The Gouves Township presented local seniors with an early surprise gift in celebration of the Senior Citizen International Day – day-long outing to Rethymnon and Hania, which was realized with the assistance of The Help At Home team, Maria Hatzaki, Ritsa Georgiadi and Zoi Tsitouri

Their first stop was at the Panaghia Harakiani to rest and light a candle. Then, on to Vrises in Hania for coffee and yoghurt with honey, while sitting under the famous old and shady plane trees in the square.

Next stop, Georgioupoli, where they drove by the lake on their way to Rethymno for a three-hour repast at a local taverna.

Later on in Panormo, the last stop before heading back home, there was coffee, picture taking and even a trip on the little train for t he more adventurous ones.

The Help at Home Team would like to thank the two township bus drivers, Yiorgo Fazaki and Stavro Sintihaki, for their caring and patient driving.

Ritsa and Maria told this reporter that the idea for these outings started three years ago when they realized that some of the elderly in the township never went much farther than their front door.

That first year, the team took a group of seniors to CretAquarium, but as the years passed the trips extended further away.