On May 29^th at the SugarHouse Casino, Mayor Kenney welcomed over 120 Centenarians in attendance for an afternoon of food, dancing and honoring life over 100. The celebration has become a City tradition as the Mayor’s Centenarian Celebration has reached its 19^th year.

Mayor Kenney recognized the contributions of more than 454 centenarians in Philadelphia – home of one of the nation’s largest centenarian populations. Nearly 176 known seniors will turn 100 in Philadelphia this year, according to the regional office of the Social Security Administration.

Mayor Kenney took photos with each Centenarian in attendance, but the two oldest Centenarians took the cake in a special photo opp with the Mayor. Russell Harvey, 103 year old Second World War veteran and Ruth Hopson, who will turn 107 in November – were the oldest male and female and posed with Mayor Kenney and a huge centenarian cake as they dished out the first slices.

Many of the city’s oldest seniors are war veterans; some worked every day into their late 90’s; most are women. Some were alive during the advent of automobiles, airplanes, refrigeration, television and computers.

The secret to longevity, echoed many of the centenarians, is to eat healthy and in moderation, get plenty of sleep, no alcohol and tobacco, good genes and good faith.

More photos of the event can be found here.