SAXONBURG - Inspired by a quest for self-improvement, a group of senior citizens is starting a new activities group in the county. The group, Senior Adult Ministry at the Pointe, will focus on "how to spend leisure time fruitfully," said Eileen Devlin of Saxonburg, one of the founding members.

Talks at the monthly meetings will focus on things like education, culture and re-employment instead of topics like health, she said - noting that ailments can dominate the thinking of retired people in the absence of more positive topics.

"You're seeing doctors all the time. You don't need to go to a seminar to hear someone speak on diabetes or blood pressure," she said, explaining that kind of information seemed readily available to seniors already.

The group will meet at noon the first Thursday of each month at Outlook Pointe at Saxonburg

. The $4 charge will include lunch.

The first meeting, set for March 3, will include a talk on the Silver Sneakers fitness program. Subsequent meetings and events will include the female barbershop group

Stars Outta Sink, a flower show outing, Seniors for Safe Driving training, a talk on reacting to natural disasters and a theater trip to Lancaster.

Although the group will meet each month at Outlook Pointe, it is not affiliated with the assisted living facility, Devlin said.

And while the group calls itself a ministry, the group hopes its Christian message will be reflected in its actions instead of the meeting topics.

"Of course, we open our meeting with a blessing and we close our meeting with a blessing," Devlin said. "We interact with one another with the positive thinking that God is always with us. We're never alone. Because a lot of people leave the group and go home and they're by themselves. … (But) as long as you've got God with you, you're fine."

"We have people from 50 to 90 years of age. If you spoke to the 90-year-old person, you would think that person is 65 because … they feed their brain, all the time. They don't allow other people to think for them. So doing things like that keeps you healthy. It keeps the brain functioning independently and with colorful things."

Amy Hartzell, a member of the marketing staff at Outlook Pointe, said the facility is happy to provide a meeting place for the new group.

"We're always willing to welcome new groups," she said. "It's good for the community."