Partnership With Church Gives Point Pleasant Senior Activities A New Life

Local seniors will continue to have a place to gather after Point Pleasant borough officials and St. Martha’s Roman Catholic Church reached an agreement for the church to host programs.

The agreement begins the first week of December and replaces Senior Beehive, the program of Community Services Inc. that the nonprofit ceased funding in April, according to a news release from the borough.

“Feeling the loss of such a valuable program for the seniors of Point Pleasant, the borough did not hesitate to work with St. Martha’s to come up with a senior outreach program,” Councilwoman Antoinette DePaola said this week. “As a result, the borough is able to offer seniors a place to congregate with their peers twice each week.”

The church, at 3800 Herbertsville Road, will be open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays for senior citizens, who will benefit from a host of happenings including cards, knitting, arts and crafts in the church’s all-purpose and dining rooms.

“We’ll also do a luncheon about once of month,” said Kathleen Ruane, an aide in the borough’s Recreation Department. Ruane, who said she has been active in senior programs for the last 16 years, will be able to refer seniors who need it to a variety of other services in the area if needed.

Father Dave of St. Martha’s said he and the church community are looking forward to continuing to host to the senior program.

“We are blessed and happy to have helped our community by hosting the Beehive at St. Martha’s for over 25 years,” he said. “We are delighted the town has chosen to continue this good work here; it’s a joy to serve this community.”

The borough hopes to expand the senior program in the New Year to include additional days and programming, the news release said.