On the Occasion of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Golden Opportunity Club of Pontiac, Michigan

Floor Speech

Mr. PETERS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Golden Opportunity Club, which was established as a venue for senior citizens in the Greater Pontiac community to connect and learn. Founded with the philosophy that increasing age does not need to impact an individual's quality of life, the Golden Opportunity Club is a community organization that directly engages senior citizens in the City of Pontiac to support a wide variety of activities that keeps them both mentally and physically active.
Founded in October 1964, the Golden Opportunity Club first met at the Lakeside Homes Center in Pontiac with ten original members in attendance. Its supervisor, Mrs. Johnson, immediately recognized the club's unique potential and engaged in efforts to expand its reach within the community. After much debate, she came up with the club's signature name under the presidency of Mrs. Annie Thompson. Two locations and thirteen presidents later, the thriving Golden Opportunity Club is now comprised of 400 members.

To carry out its mission, the club arranges activities and events for all people aged fifty-six and up. Club members participate in recreational gatherings including: trips, picnics and parties. In addition, the club offers its members a forum to use their compassion and desire to others by participating in charitable events to support their community. The Golden Opportunity Club also reaches out to ill, hospitalized and homebound members by providing financial and emotional support to them and their families.

Under the leadership of its current president, Carolyn Price, the Golden Opportunity Club has continued to stay focused on its mission of engaging seniors in activities that encourage civic activism and promote an active lifestyle. Recently, the Golden Opportunity Club has allied with Community Network Services and other organizations to ensure that their charitable contributions are benefiting the community. The funds that the Golden Opportunity Club raises through its events are used to make a significant impact on the residents of Pontiac. Specifically, the Golden Opportunity Club uses some of these funds to award annual scholarships to graduating high school seniors, as well as an annual contribution to the God U-C Youth Group, which is committed to inspiring and enriching the lives of youth in Pontiac. In conjunction with annual donations, the Golden Opportunity Club is committed to improving Pontiac as it continues to grow and develop. This past year it made significant contributions to Coats for Kids, and the WHRC Elementary School when its roof caved in.
Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the remarkable impact the Golden Opportunity Club has made over the last 50 years on the lives of senior citizens in the City of Pontiac. As more and more members of the Baby Boomer generation become seniors, the health and happiness of senior citizens will become increasingly important to sustain robust communities. The Golden Opportunity Club is vital to this work in the Pontiac community. I congratulate the Golden Opportunity Club on its many achievements and wish its members continued success in fulfilling their mission and encouraging the spirit and vitality of Pontiac's seniors.

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