The CenterLight Healthcare Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) held a special Centenarian Day celebration to honor participants of this senior care program who have reached, surpassed or will soon reach 100 years of age on Thursday, July 17.
CenterLight staff members, local elected officials and friends and families of those being honored were on hand for the Centenarian Day celebration. The centenarians shared stories, memories and wisdom gained throughout their long lives.
This special event also featured lively music, dancing, delicious food and a celebratory toast. At the end of the celebration, a special cake was brought out and a sing-along was conducted in honor of these individuals.
CenterLight PACE provides seniors across New York with high-quality, comprehensive care, ensuring they age with dignity and purpose. Centenarian Day has emerged as a popular annual tradition at CenterLight PACE, as the organization always looks forward to recognizing the contributions and lives of its centenarian participants.
During the event, a formal proclamation was presented by the office of state Sen. John Liu officially recognizing Centenarian Day in the local community. The proclamation was also meant to celebrate the lives and legacies of the seniors being recognized.
Assembly Member Ron Kim was on hand for the event. As he addressed those in attendance, he congratulated the seniors being honored for achieving such a big milestone.
He and his daughter handed out citations to the honorees on hand. CenterLight Healthcare PACE also gave out citations to the honorees.
“Age is celebrated all around the world. When you reach 100, it’s such an amazing place where you should be honored every single moment,” Kim said. “This is a small token of appreciation for what we are doing today, but every single day, we should be honoring older adults through positive aging programs.”
CenterLight Healthcare PACE has 31 centenarians. Five of them were able to attend the event and be honored in person. This included 104-year-old Santiago Urena, who, along with his wife Juana, attends the Flushing PACE center, located at 136-65 37th Ave.
Urena and his wife are longtime participants of CenterLight PACE, with 2025 marking his 14th year in the program. During their time in the program, they have made several new friends and enjoyed participating in activities and special events at the center. He has also celebrated many meaningful milestones at the PACE center, including multiple birthdays and his 65th wedding anniversary.
Urena, a native of the Dominican Republic, used to work as a municipal police officer. He has a deep love for music, dancing and dominoes. He credits God for helping to keep him going for 104 years. In the PACE community, he is often recognized for his energy and continued engagement with others.
“Our PACE program is about keeping participants active, engaged and connected as they get older,” CenterLight President and CEO Tara Buonocore-Rut said. “They become a part of the CenterLight family. If you ask them the secret to aging with health, grace and humility, they often point out the community around them.”
