In 2007 the Senior Advocates began organizing bus trips for seniors with our 12-passenger bus. That year we launched our annual Kalona trip featuring a Mennonite meal plus visiting museums in Cedar Rapids and Davenport, caught movies at the Bijou Theater in Mount Vernon, visited the Hoover Museum, Circa 21 Dinner Theater in Rock Island, Old Creamery Theater, Celebration Belle River Cruise while visiting Amana, McGregor and Muscatine.
In 2010 we engaged Windstar Lines 47 passenger bus for our trip to Breitbach’s restaurant thus able to include more seniors in a more accommodating journey. From 2009 to 2010 we took 29 trips with 347 people compared to 14 trips and 140 people in 2007 with our small passenger van. Over the years we have organized innumerable senior bus trips for hundreds of seniors.
Our most popular trip is our yearly trip to Kalona which started with a Mennonite Meal provided by Salina Bontrager and followed by visits to many Kalona area grocers and greenhouses. Salina provided meals for us for 16 years before retiring. Her meals were prepared from local foods and the menu stayed the same, roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, noodles, veggie, homemade bread and spreads, salad and various pies.
We searched for a replacement caterer with equally high culinary skills and found Ila J Miller with Hearth and Home on Juniper Avenue. She, her daughter and good friend served us Thursday, May 16 in her homey dining area. The meal was met with high regard and approval from our many long-time Kalona trippers!
The Advocate’s trip program is a major part of the Senior Advocate’s mission in encouraging seniors to ‘get out’ and share companionship, an excursion, a learning experience and to provide a bit of pleasure and joy in their lives.
Proposed 2024 Trips
All trips leave from the Solon Recreation and Nature Area (SRNA) or “Rec Park,” call 319-430-8655 for reservations
Friday, June 14 – Bluff Lake/Maquoketa. Cost TBA, 15-passenger bus, leave SRNA at 2:30 p.m.
Thursday, August 15 – Kendrick’s Forest Products, Edgewood. Cost TBA
Tour of Kendrick Forrest Products, Iowa’s largest sawmill. Then we will tour their custom cabinet shop, Forever Cabinets by Kendrick (est. 2001),where you will see how cabinets are made for the home. Next you will see and learn how the Kendrick team used their desire to eliminate waste and create quality wood products, which led them to the start two additional companies in 2017, Kendrick Home and Shimlee. Your tour will end at The Market, a 6,500 sq ft showroom where they showcase their line of Forever Cabinets, as well as home decor, lighting, rugs, furnishings, kitchenware, clothing, and so much more.
Friday, October 18 – Breitbach’s Restaurant. Cost TBA. Leave SRNA at 9:15 a.m.
Meal & Movie (M&M)
Friday, June 28 (movie TBA) at the Methodist Church Fellowship Hall
In 2010 the Advocates began showing Movies with a catered Meal at the library the last Friday of every month for 11 years. After COVID the Advocates decided to show the movies last Friday of each month at Senior Dining to coincide with in-house Friday meals. In 2021 the Advocates purchased and installed a large Smart TV in the Fellowship Hall and the first movie was shown in November. Recently Friday in-house attendance has waned and the Senior Dining Site Council decided to discontinue Friday in-house meals suggesting the Advocates return to catering M&M. To do so it is essential to reserve ten seniors or more to continue the catered Meal and Movie. Call 319-430-8655 Monday before the last Friday of the Month to attend.
Restaurant Runs
Friday, June 14 – Bluff Lake/Maquoketa. 15-passenger bus and personal cars. Leave Rec Park at 2:30 p.m.
Senior Advocates Board
Art Tellin 319-626-2816, John Lamantia 319-621-6887, Sandy Hanson 319-430-8655, Barry Byrne 319-354-8757, Larry Meister 319-624-2516, Don Burch 319-624-4054, Cindy Jensen 319-360-3279, Larry Brecht 319-624-2925, Ivan Hasselbusch 319-670-9105, Phyllis Fiala 319-331-7447, and Mark Hollinrake 319-551-2811.
-30-