‘Ayssa Hadley, Director of the 62+  Program, Following Today’s Thanksgiving Dinner.

Samara Ray, Office Manager; Ethan Hipple, Director of Portland Parks, Recreation & Facilities; and Alex Marshall, Parks Director at Thanksgivig Dinner Today.

Some of the Eighty Guests at Thanksgiving  Dinner at Ocean Gateway at Noon Today.

Two Guests at the Thanksgiving Dinner at Ocean Gateway Were All Smiles Following a Turkey Dinner With all the Trimmings That Ran from Noon to 2:00 pm.  Nine Turkeys Were C ooked at Home by City Staff.  The Club at Riverside Golf Course Prepared the Delicious Sides.

“I wanted to shake it up and breathe new energy into the program,” said Alyssa Hadley, 32, the new Director of the city’s 62+ Chat program this afternoon.  “You are here to be active.  This is another chapter in your life.  And it’s just as beautiful and magical as the first go round.”  Hadley was speaking at the end of a fantastic Thanksgiving Dinner complete with all the trimmings and three kinds of pie to choose from; pumpkin, apple and blueberry.  Although it was a rainy day with strong, gusting winds, inside, Ocean Gateway could not have been more warm and welcoming.

The 62+ Club is a city sponsored group where seniors can socialize while enjoying a variety of activities.  It’s a great way to explore the area and make new friends while having fun and staying active.  Shopping trips, theater performances, nature walks, and so much more are typical of the itinerary enjoyed by members of this program.  Members can drive to events on their own or be picked up at home with one of the city’s mini-buses.  Your choice!

Hadley visited her best friend living in the Portland area from northern Virginia this past summer.  She felt at home immediately because it reminded her of home and Minnesota where she spent many years before her family moved to northern Virginia.  Hadley enjoys being near the Ocean and as a print making artist enjoys the emphasis on the arts in the greater Portland area.  Hadley is also a singer who studied voice in college in Virginia.

Hadley stayed in Portland and began job hunting.  She received four job offers, and decided on this opportunity.  Hadley began her new position on August 8, 2022.  And the new energy is apparent.  In the last several months, over 100 seniors have joined the 62+ Club.  Currently, there are 350 members of the 62+ Club.

“I walk five miles every day and its challenging on rainy days like today.  So this is a nice space in which to walk,” said Celeste Stickney who was walking laps around Ocean Gateway following dinner with her husband Norman. They moved to Portland from Martha’s Vineyard recently.

“What about a Senior Prom?” asked Peggy Genest, of Hadley as she was leaving Ocean Gateway after Dinner.  “We could all get dessed up in our best and attend.”  “I like the idea,” said a grinning Hadley.  “Let’s do it.”