Senior activities at the Park Avenue Community Center (129 Park Avenue) are coming back to life with in-person activities. The Board of Directors has established the criteria for groups to gather and play games, work on crafts, meet for programs, and meet for discussion. We are following the guidelines published by the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
Games and other small-group activities are back for those who have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and who agree to abide by the guidelines for face masks and physical distancing. Bridge is on Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m. and Canasta and Pinochle are on Fridays at 10:30 a.m.
Let us know at SwarthmoreSeniors@gmail.com if you are interested in one or more of these activities. Let us know if you have another small-group activity you would like to see. We are specifically looking for bridge players who are willing to play with developing players, and also for people who want to play pinochle. Scrabble players are also looking for playing partners. There are already one or two in each category, but we need more! Email SwarthmoreSeniors@gmail.com.
Friday Friends is held at the patio or at the seating inside the Swarthmore Co-op every Friday from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. The Co-op is at 341 Dartmouth Avenue in Swarthmore.
Lunch and Learn has started up and will go through the academic year. Programs will be held at the Park Avenue Community Center (129 Park Ave). Bring your own lunch at 12:15 p.m. Programs begin at 12:30 p.m.
Meetings of small groups may be scheduled by emailing SwarthmoreSeniors@gmail.com or calling 484-437-8272. Board meetings, committee meetings, and official and scheduled meetings of SSCA will take precedence over other meetings and gatherings. Like all other SSCA activities, meetings are for those who are fully vaccinated.
There are yoga classes and educational opportunities offered by our partners at the Park Avenue Community Center. These programs follow the same guidelines as our meetings, and they may sometimes require a separate registration and payment.
Group walks are being scheduled by the Walks and Trails committee. Normally these do not meet at the PAC Center, so watch for meeting times and places in the newsletter. Some walks and hikes may depend on individuals traveling to various sites on their own or in carpools and then walking or hiking together. (Carpooling is considered an indoor activity. The driver in a carpool may impose stricter rules for all carpool participants than have been published by the State Health Department.) Contact SwarthmoreTrails@gmail.com if you have an idea for a walk or a hike in the area.
Take your own walk using SSCA's maps! We have mapped out over 20 walks and trails in Swarthmore. You can use the AllTrails app on your phone (click here to learn how to do that) OR you can download and print the maps from the Borough's website by clicking here OR you can go to the Library and check out one or more laminated maps.
SSCA Travels will restart soon. Our organizers are developing several small group tours, especially of some outdoor venues. Keep an eye on the newsletter for upcoming trips.
We are supporting the Pantry Staples Program, helping a local food bank by purchasing food in bulk from a local supplier, supplementing the canned and dry food supplies that are donated directly. This program evens out the flow of needed food items, assures the nutritional value of the food provided, and supports a local business. The Pantry Staples Program is completely volunteer run, guaranteeing that all donations are used to purchase food. Donate to Pantry Staples by clicking here. You can even set up a recurring donation!
We are living in a time that offers us great opportunities to learn and grow into the nation that our forebears imagined, in which all people are free to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We at SSCA want to do our part, and so we have prepared a directory of Black-Owned Businesses in Delaware County with an expressed purpose of promoting those businesses so that a thriving community can continue to prosper.
Senior citizens of Swarthmore and surrounding communities consider themselves an integral and active part of our Borough.
We are here to promote the well-being of seniors, as well as others in the community, by providing a welcoming environment for social interaction, learning opportunities, and exploring resources through a variety of activities and programs.
You are welcome, no matter your age or interests, to participate in our programs and services.
We want you to be a part of our thriving organization. You can become a member right here!
Alice Putnam Willetts, co-founder and long-time president of the Swarthmore Senior Citizens Association, died peacefully on Saturday, June 6, 2020, in her home at the age of 94. Her obituary is published here, along with tributes from her community.
Sign up to hear from us about our upcoming programs and events, and ways to get involved in your community.
Board members are elected by the membership to three-year terms. Officers are elected by the Board.
Sheila Bell, Secretary
Louise Coffin, Vice President, Communications Chair
Nancy Daniel, President
Bill Davis, Development Chair
Ann Foster, Membership Chair
Shirley Mitrovich, Director
Judie Neale, Director
Linton Stables, Operations Chair
Dan Snyder, Trails and Walks Chair
Gudrun Weinberg, Treasurer
Committee Chairs
who are not Board members:
Barbara Bernhardt, Sunshine Chair
Sue Lawson, Arts and Crafts Chair
Advisers are eminent members of the community who act as mentors to the Board and keepers of the flame.
Doug Bender
Eck Gerner
Gudmund Iversen
Maria Mooney
Christine Polito
Kay Rinko
G. Guy Smith
Ann Torregrossa
Our Administrator keeps everything moving and in good order. She schedules speakers, trips, and other programs, and she keeps our communications flowing.
Our Administrator is
Stephanie McDonough.
Contact Stephanie using the Contact Us link below.
Our Creative/Technical Advisor keeps everything interesting and accessible to all. He keeps our electronic presentations and communications up-to-date, and assists in making other programs relevant in our digital world.
Our Creative/Technical Advisor is
JohnPaul Beattie.
129 Park Avenue, Post Office Box 306, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 19081, United States
Call 484-437-8272. Mail may be sent to Post Office Box 306, Swarthmore, PA 19081
We meet at the PAC Center,
129 Park Avenue, Swarthmore
Please note that Swarthmore Senior Citizens Association is a civic organization and our activities are open to all who reside in Swarthmore and the surrounding communities.