With an upcoming speed dating event for residents 70 and older this month attracting a contingent of interested women, the matchmakers at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library are now putting out a call for a few good men to join the ranks of the hopeful romantics. With the age group of 70 and up, you need to even it out a little bit, because there are more women.
But I still think we have enough eligible gentlemen out there. Lepo said the library is partnering with the village for the senior speed dating program, which kicked off last month with more than residents attending the Sept. The Oct. Programs will be provided and participants are urged to take notes, with both the women and men indicating which prospective partner they would be interested in dating, Lepo said.
While Lepo said officials had no trouble finding plenty of interested women to participate in the speed dating event, Arlington Heights resident Olga Pietka, 86, said that as a widow, she has no interest in dating these days. And it was during a time when the man was king.
One potential speed dating participant, Fred Masek, a year-old widower, said after 50 years of marriage, his wife, Marjorie, died last year, leaving him with a lot of empty time on his hands. While caretaking and laundry may not sound like the most romantic of pursuits, Lepo said that for senior citizens who live alone, steady companionship is crucial to maintaining both physical and mental health.
Of course, for some seniors, establishing an intimate relationship with a partner can also be important, she said. By Karen Ann Cullotta.
