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By Laura Drinan
Hometown Weekly Reporter
Tucked between Thurston Middle School and Westwood High School is the Westwood Council on Aging. Though it may be small in comparison to the two buildings that sandwich it, the senior center puts on some huge events, like the annual Valentine’s Day party last Wednesday.
In the center’s multi-purpose room, a sea of seniors dressed in pinks and reds found their seats at the festively decorated tables. Vases filled with artificial roses and hearts sat on the tables, adding to the fun of the Valentine’s party. At each seat was a special goodie bag with a handmade Valentine attached to it.
As the seniors lined up to get lunch, a black-haired man clad in a bright pink jacket waltzed up to the microphone in the back of the room. He introduced himself to the seniors as Robert Black, but his thick sideburns and mannerisms labeled him as Elvis Presley. The Elvis impersonator kept the seniors entertained with various songs as they ate.
Lina Arena-DeRosa, director of the Council on Aging, spent the party buzzing from table to table, ensuring that all were satisfied with their meals and helping to clear the tables of finished plates and empty cups.
“She’s great at what she does,” said one partygoer, as she watched Lina interact with the seniors. “For a lot of people who are older, it’s a big event for them to be able to get out and socialize because they don’t get to do that, so it’s nice.”
The party’s volunteers also helped to distribute dessert before Lina made a few announcements and asked some of the partygoers to draw the winning raffle tickets. The COA staff organizes a raffle for each of their monthly parties, and for this month, the prizes were high-quality umbrellas for the approaching spring weather.
With the hardworking COA staff and dedicated volunteers taking the time to ensure that each partygoer’s Valentine’s Day was special, the seniors were overjoyed to spend the afternoon in the company of one another and celebrate the day of love.
