“Forestville to Great Falls—The Last 50 Years and Those Who Lived Them” is the theme of the inaugural event for the proposed Great Falls Senior Center. The July 10th event will be held at the Great Falls United Methodist Church on Georgetown Pike from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

“This event has been forming for some time,” says Bob Lundegard, chair of the Senior Center Working Group, and represents a coming-together of involved citizens from the Great Falls Citizens Association (GFCA), local businesses, and faith-based organizations. 

“About a year ago,” he continues, “the GFCA appointed a special task force to search out opportunities to enrich the lives of our senior citizens—in ways cultural, social and educational.” This task force now is about to launch a Great Falls Senior Center whose model is based on a center-without-walls concept that avails itself of pledged space from faith-based and civic organizations within the community. 

Adds Lundegard, “This is a community-county partnership, and numerous Fairfax County departments and Supervisor Foust’s office have been generous in support of this initiative. The GFCA will present a proposal to Supervisor Foust for him to request a Charter for the Great Falls Senior Center from the Board of Supervisors.” 

The July 10 program will begin to demonstrate how Great Falls can be a rewarding and stimulating town for seniors. The July event will be the first of a series of monthly programs.  The follow up event will be in September at the Dranesville Tavern. 

The group is identifying as many residents as it can who’ve lived in Great Falls, originally Forestville, for 50 or more years. It’s hoping many of them can attend because they are living proof that Great Falls can be friendly to all ages. 

All Great Falls seniors are welcome. Kathleen Murphy, President of Great Falls Historical Society, will present “A Photographic Tour of Historic Great Falls,” which will be followed by food, entertainment and remarks about the Center and its future. 

Lundegard ended by saying, “We’re hoping for a good turnout. This is one of the most rewarding initiatives I’ve been involved in. And we want Great Falls seniors to be involved in it too.” 

The event sponsor is Great Falls Manor Assisted Living.  

Please RSVP to Linda Fernald, 703-759-3721. A resident who cannot make the event without transportation assistance should call Maddy McCabe at 703-438-0810.