The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Love is in the air
Winsted senior center holds valentines workshop
WINSTED — Love was in the air at the Winsted Senior Center this week for a Valentine’s Day card-making workshop.
Members of the senior enrichment program, including residents of Winsted, Torrington, Harwinton and Hartland, worked together around four square tables in the center’s dining room. Each person had a collection of red or pink cards; a valentine message was pasted on another small card inside. Members of the group pressed cutout hearts and shiny star stickers inside and outside the individual cards, then signed their own name inside, adding a personal touch.
Wendell Steward, Nancy Kostyk, Stanley Kopec, Janet Gaylord, Gladys Thomas, Anna Persechino, Debbie Tyler, Michelle Young, Alberta Goodrow, Margit Torzsok and Denise Dixon, members of the enrichment class, were having fun.
“I have a lot of stickers. I just put more on,” Steward said proudly, holding up his completed Valentine.
“Are you taking my picture? I’m ready,” said Kostyk, holding a finished card in front of her and posing with a big smile. “I want to see what I look like.”
Enit Guaraca, another staff member, encouraged the group. “Come on, everybody, let’s make more,” she said, distributing more red and pink cards to a table “You’re doing a good job.”
Other staffers, including Linda Moore and Tammy Kent, kept the assembly line of little cards moving. “We’re doing great,” Kent said. “They love these activities.”
Kelly sat next to Persechino, who leaned in for a hug. “I love you,” Persechino told Kelly.
“I love you, too,” Kelly said, patting her shoulder.
The completed cards will be given to Town Hall staff, members of the ambulance service and Fire Department, and the Meals on Wheels staff and drivers. It’s a way for members and visitors to give thanks for their support, said Jen Kelly, the senior center’s director.
“This is a wonderful group,” she said. “They have such a good time together, and our members do, too.”
“Everyone here is great, from the members and clients to the (senior center staff ),” said Winsted resident Sue Jasch, a retired nurse who works at the center. “We do a lot of good programs here.”
The senior enrichment program is just one of the many activities offered at the senior center. The senior enrichment program is funded by the state Department of Developmental Services, providing activities that give residents a chance to socialize and spend time out of their group homes, meeting new friends.
The Valentine workshop is just one of the many activities held at the center, which has nearly 400 members, Kelly said. “People participate in different things; some come for meals, or bingo, or a program. We stay pretty busy.”
Kelly, a resident of Harwinton, was hired by former Town Manager Bob Geiger in 2017. Before her career working with seniors, she was a graphic designer and worked for advertising agencies, then ran her own business.
“In 2008, the field of graphic design changed; there just weren’t any jobs,” she said. “I got a job with the Western Connecticut Area Agency on Aging, and I did various projects for them. I worked for Independence Northwest in West Hartford after that. Then the Agency on Aging called me, and I trained to become the Live Well program coordinator for them.”
Live Well is a chronic disease management program for people with diabetes, kidney disease and other types of ailments that can be managed with medication, exercise and diet, which is offered through the state Department of Aging and Disability Services.
When she joined the senior center team in Winsted, Kelly said, she knew she had found her calling. “Everything I did in my past (employment) gave me the tools for this job,” she said. “I’m working with older adults, using my art and design skills, marketing skills, and what I’ve learned from the Agency on Aging.”
A change she made after taking the position was to offer free fitness classes, rather than charging a fee for each session.
“We used to charge a fee, but we realized a lot of people just couldn’t afford it, so we got grants to make the classes free,” she said. “Learning how to take care of themselves is an ‘a-ha’ moment for people, when they realize they can take control of their health,” she said. “The senior fitness program is very popular.”
She loves her job because of the people, and the fact that every day is different. “Every day is new,” she said. “This job makes me smile; every part of it.”
A printed newsletter from the senior center shows the wide variety of activities and programs that are provided weekly for members. A recent talk on fraud prevention drew more than 30 people, Kelly said, signaling the need for more of this kind of information in the senior community.
“Before COVID-19, we had a healthy aging fair, and that was popular and well attended,” she said. “After the turnout for the fraud program, we definitely need to have more of those types of programs. People want them. We’re working on that now.”
A glance at the long listing of programs reveals upcoming bus trips, as well as tax preparation assistance, information on tax rebates, a heart health presentation, a Smartphone tutorial class, a drumming circle, Dancercize, healthy cooking classes, and a program on managing stress, which are all being offered in February.
The center also provides daily meals, and participates in the Meals on Wheels program for seniors who can’t get around as easily. These types of activities bring the center’s community together for companionship, Kelly said. It’s also a way to keep track of members, in case they need help.
Like other department leaders and managers in Winsted, Kelly has a wish list for the center. “A new heating and air-conditioning system is really needed,” she said. “Our system is more than 50 years old, and it needs to be replaced,” she said. “I want to expand the community garden . ... We grow vegetables in containers, but we’re going to do more this year. That’s an activity for our groups.”
For more information about the Winsted Senior Center, go to townofwinchester.org, or call 860-379-4252.