By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

NAPLES — It wouldn’t be the first time a senior citizen stood before Naples selectmen and asked for a better way to sign up for recreation department trips than doing it online.

Bob Hennick, 81, said he learned about an upcoming Senior Trip to Cabbage Island at the Senior Lunch held at the Casco Community Center. The Senior Trips Program is shared by both the Naples and Casco recreation departments; people from both communities participate frequently in the senior trips.

But, according to Hennick, the Casco Recreation Department is much better at getting the word out and allows for in-person, on-paper registrations for senior citizens.

He asked if the Town of Naples could do the same thing. Plus, he asked if someone could display upcoming events on a bulletin board so that people could find out about it.

Signing up online is a hassle, he said. He could not even get the registration form to print out.

The biggest drawback is that he has to provide his credit card number, Hennick said. Paying to participate in the senior trip is something he would rather do at the Town Hall.

“Can’t we just make the registrations simple,” Hennick said.

About three of four years ago, the town started using Blue Sombrero as the program to accept payments for Recreation Department sports leagues and other offerings, Selectman Bob Caron II said.

Naples Town Manager Ephrem Paraschak said, “As far as online registration, if someone comes in in person, we allow them to fill out a registration form” and pay for it at the front desk. He did add the process was more time-consuming for the staff than when it is handled online.

“I have no problem with senior trips being on paper,” Paraschak said. “It wouldn’t be hard for all the seniors who participated in trip before, we can send them a postcard reminder.”

Casco Recreation Director Beth Latsey “being full time in Casco is beneficial,” for getting the word out, he said.

“I have no problem making it easy for senior to sign up” for programs, he said.