Cooper Park Senior Center (288 Frost Street) has officially relaunched since COVID-19 shuttered senior centers. Cheryl Kamen and Melissa Williams are excited to bring joy and enrichment to community seniors. Cheryl Kamen is the deputy director of Elder Care for Older Adult Centers and NORC at St. Nicks Alliance, and Melissa Williams is the program director of Cooper Park Senior Center. A celebration for the new launch of the center was held on April 8; twenty seniors and Debra Benders, Cooper Park Residents Council president, attended.
Cheryl Kamen started her role with St. Nicks Alliance in early February. She provides oversight of Swinging Sixties Senior Center (211 Ainslie Street), Cooper Park Senior Center (288 Frost Street) and Lindsay Park NORC/Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (31 Leonard Street). She is working toward building the capacity of St. Nicks Alliance’s senior services so they may best meet the needs of the Williamsburg-Bushwick community through services and activities to the neighborhood’s senior residents.
Melissa Williams has worked with seniors for more than six years. She brings lots of love to Cooper Park Senior Center. “I want our seniors to feel like they are home away from home. We serve adults 60-years and older [who are] seeking group activities, company, friendships, trips, special events, or a hot meal,” said Williams. It is her goal to keep seniors happy and active in the community.
Since the launch they held a Sip and Paint event, hosted by WellCare, where seniors painted flowers on stemless wine glasses instructed by Elizabeth Zilfutura. They are planning on having more weekly presentations, trips, monthly birthday celebrations, physical exercise, art class, group activities, and education classes.
The Greenline 