Seniors: New chairman faces tough challenges

Ron Lucas will preside over today’s meeting of the Senior Citizens Affairs Council as its new chairman.

He is the eldest of the six children born to Scott and Alice Lucas. Though he grew up in New Jersey, he and his siblings spent every summer on Shelter Island. His father was born on the Island and, in an aside Ron said, “He was a good golfer.”

The family moved to Rockville Centre in Nassau County, and Ron graduated from St. Agnes Cathedral High School in 1962. He earned a B.S. degree in chemical engineering from Manhattan College in 1966 and an M.S. degree from the New Jersey Institute of Technology two years later.

Taking Horace Greeley’s advice, he went west after graduation and served in the sales management department of a large plastic company in southern California. He married, was divorced (no children), eventually retiring in 2005 and returning to Shelter Island to care for Alice.

“It was natural for me to be up at the golf course after I came home, “said Ron. Today he is on the Board of Directors and is a vice president of the Shelter Island Country Club, the Island’s public course known locally as Goat Hill.

Looking at the present and future challenges SCAC faces, Ron’s first thought was the greater utilization of the Senior Activity Center through creative programming. Currently the center is open six days a week; only three days  have programs running from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

SCAC’s second and real challenge, Ron said, reflects the current national economic climate. He foresees the loss and/or reduction of public funding, grant money and private contributions, all of which could have an impact on major local senior programs.

Clearly this is a thoughtful, dedicated and caring man, qualities that will stand him in good stead as chairman of the Senior Citizens Affairs Council.