Peter Lovett and Jerry Childs, managers of the Fort Hamilton Senior Recreation Center and Brownsville Recreation Center respectively, have planned another Valentine’s Day Heart-to-Heart celebration this year. Five couples from the Fort Hamilton center will travel to Brownsville on February 13 for the event, which will feature food, music, singing and dancing (especially doo-wop). “I’ve partnered up with Brownsville for a number of events, but one of the things we do every year with them is the Valentine’s Day gathering,” Lovett said.
The Fort Hamilton center will also host its own Valentine’s Day Social for its members on February 15. Much like the Heart-to-Heart celebration, there will be a DJ, dancing, decorations and refreshments (with food usually catered from a local restaurant) to help attendees get into the holiday spirit. Lovett said dances, especially holiday-themed ones, are very popular among the seniors. “They love these special dances; it jazzes them up,” he explained.
The last major holiday function the center hosted was the Pre-New Year’s Eve Dance, celebrated the weekend before the New Year. Dozens of seniors, who donned hats and 2020 glasses, waited to watch a lit, mini ball drop and were served sparkling apple cider in champagne glasses.
Events of this kind provide attendees with the opportunity to have fun with others their own age, when perhaps their partners have passed away. “It helps them from being isolated in their homes and gives them the chance to come out and to socialize. That’s why they enjoy the dancing,” Lovett said.
The best part, for Lovett, is seeing the seniors come together and enjoy themselves for a few hours.
“Their voices and their laughter are actually like music in the air. When I see and hear that, it gives me great pleasure that I’m able to put this together for them,” Lovett said. “And then they’re very grateful at the end of the day or during the event or even days later. They come up [to me] and tell me, ‘Pete, we really enjoyed that.’ Most of the time I get great feedback, so I feel like I’m on the right track.”
For more information on becoming a member with the Fort Hamilton center (9941 Fort Hamilton Parkway), call 718-439-4296. For more information on becoming a member with the Brownsville center (1555 Linden Boulevard), call 718-485-4633.
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