Seniors give thanks a day early

Deepa Bharath

Lisa Coyle felt like it was all “perfect and beautiful.�

“Just the way Thanksgiving should be,� said Coyle, who has been

visiting the Costa Mesa Senior Center “forever.�

She joined 175 other seniors Wednesday for a Thanksgiving lunch at

the center.

“This is like my family,� Coyle said as she looked around the

hall.

Most of her family members live in Georgia, but traveling is a

challenge for her, Coyle said.

Traveling across the country or driving long distance is a

deterrent to seniors when it comes to Thanksgiving, a day most of

them end up spending alone, said the center’s director, Aviva

Goelman.

The center has been hosting the luncheon for the last four years,

thanks to the generosity of Surat Singh, who owns Angel’s Car Wash in

Costa Mesa.

“Most seniors who come to our lunch are those who are here on a

daily basis,� Goelman said. “Most of their families live out of town.

So many think of this place as their home.�

On the menu were traditional holiday favorites -- turkey,

stuffing, mashed potatoes, vegetables, cranberry sauce and pies.

Ed and Franka Carmona, longtime Costa Mesa residents who’ve cooked

this meal for the last four years, got to the kitchen at 6:30 a.m. on

Wednesday.

“We just have so much fun doing this,� said Ed Carmona, who owned

an Italian restaurant in Huntington Beach with his wife for many

years.

“We retired a while ago,� he said. “But this is a labor of love.

When you have the ability, why not use it? For me and my wife, it’s a

great way to pay back the community for all the wonderful years we’ve

had in Costa Mesa.�

The spirit of volunteerism that’s visible during this event speaks

volumes about its popularity in the community, said Del Heintz,

president of the center’s board of directors.

“When more people show up to help each year, it’s significant,� he

said. “It’s also important to teach the next generation that

volunteering your time to help others is a valuable part of their

lives.�

The event has grown considerably over the years, Goelman said.

“Four years ago, we started with just a few tables,� she said.

“Now, we’re close to 200 people.�

* DEEPA BHARATH is the enterprise and general assignment reporter.