Club Gives Seniors an Outlet for Sharing

With the average home buyer at about 34 years old, this community has a well-deserved image as a haven for young families.

But the same things attracting the families--from a community lake to a town center designed for pedestrians to a bucolic lifestyle--have also made homes in Rancho Santa Margarita and the surrounding area popular for the older set.

The proof is Santiago Seniors Club, a 2-year-old social club for senior citizens that has attracted more than 300 dues-paying members from Rancho Santa Margarita and other foothill communities in its short existence.

“We have a lot of smaller groups and committees where people interested in the same thing get together,” said club President Minnie Ovalle, a founding member. “This is definitely a place for the young at heart.”

Unlike cities, which usually have a senior center run by professionals, club members take care of each other.

Seniors whose partners have died can find peer counseling, while those who need advice with finances can find help in the club’s investment group.

Other activities include aerobics, line dancing, tennis and golf. Three times a week, Ovalle and other volunteers also gather surplus bread and distribute it to club members.

Ovalle, who is 67, said she works hard to help make the club a success because of her mother.

“When Mom went to a [senior] center in Irvine, she’d get so excited,” Ovalle said.

“She just enjoyed it so much. I see my mom’s eyes in so many of these ladies in the club.”

Annual dues are $10. For information, call (714) 858-4369.