NEW YORK—Catholic Charities St. Charles Jubilee Senior Center opened a party to all seniors and their guests on Wednesday afternoon to celebrate its 35th anniversary. The celebration for July was also combined with the event which brought out more food, dancing, and fun.
The party began at 1:30 p.m. and lasted for one and a half hours. Birthday cake, ice cream, music and dancing were all present on the scene. Over 50 people and many volunteers prepared for and joined in this event.
The party was held in an open room on the second floor of the Center and was decorated with colorful balloons.
Alice Sinclair is one of the center's volunteers and has been working as a receptionist there for 11 years. She missed most of the party while answering phone calls but she had a chance for fun when she got to dance at the last minute.
"I have been volunteering ever since I can remember," said Sinclair. "I come because you learn something every day." Sinclair was a practical nurse during World War II and she also worked with the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP). She said that she has been working two jobs at the same time for 17 years.
For her outstanding service to society and exceptional personal and professional successes, Sinclair received the St. John University President Medal in January of this year at the age of 91.
When serving in the army, Sinclair painted. One of her paintings won first prize in the oil-painting bracket of the 1945 Army Arts Contest.
Sinclair has one son, one grandchild and one great grandchild. "My son picks me up every day," Sinclair said. And not long after, her son showed up at the doorway. Another volunteer is Ursula Backes. She volunteers in a thrift shop at the senior center.
"I love it [volunteering] because it keeps me busy," she said. "And it makes me feel that I exist."
Backes is 93 years young and has three children, twins and a boy. She said that she has thinks she has about five grandchildren, but lost track of them.
Backes said, "I've been here from the first day it opened [1981]."
The St. Charles Jubilee Senior Center began as a pilot program in the basement of St. Charles Hospital in June 1973 and it moved to its present place in 1981. It is the first senior center run by Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens. Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens is a social service to the neighborhoods of Brooklyn and Queens. It has been severing the community for over 100 years.
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