Senior luaus — where the sun always shines

EAGLE RIVER — Even the sun showed up for an Alaskan-style luau Aug. 22 at the Coronado Park Senior Village in Eagle River.

“What a perfect day for this,” Angelia Stanley, a village resident gushed as she posed in a blue floral Hawaiian-inspired full length dress tilting her head just right so as to show off the flower tucked behind her ear. “It just could not be better.”

Island-inspired food and decorations combined with smiles and an array of brightly-colored clothing choices as the residents of the senior village – ages 55 and older – took time to catch up with each other socially and play bingo as part of the resident engagement program offered by the Anchorage-based Cook Inlet Housing Authority, which owns the building.

For Basa Faletagoa’I, it wasn’t just all in a day’s work.

Sure, he is the coordinator for the resident engagement program, but for Faletagoa’I, putting on the social event was more like an opportunity to hang out with friends than doing his job.

He is at the Eagle River senior village every Tuesday. He brings an array of information regarding programs aimed at helping seniors. Plus, he brings along the paperwork they need to fill out. Once a month, he leads the group gathered in the village’s community room in playing bingo.

“I love coming out here,” he said as he dished up pulled pork and rice for residents. “So much is being cut for our seniors. So I love being able to come out here and connect them with resources so we make sure that no one is left out.”

On Tuesday, he showed off an example of the box of food goods seniors can receive from the food bank in Anchorage.

Knowing that not all of the village residents in Eagle River can get to the food bank in town or to the local senior center located in Chugiak, Faletagoa’I announced to those gathered that they could have their food boxes delivered to their homes at the village.

But that wasn’t all the good news he came bearing.

A tiled outdoor table with six matching chairs has been set aside by the powers-that-be in Anchorage destined for the Eagle River facility’s second floor outdoor patio.

Cheers and applause followed Faletagoa’I’s announcement.

“No wonder I love you,” belted out Mary Beans, one of the residents.

She was ready to party in her floral dress with its dominant red background and black and white flowers.

Wil Gauthier, who was seated toward the back of the room, chimed in, “You mean, not a hot tub?”

Laughter filled the room as those attending the indoor luau relished the hot meal they didn’t have to cook and joked with each other about the aging process.

They showed off recent photos of grandchildren – but not in the style reminiscent of grandparents past. Rather than weathered photo albums, most pulled out their smart phones and were clicking away at apps to bring up those bragging rights.

Yet, some things never change and thus applies to bingo.

Faletagoa’I spun the basket releasing five balls with numbers that he read one at a time as players waited to hear that magic combination of a letter and a number.

Vowels dominated as Faletagoa’I called out, “I-20, I-27 and I-17” in a row.

Gauthier – an admitted jokester – couldn’t resist.

“You are confused,” he teased. “First you are 20, then you are 27.”

Faletagoa laughed.

“Yep, a senior moment,” he said.

His self-mockery was clearly appreciated by those awaiting the letters and numbers he called out.

“Basa really goes out of his way for us,” Gloria Calvillo, said. She’s lived at the Eagle River senior village since it opened in 2014. “You know, it is pretty easy to get lost in the shuffle. But Basa makes sure we are all connected.”

Editor’s Note: Amy Armstrong is co-owner of www.alaskafamilyfun.com.