It was an afternoon of caring, sharing and love as seniors from across the parish were feted by the National Council for Senior Citizens in St Mary, during a Pre-Valentine Love Affair on Thursday, February 13.The event was held inside the conference room at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security office in Port Maria under the theme ‘Spread the Love of Joy and Happiness through Sharing.” The seniors were feted as they shared stories of love, marriage and happiness and listened to vintage music. They also shared in the story of St. Valentine.Organizer of the event, Angella Toyloy, said the afternoon was a way of getting the seniors to socialize and empower them so they don’t feel left out of all the excitement surrounding Valentine’s Day. She explained that some of the seniors are widows or widowers and the afternoon created an environment for them to share and celebrate with persons like themselves.“It is one of our programmes that we bring them together to have our seniors socialize,” she told The Times. Mrs Toyloy said that persons over the age of 60 are invited to participate in the different activities which are hosted each year for senior citizens across the parish. Venice McNaught, who along with her husband Lorenzo are celebrating 42 years of love, said the Pre-Valentine affair was an excellent way of getting the seniors to socialize and enjoy what love is all about.“Most seniors are kept in a lot and we still have a lot of life in us although we are aging so when we come together like this we can reminisce and not think about the present like the violence and so forth,” she told The Times . Mrs McNaught said that it also helps to identify talented seniors in the parish.Another patron, Louis Chambers said it was a great idea to get the seniors out to enjoy the evening of love with people like themselves. He said it helps to reinvigorate the seniors and help them to relax in a friendly environment outside of church and home.Among the group were persons who were celebrating many decades of love and marriage, including Pastor Kermit Jones and his wife Gloria who have been married for 54 years and Ivan Ferguson and his wife Alga who have been married for 53 years.
