Today is George Best day! he turns 100 today! This is the first round of morale boosting bags given this morning in George’s name go to Behive Homes in White Rock in honor of his birthday. Courtesy/LARSO
George Best
By BERNADETTE LAURITZEN
Executive Director
LARSO
One year ago, I was approached at the Betty Ehart Senior Center by Ruth Lier.
“Someone is turning 99 tomorrow,” she said.
She told me it was George Best, my first 99! I ran home baked some cookies and piped little 99’s on them. I asked the chef if I could serve lunch and he said yes.
As George approached, I said, “A little bird tells me, that today is your birthday.” He smiled and said, “yes.” I asked if I may share the news with the group. He agreed, and I also requested permission to share the number.
I got the attention of those gathered for lunch to share the good news, that George Best was not only celebrating his birthday, but his 99th. I said that I made cookies and hoped everyone would wish him a happy birthday. After that, a senior said, “You know, you set the bar very high for a birthday.” I said that I would be happy to bake cookies for any senior celebrating their 99th birthday!
Today, Aug. 4, our birthday boy turns 100! I could not be more excited for the day. He has received 170 birthday cards of a goal set for 100, and his last mail call will take place today. I believe we may actually make 200! The cards have come from; New Mexico, New York, New Jersey, Oregon, Arizona, Alabama, and in this batch I saw one from New Zealand
As a young radio personality, when I was 24, I had the joy of interviewing four seniors who were 100 or more. These senior citizens had crossed the United States in covered wagons. I heard stories of how if you needed to birth a baby, you pulled off to the side, took care of the task and got back on the trail. How amazing for me to spend time with living history.
George has been in Los Alamos since 1949. He raised his family here and helped build a community. He spent time encouraging the many aspects of community, that make us what we are today. He assisted in faith, finance, family and fun. He has worked in the areas of history, science and culture. The County Council has even proclaimed today “George Best Day today”.
The senior centers are collecting spare change, or the paper kind, and making goodie bags for every senior citizen in our assisted living facilities. Tuesday, BeeHive Homes of New Mexico in White Rock will receive the first delivery. Chris and his team are ready to spread the love of the community to their family members for whom they serve. Don’t worry, we have quarantined all of the items, prior to delivery. The change is used to purchase the items in each bag that today we will call George’s party bags.
We thank George for his service to the nation (officer in the Navy), Los Alamos and her people. Happy Birthday George, thanks for being there, for us all.
To celebrate Los Alamos County proclaiming today ‘George Best Day’ as he turns 100, the senior centers are collecting spare change to make morale boosting bags for every senior in local assisted living facilities. BeeHive Homes in White Rock gets the first delivery today. LARSO is working with Del Norte Credit Union to infuse coins back into the local economy. The centers will collect throughout the month of August, also celebrating the birthday of the White Rock Senior Center this month. Best was a DNCU volunteer for 34 years.
