New Hyde Park, NY - September 28, 2015 - Seniors from across Long Island and Queens were recently showered with admiration and appreciation among their family and friends during Association of Generational Experts for Seniors’ (AGES) Sixth Annual Savvy Senior Day at Parker Jewish Institute in New Hyde Park. Each senior nominated attended the event with their families where they were publicly recognized for their vast accomplishments and contributions made within their communities. Among those honored were 70-year-old Jim Alchus of Little Neck, NY and 83-year-old Sabina Miller of Great Neck, NY who were crowned 2015 Savvy Senior King and Queen, respectively, and each awarded gift certificates for professional oil painting portraits, courtesy of Bradford Renaissance Portraits. Other senior nominees honored during this year’s Savvy Senior Day were: Stanley Gayda of Maple Pointe Assisted Living in Rockville Centre, NY; Miriam Epstein, a resident at Atria Glen Cove in Glen Cove, NY; Siroon Shahinian, PhD of Great Neck, NY; and Rose Collo of Elmont, NY.
“Savvy Senior Day is a special event that gives seniors living within our communities the opportunity to be recognized for all the wonderful accomplishments and contributions they’ve made and continue to make, says AGES Chairperson Kevin Lawrence. “Each year, AGES is given the privilege of receiving so many wonderful senior nominations and it is with great honor that we get to celebrate them each year among their families at our annual Savvy Senior Day event.”
Crowned 2015 Savvy Senior King by 2014 Savvy Senior King William Young of Huntington, NY, Alchus was selected this year’s Savvy Senior King for demonstrating inspirational strength and perseverance in not only overcoming severe injuries and disabilities following a bicycle accident at the age of 13 that caused him memory loss, limited movement in one of his arms and the inability to walk, talk or see, but also for his incredible dedication to help other children who have had accidents in which they too have faced severe injuries and disabilities. Alchus is an artist who has volunteered at Long Island Jewish Cohen’s Children’s Hospital, where he has met with children who have suffered critical injury and disabilities to offer hope and inspiration through his personal story of triumph. Additionally, he volunteers as a tour guide at the Queens Farm Museum in Little Neck and plays each month for seniors living at Deepdale CARES NORC their favorite old movies.
“Being named 2015 Savvy Senior King is true honor,” says Alchus. “ It not only is a testament of all that I have overcome and achieved but also inspires and motivates me to continue doing even more in making a difference for children braving severe injury and disability. It is my goal to inspire other children facing severe injury or disability following an accident and to get more organizations and hospitals to increase their offerings of support and counseling for these children.”
Miller, who was crowned 2015 Savvy Senior Queen by 2014 Savvy Senior Queen Lillian Guadagno of Valley Stream, received her royal title in recognition of her community activism and outreach to fellow seniors. The contributions she has made have earned her numerous public praise and accolades, including Great Neck Chamber of Commerce’s Jesse M. Markel Community Achievement Award and two time Town of North Hempstead’s May W. Newburger Women’s Roll Of Honor designation. Among various initiatives Miller has led are co-hosting the Town of North Hempstead’s Project Independence Radio Show that broadcasts out of CW Post, serving on Great Neck’s Project Independence Advisory Board, and serving as a 25 year volunteer at Children’s Learning After School Program (CLASP), a non-profit Day Care Center in Great Neck. She is a three time former Great Neck Lions Club president and served as co-chair of the “Bachelor Auction” Public Access TV Station fundraiser held at the Merchant Marine Academy located in Great Neck. In addition, she has been a 12 year volunteer with OmbudService as an advocate of residents, patients and families with administration at Grace Plaza Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Great Neck. Among other her other notable charitable efforts is visiting Easter Island (located halfway between Chile and Tahiti) ,where she volunteered her personal services and provided eyeglasses to children in need.
“I was so shocked to be named this year’s Savvy Senior Queen,” says Miller. “Every senior attending this year’s Savvy Senior Day was a senior who does great volunteer work and understands that when you do volunteer work you are helping yourself just as much as you are helping others. I am so fortunate and humbled to been among last year’s Savvy Senior Day honorees and am even more humbled to be crowned this year’s 2015 Savvy Senior Queen among so many other remarkable seniors who have also shown such tremendous level of community outreach and volunteerism.”
Miller admires AGES and its mission to recognize seniors during its annual Savvy Senior Day. “I think what AGES does in recognizing seniors each year through its annual Savvy Senior Day is so wonderful,” she explains. “To be in a room full of seniors who you have so much in common with in terms of passion for volunteerism provides all of us with great pride and great sense of camaraderie. I thank AGES for bringing us together and providing us with a special forum where we not only get the opportunity to be recognized for our personal contributions and accomplishments but also receive the chance to celebrate and recognize one another.”
About AGES
The Association of Generational Experts for Seniors (AGES) is an independent network of highly qualified, caring and knowledgeable professionals from family and senior related fields. AGES has been created in the New York Metropolitan area for the purpose of addressing the needs and challenges that face many families today. Working within a cohesive resource team that addresses the concerns and needs of today’s senior citizens and “sandwiched” generation (adult children caregivers), AGES members apply their personal skill-sets to help guide seniors and family caregivers toward an improved quality of life. For more information, please visit www.agesresourcenetwork.com.
Pictured: AGES Sixth Annual Savvy Senior Day (front, left to right) Savvy Senior Day honorees Stanley Gayda of Maple Pointe Assisted Living in Rockville Centre, NY and Miriam Epstein, a resident at Atria Glen Cove in Glen Cove, NY, 2014 Savvy Senior King William Young of Huntington, NY, 2015 Savvy Senior King Jim Alchus of Little Neck, NY, 2015 Savvy Senior Queen Sabina Miller of Great Neck, NY, Siroon Shahinian, PhD of Great Neck, NY; and Rose Collo of Elmont, NY.
Pictured in the Gallery: (left to right) Chairperson Kevin Lawrence, 2015 Savvy Senior King Jim Alchus of Little Neck, NY, 2015 Savvy Senior Queen Sabina Miller of Great Neck, and AGES Savvy Senior Committee Chairperson Rita Medaglio-Barrera.
