A Special Village Within our City Limits

In 1945, General Douglas MacArthur was tasked with overseeing the rebuilding of Japan following World War II. He did so from his walnutpaneled sixth floor office in Tokyo’s Dai Chi Life Insurance Company building. For inspiration, General MacArthur posted pictures in his office of Presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln as well as a copy of his favorite poem by Samuel Ullman entitled “Youth.”

n his timeless poem, Ullman envisions youthfulness as a state of mind, not the number of years a person has lived. He believed in embracing a spirit of wonder at every stage of life and experiencing beauty and cheer at every opportunity. It’s as if the founders of the Richardson Senior Center shared Ullman’s understanding of a life well-lived and, consequently, created a gathering place for those citizens aged fifty and older to continue truly living. Led by its energetic and enthusiastic Program and Senior Center Manager Susan Talbot, the thoughtfully redesigned

Senior Center is home to a “village” of friends and neighbors who truly care about one another and are finding ways to enjoy this season of life together.

Founded in 1993, the Senior Center moved to its current, convenient location at 820 W. Arapaho Rd. almost two years ago. Housed in a former bank building, the Senior Center boasts several flexible meeting spaces/classrooms, a fitness center, a pool room with three oft-used pool tables and spots for onlookers, a great selection of books and puzzles, four computers for members’ use, and a café which serves a light lunch every weekday. A small gift shop called the Robin’s Nest is filled with items handmade by members 50+ and run exclusively by those same seniors.

The facility is clean, fresh and cheerfully appointed, a place where the magic of belonging happens Monday through Saturday thanks to the people who work and volunteer at the Richardson Senior Center. Susan Talbot and her team handle not only programming but also ensure that the visitors who use the facility feel at home and take advantage of its many opportunities for growth and enrichment. Susan strives to know each member well: she memorizes their names, their stories, their joys and even their sorrows. She calls each member by name because she believes in the importance of being known. Her self-proclaimed goal is to nourish the minds, health and wellbeing of each of the 400-500+ active members of the Senior Center.

Frequent visitor Vivian Marino discovered the Center thanks to a move her parents made from Pittsburgh, PA, to Richardson to care for their grandchildren. At first the couple stayed close to home between times with family. Once they began visiting the Senior Center, however, their lives in Richardson changed in a beautiful way. Vivian’s mom began teaching ceramics at the Center and her dad taught line dancing to the other seniors. Vivian’s mom organized the Saturday night dances which still happen today. The couple were active at the Center for more than twenty years.

After retiring from teaching in 2011, Vivian followed in her parents’ footsteps and joined the Senior Center as well. When asked what she would like Richardson residents to know about it, Vivian, now aged 77, replies, “I want the citizens of Richardson to be aware of the TREASURE that they have right here in our community. We learn from the younger members and we are enriched by the wisdom of our older members.”

“Youth is not a time of life – it is a state of mind. It is not a matter of red cheeks, red lips and supple knees. It is a temper of the will; a quality of the imagination; a vigor of the emotions; it is a freshness of the deep springs of life. Youth means a temperamental predominance of courage over timidity, of the appetite for adventure over a life of ease. This often exists in a man of fifty, more than in a boy of twenty.”

Joe Keffer, now 75 years young, lost his beloved wife of 50 years in March of 2021. While dealing with his grief, a loss of identity, purpose and friends, he began looking for an environment in which he could find intellectual, social and physical activities. The journey led him to Richardson’s Senior Center. There he found “the most fascinating people: lawyers, scientists, professors, investors and travelers.” Says Joe, the Center “provides a place to go; it is a reason to get out of bed in the morning and to live life again.”

Vivian and Joe are just two of the countless seniors whose lives have been blessed by the Richardson Senior Center. For more information about the Center or to purchase a membership, call 972.744.4800 or visit http://cor.net. You’ll find the Senior Center within the Parks & Recreation Department’s information.

“Senior citizens have a very diverse set of needs. Aging does not diminish our desire for a meaningful life; we need to stay active, engaged and connected. Social interaction is essential to prevent loneliness, isolation and even depression…Education and lifelong learning keep seniors involved and challenged. Many seniors still have the desire and capability to be of service to others as teachers and caregivers. The Richardson Senior Center is a unique facility where these needs are addressed daily.”