August 16, 2018 Page 5
A Celebration Luncheon for
the Roaring 90s Club of the South Bay
By TerriAnn Ferren
It was a warm day when I popped into the
First Christian Church at 2930 El Dorado
Street in Torrance and joined the fun of a
Celebration Luncheon for the Roaring 90s
Club of the South Bay. Things were jumping
when I arrived. Members were checking in
at the front table with volunteers Sharmone
LaRose and JoAnn Koester, then finding their
seats and catching up with friends.
Volunteers Lou Samson, Lori Bonnet and
Debra Bostwick were busy in the kitchen,
plating the luncheon for the hungry guests.
Overseeing everything was Lynn Brennan,
founder of the Roaring 90s Club. “We
have our sponsors who help us cover this
and we rely on community support,” she
said. If you would like to join, or become
involved donating your time or treasure to
this wonderful organization, simply call
310-542-6081 or visit the website www.
solutionsforseniorliving.com.
“This club is 14, going on 15 years old,”
said Lynn. “We started in Redondo Beach
at the Senior Housing Casa De Los Amigos.
We started the 90s Club of Redondo, but
we expanded it and made it the Roaring
90s Club of the South Bay. We did have a
club in Long Beach, which we are going to
activate again very soon. So it is spreading.
As you can see it, they love it.”
This club is thriving. Many who are in their
80s and 90s have lost friends, and this group
provides a way of meeting new friends with
the same life experiences and memories. “Two
years in a row we have received community
awards,” said Lynn. “That is nice. I host
Senior Living and it is on daily on Channel
28, Torrance access channel, and it is Channel
36 if you have Frontier. It is also around the
South Bay and Southern California. Now we
have a YouTube channel. It is called Senior
Living So. Cal.”
Toward the front of the room I talked with
several Roaring 90s members who, quite
frankly, didn’t appear to be in their 90s at all.
I met Sandra Kramer, who graduated from
Mira Costa High School in 1955; Patti Joy
Neal, who teaches adult tap dancing at the
Torrance Cultural Arts Center’ Sherry Van,
who has danced professionally here and in
Chicago; and Mary McGaffin. “A friend of
mine brought me and I am in training,” said
Mary. I found out you may join the Roaring
90s club even if you are a young 85 years old,
but you still have to wait until you are 90 to
become a full-fledged member, so to speak.
Around the opposite side of the table sat
Sally Ann Macaluso (from New York), who
has only been a member a couple of years.
Next to Sally Ann sat Don Sturges and Pat
Ramsey. Don and Pat attended Redondo
Union High School together, graduating in
the class of 1943 and they have been friends
for most of their lives.
I then spoke with Rita Catalano, age 94,
and Margaret Shuler, who is nearly 97 years
old. “This is one of the happiest times of my
life, here together with the 90s. The most
important thing is to stay positive,” said
Margaret. Rita added, “We are all telling
each other how much slower we are than
we used to be. It takes twice as long to do
anything!”
Barbara Willett joined in the fun because
she accompanies her mother to the event and
told me, “My mother met Lynn Brennan when
she watched television in El Segundo and
she said that this looked like a fun group. So
we joined the Roaring 90s as she was in her
80s, and Lynn said she was ‘in training,’ but
now she is a full-fledged member.” Barbara’s
mother, Eunice Smith, will be 90 in July.
Next I bumped into Lois Jones, who had
to leave right after lunch because she told
me she needed to head to a rummage sale.
“I worked it all day yesterday and next week
I will be 97,” said Lois with a big smile, “I
am 100 percent independent. I don’t know
how come. Nothing’s changed yet. People
are always trying to help me, but I say, ‘I
am fine – just leave me.’”
A special treat at the luncheon was
entertainer extraordinaire Clarence Ulrich,
member of the 60s group The Drifters,
who made famous songs such as Under
the Boardwalk, This Magic Moment, Save
The Last Dance For Me, Up On The Roof,
On Broadway and many others. Clarence
formally retired from the group in 1991
and then began performing as a solo artist,
recording seven albums and making special
appearances in movies, television shows and
commercials. Clarence arrived at the event
and began setting up his equipment on stage
with the grace of a dancer. I watched Clarence
set everything just so. You could tell this
professional performer had the discipline you
only see in the best. “For the last 20 years,
he has been entertaining seniors,” said Lynn.
“He said he was on the road for 16 years
and his wife was working in Senior Housing
and she said, ‘Why don’t you entertain for
my people?’ -- and he said, ‘Well, who are
‘my’ people? I’ve been around the world.’
She said, ‘My seniors…’ So when he came
back, she had lined up four different places.
So he started that and he has not stopped.
He is an honorary member of the Roaring
90s.” Clarence Ulrich has received an award
for entertaining seniors for over 20 years!
Clarence had the members of the Roaring
90s singing, dancing, laughing and having
a wonderful time. His professional expertise
filled the room with familiar tunes from the
‘40s on up. He opened the show singing As
Time Goes By -- and as I watched the room
filled with our precious seniors singing and
swaying with the music, I thought of how
much they had done and seen in their lives.
The music touched me along with these
vivacious, amazing seniors. And yes, there
was one lady who was 100 at the luncheon.
The next song by Clarence was Don’t Fence
Me In, followed by other classic music such
as Heart of My Heart, That’s Amore, Red
Sails in the Sunset, It’s Only a Paper Moon,
Spanish Eyes and more. Clarence Ulrich, the
consummate professional, entertained this
group of seniors with an act that could play
Vegas. He engaged the audience and gave
a beautiful performance. Visit his website at
www.clarenceulrich.com.
Lynn Brennan told me the Roaring 90s
Club is growing and growing. If you are
85 or older, or know of someone who is,
please pass on the word about this fantastic
group that meets quarterly for fun, lunch,
camaraderie and live music. I can tell you,
this is an amazing group of people who in
the South Bay truly deserve the title, “The
Greatest Generation.” •
(L-R) Sharmone LaRose, JoAnn Koester and Lynn Brennan. Volunteers in the kitchen Lori Bonnet and Debra Bostwick.
(L-R) Roaring 90s members Sandra Cramer, Patti Joy Neal, Sherry Van and Mary McGaffin. (L-R) Pat Ramsey Don Sturges and Sally Ann Macaluso.
(L-R) Rita Catalano, age 94; and Margaret Shuler, nearly 97.
Barbara Willett with her 89-year-old mother, Eunice Smith. Sherry Van leading the dancing to the tunes of Clarence Ulrich as two lovers swoon. Lois Jones, age 97.