The Lehighton Area Senior Center is 40 years old.

To celebrate the momentous occasion, the five Carbon County senior centers gathered Friday morning for an anniversary celebration.Barbara Schnell, treasurer of the senior center and one of the organizers of the event, said the senior center members have been saving money for the party since the center's 35th anniversary five years ago.Nearly 150 people from the Panther Valley area, Jim Thorpe, Palmerton, Weatherly and Lehighton were treated to music by the band American Dream, a raffle, 50/50 drawing, lunch and a good time with friends that many don't see besides at the Carbon County Senior Games in May."We're enjoying seeing old friends," Schnell said.Anne Horrigan, senior center services director at the Carbon County Area Agency on Aging, said that the celebration was planned completely by the seniors."It was a joint effort with everyone at the center," Horrigan said, adding that they made the favors, planned the band, bought all the decorations and did more.The large activity room, located inside the Lehighton Recreation Center, was transformed into a banquet hall, complete with maroon and white balloons and enough room for dancing.Special guest appearances also included Len Marzen, the founding director of the county Area Agency on Aging at the time of the senior center opening, as well as Carbon County Commissioners Wayne Nothstein, Thomas J. Gerhard and William O'Gurek.The people in attendance enjoyed the day, laughing, dancing and sharing stories with friends.The history of the Lehighton Senior Center dates back to November 1974.At the time it was the second senior center in the county and located in Trinity Lutheran Church on Third Street in Lehighton.Horrigan said that there was a waiting list because only 65 people were able to be served meals a day.Over the years, the senior center expanded and moved into its current home in the rec center, where it hosts various activities, including many of the events during the annual Carbon County Senior Games.