Council On Aging offering free lunches to seniors

MILTON — Are you 60 and looking for a lunch date?

Call the Council On Aging Of West Florida Inc. at 850-432-1475. They operate seven free senior dining sites in Santa Rosa County.

Council on Aging President and CEO John Clark said in a press release it is more than providing free lunch to seniors. The lunch locations are also places where seniors can socialize.

They have board games, puzzles, card games and games they can play alone or with several partners.

“As we age we tend to isolate ourselves and in doing so we can adopt some pretty unhealthy habits,” Clark said. “The senior dinning sites solve for that by providing a safe and sustainable (location) for older adults to gain new friends and have some fun and food while they are at it.”

The lunches are free for anyone 60 or older.

During a recent lunch at the Bagdad location, Site Manager Linda Kellis dries her hands with kitchen towel as she continues her chores while speaking about the senior lunch program she manages.

“We feed about 175 people a week,” Kellis said.

Each month a colander comes out with the menu and the activities at each site. Refer to the website above for specific information.

All meals are prepared fresh daily and have an entrée, two sides and fresh milk.

“I’ve been coming here for years, and I love every day,” said Howard Vann, a participant and volunteer at the Bagdad site.

Here are the locations and hours in Santa Rosa County where seniors 60 and older can get free lunches Monday through Friday.

Bagdad: Community Center, 6860 Pooley Street

Phone: 580-983-4500

Hours: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Serving time 11 a.m.

Chumuckla: Community Center, 2355 Highway 182 West

Phone: 850-994-8811

Hours: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Serving time is at 11 a.m.

Milton: United Christ Methodist Church, 5983 Dogwood Street

Phone: 850-983-4590

Hours: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Serving time is at 11 a.m.

Milton: Community Center, 5629 Byrom Street

Phone: 850-983-4500

Hours: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Serving time is at 11 a.m.

Pace: First United Methodist Church of Pace, 4540 Chumuckla Highway

Phone: 850-995-3795

Hours: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Serving time is at 11 a.m.

Jay: Community Center, 5259 Booker Lane

Phone: 850-675-0810

Hours: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Serving time is at 11 a.m., Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday only.

Navarre: E.H. Pullum Senior Service Center, 84 Gordon Goodin Lane

Phone: 850-936-1644

Hours: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Serving time is at 11 a.m., Monday through Thursday only.

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Council On Aging offering free lunches to seniors