Senior citizens attended the annual Senior Cafe performance that took place in the high school cafeteria on October 30.

   Each year, this event has been put on through a collaboration between the Music Department, Friends of Music, Farmington Social Services and the Senior Center. Compared the past, the amount of senior citizens who attended has increased, this year reaching a record number of 82 senior citizens.

   According to Music Department Chair Leslie Imse, she decided to start this event while the nation’s economic situation was bleak, she wanted to do something for the senior citizens.

   “I remember [them] specifically saying that the people who had even hurt the most were the senior citizens because they’re on a fixed income and that there would be major cuts to their benefits,” Imse said.

   The music and entertainment itself is entirely provided by the students; this is the aspect that the students have more choice in deciding the types of performance. Along with the performance, parents and students work together to prepare and serve the senior citizens dinner.

   “All of the food is donated and we give the students in Tri-M and all of the students a chance to bring in a food item that we would use to make the dinner, and then the parents volunteer to put the dinner together, and the kids serve and take orders,” Imse said.

   Junior Ashish John had been participating in this event for the past three years and has enjoyed both the performance and the communication aspect.

   “The fact that the music we made could make their lives that much better is so awesome. As fun as the performance was, I found it a lot of fun to serve them food, and talk to and get to know them,” he said.

   Reception among the senior attendees has been positive.

   According to senior citizen Gwen Von Salzen, it is hard to pick just one aspect of the event that she enjoys the most.

   “I think it is a wonderful thing to do for the community, especially the seniors. It’s great to see all age [groups] here,” Von Salzen said.