DYKER HEIGHTS -- Approximately 600 older adults came out to eat, drink, dance and just be their very merry selves at the annual senior citizens end of summer picnic event held at the Dyker Beach Golf Course on Oct. 2.

The occasion was co-sponsored by State Sen. Iwen Chu (D-17) and Brooklyn-based non-profit youth organization NIA Community Services Network. It piggybacks off of a "senior prom" event, which was originally spearheaded in 2000 by Vincent Gentile and Peter Abbate.

"This picnic for seniors, which typically happens after the summer in early fall, was a staple before I came here, and it received such terrific responses from residents year-over year, I felt it was only right to continue it," Chu told the Brooklyn Eagle.

The aforementioned senior prom event, which usually takes place in June, is more of a formal sit-down dinner -- a prom night for seniors, Chu said.

"But the picnic is much more casual. It's an opportunity for seniors to let their hair down. It's a South Brooklyn celebration," she added.

Chu pointed out that it was seniors that built this community, and it is her duty to not only address their concerns in the district through legislation, but also to be able to give them a fun and free day to enjoy themselves.

"The weather was beautiful, and there were plenty of people interacting with one another," Chu explained. "It was great to see. My team was also dancing with the seniors, some in their 80s and 90s."

According to Chu, the day was not only a physical exercise but also a way to tend to seniors' mental health.

"It really means a lot to them," Chu said. "I became friends with so many grandmothers out on that dance floor. Even those that did not dance were wiggling around in their chairs. There was so much joy and fun. It was just a wonderful thing for the seniors of southern Brooklyn."

According to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, older New Yorkers aged 65 and older currently make up about 13% of the city's residents and are living longer than ever.