By Marcia Moore
SHAMOKIN — Northumberland County Commissioners Vinny Clausi and Kurt Masser delivered an early Christmas present to 10 Shamokin senior citizens Friday with a free trip to Lycoming Mall.
The commissioners paid for the trip, as well as for lunch, out of their own pockets after several of the women complained the county canceled a similar trip at the last minute last week after they’d paid $7.70 for the round-trip bus ride to the mall.
Wearing a red and black “Bad Santa” hat, Clausi drove a county-owned bus to each of the women’s homes early Friday, picked up Masser at the Administration Building in Sunbury and took the group to the Muncy area mall.
Three seniors had already boarded the bus last week when the Christmas shopping trip was cut short by county transportation director Dennis Helper because one of the eight riders fell ill and couldn’t go.
“You don’t expect th is around the holidays because usually everyone is so busy,” a delighted Dorthea Maguire said.
County officials defended canceling the trip by saying that a minimum of eight riders are required on county-run trips and there was a shortage of county drivers. Despite the rule, Masser and Clausi said, canceling the trip wasn’t the right thing to do and offered to make it up to the women.
Dolores Markle appreciated the gesture and a chance to get some holiday shopping done.
“I don’t have a car,” the 70- year-old said. “The county bus is essential for me.”
Maguire said she regularly goes on county-operated trips organized by the Shamokin Senior Center.
“I have no family, so I like to go out,” she said.
In the mall parking lot, Masser gave Clausi directions on getting to a particular store.
As the bus pulled up to Burlington Coat factory, Maguire beamed.
“This is why we wanted to come here,” she said. “We don’t get these shops in Shamokin.”
Before the morning was over, the commissioners spread some Christmas cheer to other county seniors by dropping off a $200 Wii player at the senior center in Dewart.
Several of the county’s 11 senior centers have added Wiis, and the games have become so popular with members that a bowling tournament is planned.
To allow all the centers to take part in the competition, Clausi and Masser have purchased players on their own for centers in Dewart, Northumberland and Riverside.
“There is a real Santa Claus,” senior Nadia Noas exclaimed.
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