Colonie Senior Services Center brings back annual event
COLONIE – Colonie Senior Services Center (CSSC) will soon host its annual International Women’s Day event Friday, March 8 inside the Beltrone Living Center. The event will be held from 2-4 p.m. and is free to the public.
According to Diane Conroy LaCivita, executive director of CSSC, the senior center has put on the event for some time, prior to the year of the pandemic. This will be the first time that it will make a full comeback.
The reception of its return to the community has been overwhelming for Conroy LaCivita.
“People are calling me.” Diane explained. “Can I come? Can we participate” We love to have you, so it’s a big open house of opportunity for celebrating women.”
This year’s theme is “Inspire Inclusion”. Conroy LaCivita reached out to the center’s sister organization and other Capital Region organizations who may be helping a disenfranchised group or a group of people that need additional representation, to inspire more inclusion.
Conroy LaCivita looked at the inclusion component from an age-wise, socio-economic, race-wise, and religious standpoint and began the search of women and women-based organizations who were willing to participate.
Over 20 organizations are taking part in the March 8 event and the vendors include the Albany Women’s Club, Shaker Heritage Society, the International Center of the Capital Region, Capital Pride, In Your Own Voice, a local girl scout troop, a women’s button club from Bethlehem, in addition to crafters making soap, providing travel scrapbook lessons, and rubber stamping.
Live dancing will be provided by the Timeless Tappers, spearheaded by CSSC member and retired NYC Rockette dancer, Janet Murphy and live music will be provided by Carmen and Life’s Guilty Pleasures.
Diane Conroy LaCivita gave high praise to several senior ladies who have made extraordinary strides in their careers and their involvement in the community that she is excited to have at her event; Chefs Joan Dembinski and Kizzy Williams.
Dembinski, at 86-years-old, is a pastry chef for Yanno’s, involved in a job at Schenectady County Community College, and has contributed to several activities at CSSC. Dembinski, a trained scientist, had worked for Sterling Winthrop doing oncology research until she retired at 72-years-old. Her retirement was short-lived and she decided to return to school to obtain a culinary arts degree.
“She’s such an incredible inspiration because she talks about eating healthy, eating local, supporting local producers, agriculture, staying engaged, keeping yourself involved.” Conroy LaCivita said. “She’s going to come and do a demonstration.”
As for Williams, Diane said that she is both a force and an incredible human being. Williams, who has her business on Clinton Avenue in Albany, Allie B’s, opened a produce store because she realized that the city is a food desert. Williams will be providing cooking classes to seniors on International Women’s Day.
“We’re trying to introduce women or other individuals to these incredible women in our community that don’t necessarily sing their own praises, but should really be appreciated.” Conroy LaCivita said. “I look at women that they’ve reached the pinnacle of their success. They’re not out for accolades, they’re out to contribute and they want to give back to their community.”
With it being both Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, Diane owes it to the Capital Region to make sure that she and her team at CSSC recognize March 8, as it pertains to women labor, women receiving equal representation in the workforce, and their overall well-being.
International Women’s Day became a holiday in 1909 in New York City, N.Y. and if there is any place where the holiday should be celebrated, it is in New York Conroy LaCivita said.
She encourages women of all ages, including men, to come and celebrate the holiday at the senior center. The holiday is important, historical, and still relevant today and Conroy LaCivita wants to make sure people come over to celebrate women and create a community.
“My mother always had a saying, ‘community is where community happens.’” Conroy LaCivita concluded, “What does that look like and how you define it may be different from me, but trying to find that common ground that would bring us together and make it inclusive and welcoming.”
