Senior barbecue draws 500 to Union Corners Town Park

WARWICK — It's been a rainy summer but on Tuesday, Aug. 28, it was sunny and perhaps a little too warm.
But that didn't stop approximately 500 seniors from enjoying great food, music and good company.
That day the Town of Warwick and the Warwick Valley Rotary hosted the annual senior barbecue at the town's Union Corners Park.
Thanks to Jeff Rosenberg of Big V Properties, tickets for the 2018 Senior BBQ were again available free of charge to any senior citizen in the Town of Warwick.
As usual, his generosity and that of other businesses, members of Warwick Valley Rotary, local organizations like the Lions Club and the Warwick Valley Humane Society and other volunteers along with Town of Warwick employees insured the success of this and previous senior barbecues.
The traditional summer picnic is billed as a "thank you," for the significant contributions made by all the senior citizens of Warwick.
The seniors were first served hot dogs prepared by members of the Town of Warwick Department of Public Works (DPW) and then a complete chicken dinner prepared by local chef Mike Coleman of Mike's Custom BBQ.
To make sure there was enough food to go around, there were over 800 barbecued chickens and members of the DPW cooked an even greater number of ears of corn in a huge kettle on an open fire.
It was another fun day, where community volunteers and elected officials prepared and helped serve a hot dog lunch, full chicken dinner, and dessert. The seniors also enjoyed prizes, raffles and music.
State, county, town and village officials were all on hand to say, "Hello," to all the seniors who attended the event.
During the day Warwick Town Supervisor Michael Sweeton, who served as emcee, introduced all of the elected officials and conducted the raffle.
Then Sweeton put his gloves back on to help fill the trays of chicken dinners with fresh corn on the cob.
- Roger Gavan