1980s: We’re Going Your Way!
By Janice Ancrum, NCCOA President & CEO
After our start in the previous decade, the 1980s continued to pave the way for increased programs and services for a growing number of Nassau County seniors. The Care-a-Van – precursor to NassauTRANSIT – created the Fernandina Shoppers’ Shuttle, a 25-cent ride for the public to Regency Square and Orange Park malls every Thursday morning. As the ad stated, “You don’t have to be over 60 to ride…we like junior citizens, too.” For a reservation, the number to call was 261-0700, the same one we use today!
The shuttle service became a first step toward providing mass transportation for Nassau County residents without cars. Similar to today’s NassauTRANSIT, local trips were also provided. Then-Council on Aging Director Connie Hufstetler said, “It’s basically a demand-response service. People call in, tell us where they will be and we pick them up.” Another example of our agency recognizing seniors’ needs and delivering programs and services to meet those needs.
The early 80s also saw NCCOA opening the Nassau County Multipurpose Senior Center on 14th Street, Fernandina Beach. The new center offered elderly county residents a full line of services from meals to entertainment. Senior adult activities on the eastside included classes such as Understanding the Aging Person, Daily Home Health Care for the Sick and/or Elderly and a variety of exercise sessions taught by local legend Joan Bean.
The Westside Council on Aging (now our Westside Senior Life Center) hosted the first health fair for seniors, featuring a variety of health screenings and a physician and nutritionist available for consultation. In 1983, free classes on the westside included Introduction to Art, Easy Does It Yoga, Understanding Older Adults and Senior Talks.
NCCOA celebrates our 50th anniversary on February 15, 2024. Until then, we’re focusing on highlights from each decade, continuing with the 1980s this month. We’ll focus on a different decade in successive months, leading up to our Salute to Seniors 50th Anniversary Gala on Saturday, January 20 at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island.
For the latest and greatest info on our Golden Anniversary and Gala, visit https://nassaucountycouncilonaging.org/50thannivsalutetoseniorsgala. (Limited sponsorships are available; tickets go on sale in September.) Contact Liz Dunn, Marketing Director, at ldunn@nassaucountycoa.org for more info.
In September, we’ll feature how the agency continued to grow and serve even more seniors in the 1990s. For additional information on NCCOA, contact us at 904-261-0701.
PS: Here’s what our nation was up to in the 80s: First Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed, the Internet is born and the first artificial heart is successfully implanted in a human. Plus, a postage stamp was 20 cents!