Residents, local and county officials joined together for a celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the township’s Senior Center on Saturday.
By Amy Batista, Special Writer
EAST WINDSOR — Residents, local and county officials joined together for a celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the township’s Senior Center on Saturday.
”It’s really exciting today to be able to reach the milestone,” said Mayor Janice Mironov.
Mayor Mironov honored the Senior Center with a proclamation that will be displayed at the facility recognizing the “special day.”
”The center has been a very special part of our goals and accomplishments here in the township,” Mayor Mironov said.
Local and county officials and dignitaries in attendance included Deputy Mayor Alan Rosenberg, Councilman Hector Duke, Councilman Marc Lippman, Councilman Perry Shapiro, Councilman Peter Yeager and Councilman John Zoller.
Mercer County officials included Executive Brian Hughes, Freeholder Ann Cannon, Freeholder Anthony Carabelli, Freeholder Pasquale “Pat” Colavita, Jr., Freeholder Andrew Koontz (Vice Chair), Freeholder Lucy Walter, Surrogate of the County of Mercer Diane Gerofsky and County Clerk Paula Sollami-Covello. Executive Director of Meadow Lakes Jay Whiteman was present.
State officials and legislators of the 14th District included state Sen. Linda Greenstein, D-14, (Assistant Majority Leader), Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo, D-14, and Assemblyman Daniel Benson, D-14.
The Commissions on Aging committee members were present with Dina Leacock, who is the Senior Center Coordinator.
Sylvia Weiss, who the Sylvia Weiss Senior Citizen Award for Outstanding Service as a volunteer is named after, was also present for the celebration.
Sen. Greenstein congratulated the center and presented a resolution on behalf of the 14th District.
”This facility is both beautiful and functional and as you know the vision of our great Mayor Janice Mironov,” said Sen. Greenstein. “It is truly the cornerstone of the senior community. It plays an extremely important role in assisting this diverse senior community to age in the best manner possible.”
Chair of the Commission on Aging committee Odina Jeffers took a few moments to provide some comments.
”It’s a place we come to for social interaction with our peers to sit, talk, laugh and joke,” Ms. Jeffers said. “Isn’t it wonderful that we can come to the center whenever we please. It brings a comfort and a smile to all of us to know that we can come here.”
According to Mr. Hughes, it wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for a “dream and a desire to enhance this community by Mayor Janice Mironov.”
”We had the dream and vision of a substantial Senior Center,” said Mayor Mironov, adding that the Senior Center was only one-room prior to that.
”It takes a lot to put together a center,” Mayor Mironov said. “It takes a lot of money, a location, it takes lots of different resources to come to the table.”
According to Mayor Mironov, the four-acre property that was offered to the township by Springpoint Foundations President and Chief Executive Officer Gary Puma as a location for the center served as the catalyst for getting the money together.
”It’s obviously a perfect location,” Mayor Mironov said.
”She (Mayor Mironov) was the first town to take advantage of Seniors 2000 grant process and she did it for her community,” Mr. Hughes said. “She leveraged it with other funds so that she could put this entire building together which would be a lasting legacy for all of East Windsor without dipping into the tax dollars of the East Windsor property tax payers.”
Past President of the East Windsor-Hightstown Senior Club Joan Gordon took a few minutes to give some comments and reflect on the impact the Senior Center has had.
”The 10 years that this Senior Center has been here has made an improvement in the lives of many seniors in both Hightstown and East Windsor,” said Ms. Gordon. “It has been like the extension of home for many. The bus for shopping, going to doctor’s appointments and trips has replaced the inability to drive and to own a car.”
The nutrition program provided seniors with at least one healthy meal per day, according to Ms. Gordon.
”The day-to-day contact with seniors of such diversity and experience is a reward and makes it much healthier than sitting at home watching the pain fade,” Mr. Gordon said.
According to Ms. Gordon, she has met some “interesting people.”
”Best of all my arthritic knees do not hurt and creek when I go up the stairs,” Ms. Gordon said.
”We continue to look forward to many more happy days and years here at the center,” Ms. Jeffers said.
”This, to me personally, this is really a special place because it really was a personal goal of mine,” Mayor Mironov said as she spoke about the process of planning the center. “It’s something that when I’m over here or we are having these kinds of events it’s really meaningful because how it has served the community.”
The celebration concluded with a tree planting and a light luncheon, which followed the ceremony.