GROVE CITY - Senior citizens in Mercer and Butler counties got ear exams, back massages and even tested out power wheelchairs Friday during a Senior Expo in Grove City College's Physical Learning Center.

The annual event, sponsored by Rep. Dick Stevenson, R-8th, featured 45 vendors offering everything from free health screenings to information on Meals on Wheels and post-retirement living.

There was a raffle to win several gift baskets, and tables were set up so people could enjoy food.

Louise Lasko, dressed in orange and black with Halloween pins, said she traveled from Zelienople for the second year in a row to attend the expo.

"I was looking for any help for arthritic hands and joints," she said, showing a stress ball that she picked up.

Lasko added she enjoyed this year's expo more than the previous one.

"It's great," she said. "And it's a nice big hall. It's a much bigger facility than last year."

Some people also came out of support for Stevenson.

Richard Fabian of West Sunbury came because he had heard Stevenson speak about abolishing property taxes, something Fabian supports. He had stopped by the expo just "to see everything that's here."

One thing that caught his attention was a comprehensive exhibit on colon cancer, which Fabian once had.

"The display was so great and vivid," he explained. "That was interesting."

Fabian then sat down for the ear exam, which his wife, Kathy, found impressive."That's phenomenal how they can do that, huh?" she said.Vendors also seemed pleased with the attendance and the venue, which was changed from previous years on the GCC campus.Jacqueline Davison, community advocate for Accredo Therapeutics, said this was the home infusion pharmacy's first time at the expo."I think things are going well," she said, noting the turnout was higher than she expected."I think it's been very, very well-attended. This is a wonderful thing for the elderly community."The state Department of Health had an exhibit on colorectal cancer and information about preventing falls. The exhibit was staffed by Lisa Snyder, cancer prevention coordinator, and Jan Anderson, injury prevention coordinator."A lot of people have been stopping by," Snyder said, as Anderson pointed out the nightlights they have given out to help people avoid falls. "We're pretty much busy the entire time."The event was moved from its previous location to attract additional vendors, Stevenson said in a press release."We've had such an overwhelming response to my previous three senior expos that this year we decided that we needed a larger location," he said.