A sizable turnout of senior citizens attended the complimentary annual Senior Expo on April 21 at the Community Arts Center (225 McHenry Road) in Buffalo Grove.
Nearly 50 vendors and community representatives offered giveaways and learning opportunities in several rooms at the center.
The Buffalo Grove Park District has been providing this event for two decades plus, with partnership support from the Village of Buffalo Grove.
“The Senior Expo is a great event that gives people a one-stop shop to explore a variety of goods and services that are geared towards senior citizens,” said Mike Terson, the park district’s superintendent of communications and marketing.
“And, like all of our events here at the park district, it’s very social and a lot of fun,” Terson added.
Terri Ebner of Buffalo Grove, the park district’s adult programs coordinator, is credited with founding the event approximately a quarter century ago.
“About 25 years ago, we started the senior citizen expo, and I’m honored that it continues all these years,” Ebner said.
“It’s a wonderful program for the seniors; they look forward to it every year,” Ebner said.
Buffalo Grove police personnel had a community table near informational tables. Choices at each table showcased providers such new window installers, health screenings and senior care mentoring.
“It’s just a great event, education is important and showing support and being a part of the community and helping out,” said Amy Cholewa of the Buffalo Grove Police Community Relations Unit and crime prevention officer.
Grady, a male American labradoodle born on Dec. 18, 2018, made an appearance. Grady is a Buffalo Grove Police therapy dog who attracted many expo fans.
Jeff Reisen, a 46-year resident of Buffalo Grove and police department volunteer, helped to staff the police department’s tables where raffle prize winners were announced.
Reisen explained why it is important to volunteer as a senior himself, helping fellow senior citizens and neighbors.
“It feels good giving back and the police department is a great organization,” Reisen said. “And I enjoy what they do and I enjoy being involved.”
Free brown bag sandwich lunches were provided with a bag of potato chips and a bottle of water. Many seniors sat outside on picnic tables in the sunshine to eat their lunch on a breezy 70-degree Tuesday, April 21.
There were ample complimentary and colorful reusable bags to fill with items such as lip balm, back scratchers, reusable water bottles, informational leaflets and snacks, plus candy and fruit.
Giveaways were definitely a popular draw to the expo as evidenced by the number of full sponsor bags many patrons carried around.
Bruce and Li-Chun Moy of Lincolnshire returned this year to partake of the amenities.
Li-Chun noticed that this year’s expo had different vendors to change it up.
“I thought it would be same, same people coming here including the vendors,” she said. “But so far, they’re all different.
“I got a lot of information, I could not believe that it’s different,” Li-Chun Mou said with delight.
“Lake County offers a lot of opportunities for seniors,” Bruce Moy said.
Eva Powers of Buffalo Grove attended because, “I’m getting a lot of information, I love my conversations.”
Katie and Jonathan Pfisterer of Round Lake, who both grew up in Arlington Heights, and operators of Pfisterer Retirement and Insurance of Rolling Meadows, also brokers of Devoted Health Plan, staffed a table that had an illuminated display of letters that spelled out the word, “Devoted.”
Lake County seniors, “are definitely friendly,” Katie Pfisterer said. “There’s something about the people in Lake County and we just generally like to help people.”
“It’s a needed thing,” Jonathan Pfisterer said about educating seniors regarding health insurance and often complicated Part D prescription drug plans with different contract reimbursements.
Patti Leve of Buffalo Grove was new to the senior expo and offered organizers a compliment.
“This is the first time that I’ve come here and my friends had me come with them,” Leve said. “And I love it.
“This is wonderful.”
Visit https://www.bgparks.org/.
Karie Angell Luc is a freelancer for Pioneer Press.
