Happy Birthdays : Clubs open the door to social interaction and show the elderly that they aren’t too old to celebrate a special day.

For the last decade I have held the unofficial title of “produce and bakery groupie” at Gelson’s Market in Westlake Village--I practically live there. Spending so much time in one place has its benefits.

Loitering over coffee and danish at the umbrella-covered tables out front has made me a connoisseur of the “parking lot community.” I have met many a senior seeking shade while awaiting a taxi.

There is one Hungarian “baba,” or grandpa, who sticks in my mind.

Daily, like clockwork, this 91-year-old man would walk from home to the market and back again, a distance of three miles round trip. (I know, because I drove him home once and measured it.) Regardless of the heat, he always wore a woolen Alpine hat and vest.

The man rarely purchased anything at the market. Instead, he came to check in with the staff behind the bakery counter. He also came for the complimentary coffee and a “schmooze” with friendly habitues at “his table.”

But most of all, he shyly arrived each year to accept a free birthday cake prepared by the bakery’s owner.

I was present at the celebration last year--shortly before he died. Each year he claimed he hated the fuss. But we knew better. He was proud of his age. He needed to be recognized by others. And on these occasions he enjoyed telling stories of the old country, which he illustrated with dogeared photos tucked away in his vest pocket.

It’s interesting how seniors vary in their feelings about their ages.

In contrast to the Hungarian man, there are people like a woman I interviewed recently. She is 83 years old, but asked if I could print her age as 82. “All of my friends think I am a lot younger,” she said.

And then there are seniors like my mother who feel silly and embarrassed about any attempt to honor a birthday. They feel the hats-and-horns cake routine is for children.

Seniors may find it pleasant to celebrate birthdays (and other important occasions, like wedding anniversaries) with others of their generation. It’s nice to socialize with peers.

Seniors in the Conejo Valley recognized this in the late 1960s when the Golden Age Club was formed. Sponsored by the Conejo Valley Parks and Recreation Department, the social club is open to anyone age 50 and older.

Club President Evalyn Flynt, 74, said the group meets twice a month at 10 a.m. for a program that might include a speaker or entertainment. Members bring lunch to share afterward.

At the first meeting of each month everyone with a birthday or wedding anniversary in that month is regaled with song and cake. Anita Hansen, the club’s “sunshine gal,” makes a special cake for anyone 90 or older.

About 90% of the members of the Golden Age Club also belong to the Friendly Oaks Club. The Friendly Oaks Club was formed when ranks of the Golden Age Club swelled. Now the two alternate weekly meetings.

Before his retirement in 1984, 65-year-old Jack Hagedorn, a past president of the Golden Age Club, had been driving his mother, Anna, and her friends to club meetings.

“After I retired I decided to go see what it was all about, and it turned out to be a nice group of people,” said Hagedorn, who entertains at meetings and at other senior organizations and retirement homes in the area.

“Mother turned 101 on June 16. And she has been a member for over 20 years. She is the oldest member there among the ladies, and I’m probably the youngest man and still a happy bachelor,” he said with a laugh.

“Couples attend and celebrate their wedding anniversaries,” Hagedorn said. “We don’t have too many men there--most of the ladies are widows. But they don’t dwell on the past. They still enjoy celebrating their birthdays and remembering the good times with nostalgia.”

JOINING THE CLUB

The Conejo Valley Golden Age Club meets on the first and third Thursdays of each month, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Conejo Community Center, 1300 Hendrix Ave., in Thousand Oaks.

The Friendly Oaks Club meets at the same time and location on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month.

The groups hold a joint meeting if there is a fifth Thursday in the month. Annual membership dues are $5. Anyone age 50 and older is welcome.

Both groups celebrate birthdays and anniversaries at the first monthly meeting. For information about the Golden Age Club, call 497-1189, and for the Friendly Oaks Club, call 498-2789.

Shalom Seniors, a similar club, meets twice monthly at the Thousand Oaks Library, 1401 E. Janss Road. Membership in the non-sectarian club is open to anyone age 50 and older. The next meeting will be Oct. 26 at 10:30 a.m. For details, call 499-6109.