Above: Seventh grader Audra Lowe reads a short story she wrote during the final meeting of the Seniors of the Ascension Church. Photo courtesy of Kirsty Sucato.

By Lucas Davis, News Editor

The year of 2018 marks the ending of the Church of the Ascension Seniors Club.  The group was a chance for the elderly of Bradley Beach to meet and socialize. The club was started ten years ago by the Joe Crowley, the parishioner at that time. In order to attend, a ten dollar fee was put in place for the club’s survival. After one year, he left, and the role of leader fell upon the shoulders of Ms. Crouse, who gladly accepted the position. Due to the lack of leadership in the form of the loss of Ms.Crouse, the club will be closing.

The group met on the third Thursday of every month, and normally there was a prepared activity for each one. Certain days Ms.Crouse would prepare an intriguing article or two from a magazine or the paper, and it would be discussed by attendees. On other meetings, a speaker would come and explain a specific topic or subject. Occasionally, nostalgic photos would be brought, and stories would be told along with them as they munched on hors’ d’oeuvres. Parties would also be thrown in celebration of holidays like Christmas. The club also was visited every once in a while by Bradley Beach Elementary School’s very own school band. An award for best musician was also issued at graduation, for nine years.

At the peak of the club’s existence it had thirty two members. At the end, they had twenty, according to the leader of the club, Ms.Crouse. The members simply have become too old, and have to resign themselves to senior centers or are unable to leave their house for elongated periods of time. The end of an era, of a generation of humans and their goings on. That is what this all means. Out with the old and in with the new, as they say. Ms. Crouse stated, “We need fresh blood for new ideas.” As more and more members break away, for grandkids or otherwise, a new group must take up the mantle in the wake of absence. Hopefully someone will rise to the occasion and embrace the chance to head a long cherished relic.