by Aileen Goodman, PhD
Jane and Si Slavin had retired to Laguna Beach. Jane had been a social worker, teacher and attorney, and Si a businessman active in Los Angeles politics. In 1974, Si was appointed by the Orange County Board of Supervisors to the newly-formed Orange County Area Agency on Aging. This agency was funded by the Older Americans Act to study the needs of the elderly and establish the TLC lunch and socialization program.
Jane and Si realized that Laguna Beach’s older population needed more than a low-income lunch program. Their concept was for a gathering place for socialization, discussion groups, educational and recreational classes, plus gerontological counseling—a center for retired people. In those days, only a few large cities were thinking in these terms.
Their next step was to form The Council on Aging of Laguna Beach, a non-profit organization affiliated with the National Council on Aging. They wrote a grant request to the National Council on Aging to fund a club for senior citizens. The grant was awarded and the Laguna Beach Senior’s Club officially started in April, 1975.
Some months later, the activities moved to the Presbyterian Church, sharing quarters with a TLC lunch program, directed by Shirley Cohn. As the nutrition program expanded, it became clear that the Senior's Club needed more space. They moved to 570 Glenneyre for a few months, then to the Recreation Department building on Forest Ave. They remained there for several years until Legion Hall was made available.
In 1974, I was pursuing a Master’s Degree program in Gerontology, and applied to the Council on Aging of Laguna Beach for an internship in “founding and programming a center serving the needs of a senior population.”
The three of us, Jane, Si and myself, worked with an enthusiastic and wonderful core of Laguna's older citizens (see below) to create meaningful programs and activities specific to their needs, launched "The Boardwalk News" and hired a director, Bob Porter.
Jane and Si remained active on the Advisory Board. I wrote the first grant proposal for the Outreach Program; prepared a directory of senior services; and was a member of the Council on Aging Advisory Board. I left in 1977 to organize and direct a precursor to the Costa Mesa Senior's Center. My hiring was based on the success of the Laguna Beach Senior Center.
Si Slavin died many years ago and Jane in February, 2006. In 1992, I moved to Leisure World after 35 years as a resident of Laguna Beach.
Ours thanks to Dr. Goodman, who also gave us a December, 1975 Boardwalk (Volume 1, Number 6!) for our archives. It contains a message from “Virginia Schott, Director.” Virginia led Laguna Beach Seniors for many years, and was honored as Prom Queen at “Lagunatics 2005: Senior Prom,” which raised $50,000 for the Building Fund. She also received a Legacy Award at our first annual Legacy Ball in 2007.
Jane and Si Slavin had retired to Laguna Beach. Jane had been a social worker, teacher and attorney, and Si a businessman active in Los Angeles politics. In 1974, Si was appointed by the Orange County Board of Supervisors to the newly-formed Orange County Area Agency on Aging. This agency was funded by the Older Americans Act to study the needs of the elderly and establish the TLC lunch and socialization program.
Jane and Si realized that Laguna Beach’s older population needed more than a low-income lunch program. Their concept was for a gathering place for socialization, discussion groups, educational and recreational classes, plus gerontological counseling—a center for retired people. In those days, only a few large cities were thinking in these terms.
Their next step was to form The Council on Aging of Laguna Beach, a non-profit organization affiliated with the National Council on Aging. They wrote a grant request to the National Council on Aging to fund a club for senior citizens. The grant was awarded and the Laguna Beach Senior’s Club officially started in April, 1975.
Some months later, the activities moved to the Presbyterian Church, sharing quarters with a TLC lunch program, directed by Shirley Cohn. As the nutrition program expanded, it became clear that the Senior's Club needed more space. They moved to 570 Glenneyre for a few months, then to the Recreation Department building on Forest Ave. They remained there for several years until Legion Hall was made available.
In 1974, I was pursuing a Master’s Degree program in Gerontology, and applied to the Council on Aging of Laguna Beach for an internship in “founding and programming a center serving the needs of a senior population.”
The three of us, Jane, Si and myself, worked with an enthusiastic and wonderful core of Laguna's older citizens (see below) to create meaningful programs and activities specific to their needs, launched "The Boardwalk News" and hired a director, Bob Porter.
Jane and Si remained active on the Advisory Board. I wrote the first grant proposal for the Outreach Program; prepared a directory of senior services; and was a member of the Council on Aging Advisory Board. I left in 1977 to organize and direct a precursor to the Costa Mesa Senior's Center. My hiring was based on the success of the Laguna Beach Senior Center.
Si Slavin died many years ago and Jane in February, 2006. In 1992, I moved to Leisure World after 35 years as a resident of Laguna Beach.
Ours thanks to Dr. Goodman, who also gave us a December, 1975 Boardwalk (Volume 1, Number 6!) for our archives. It contains a message from “Virginia Schott, Director.” Virginia led Laguna Beach Seniors for many years, and was honored as Prom Queen at “Lagunatics 2005: Senior Prom,” which raised $50,000 for the Building Fund. She also received a Legacy Award at our first annual Legacy Ball in 2007.
THIS FADED CLIPPING FROM THE NOVEMBER 19, 1975, NEWS POST SHOWS ORANGE COUNTY SUPERVISOR THOMAS RILEY (RIGHT) HANDING SI SLAVIN THE FIRST INSTALLMENT OF A $29,000 REVENUE SHARING GRANT TO THE COUNCIL ON AGING.