By TIM FENSTER

MASSENA - Dozens of Massena residents attended a homemade lunch held Thursday at the Massena Senior Citizens Center, an event which kicked off the Massena Winter Carnival.

The lunch, which was open to everyone in the community, included sandwiches and soup, and a choice of either red velvet cake, spice cake or pineappple upside-down cake for dessert. The soup was prepared by Peter LaFrance and the dessert by Betty LaFrance.

“We like (hosting community meals), and people seem to like it,” center director Sheila L. Benn said. “We have good food. We have three professional chefs. You can’t mess up good food.”

Ms. Benn believes the lunch and other meals held at the center are a good opportunity to bring together people in the community, while fundraising for the center.

“It’s a chance to socialize, meet friends and you don’t have to cook,” Ms. Benn said.

The center provides a variety of activities focused on the elderly in Massena, including card games, line-dancing, yoga and more. It also provides support for the elderly iving alone or on a tight, fixed income.

Ms. Benn said volunteers for the center provide asssistance with managing finances, transportation and more. The center is also active in the community, being a member of the Massena Chamber of Commerce and having a presence at many community events.

Center president Sylvia Despaw commended the work of volunteers who make the center’s activities possible.

“Anytime we hold anything we have an over-abundance of volunteers, and we wouldn’t be able to do what we do if we didn’t have such a good group,” Ms. Despaw said.

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