Thinking Ahead: Dryden Seniors still going strong

Mary Shockey, of Groton, who just turned 92 on Monday, joined Dryden Seniors 30 years ago and is still an active member. In fact, she recently became the group’s treasurer. She said she continues to be a member mainly because it gets her out of the house and interacting with others.

“It’s a great group,” Shockey said. “I don’t know them all, but their faces are always familiar.”

As the assistant treasurer, Rosemary French had to go into the group’s lock box at the bank, and she found that Dryden Seniors was founded in 1957. It was incorporated as a New York State not-for-profit in 1984.

“I think people are drawn to the delicious hot meal at a reasonable price,” French said. Anyone is welcome to join, and the group has members from Ithaca, Cortland, Lansing and other nearby towns.

The meals, which are $9 for non-members and $8 for members, are provided by the Dryden VFW, and the food has a reputation for being very good, both French and Shockey said. 

Anyone who is 55-years-old or older is welcome to join the group, which meets every second and fourth Monday of the month, excluding July, August and certain holidays. Meetings begin at 11:45 a.m. at the Dryden Veterans Memorial Home, Route 13, Dryden.

There is one guest speaker or entertainer at every meeting. At the April 22 meeting, Bill Ackroyd, a fireman of the Dryden Fire Department, and Kevin Westcott, an EMT at the department, will speak. 

The group also organizes an annual day trip, something that went by the wayside during the pandemic but was resumed a couple years ago.

“One of the reasons I joined was that after I retired, I wanted to travel more,” said French, who joined Dryden Seniors eight years ago.

Last year, Dryden Seniors went for a train ride in Arcade and Attica Railroad, then went to the Made in America store, got ice cream, and stopped by Oliver’s Candies in Batavia.

“It was a fun day,” French said.

The trip lasted from around 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Day trips have proved more popular among the membership than overnight excursions, French said. This year, they plan to go to Raquette Lake in the Adirondacks for a boat ride and to dine out at a restaurant.

Members of Dryden Seniors are reimbursed 25% percent of the trips, so the upcoming Raquette Lake excursion will cost $145 for non-members and $108 for members.  

Aside from traveling, members enjoy socializing at their weekly meetings.

“We have wonderful comradery,” French said. “We like sitting around, talking, doing whatever.”

The group has been popular for years and years; Shockey said that when she joined, the membership was up to more than 200.

“It’s coming back, luckily,” Shockey said, “so I hope it continues to grow.”

Dues are $10 a year. Currently, there are 115 members. Last year there were under 100. “It keeps going up,” said French. 

Why do people join?

“Basically, they like the hot meal and the entertainment and the people,” French said.

The group also engages with the community in other ways. Dryden Seniors participates in the Dryden Memorial Day Parade and the Dryden Dairy Day parade each year.

The group awards annual scholarships to two high school seniors.

When a member of Dryden Seniors passes away, the group gives a monetary donation to the charity of the person’s choosing. 

For many, being a member offers an opportunity to make friends and plan get-togethers outside of the meetings.

“A lot of people invite each other to church, or to do other activities,” French said.

What would Shockey say to those who are considering joining Dryden Seniors?

“I think you’ll enjoy it,” she said. “The meals are good, the entertainment is very good — usually it’s educational or musical — and there’s just a lot of camaraderie. Some people, it’s easy for them to just go talk to anybody. It’s not for me. I’m kind of shy, but here [at Dryden Seniors meetings], you do get to know everybody after a while.”