Jamming for Fun(d)
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- Created on Monday, 16 February 2015 16:27
- Written by Alex Farnworth
WEST BURKE - With all proceeds going to charity, West Burke was the place to be on this Valentine's Day weekend. It might have been frigid and the temperatures were blistering but at the senior meal, the dance floor was certainly heating up.
Seniors certainly started to feel young again as they laced up their dancing shoes in an effort to raise some money. Music, dancing, food as well as a friendly atmosphere brought the Burke community together.
Jim Karns helps out at the monthly event and he said the possibilities are endless for what goes on at these jam sessions. "People come from as far away as Canada, or as far away as New Hampshire. They can play pretty much anything that they want; the purpose is to raise money for the Burke Senior Meal Site" Karns said.
Even folks who aren't on stage performing or tearing up the dance floor seem to have the time of their lives. Judith Hishikawa volunteers at the senior meal site (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) and finds herself in the kitchen. Hishikawa is cooking up and serving meals three days a week, and she says that sometimes they'll see up to 50 seniors in a single day. Luckily, the state helps provide food through the Agency of Aging.
As the old saying goes "If you find something you love, you'll never have to work a day in your life." That adage seems to hold true for Hishikawa as she says her favorite part of the whole thing is the comaraderie. "We have a great time in the kitchen... laughing and joking around while cutting the vegetables... yeah we enjoy that."
Burke's acoustic jam is held once a month and the earnings range from $2,000-$3,000 annually. The Senior Meal Site has various locations and is a great bonding experience for the members of the community. Burke's next jam is scheduled for March 15th at the Burke Community Building.
