The Ironton Senior Center kicked off the holiday week by hosting its annual Christmas party on Monday.

About 60 seniors attended the event, where they were served a meal, organized by senior service coordinator Melinda Mance.

Mance said the event was paid for through donations and also featured a guest speaker, Andy Tinkman of Consumer Reports.

Mike Payne, director of the senior center, said the facility and its events are open to any senior in Lawrence County.

“We give them a place to congregate, so they don’t have to just sit at home,” he said. “We’re trying to focus on the positive and want everyone to know that we have a senior center for everybody.”

One of the attendees of the dinner was Doris Roberts, of Ironton, who was named the center’s Senor of the Year in May. Payne said she serves as “sort of their unofficial spokesperson.”

Roberts said she has attended the center for almost 10 years and comes five days a week and enjoys the activities offered.

“We have senior exercise three days a week, a variety of games, card games and bingo,” she said. “There’s a lot of fellowship.”

She said the center has also organized trips to the Apple Festival, Pumpkin Festival and other places, as well as shopping sprees.

Roberts said she had been looking forward to this year’s dinner and that it was one of several offered throughout the year, including a Thanksgiving dinner and four picnics in the summer months at the farmers market.