Newtown's Dorthea Labelle, Genevieve Reilly, and Barbara Wadleigh have made a lot of contributions to their community throughout the years. The trio of 90-plus-year-old women were honored as part of the Third Annual Newtown Senior Recognition Day Celebration, at the Newtown Senior Center on Riverside Road, on April 13. The ceremony is a luncheon and presentation during which Newtown nonagenarians are given the distinction of "queens for a day."

High School students Danielle DePinto and Julia Sughrue told snippets of the stories of Ms Labelle and Ms Reilly, respectively, and Director of Senior Services Marilyn Place filled in attendees on the life of Ms Wadleigh, who was not on hand because of health issues. State Senator Tony Hwang was a guest speaker and talked about elders of his family and how they have influenced him. Sen Hwang also conducted a brief question and answer segment with the honorees.

Ms Labelle, 95, who spent a year in the Navy, has been a Newtown resident for 47 years. Ms Labelle was a social worker at Southbury Training School for nearly three decades. To this day she remains a caregiver and guardian to those with special needs.

"She was the first AARP Safe Driving Course instructor here at the Senior Center. She volunteered for ten years," Danielle told attendees. "She was very dedicated and helped many seniors throughout the years."

Ms Labelle's mother's family was the first to walk over the Brooklyn Bridge, according to her biography. Her second home was in Rhode Island and she used to tell friends and family, "If you want clams on the half shell just go down the stairs."

"It's humbling. I don't deserve it," Ms Labelle said of the recognition.

A Sandy Hook resident for 54 years, Ms Reilly, 92, grew up on the 100-acre Duda Farm in New Milford, where her days started before 6 am and ended at 11 pm.

Ms Reilly was one of the original members of "Bridges," which was an intergenerational after school club with the middle school and high school students. Married for more than 50 years, Ms Reilly and her husband worked at Fairfield Hills; her husband, Bill, for 42 years as a plumber, and she "worked the wards for 30 years," Julia told the crowd.

Ms Reilly knitted hats and mittens for the mitten tree at the police station and for the Senior Center bazaar. Many of her finished products were given to the girls and boys at the Children's Adventure Center. She also made Christmas ornaments for her friends and for the Senior Center bazaar.

Ms Wadleigh, also 92, has resided in Newtown for 63 years. She was very active in the PTA at Hawley School, Ms Place informed attendees.

"In the early 60s, her daughters came home from school and wanted to join the Girl Scouts, but there wasn't a leader; so Barbara became a Girl Scout troop leader for eight years," Ms Place continued. "She has very fond memories of their camping trips to Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, Pennsylvania, and Wyoming. This was a wonderful time in her life."

Ms Wadleigh and a friend opened the Put and Take thrift shop in Sandy Hook, which was open from 1975 to 1985. She was one of the first shop owners to form SHOP (Sandy Hook Organization for Prosperity), which planted flowers in the window boxes at Red Brick General Store. Ms Wadleigh also made signature tablecloths throughout the years.

Ms Wadleigh served on the Commission on Aging from 2008 to 2011. She is a resident of Nunnawauk Meadows senior housing where she has served as president of the Resident Association, vice president, treasurer, and secretary.

"It warms my heart to honor these fantastic individuals," said Sen Hwang, adding that it was nice to see them honored by young adults.

Sen Hwang talked about the importance of elders and how much they can teach those younger than they are. He mentioned having a mother-in-law who still yells at him, something he considers to be a barometer of how she is feeling. "And she's very, very healthy," said Sen Hwang, drawing laughter from the audience.

Steve Rosenblatt, one of the friends of the League of Senior Voters, was among those who organized the event. Mr Rosenblatt gave flowers to the queens of the day, as well as to Julia and Danielle. Judy Thomas, assistant director at the Senior Center, and Selectman Will Rodgers were also part of the ceremony.

"I think it's wonderful," said First Selectman Pat Llodra, an attendee at the event, adding that "sometimes we are caught up in the fast-paced ways of life and need to stop to listen to the wisdom of our elders."

When Sen Hwang asked the honorees if he could present them with framed certificates recognizing their queen for a day status, Ms Reilly had a tart response, creating some laughter from the audience, and resulting in Sen Hwang saying he was speechless, something that is unusual for a politician, he noted lightheartedly.

"I liked every part of it," Ms Reilly added.