On Wednesday, June 17, the Wilton Senior Center will honor and thank its volunteers at a noon luncheon at Ogden House. More than 150 volunteers have been invited to the festivities.
The senior center has come a long way since 1973 and the basement room in Center School that was designated the Adult Social Center. In the years following, Adele MacGregor and Dot Tracey initiated a program of weekly luncheons prepared and served by the Wilton Presbyterian, Zion’s Hill Methodist, Wilton Baptist, and Our Lady of Fatima churches. The Wilton Woman’s Club supported the early venture by arranging programming for lunch-goers. Cis Cohen was named the first official volunteer director. Dorothy Wright and Jody Heussner followed in her footsteps.
In 1983 the group moved to Ogden House where they paid rent to use the great room, library, kitchen, and craft room for activities. In 1992 came the next move to Comstock Community Center where a single room, the present day café, was dedicated to seniors. Several years later, the name changed from Wilton Adult Center to Wilton Senior Center. The first town-employed coordinator, Marie Key, was hired in 1990 for 14 hours per week. Usage of the senior center increased under the direction of successor coordinators Tessa Donnelly and Jan MacEwen. Lizabeth Doty became the first full-time coordinator in 2002.
In 2010, First Selectman Bill Brennan designated space at the Comstock Community Center for the exclusive use of the senior center rooms which became the café, lounge, game room, and crafts and arts studio. The new space was dedicated in March 2011.
There has been one constant in all the years of transition: the volunteers. Volunteers have contributed time and talent regardless of where the senior center was located or how much space it occupied. Whether leading a book discussion, giving a series of talks, planting flowers, painting, conducting an activity, or preparing a meal, volunteers have contributed to making the senior center a place with stimulating and creative opportunities for the social, physical, emotional, and intellectual enrichment of Wilton senior citizens.
Weekly activities
Enhance Fitness: Thursday, 9 to 10, $3 drop-in fee. This class includes 30 minutes of endurance-type activity. Leslie Hinshaw, instructor.
Feldenkrais: Friday, 10 to 11, $5 drop-in fee. Explore this exciting and innovative movement method designed to relieve pain, exercise your brain and teach you to move with greater comfort, ease, and fluidity. Cathy Paine, instructor.
Thursday lunch: Most Thursdays at noon, $3. Join other seniors for lunch by Chef Karen White. Seating is limited. Reservations required.
Tai chi: Wednesdays, 10:30 to 11:30, $3 drop-in fee. Tai chi contains a series of gentle and graceful movements performed with respiration coordination and deep concentration. It has been shown to prevent falls and improve the functioning of daily activities. Joe Alampi, instructor.
Bingo: Most Thursdays, 12:45 p.m., 25 cents per card. Winners get “the pot” each game.
Yoga: Tuesdays, 11 to noon, Thursdays, 10 to 11. There is a $3 drop-in fee. Denise O’Hearn, owner of Vibrant Moves in Wilton, conducts this gentle class that warms up your joints, stretches and strengthens your muscles and helps your balance and focus.
Line Dance Fusion: Mondays, 10:30 to 11:30, $3 drop-in fee. This program blends traditional dance steps with elements of modern line dancing. This is a great form of exercise and social interaction. Beatriz Araujo, instructor.
Open bridge: Wednesdays, 10 to 12:30, $5 drop-in fee. Dan DeVlieg supervises. This is not a sanctioned game.
Coming events
For the week of June 5:
Friday, June 12 , 10:30, Room Transformation with Kathy Engstrom; 10, Feldenkrais with Cathy Paine; 12, Bridge with Eleanor Mihailidis; 1:30, Intermediate Bridge with Dan DeVlieg.
Monday, June 15 , 10:30, Line Dance Fusion with Beatriz Araujo; 1, Bridge.
Tuesday, June 16, 11, Yoga with Denise O’Hearn; 12, Duplicate Bridge; 2, Chair Yoga at Ogden House.
Wednesday, June 17 , 10, Open Bridge with Dan DeVlieg; 10:30, Tai Chi with Joe Alampi; 12, Volunteer Luncheon at the Ogden House; 1, Mah Jongg.
Thursday, June 18 , 9, Enhance Fitness with Leslie Hinshaw; 10, Yoga with Denise O’Hearn; 11:45, Western Connecticut Geriatric Meeting at Laurel Ridge.
In the course of the renovation project, individual rooms in the senior center and social services wing of the building may, from time to time, become unavailable for public use. All senior programs and the room assignments will be posted at or on the entrance doors. We appreciate your understanding and patience.