Raleigh seniors enjoy the 62nd Annual Golden Years Holiday Celebration, sponsored by Capitol Broadcasting, on Tuesday, December 17, 2019.

Members of the over 30 senior clubs in the City of Raleigh gathered for the 62^nd Annual Golden Years Holiday Celebration on Tuesday, December 17, 2019.  Capitol Broadcasting Company and the Raleigh Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department teamed up to present the event at the Raleigh Convention Center.

The ballroom was filled to capacity as seniors enjoyed a hot breakfast and musical entertainment for the holiday.  WRAL-TV Anchors Ken Smith helped emcee the event for the first time alongside WRAL-TV Anchor Renee Chou who returned for second year.  WRAL-TV Anchor Brian Shrader rounded out the trio.

“This is a wonderful time of year and a wonderful celebration,” Raleigh Parks, Rec & Cultural Resources Interim Director Scott Payne told the crowd.  “If you came here and weren’t in the Christmas spirit, you will be when you leave.”

Mary-Ann Baldwin, Raleigh Mayor-Elect, also brought greetings to the seniors, describing the event as “celebrating being together.”

She spoke of the Raleigh Golden Years Clubs as “helping you celebrate the later years of your life.  Getting out there and having the best life you can.”

The Capital Ambassadors entertain the crowd at the 62nd Annual Golden Years Celebration on Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Todd Riddick of the Raleigh Parks, Rec and Cultural Resources presented $2,000 raised and about 500 stockings stuff by the Golden Years Clubs  to the Salvation Army as part of the program.

Musical entertainment began with The Cardinal Singers and continued with an invocation by Jake Bryant of The Capital Ambassadors.  The program continued with Christmas tunes from United Cadence, Shawn ‘CoCo’ McMillan, and Capital Ambassadors.  The fun concluded with big band music from Leon Jordan’s Continentals which brought the seniors to the dance floor.

WRAL-TV will broadcast highlights from the 62^nd annual program on Christmas Day.  Tune in to WRAL-TV on Wednesday, December 25, 2019, at 2pm for “A Golden Years Holiday Special.”