As Southminster Presbyterian Church approaches its centennial anniversary, there will be another celebration happening in its community. The Adult Interest Center, a bimonthly meeting group hosted by Southminster for seniors to receive a homecooked meal with free entertainment, celebrates its 50th anniversary.
From 11 a.m. to noon every other Friday — except for a short summer break — members can participate in games, trivia and good conversation alongside a catered meal by Mt. Lebanon resident Denise Doak. Although the program is free, the meal is now $9, which pastor and center director Fred Barnes says is worth every penny.
The center is open to all seniors — you don’t have to attend Southminster, or be a Mt. Lebanon resident. “Most of these folks are here because their friends attend,” Barnes said. “It’s really about relationships.”
These relationships span municipalities and denominations, and some of the longtime members have been friends since kindergarten. A typical meeting sees between 30 and 40 people.
When asked about his goals for the upcoming year, Barnes remained proud of their successes and optimistic despite the competition from similar operations. “The library has more events,” said Barnes. “Then, you get into the homes. A lot of our members live in Providence Point and Friendship Village, and they have a lot of things going on. My big job as director is to spread the word as much as possible.”
The Adult Interest Center’s lineup of events is sure to entice. Southminster member Rick Purcell and his band performed at the 50th anniversary celebration on September 20. Frequented by singers and musicians, many of the performers have made repeat appearances over the past five decades. More recently, vintage radio players à la Burns and Allen visited the group. A nostalgic experience for the listeners, most of the entertainment captivates the audience and “takes them back to the days of listening around the radio,” said Barnes.
Other entertainment includes history talks about Kennywood, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, the foods of Pittsburgh and astronomy. A woman from the district attorney’s office presented an informational session on the new tele-scams and how to spot these common schemes.
“The thing that I really like about these folks is that they stay active with their minds,” Barnes said. “A lot of them still play tennis, a lot of them play bridge. I think one of the keys in getting older is do what you can do as long as you can do it.”