Life After Fifty
LAF (Life After Fifty) meets the LAST Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. at EHA. Geared towards the “plus 50 group”, LAF provides opportunities for events such as group singing, updates on issues of concern for senior citizens or various travel adventures shared by other members of the group. Mostly, though, it is a time of fellowship around some wonderful potluck food. Noel McRae is one of the original organizers and is still scheduling some amazing and interesting programs for LAF’s members. The group is open to all “50” and older “young” people. Please consider yourself invited!
LAF started about 12 years ago with the vision of Kathy Elam, a former EHA member. “Our goals were to provide a time for seniors (over 50) to get together, “said Noel. “We wanted to get to know one another better, have a better idea and incentive to pray for one another, and have programs of interest, fun and of value to seniors, such as CAP (this month), legal advice and financial experts…”
Here are some comments from long-time members as to why they choose to attend LAF:
Jim and Sharon Fishel
We’ve been attending EHA for 13 years and have been going to LAF almost as long.
I (Jim) go for the great variety food and conversations. We both enjoy the slide shows of trips made locally and around the world by others. We enjoy visiting with friends who go regularly to Sunday services instead of Saturday night when we attend. We love the humor about aging that Noel starts each meeting out with. As an added inducement to go for us is watching the Eagles nesting on the south end of the Longview/Rainier bridge when they arrive in late winter until their young fledge.
There are several meetings that we remember fondly including a couple times we shared our trips across the US and to Alaska. The sing-a-long recently led by Marsha Akery, a traveling couple that
sang and gave their testimonies, and when the pastoral staff came and served us and led us in singing hymns were great memory-making events.
Paula White
Why do I enjoy LAF? Well, really, why wouldn't I? There are people there that I can relate to...my age...people from EHA and The Grove. They have had a lot of the same life experiences that I have had. We enjoy each other’s company. And we do a lot of” LAF”ing. I really enjoy that!! I have gone on a lot of vacations with different people...right from my seat at the dinner table...looking at some amazing vacation pictures of various locations in this world! It didn't cost me a dime and no "jet lag". I have enjoyed listening to people sing to us and the group sing-a-longs as well. (My singing may not sound so good, but it sure feels good!!) I have enjoyed Noel's lists of jokes and other "notable" sayings. We have had Bible teachings and different people from the community telling us about some amazing ministries in our community!! The time together at LAF gives us an opportunity to visit and get to know each other better too. It also gives us the opportunity to learn how we can pray for each other as well. Oh yes, and some pretty amazing food has shown up on the "dinner table" too. How could I forget that?!! All in all, I hate to miss an opportunity to LAF.
Linda Grewelle
I attended a few times when it first began, but another ministry kept me from attending regularly. When I stepped out of leadership in the other ministry, four years ago, I began attending LAF regularly.
I decided to attend because it was a way to fellowship with other older folks in our church, plus newer ones I hadn't met before, or barely knew. I enjoy visiting with people about my age and finding out what they are currently doing, about their family, their trips, illnesses, joys & concerns. LAF works well for this purpose.
I've enjoyed all the programs, but a few that I really enjoyed were the road trip through Canada & Alaska presented by Jim & Sharon Fishel. a presentation by our local Chaplain, one by our local Sheriff, and the McRaes' trips to the Southwest area of our country.