On Wednesday, a proper country music jamboree could be seen taking place at the Bemidji Senior Center. The halls of the center itself were filled with the sounds of lively country music and the sights of people joyfully line dancing.

“It’s just lovely, its a very, very nice event,” said Bemidji Senior Center manager Verna Joy Lenker. “We have many people that come just for musical events and just love coming and dancing.”

Many of the events the senior center puts on attempt to bring community members together to help stop senior isolation, which has only grown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There are many people in our community that are really stuck in senior isolation and, I mean, it’s one of our goals is to combat the senior isolation and get people free of that,” said Lenker.

Of course, events like these wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for the talented people who donated their time, energy, and skills to bring people together.

“And that brings a lot of joy to us that they like our music,” said musician Cindy Kingsbury.

“It’s very uplifting for us and the audience with dancing and the music, and it’s just a lot of fun,” added fellow musician Bonnie Uran.

Whether a senior is coming to listen to music, to find a dance partner, or to find a way to spend an afternoon, the Bemidji Senior Center serves as a space where seniors can socialize with their peers.

The Bemidji Senior Center typically hosts live musical performances every Thursday, as well as a number of other activities to engage senior citizens throughout the entire week.

By — Justin Othoudt