It was an event held to shine a spotlight on the senior citizens of Carbon County.

On a perfect sunny day, a sizable portion of the county’s finest treasures lived it up during the Carbon County Senior Center Picnic held Friday at Beaver Run Rod & Gun Club in Lehighton.

Sponsored by the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, the picnic was held to celebrate September as being National Senior Center Month, said Anne Horrigan, director of Senior Center Services at Carbon County Area Agency on Aging.

“The United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley wanted to branch out to other nearby counties and they contacted us in Carbon County and offered us moneys to be able to extend some of our programs that we have that benefit senior citizens,” Horrigan said. “They also offered funds for supplies that might be needed in senior centers to replace old equipment, basically to improve the seniors’ experiences at the senior center.

Horrigan said about 150 senior citizens attended the event from the Weatherly, Panther Valley, Lehighton, Palmerton, and Jim Thorpe/Penn Kidder senior centers.

As part of the picnic, she said they played games such as corn hole and bingo, and enjoyed food provided by Capriotti’s Catering, such as hamburgers, hot dogs, baked beans, potato salad, and ice cream sundaes from Zimmerman’s Dairy in Lehighton.

Horrigan noted that Beaver Run Rod & Gun Club donated the pavilion to the senior citizens of Carbon County for the event.

Despite being on the losing end of a game of cornhole, Doreen Larizzio of Lehighton said she enjoyed the event tremendously.

“It’s an awesome picnic,” Larizzio said. “The food is really good.”

Larizzio said she enjoyed a hot dog, vegetable salad, and of course, a chocolate chip cookie or two.

Carbon County Commissioner Mike Sofranko said the event was a credit to the staff, whom he pointed out does an outstanding job all throughout the year.

“The picnic is great,” Sofranko said. “Nicely attended.”