Three local seniors were recognized in Albany on May 10th for winning prestigious awards from Erie County.
Senior of the Year: Chris Kasprzak
Chris Kasprzak is a vibrant part of the Town of Cheektowaga’s Senior Center. She is often known as the “energizer bunny” of the Center. Chris works at the center to organize the congregate dining site but continues her work even after the meal has been served. It has often been said that Chris "never stops thinking about her seniors." She is always filling in where there is a need, never having to be asked to help. She is a cheerleader and advocate for her seniors believing that participants and volunteers need to feel welcome and important.
Chris has been involved with the Cheektowaga Senior Center for over 5 years. She lives by the idea that, to stay young you must stay active and involved. She encourages her seniors to live by the same thought; promoting participation and fun through her vivacious personality and sense of humor.
Chris is a proud mother of one son and grandmother to two grandchildren. When Chris was forced to retire early from the United States Postal service due to an injury she wasn’t sure what was next until she became involved in the Center. She believes that it has helped her even more than she has helped it. She believes in making the Senior Center a place where participants are treated like family.
Erie County Senior Making the Greatest Contributions: Elizabeth Triggs
Elizabeth Triggs is a builder who is part community activist, a bit of an entrepreneur, and a visionary. She began building the day she formed a block club to get things done in her neighborhood. “City Hall wouldn’t talk to me---they recognize block clubs, so we became a block club.” Their first project was to fix up a nearby park for all the neighbors, including her own five children, in a space that had become rundown. “Volunteering, we learn about people; their culture, their attitudes. We learn that other people’s situations are just like ours. If we get sick or get hurt, we can be just like them in a second.”
Today, after twenty-five years, Elizabeth has built an organization of passionate volunteers--many are students recruited from local colleges, and many more are residents from neighborhoods across the city. She’s determined not to take the credit for all the work, "I just get the ideas," she said, “the volunteers do the work. Teamwork makes the dream work.”
Over the years the block club has grown, shaped in large part by Elizabeth’s vision and business acumen. They focus more on outreach to the community. They apply for grants as a 401©(3), set annual fundraising goals, and host an dinner meeting every year to discuss the new projects they will take on. Their ongoing projects include, housing rehab, a community garden, GED classes, summer youth employment, after-school programs, drug abuse programs, food donations, and help with heating bills. This past year over 1000 turkey dinners were served in four separate locations across the city at Thanksgiving and Christmas.
People of all ages are drawn to Elizabeth Triggs and 'None Like You - We Care Outreach'. They are all working together toward a common goal: building community. Elizabeth nurtured her own children, eighteen grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren to be part of the community. Going forward, it seems there’s no mountain too tall for Elizabeth and the organization, “We do service, we help not only them, but we help our community, our city.”
NYS Woman of Distinction by State Senator Gallivan: Virginia 'Ginny' Krebs
Virginia ‘Ginny’ Krebs has been selected a NYS Woman of Distinction by State Senator Gallivan. She will be recognized at the NYS capital this month.
She’s been working with the Springville Concord Elder Network (SCENe) for 8 years as a coordinator. She was an integral part of SCENe’s growth and success. Appointed in 2013, Ginny serves on the Erie County Department of Senior Services Advisory Board. She is part of the board’s planning and coordination committee. “My Springville neighbors can help me, by letting me know what they like about the senior services they are receiving and what they think needs improvement.”
Prior to working with SCENe, Ginny had an assortment of different jobs. She was a bookkeeper, teaching assistant, investment representative, and a director of sales and marketing. She made the transition from business to advocacy after having to be the primary caregiver to close relatives. She learned firsthand about the challenges facing older adults and their families. This experience helped her to develop a passion for elder advocacy.