April 1st Breakfast and Blues for Seniors Brings Joy To Community, No Fooling!
Cecila Harris
Published: April 4, 2017
It was a wonderful day in the neighborhood” on Saturday, April 1st, 2017 in Auburn-Gresham at the Breakfast & Blues for Seniors event held at the Naomi and Sylvester Smith Senior Living Center located on Halsted.
"I must say, the food, provided by The Grill Catering and Delivery Company Inc. was absolutely delicious and the music was incredible!," says Cecilia Harris, this year's event coordinator. The event was virtually packed wall to wall. More than 100 seniors were served a hot breakfast, honored and pampered as they snapped their fingers and tapped their feet to the music of their time.
We danced and jammed to Chicago Blues which is a form of Blues indigenous rooted from the alley's of the south side of Chicago, Illinois. It is a type of urban blues based around the sound of the electric guitar and the harmonica. The band for the morning was Doktu Rhute Muusic (guitars, drums, saxaphone and singers), with a special guest including the world renowned Johnny Drummer, on the harmonica.
The Greater Auburn-Gresham Development Corporation (GADC) board and staff want to send a big THANK YOU to our sponsors Oak Street Health, AARP, and TransAmerica; and to our volunteers Chicago Cares and Dime Child Foundation (Upward Bound) youth, and last but not least, another shout out to Doktu Rhute Muusic for playing some great Chicago Blues, with a touch of jazz and rock-n-roll! This biannual event was once again a big hit for the senior residents and was enjoyed by all!
With a new added focus on the good news/good works in the community, WGN TV produced amazing coverage for the event. They highlighted GADC board member, Betty Jo Swanson who reminded us that, "Seniors are one of our must precious community assets. Yes we have fun, but we are also committed to the health and well being of the entire community."
Swanson reminds seniors to participate in the CAPS Senior Subcommittee and spread the word that it is our responsibility to maintain, revitalize and rebuild our community. She urges all to support the Greater Auburn-Gresham Development Corporation (GADC) and community efforts to "Build on 79th Street" so we can better support our thriving businesses and also attract new businesses to help make the 79th Street corridor that connects neighborhoods east to west vibrant again!
I look forward to snapping my fingers and tapping my feet, perhaps next spring if not sooner.
Take a look at the pictures below to get an additional view of this day of #doinggood in the neighborhood!