In Celebration Of Mothers

By Nancy K. Crevier

Most of their mothers are only memories now, but several of the women present at the Wednesday, May 23, Senior Center Mother’s Day Bingo and Tea recalled their mothers vividly.

“She was a very talented, lovely, and beautiful woman,” said Marianne Muskus about her mother. “She was a professional hairdresser and absolutely gorgeous,” she said.

What Rose West remembered about her mother was “her love, her generosity, and her beautiful singing voice — and her hugs. We never left the house without a hug,” she said.

“She was a poor girl, very hardworking, and became very successful with her own business. That was not so usual for a woman in her day,” Heidi Roesch said of her mother. “She was born in 1900,” she added.

Phyllis Fives thought for a moment about her mother, and then said, “She would invite people in and make Italian dishes for everyone. She was always cooking,” said Ms Fives. Laughing, she added, “That’s not something she passed on to me!”

“My mother was a kind and caring person,” Helen Szamotula recalled. “She took care of everybody,” Ms Szamotula said.

“This tea is something we do every year, and we just love doing it,” said Senior Center Director Marilyn Place, who, along with Commission of Aging board member Karen Aurelia, was hurrying to set up the display of cookies, bars, and cakes before the event. The elaborately decorated hat worn by many of the guests that day were ones that they had made themselves at an earlier workshop, Ms Place said, and were also a tradition for the annual tea party.

Ms Muskus, Ms West, Ms Roesch, Ms Fives, and Ms Szamotula were among two dozen women celebrated at the annual Mother’s Day Bingo and Tea. Following Bingo in the main room, the women retired to the sunroom at the back of the Riverside Road Senior Center, and were seated at elegantly set tables.

Each table featured a teapot from the personal collection of Ms Place, and china cups and plates were set at each place.

The honored guests could choose from herbal or regular teas presented to them by members of the Bridges group, young women from Newtown Middle School who visit the center regularly to take part in intergenerational activities. Serving tea and a selection of sweets and savory treats made by volunteers were Kati Moses, Amy Pruner, Amanda Tramposch, Elizabeth Wolf, Josefina Mendez, Julie Smith, Jillian Gibney, and Mackenzie Page.

Along with an afternoon of conversation, tea, and dessert, each of the women present at the tea received a gift of a glass candy dish filled with a variety of hard candies, and was presented with a chocolate or white chocolate rose at the end of the afternoon.