VISTA, Calif. — The Gloria McClellan Senior Center will host a special cultural event on June 5 that will spotlight Vietnam’s food, history, and heritage.
The event coincides with the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, a significant milestone in both U.S. and Vietnamese history.
The center’s quarterly culinary and cultural luncheons have previously featured Ireland, France, Italy, Germany, and other nations. The June 5 event will include a round table discussion, live music, and a Vietnam-themed lunch. The event is free except for lunch, which is $4 per person for ages 60 and over, or $8 per person for all others.
Titled “Vietnam, a Nation at the Crossroads of History,” the round table will begin at 10:30 a.m. and will be moderated by career journalist Tim O’Leary. The panel will include a Vietnam native who emigrated to the U.S., a first-generation Vietnamese American, and two American veterans of the Vietnam War. An audience Q&A will follow. Lunch will be served after the Q&A at noon.
Thao L. Ha, Ph. D., a sociology professor at MiraCosta College in Oceanside, will be one of the panelists. She was recently featured in the KPBS report “The Fall of Saigon at 50.”
The event is open to the public, but lunch seating is limited, and reservations are required. The center is located at 1400 Vale Terrace Drive in Vista. For lunch reservations or more information, call (760) 643-5288 or visit www.gmacvista.com.
The City of Vista operates the Gloria McClellan Senior Center, which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary of providing services to Vista’s senior population. The center offers a wide range of programs and services for older adults, including social activities, educational opportunities, daily lunch service, and wellness resources to enhance quality of life and foster community connection.
