Pasadena Senior Center’s Service Award

The Pasadena Senior Center has selected Jerram Swartz to be the honored recipient of the Senior Service Award for June. For three years Jerram has dedicated his time and talents to direct the Pasadena Senior Center’s very successful annual fundraising event, the Pasadena Follies.

A professional in television, film and video production, Jerram uses his creative talent in many capacities. His initial contact with the Pasadena Senior Center came when he paid a visit to the Center to introduce his Video Legacy business as a service to those at the Center. Through Video Legacy Jerram  creates professional, personal video interviews for families. By creating a record of a beloved senior family member, the families will have a keepsake that they will treasure for a lifetime. He says “We created the business to preserve memories for the family and future generations – to keep the ‘juice’ of a person alive.” In Jerram’s filmmaking career he is credited on numerous feature films, including “E.T. the Extra Terrestrial,” “The Blues Brothers,” and “Beethoven”.

From the start, the Pasadena Follies show was intended to take a hilarious tongue-in-cheek look at life in Pasadena; it was also a show without a Director. At a Senior Center reception to which he was invited, Jerram was asked if he knew anyone who might be interested in taking on the Director’s job. His wife, a professional actress, quickly came to his mind, but when she declined, Jerram, a man of creativity and humor, volunteered himself. He jokes that he keeps his stage directions simple; making sure the actors sing as loudly as possible and try not to bump into the furniture on stage. The show has become a great success for the Center.  Jerram claims that he has become the Flo Ziegfeld of Pasadena.

But Jerram doesn’t just settle for one Pasadena Follies job, he is also the show lyricist. Lampooning life in Pasadena, the Follies’ creators use new, original lyrics, and put them to the music of well-known standards, and show tunes. The well-crafted and often irreverent lyrics written by Jerram, get right to the point. Included in the show is a song entitled “Pasadena”. The witty lyrics are a perfect fit sung to the tune of "Oklahoma”. “It’s become our anthem – we have used it as the closing number every year,” says Jerram, who writes the Follies lyrics for the sheer fun of it, and enjoys the whole creative process. 

“Preparing for the Pasadena Follies has gotten to be the best part of my year. It’s really a great collaborative effort. I’ve totally enjoyed working with the people, and getting to know them,” says Jerram, referring to the creative minds of the Pasadena insiders who also craft the show

Certainly, the goal of any nonprofit fundraiser is to bring in additional financial resources, in order to support the work of the organization. Jerram has done more than his part to support the work of the Pasadena Senior Center. He knows that the Pasadena Follies event is held on behalf of the seniors that are served by the Center. Cynthia Rosedale, Director of Marketing and Development for the Pasadena Senior Center, realizes the great impact that Jerram’s work has had on the Center. “Jerram has volunteered his time for the last three years as Director of the Pasadena Follies.  Because of his efforts, and those of the all-volunteer cast, the Pasadena Follies have raised over $75,000 for the Center. These funds have been used to increase and strengthen our outreach efforts to the frail and low-income seniors of our community.”

Through his work to make the Pasadena Follies, an effective fundraiser, Jerram encourages the community to support this effort to help local seniors. He says “The Pasadena Senior Center has been extremely generous and kind and I feel totally appreciated.” But Jerram quickly adds that he would direct the show even if he didn’t receive that appreciation, just because it is great fun.    

The Pasadena Senior Center recognizes the dedicated work of Mildred Hawkins by presenting her with the Senior Service Award for May. Driven by her passion for helping seniors, Mildred is an active and caring Center volunteer.

Tireless is a word that could easily describe Mildred. A senior herself, she is a staunch advocate for others and has been very active in the Pasadena community for many years. Mildred is the former Chair of Pasadena’s Senior Commission, and in 2002 was chosen by the Center to receive the Los Angeles County Older Americans Award for the City of Pasadena.

As a Center volunteer, Mildred utilizes her talents to benefit seniors. In her eyes, the most important thing about the Center is the fact that all services are focused on seniors only which allows the Center to provide quality services. Mildred says, “PSC does a wonderful job. They offer more services for seniors. They give the senior community in Pasadena something to look forward to.” She adds, “And they reach out to the community in many ways.”

Retired from Parsons in Pasadena, Mildred claims that she is busier now than before she retired. Her work at PSC is part of the proof; Mildred serves the Center in several capacities. On Tuesdays and Thursdays she works at the Center with the daily hot lunch program, handling all the administra­tive tasks of the program. Before lunch, she registers the guests as they come in, and after lunch, Mildred gathers all the collected donations and necessary paperwork. There are many regulars that come in for the hot lunches on a daily basis, “I get to know them. If they come in with a frown on their face, I try to get them to leave with a smile,” she says. 

Mildred is also an Ambassador with the Center’s Outreach Program. She shares knowledge of the community and provides referrals and services to assist frail and homebound seniors. Through the Outreach Program, Mildred is able to help those seniors who live in the senior housing at Pilgrim Towers East; where she is the President of the Resident Association. Mildred also helps with the Taxi Voucher Program which provides homebound seniors with taxi vouchers.

Through Mildred’s efforts, the Center’s Outreach Program also provides food distribution for the homebound that live in Pilgrim Towers East. The food distribution program provides qualifying seniors with a variety of nutritious groceries.

According to Tonjia Barnes, Director of Outreach, “Mildred has been volunteering her time with the Center’s Outreach Program for two years. She's a very dedicated and reliable worker and very good with the seniors.” As someone who is eager to be of assistance, Mildred says, “Whatever Tonjia needs me to do, I’ll help.”

The Pasadena Senior Center presents the Senior Service Award to Jack Wilson for twelve years of creative contribution to benefit the Center. Jack has given to the Center through his work on the Encore Café cable television program, and the numerous hours he has personally dedicated to videotaping years of the Center’s activities in order to make a visual record of the Center’s history.

For years, Jack Wilson had a hobby sparked by his love of the video camera. Jack truly enjoyed taking his camera with him everywhere, and record the sights and sounds of places he went. Then one day more than twelve years ago, Jack saw an item in the newspaper that would lead him to combine his video hobby and his helpful nature, to benefit the Pasadena Senior Center.

The item that Jack saw was about a group of senior volunteers in Pasadena, who were starting a cable television show called Encore Café. The paper mentioned that they were looking for additional seniors to volunteer to help with the show. Since Jack already had experience with the video camera, he decided to attend their meeting to inquire about this new project. Once Jack met with them he realized that they were a nice group of seniors who were beginning this venture with the support of the Senior Center. He decided to join the Encore Café team, and so began his involvement with the Center.

Created for seniors, by seniors, Encore Café really became a collaborative effort. The volunteers learned every aspect of the show’s production, both in front of, and behind the camera. Jack says “Everybody does everything. It’s a good team. We’re headed by Don Fenstermaker, but then everyone is equal. It is a fun thing to do.” The talented and versatile staff of seniors has turned Encore Café into an award-winning program.

At the Center, Jack also puts his talent with a camera to work in another ways. He says, “My volunteer duty all these years at PSC has been making videos. I videotaped all kinds of activities.” Perhaps one of the most memorable things that Jack has captured on video is the tearing-down and rebuilding of the Pasadena Senior Center building itself. At the Center’s groundbreaking ceremonies, Jack interviewed the guest speaker Art Linkletter. “My camera captured it from beginning to finish,” he said. Living nearby, Jack was able to observe and carefully videotape each step of the construction, making a record of the entire rebuilding project.  

If the Pasadena Senior Center has done it, dedicated Jack Wilson has videotaped it, he has become the Center’s videographer.  Jack says, “I like the Center, and I get along with everybody.” Making a careful record of activities, he has recorded special events, PSC members’ birthday lunches, Concerts in the Park and more. He has taped the 50^th Wedding Anniversary Dinners and even the Center’s first Pasadena Follies fundraising event, which starred notable local personalities.

Jack has also taped many years of the Pasadena Senior Olympics games. He makes time to attend the local events to videotape athletes in action. Senior Olympics participant, and 1932 Olympian Pete Clentzos, was interviewed by Jack one year, and the two have had a lasting friendship ever since.

According to Cynthia Rosedale, Director of Marketing and Development, “Since I have known Jack, he has been the eyes and the ears of the Center – through his video camera.  He has created an incredible history of this agency that will be preserved for years to come.”                      

The Pasadena Senior Center presents the March Senior Service Award to volunteer Lucile McLendon for her love of seniors and the positive contribution she has made to the Center.

Those who visit the Center on early weekdays probably have noticed Lucile’s work. Anyone who has enjoyed the aroma of freshly popped popcorn has Lucile to thank. Informally dubbed the "popcorn queen," Lucile starts up the Center’s popcorn machine every weekday morning to sell the hot-buttered treat. "They say it’s good," she says about those who have tasted her work. On Monday and Tuesday mornings, Lucile can also be found in the Coffee Lounge pouring coffee and sharing a friendly word. When the other Coffee Lounge volunteers are not available, she is willing to fill-in for them.

The Pasadena Senior Center honors Violet Mulino with the Senior Service Award for the month of February. For more than twenty-five years, Violet, best known as Vi, has made a valuable and enduring contribution to the Center’s activity and events.

According to Cynthia Rosedale, the Center’s Director of Marketing and Development, “Vi has been help-ing at the Center for well over 20 years, making her the longest continuing volunteer in our history. She is a lovely lady who works quietly behind the scenes and brings joy to all those around her.” 

Vi’s long-lasting connection with the Pasadena Senior Center began in 1979 when a friend who went to the Center reached out to her. Widowed in 1978, Vi would travel on the bus to local shopping malls just to have something to do, and get out of the house. Vi’s friend had been taking an exercise class at the Center and asked Vi to join her.

Vi enjoyed her experience. “They made me feel so welcome,” she says. She then decided to become a PSC volunteer. “I really enjoy the Center, I think it’s wonderful.” Vi helps with a variety of projects; like the Center’s Bulk Mailing, special events and more. Vi particularly enjoys assisting with the monthly birthday parties. She helps in the kitchen, and sets up the buffet for lunch. Of the birthday guests Vi says, “They’re really appreciative. The people say ‘it’s so nice that you’re doing this for us.’” Even in June, Vi’s birthday month, she chooses to work the party, instead of attending as a guest.  

As a caring long-term volunteer, Vi has given more than three-thousand hours of her time to help the Center, she, in turn, she has received a great deal too. “It’s a home away from home for me,” Vi says. “I can’t imagine myself just sitting at home now.” The people that she’s met at the Center have become her extended family.

Even her own son and daughter, who live out of the area, realize the important role that the Center plays in Vi’s life. Vi comments, “They’re tickled that I’m so involved, then they don’t worry about me.” In fact, when Vi’s daughter, Bess Plissier, is in town from Denver Colorado, she visits the Center with Vi. Bess says, “There is a wonderful spirit at the Center. The classes (exercise) provide a sense of extended family.     They take care of each other.” Vi’s daughter recognizes that Vi’s time and friends at the Center really help her mother live an active and meaningful life. Bess adds, “She gives a lot, and gets a lot. It’s (the Center) really a wonderful asset to the community, and I’m very grateful.”

One of the special talents that Vi share’s with her PSC family is her talent for baking. On a weekly basis Vi bakes for her exercise classes, when class is over she takes the sweets to the Coffee Lounge to share.   “Stop by the Coffee Bar one Wednesday or Friday morning to chat with Vi and her Stretch and Tone friends – and, sample some of her homemade goodies,” suggests Cynthia.

Another example of Vi’s caring nature towards the Center is her effort to reach out to the Center’s newcomers. Vi remembers how much it meant to her when she was welcomed so warmly by those at the Center, so she would like to give that same caring experience to others. The Pasadena Senior Center’s mission statement says that the Center “…is dedicated to helping seniors live meaningful lives of dignity, enjoyment and useful purpose.” Vi Mulino sets a wonderful example of how the Center is fulfilling its mission, in her life.

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The Pasadena Senior Center awards the January Senior Service Award to Mary Cantrell, who, in twelve years, has given numerous volunteer hours to assist the Center. 

This Pasadena resident became acquainted with the Center when she enrolled in one of the Tap Dance classes. She enjoyed the class and the camaraderie with the other tap students. Mary soon became a member of the Tops in Taps dance troupe.  She says, “The girls in my tap group are wonderful. We all love to dance and enjoy each other’s company.”

Mary danced and performed with Tops in Taps for several years when her husband became ill.  She took time off from dancing to spend time at home with him. After Mary experienced the loss of her husband, she made gradual efforts to transition back to her activities. Mary decided to come back to the Center, to resume her participation in the dance class and also get involved by becoming a volunteer. She says “I’m doing more things at the Center and I take things one day at a time. The Center has been really good for me.”

Volunteers are essential to the workings of the Pasadena Senior Center; and the Center is fortunate that Mary decided to not only enjoy the class, but also volunteer her time and help out. “The Pasadena Senior Center is one of the best senior centers because they offer so many classes and activities. I’d do anything that I could to be of help,” she states. Mary has been an exemplary volunteer, willing to pitch in and help wherever she was asked. According to Cynthia Rosedale, the Center’s Director of Marketing and Development “Mary is an exceptional part of the PSC family.  In all the years that I have known and called upon her for help, not once has she said ‘no’.  That must set a record!”

Mary  enjoys the variety of  jobs she’s asked to do, like setting up for the monthly members’ birthday celebrations, and working at special events. When it’s time for Senior Olympics, Mary helps stuff goody bags for the athletes. Of the many things she does Mary says, “I like them all.” 

Due to her willingness to take on any project, Mary was asked to oversee the vital task of managing the Center’s Bulk Mailings. As the Bulk Mailing Team Captain, Mary has the important duty of handling the mailings of the monthly Center News and other projects. “We start by piling the newsletters in stacks of twenty-five, and then organize them by zip codes. Bulk mailing is no problem, everyone knows their job so well, and things go so smoothly that sometimes I feel that all I have to do is handout  the rubber bands,” Mary jokes.  Working with a group of eight to ten volunteers, she says “We have it down to a fine art; we can get the whole job done in two hours. It’s a nice gathering.”

According to Mary, volunteering at the Center has been a very rewarding experience for her. “They’ve given me a lot more than I could give back,” she states humbly. She adds, “They’re all nice and caring people at the Center, and I’m a people person. Anyone who decided to volunteer there (at PSC) would enjoy it because they would meet so many nice people.”

Mary says it is the people she meets, that keep bringing her back to Center. She says “It makes me feel useful, it fills my life and it is good for me.”

The Pasadena Senior Center honors Mary Cantrell for her dedicated commitment and caring volunteer service.

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Senior Service Award December 2004:
Lou Edwards

The Pasadena Senior Center honors Annie Louise Edwards, better known as Lou, with the Senior Service Award, for December 2004.  For more than twenty years, Lou has used her own special style of teaching aerobics to motivate seniors to exercise, improve their motor skills and to lift their spirits.

Lou began teaching the Pasadena Senior Center’s Chair Aerobics exercise class when a friend of hers asked Lou to take over the group.  The small class of ten students, based at the Jackie Robinson Center, included seniors that had a variety of different physical needs. Some of them needed help to get around, so they used canes, walkers, and even a few had wheelchairs, others had gone through knee or hip replacement surgeries. Tears came to Lou’s eyes when she first saw them, there’s a lot of work to do here, she thought to herself.  Until then Lou had been a fitness trainer who met with clients one-on-one, so this class was a new challenge. She called on her faith to guide her through this challenge, so she could help these seniors. As she worked with the group, she began to see great progress in their movements. Students began to leave canes and walkers at home.  So touched was she by their improvements, some days she would go into the bathroom just to compose herself. Lou was hooked, when it comes to working with the seniors, she says “Their physical improvements bring me great joy.”

These days she continues to teach the classes at the Jackie Robinson Center. The classes, made popular by Lou’s warm and encouraging personality, have grown to have as many as forty-five students, three of whom are in their nineties. Since then, Lou has added the Stretch & Tone and Stretch, Tone and Strength courses, taught at the Pasadena Senior Center, and the Low Impact Aerobics class, taught at Victory Park.

Lou’s commitment and excellent work was recognized statewide a few years ago. Out of all of the aerobics programs throughout California, four were chosen as setting a high standard. Lou’s Low Impact Aerobics class at Victory Park was chosen as a benchmark by the California Parks and Recreation Society.

Exercise is only one part of what her senior students get out of Lou’s classes. She says her classes are a like “a home away from home”, and tells her students that “It’s important that everyone (in the group) knows your name,” those caring efforts create a feeling of family. They’ll exchange birthday cards, get well cards, or when needed, sympathy cards when a classmate has passed on. Lou says they’ll even attend funerals together to extend support to one another in tough times.

The students look out for Lou too, she says “I developed arthritis, and the students at times can see when I’m in pain.” In fact, it was her students that first noticed the arthritis in her legs, and encouraged her to see her doctor to confirm their “diagnosis”. Lou notes that “their wisdom has helped me grow up.” About the time she spends with her students, she adds “I love it.”

Lou’s believes that the physical activity helps to improve her students’ emotional outlook, in addition to improving their movement and strength. She encourages them to feel comfortable enough to let her know when they’re feeling down, and in need of encouragement. When they do, they know that they can request a special song for her to play from her collec­tion of uplifting gospel music to lift their spirits as they exercise. Cynthia Rosedale, Director of Marketing and Development says, “What makes Lou so special is the relationship she has with her students.  In addition to being a superb instructor, she is their friend, mentor and a spiritual inspiration.  She is unsurpassed when it comes to caring for her students.”

The Pasadena Senior Center wishes to thank Lou Edwards for the positive impact she has had on the physical and emotional lives of all of her students.

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The Pasadena Senior Center bestows this Senior Service Award on Elmo Wilson in honor of his years of committed service to seniors. Elmo has touched the lives of innumerable older adults through the 55 Alive driving classes he taught, the Notary services he performed, his work with TLC –To Locate Caregivers program and the variety of other things he has done to be of service to the Pasadena Senior Center. 

Elmo’s first contact with the Pasadena Senior Center, came in 1988 when he went on one of the Center’s recreational trips through the Trips  and Tours department. The group went to enjoy a taping of the Price is Right television game show. While on the excursion he struck up conversation with a gentleman who talked about his own experience doing volunteer work with seniors. Impressed by what the man had to say, Elmo soon began to