Maya McFadden Photo
Despite the heavy Tuesday rain, seniors from New Haven senior groups and homes were offered a “Welcome Celebration” to start their summer’ off right with lunch and a carousel ride.
The New Haven Department of Elderly Services had more than 300 senior sign up for the summer kick-off event at Lighthouse Point Park. The event got some of the seniors on their feet with exercise activities and laughing with entertainment from David A. Robinson who performed an Elvis impersonation.
Many seniors danced their way into the summer with family members and friends with music by DJ James and Pastor Bruce Thompson, who did a saxophone performance for the seniors.
After formally greeting the group, Mayor Toni Harp joined the seniors on the dance floor to the electric slide and the cupid shuffle.
“It only happens in New Haven,” Harp said.
James Del Rio led the seniors in dance exercises and sit-down stretches after the in-door barbeque styled lunch of hotdogs, hamburgers, and fruit. Gina Barros also led a Zumba session for the seniors on the dance floor before the events close.
“The goal is to make New Haven a model of senior support,” said Migdalia Castro (at right in photo), city director of elderly services and organizer of the event.
Castro distributed a paper questionnaire to the senior groups to get an idea of what activities they are interested in for the summer. Top of the list: an outdoor barbecue event. Many seniors specified that they want events that have hands-on activities and food.
Castro said the event cost less than $3,000 to host and would have been even less if her team didn’t have to put it together in only three weeks. The highest expenses were for transportation and food. “Sometimes it doesn’t take a lot of money. It takes creativity and passion,” she said.
“We find a friend in her,” Emily Willard said about Castro.
Ethel Brown and Georgia Johnson (pictured) attended the event with the Dixwell/Newhallville Senior Center group. Brown said she looks forward to more senior-friendly summer events.
“Things like this really help me to keep exerting positivity,” said Johnson.
Edward Whitehead (pictured) showed off his “Ageless Mature Adults” shirt on the dance floor while Kisha Hull, director of Ageless Mature Adult Programs, Inc. led the group in the cupid shuffle. Hull brought more than half of her senior group of 25 to the event. Hull voluntarily runs her program, which focuses on offering seniors with opportunities to be active and gain new hands-on experiences. The program charges a monthly fee of $40 for access to arranged events and a group meeting every Monday and Wednesday at Church on the Rock at 95 Hamilton St.
“I don’t want to stay at Church on the Rock forever. I want to go bigger,” Hull said.
In 2018 Hull was laid off by the Community Action Agency of New Haven after serving as the part-time case manager. She now remains unemployed and is pursuing a her passion for supporting seniors and helping them to be healthy.
Hull’s passion sparks from growing up in the Eastern Circle public housing projects with her grandmother, who had Alzheimer’s. Hull said she witnessed her grandparents not being offered any activities to do to get them active.
In the past, Ageless Mature Adult has offered its seniors with bowling, gardening, ferry trips, line dancing, cybersports, and lighthouse cookouts.
Barros got many of the seniors up and on their feet for an afternoon Zumba session. Barros and Del Rio volunteered their services for the event in efforts to support Castro’s and the organization teams dedication to starting the senior’s summer off with a groove.
The event’s sponsors and partners included Vertical Church, Stop&Shop, Food Rescue Us, Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen, Community Services Administration, and the Office of the Mayor.
After formally greeting the group, Mayor Toni Harp joined the seniors on the dance floor to the electric slide and the cupid shuffle.
"It only happens in New Haven," Harp said.
The goal is to make New Haven a model of senior support," said Migdalia Castro (at right in photo), city director of elderly services and organizer of the event.
And now they get to slide right out of their leadership positions.