The scents of fresh turkey, stuffing and gravy filled the air of the Cass County Council on Aging in Cassopolis as dozens shuffled into the center’s fall decorated dining room Thursday afternoon.

The COA hosted its annual Thanksgiving lunch for area seniors at both its Cassopolis Lowe Center and Dowagiac Front Street locations Thursday, Nov. 16. The meal, which cost $5, offered visitors turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. Musical entertainment was also provided for the guests.

Hosting a Thanksgiving lunch has become a tradition for the COA, said event organizer Sandi Hoger.

“I couldn’t even tell you how many years we’ve been doing this. At least as long as I’ve been here,” Hoger said. “It’s just a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, with everything you’d expect.”

Providing the Thanksgiving meal is an extension of what the COA does year-round by providing fun, beneficial activities for the seniors of Cass County, Hoger said.

“We try to do what we can do make life better for [the seniors of Cass County],” she said.

Those in attendance at the Thanksgiving lunch said they were appreciative of what the COA was providing for them.

“This is really nice and fun,” said Melvin Reynolds, a 43-year-old blind man from Edwardsburg. “I think this is a great thing to provide for people, particularly those who might not get to spend Thanksgiving with their families.”

Though this was Reynolds’ first time attending the Thanksgiving meal, he frequents many COA activities, including yoga, a diabetes support group and a writer’s group. Due to spending so much time at the COA, he said he has come to recognize the COA and events like the Thanksgiving lunch as an important part of the community.

“[The COA] keeps me active and gets me out of the house, which I’m sure it does for a lot of people,” he said. “It allows us to communicate with others and be a part of the community.”

Dave Hoger, 81, of Dowagiac, attended the Thanksgiving meal for the third year in a row with his caregiver.

A former employee of the COA, Dave said that, due to his previous position, he understands the importance of the COA and the Thanksgiving meal.

“I know what it means to be old. I also know what it means to be an invalid, and it’s not good,” he said. “So events like this are trying to do something nice [for area seniors] and lift their spirits. And it works. That’s a good thing.”

Hoger said she was pleased by this year’s turnout to the event and was glad that the guests seemed to be having a good time.

“You can see all the people. They love [the meal],” she said. “That’s why we do this and will continue to do this.”