enjoys helping and swapping stories with the participants, which includes his aunt.
Salmans and Don McDonell, 85, were enjoying trying to fill up a state quarter book. McDonell is well known as a long time Fort Bragg Food Bank volunteer — until this year. Physical impairments make the Day Program his favorite activity now.
“I really like being with the people here, to get out and have people to talk to,” he said.
At Saturday”s dinner, Carol and Gilbert Greenwald were happy to find out that the mountainous serving of spaghetti they were served with more than 100 other people benefited the Day Program.
“We didn”t know that was what it was for, but we really like the Day Program,” said Gilbert.
Carol remembers the blessing her mother, Jewel Patterson, got from the program in the last years of her life. She once came to pick her mother up to find her playing tennis on the courts outside.
“She had been a tennis player in college but hadn”t played in years,” Carol said.
Dave Paoli, a mason for 25 years, said the Lodge hopes to take on even more community activities. He said the Lodge, founded in 1865, has 82 members but is worried about getting young new members.
The Lodge held a patriotic display on July 3 under the distinctive Sculpture of Father Time and the Maiden, which adorns the top of the hall”s cupola at 10500 Lansing St. Mendocino Members dressed as Founding Fathers who were free masons.
Email Frank Hartzell at frankhartzell@gmail.com.
