Dave Reynolds’s ultimate goal is to help seniors live life to the fullest, and he will do the same by going to raves until his knees give out.

Reynolds has been on the Federal Way Senior Commission for a little over a year. He said he joined the commission with the main motivation of getting seniors involved and living until they can’t anymore. Reynolds said he wants seniors to be active and see what’s happening worldwide. He knew there would be people on the commission who were interested in getting seniors food assistance and other help, but he wanted to help seniors stay active.

Reynolds said there are lots of groups seniors can join, such as churches or just anything they enjoy. But what he wants seniors to learn is that if they get on the internet, they can find out where there are groups of any kind nearby. Reynolds said he wants to help seniors learn how to use technology and avoid scams. He said if seniors have simple questions, they can reach out to him, and he can help.

Reynolds said he’s not 100% sure how he will get all the seniors involved who still don’t use technology, but he’s started with getting seniors involved in a children’s reading group. Reynolds said his initiative to get seniors to read to elementary-age students has gained some traction. He said he still hasn’t had any book readings yet, but multiple seniors have said they’re interested.

“I like the diversity of Federal Way”

Reynolds said he joined the commission by happenstance. He was at the Federal Way Community Center one day when a lady asked him if he would like to come to a coffee meeting. He started talking to the commission members, and Federal Way City Councilmember Susan Honda talked to him, and that’s what got him to join the commission.

Reynolds said he’d never been part of anything city-related. He retired in 2016, so he wanted to get back to doing something.

Reynolds said he’s lived in Federal Way since 2001, and he enjoys his life here with no complaints. He said he chose to move to Federal Way because before he retired, he was a food equipment salesman, so he would travel a lot, and there were various options to get to the airport from Federal Way.

In addition to being close to the airport, Reynolds said he enjoys all the food options in Federal Way. He and his wife are mostly homebodies, but when they do go out for happy hours they like to get Mexican food, go to the Black Bear Diner, or JP’s Tavern. Additionally, he likes the diversity in the community.

“I like the people here, I really do. I like the diversity of Federal Way. In my community, we have one of everything. We have Asian, we have Black, we have Chinese, we have Japanese. I love that. I think it’s great,” Reynolds said. “We weren’t trying to hole up in some whitebread community where everyone looks the same. So I like the diversity of Federal Way.”

Dave Reynolds at a rave. Courtesy photo

When he’s not at home, getting some happy hour food, or doing senior commission work, Reynolds said his favorite thing in the world is going to raves and listening to electronic dance music (EDM). Reynolds said three or four years ago, he discovered EDM and found a concert out in a Brazilian jungle. Reynolds said he told his son he wanted to go, but he told him to first go to a smaller one.

“We went to one down at Gas Works Park in July. It was nine hours, with five DJs. I never had so much fun in my senior life as I did at that thing. I was with my son and his wife,” Reynolds said. “This is way too personal, but if you want to know who I am, I love music. We went to this thing, and I couldn’t walk the next day.”

Reynolds said the next month, he went to another rave, and now he’s going to another in February. Reynolds said when he tells other adult friends how he likes to go to raves, they tell him, “You gotta be kidding me, that’s so stupid,” but this is what he thinks living is all about.

Reynolds said he’s now going to attend raves until he can’t stand anymore. Reynolds said he doesn’t want to grow old sitting at home doing nothing, so this keeps him young.

Reynolds said he’s needed a knee replacement for the last five years, but he’s been pushing it off until it stops him from doing what he wants to do. So, he will keep raving until he needs another knee, and then he will keep at it when he gets a new knee and rave until he’s 100, Reynolds said.