BIDDEFORD — Hundreds of people filled the basement of the J. Richard Martin Community Center on Wednesday, as they made their way through rows of vendors that featured businesses and services catering to seniors.

The event, hosted by the Biddeford 50+ Club, which is under the umbrella of the Biddeford Recreation Department, was deemed a success by the club’s director, Ed Mann.

“It’s pretty incredible,” he said. “We got the turnout we were looking for and then some.”

Among the more than 50 vendors at the first-of-its-kind expo in Biddeford was Martin Womer, an attorney with the Maine Center for Elder Law in Kennebunk. He said his company works with the elderly and their families to provide assistance in planning for long-term care and crises, among other things.

“This is the busiest senior expo I’ve ever been to,” said Womer, “and I’ve been to a few.”

He said he was “impressed” with those who turned out.

“They’re taking their time, asking questions,” said Womer. “This is a really good audience.”

Also hosting a booth at the expo were representatives from Maine Senior Insurance, based in Saco. Company representative Alan Minthorn said his company helps elderly people with insurance issues, and said he had helped a few at the expo.

Not all the exhibitors were catering just to seniors.

Kevin Heffernan of Biddeford, who just started a fitness business that provides exercise classes in people’s homes, said his business is for all ages.

Sally Leahy, assistant director of the McArthur Public Library, was providing people with information about the library. Leahy said she thought the turnout at the expo was great.

“We’re very busy spreading the word” about the library, she said.

Library Director Jeffrey Cabral said, “We’re seeing old friends and making new ones.”

“I can’t believe the turnout,” said Sue DeCesare, with Biddeford Adult Education. She said she was telling people about the program’s courses and getting some to sign up.

Seniors attending the expo said they thought it was a worthwhile event. Charles and Peggy Labonte Dayton, who are members of the 50+ Club, said they found some exhibitors who had interesting businesses that they hadn’t heard about before.

“Putting so many organizations together friendly to seniors is a good thing,” said Charles Labonte.

“It’s very informative,” said Peggy Labonte. “People are learning about things that will make their life easier.”

In addition to the local crowd, people from farther away also attended. A group of seven women from Sanford came together after Marg Riessle said she learned about the event from flyers at a senior center.

Her friend, Carol Poisson, who toured the exhibition hall, said, “There’s quite a few interesting things.”

Sue Gaudet made the two-hour trip to the expo from Mexico. While taking a break, she said she had learned about home health services.

In addition, said Gaudet, “there are a lot of nice giveaways.”

Was it worth the trip?

“Yes, definitely,” she said.

Besides vendors at the expo, there were also workshops, door prizes, entertainment and food ”“ with long lines for the $5 lobster rolls.

The event was a lot of work, said Mann, not only for himself, but also for the other 50+ Club and recreation department staff, and more than 160 50+ Club volunteers. However, he said, it was well worth it.

“Everybody’s benefiting from this,” said Mann, who added that he was pleased with the success. “It’s not bad for a first time showing.”

He said there are already talks about hosting another senior expo next year.

“The idea was we would try it and see how it went,” said Recreation Department Director Carl Walsh. “With this kind of success, I hope we’d do it again.”

— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 324 or [email protected].