CBC Regales Raleigh Seniors with Annual Golden Years Holiday Celebration

Capitol Broadcasting proudly sponsored the 56^th Annual Golden Years Celebration for area seniors on Tuesday, December 17, 2013. CBC has a long history with the program created for the Golden Year Clubs in the Raleigh Parks and Recreation Department. While enjoying breakfast in the large ballroom at the Raleigh Convention Center, seniors saw a montage of the many years of the celebration, featuring footage of former CBC President, the late Fred Fletcher singing his infamous “All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth” as another CBC legend, the late Paul Montgomery accompanies on piano.

WRAL-TV Chief Meteorologist Greg Fishel opened the program with a few jokes and a tune on his tuba. His colleagues, WRAL-TV Anchors Debra Morgan, Gerald Owens & Jackie Hyland emceed the event.

As always, a variety of musical guests entertained the crowd. The Oakwood Waits sang madrigal carols while Tina Seldin Cash led the crowd in a few Christmas carols. The Dancing Divas lit up the dance floor for several numbers and Santa Claus himself came to read “Twas the Night Before Christmas” to the seniors. Santa chatted a bit with Hyland from the stage and then stayed around afterwards for photos.

Raleigh seniors enjoy the 56th Annual Golden Years Celebration sponsored by Capitol Broadcasting on Tuesday, December 17, 2013.

The Oakwood Waits sing Christmas carols.

WRAL-TV’s Chief Meteorologist Greg Fishel welcomes the crowd.

Raleigh Mayor Pro Tem Eugene Weeks greets the seniors.

Peter Donovan & Steve White — Raleigh Parks & Rec’s Steve White presents stockings to the Salvation Army’s Peter Donovan.

Debra Morgan, Gerald Owens & Jackie Hyland — WRAL-TV’s Debra Morgan (l to r), Gerald Owens & Jackie Hyland emcee the Golden Years Celebration.

WRAL-TV’s Debra Morgan & Gerald Owens get the musical part of the program going.

Santa & Jackie Hyland — WRAL-TV’s Jackie Hyland interviews Santa Claus.

The Dancing Divas entertain the Golden Years crowd.

Tina Seldin Cash leads the crowd in a few Christmas songs.

CBC’s Loretta Harper-Arnold & Jim Goodmon sing along with the Christmas carols.

WRAL-TV’s Phyllis Parish works behind the scenes to produce the broadcast of the Golden Years Celebration.

WRAL-TV’s Gerald Owens chats with a Golden Years senior.

Golden Yeras — Raleigh seniors enjoy the 56th Annual Golden Years Celebration sponsored by Capitol Broadcasting on Tuesday, December 17, 2013.

Santa Claus reads “Twas the Night Before Christmas.”

dancers — Dancers from Carolina Ballroom of Cary demonstrate dances for the crowd.

The Casablanca Orchestra plays tunes for the crowd to dance.

Phyllis Parish & Jim Rothschild — WRAL-TV’s Phyllis Parish & WRAL-TV’s Jim Rothschild talk about the upcoming broadcast.

WRAL-TV’s Debra Morgan chats with Golden Years attendees.

As always, a highlight of the morning took place as the Casablanca Orchestra took the stage and the seniors took to the dance floor. Dancers from Carolina Ballroom of Cary demonstrated the fox trot, waltz, jive and more, and then opened the floor to the attendees.

Steve White of the Raleigh Parks and Rec proudly presented stockings to Peter Donovan of the Salvation Army, another annual Golden Years tradition. Club members have been busy stuffing stockings for children in need.

Donavan said that 8,707 needy children have been registered to receive gifts from the Salvation Army this year, and the stockings will go a long way towards their goal of making sure every child gets a stocking with their gifts.

Raleigh Mayor Pro Tem Eugene Weeks also greeted the crowd, calling them not senior adults but active adults.

“We can’t do it without you,” said Weeks of the seniors. “You’re the wisdom. You’re the ones who keep us going.”

Highlights from the 2013 Golden Years Holiday Celebration will be compiled in a special to be broadcast on WRAL-TV at 7pm on Christmas Day. For the first time this year, the event was also live streamed on WRAL.com. Watch now here.