Celebrating those who give back

The Robert Couche Senior Center held its 33rd Annual Awards Dinner at Antun’s on Friday, March 30 celebrating 33 years of service to senior citizens.
This year’s distinguished honorees were inducted into the Queens Registry of Distinguished Citizens, a permanent record of those who give of themselves to serve others. The honorees are Margaret Denson, Councilmember Leroy Comrie’s Director of Planning, Events and Community Relations; Jonathan Raines, Esq.; Marilyn Wilds-Barnes, President of the Jamaica Branch NAACP; and DJ and radio personality from 98.7 KISS FM Fred Buggs.
The center had humble beginnings, as it was first housed in the Presbyterian Church of St. Albans back in 1973, when it was called the Springfield Gardens-St. Albans Senior Citizens Center.
Today the center has more than 5,000 senior citizens enrolled, including the visually and physically handicapped. They offer a variety of activities and provide nutritionally-balanced meals daily. The center serves 180 meals each day and also delivers 150 meals to shut-in seniors.