Jordan Beck | Daily Press Hundreds of area seniors were able to learn about topics relevant to their lives at the ninth annual Daily Press Senior Expo, which was held at the Terrace Bay Hotel in Gladstone Tuesday.

GLADSTONE — Hundreds of area seniors learned about topics relevant to their lives during the ninth annual Daily Press Senior Expo at the Terrace Bay Hotel Tuesday.

Daily Press Advertising Manager Terrie Belongie, the event’s coordinator, said things went well at this year’s Senior Expo.

“It’s going wonderful — great turnout,” she said. An estimated 350 seniors were in attendance at the Senior Expo, and all of the tickets available for this year’s event had been distributed.

According to Belongie, the primary goal of the Senior Expo is to help provide information to local seniors.

“It’s a learning tool for the senior citizens,” she said.

This goal is achieved by having several different speakers deliver presentations to attendees of the event.

“The speakers are very informative,” Belongie said.

Speakers at this year’s expo covered a wide variety of subjects.

“We have health and safety and medicine and just all kinds of things … that seniors need to know,” Belongie said.

Garceau Insurance Agency Life and Health Agent Margo Gobert-Vargo spoke about Medicare. Gobert-Vargo said she enjoyed speaking at the Senior Expo for her first time.

“There was a lot that I was able to cover in a short period of time,” she said. Her presentation focused on changes to Medicare and the dates for 2018’s Annual Election Period.

Gobert-Vargo also noted the event’s attendees seemed to appreciate her presentation.

“They were good — they were very, very pleased,” she said.

Garceau Insurance Agency’s segment of the Senior Expo was followed by a presentation from the Michigan State Police — Gladstone Post. This presentation, which was about the Gladstone Post’s Citizens Academy, was put on courtesy of Lake Bluff Retirement Village.

“I’m glad I got to present to let people know what we’re doing,” Community Service Trooper Dale Hongisto of the Gladstone Post said.

Hongisto said he was happy with how expo attendees responded to the information he shared.

“I thought the audience was very interested and attentive,” he said.

Attorney Scott Brogan of the law firm of Brogan & Yonkers spoke about elder law, probate avoidance, and nursing home asset protection.

“I think it was good — I could have gone on quite a bit longer,” Brogan said.

He also said he enjoyed attending the Senior Expo.

“I’m very impressed by this event, having this number of … speakers for a group like this,” he said.

Delta Area Transit Authority (DATA) Executive Director John Stapleton gave an overview of the services provided by DATA. According to Stapleton, attending the Senior Expo has been an ideal way for DATA to provide information to members of the public.

“This is probably the best place for us to speak with current and future riders all at one time,” he said.

He also said he was impressed with attendance at this year’s event.

“There’s a great turnout this year, and they’re very energetic,” Stapleton said.

Representatives of Christian Park Health Care Center and Christian Park Village, OSF HealthCare St. Francis Hospital & Medical Group, U.P. Honor Flight (courtesy of Upper Peninsula Health Plan), Skradski Family Funeral Homes and U.P. Health System Home Care and Hospice spoke at this year’s Senior Expo, as well.

The event was emceed by Peggy O’Connell Schumann, owner of local businesses Positively! and SignUP. O’Connell Schumann said she felt the Senior Expo has been a good educational opportunity for seniors in the area.

“It’s always a well-attended event, and they put out — in a very short period of time — so much valuable information … for people 55 and older,” she said.

Gladstone resident Shurlee Plouff, one of the many attendees of this year’s Senior Expo, agreed with O’Connell Schumann’s view of the event.

“It’s informative — very informative,” Plouff said. She had attended the expo about three times in the past.

Plouff noted some of her favorite presentations at this year’s Senior Expo were given by Hongisto and Brogan.

“We’re looking to do some estate planning, so it was good information to have,” she said of the latter presentation.

John Palka, also of Gladstone, said he was glad to have a chance to learn about various topics at the Senior Expo.

“(It’s) very nice — we usually come every year to listen to the speakers,” he said.

As was the case for Plouff, Palka said he particularly enjoyed Brogan’s presentation.

“I’m getting older; I may need those things in the future,” he said.