A senior advocate’s request for Town of Little Compton funding of a Christmas party was held for further review last week after concerns from some residents and council members that it would be less a senior event open to all, and more for a select few.

This would not be the first year senior advocate Angela Denham, the party's organizer, has helped organize the event. This year, the plan is to hold it at St. Andrews By The Sea Church, though an exact date has not yet been announced publicly.

"Last year it was just such fun getting people together and they really enjoyed it," Denham said as she asked for council support in funding the dinner. "I’m getting tired of buying the food and bringing the food and doing all of that that I've been doing in the past.”

Specifically, Denham asked for $600 to $800 in town funds to cover the cost of catering for a group of seniors expected to total 35 to 40. But some in the audience Thursday said they never got an invite, and others said such an event, if funded by the town, should be open to all.

“So who all got invitations with 60 percent of the population of the town of Little Compton being qualified as a senior? I would assume that there were, you know, probably over 1,000 invitations,” one resident asked.

To that, Denham said the invites were not sent out town-wide. Instead, “Little Compton people who have gotten together on a regular basis are the people who are first to get these invitations. That doesn’t exclude people — however, there is limited room.” 

Town administrator Tony Teixeira suggested that the event be open to the public and held at a larger location to accommodate all seniors who may want to attend. And added councilor Patrick McHugh: “I don’t necessarily want to fund a private party. I think it’s important that everyone is invited.”

A larger concern was that feeling by some that the funding request and small party falls short of the group's core mission, which council president Robert Mushen said he assumed was to “encourage the seniors to gather so as to increase the momentum for a senior center.”

Councilors expect to revisit the topic at their next town meeting. In the meantime, Denham is expected to advertise the Christmas party to more residents.