Seniors celebrate as Motown rings out at Fleetwood-Jourdain

Art & Life

Seniors celebrate as Motown rings out at Fleetwood-Jourdain

by Mary Gavin January 1st, 2023January 2nd, 2023

No one hanging around Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center on the first day of winter would have to ask what’s going on.

It was the Foster Senior Club’s annual holiday party – this year with a Motown theme. Club members – about 70 of them – welcomed the first day of winter and the upcoming holidays with music, dance and laughter.

“Isn’t She Lovely?” Club members came dressed to celebrate Credit: Mary Gavin

“Isn’t She Lovely?” Club members came dressed to celebrate. Foster Senior Club. Dec. 21, 2021. Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center. Motown theme — “Isn’t She Lovely?” Club members came dressed to celebrate Credit: Mary Gavin

Heard It Through the Grapevine: Nichols Middle School students sent holiday cards to the Foster Senior Club for their holiday party. Rob Bady, with Gerri Sizemore, holds one of the cards. Credit: Mary Gavin

Dancin’ in the Gym: Gliding across the gym floor at Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center, the GGs were in dressed in their finest rainbow Afro wigs. They delighted the other club members. The dancers are all aged 90 or older. Credit: Mary Gavin

The GGs, dressed in their finest rainbow Afro wigs and all aged 90 or older, were joined by one of the Temptations (or one of the Four Tops?). Credit: Mary Gavin

On the tables, cards from Nichols Middle School students – potential club members a few decades hence – offered season’s greetings. Classic Motown singers like Aretha Franklin, Sam Cooke and Patti LaBelle smiled from the handmade centerpieces.

Familiar music permeated the festive gymnasium during the lunch and the later festivities. Though these were the same old songs, decades of living may have given some a different meaning. With Santa’s arrival at the end of the Dec. 21 party, everything was all right, uptight and out of sight.

Mary Gavin

Mary Gavin is the founder of the Evanston RoundTable. After 23 years as its publisher and manager, she helped transition the RoundTable to nonprofit status in 2021. She continues to write, edit, mentor... More by Mary Gavin

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