By MADELINE REIDA

Staff writer

Senior Citizens of Marion County celebrated its 60th annual meeting at Marion Senior Center on Thursday, offering festive table arrangements and three guest speakers for patrons’ entertainment.

The group chose to celebrate its 60th anniversary now instead of last year because of the pandemic. The gathering was limited to 50 people and names and phone numbers were taken at the front door in case visitors needed to be contacted for COVID exposure.

Lind Dale, a pianist for Eastmoor United Methodist Church, played ragtime songs throughout the event.

Commissioner Randy Dallke was a guest speaker. He talked about the growth he’s seen in Marion over its years, including how the senior citizen board developed.

“You all know Marion County — it’s good old home people like those that are sitting here today,” he said. “People who, when you wave at them, they’ll wave back.”

Between speakers, the senior center passed around baskets for donations going to a 2022 college scholarship. Their last scholarship went to a Centre High School graduate who went on to study physical therapy.

Flint Hills folklorist and “cowboy poet” James Hoy was an anticipated speaker. He told two Flint Hills legends for patrons: the arrival of steer wrestler Bill Pickett and the story behind Dead Man’s Hollow.

He closed with a recital of one of his poems, which concerned arthritis.

“I wrote that as a young man, and didn’t understand it. I get it now,” he told patrons.