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A Centenarian Celebration: ‘Those Were the Days’
By
Michael A. Piekarz
Staff Writer
The
sixth annual Sacramento Centenarian Banquet and Silent Auction was
held on Saturday, June 21, at the Lion’s Gate Pavilion in Sacramento.
The event honored local seniors who have reached 100 years of age.
The theme for 2008 was “Those Were the Days.”
Approximately 175 friends, family members and local dignitaries attended the
event to help the 33 honorees celebrate their lives. The master of ceremonies
was Dave Marquis of Channel 10. Former Sacramento County Supervisor Illa Collin
was the honorary chairperson for 2008.
Centenarians in the Sacramento area have led remarkable lives, and event organizers
consider it an honor and a privilege to provide a venue which allows them the
opportunity to tell their stories. Centenarians are considered to be an important
part of the Sacramento region’s local cultural heritage, largely due to
the fact that they can provide insights into a bygone America.
In addition to honoring the centenarians, the event allowed them a chance to
showcase their many talents. Those in attendance were treated to poetry recitations,
singing and a pianist performance. Of particular note was the fact that all the
performances were done from memory, without the help of written aids.
According to information from the U.S. Census Bureau, America is home to slightly
over 50,000 centenarians. Approximately one in every 5,578 people living in the
United States has reached age 100. By 2050, the number of American centenarians
is expected to increase to 834,000.
One of the banquet attendees, George Rene Francis [Spectrum cover: May 8, 2007
(No. 19)], has reached the rare status of supercentenarian. A supercentenarian
is someone who has reached the age of 110 years or more. Supercentenarian status
is achieved by only one in one thousand centenarians.
At 112 years old, Francis has been recognized by the Guinness Book of Records
as the oldest living man in the United States. He is tied with British WWI veteran
Henry Allingham for the title of second oldest living man in the world.
Born in New Orleans, Louisiana on June 6, 1896, Francis still tells of personally
meeting historical figures such as Booker T. Washington and Louis Armstrong.
His memories include events such as Louis Armstrong playing trumpet on his family’s
front porch. Francis has been a Sacramento resident since 1949.
Funds raised from this celebration will be used to help sustain and support the
Take A Stand Against Elder Abuse (TASAEA) campaign and critical safety net programs
of the Sacramento County Senior and Adult Services Division of the Department
of Health and Human Services.
For further information about the Centenarian Celebration and the TASAEA program,
visit http://www.tasaea.org.
This page and its contents ©2008
Metropolitan News Company, Inc.
