Dr. Alice Bonner of MA Executive Office of Elder Affairs Plans Visit During Last ‘2 for $2 Pancake Breakfast’ at the Westfield Senior Center
WESTFIELD-Alan Sudentas is going to miss flipping pancakes at the Westfield Senior Center on the third Friday of every month.
The “2 for $2 Pancake Breakfast” was the brainchild of Sudentas, along with Tina Gorman, director of the Westfield Council on Aging, and the kitchen crew more than three years ago.
Alan Sudentas is seen with Tina Gorman, director of the Westfield Council on Aging.
“We always had extra pancake batter left over from breakfast and decided one day to cook extra pancakes and leave a bucket for donations,” said Sudentas.
As time passed the donations increased and Sudentas and Gorman came up with an idea – to use the money to purchase new furniture for the senior center that was being built on Noble Street.
As the smell of pancakes (sometimes stuffed with blueberries, at other times with apples and cinnamon) wafted through exhaust fans into the downtown area for two years at the old senior center, Sudentas and the kitchen crew were flipping pancakes and soon business owners, Mayor Daniel Knapik, city councilors and others came through the doors to enjoy the tasty pancakes too.
“I love to cook and over time I knew everyone’s first name and how they liked their pancakes,” said Sudentas, who has been volunteering in the kitchen for seven years.
“When Mayor Knapik stopped in, we would conduct an extra fundraiser – guessing the mayor’s blood pressure,” said Gorman. “Our nurse was always at the center at the same time so we also encouraged patrons to also have their blood pressure taken as well.”
During the past three years the “2 for $2” raised $3,229 for the new center’s furnishings and on Sept. 16 from 9 to 10 a.m., Sudentas will conduct his last fundraiser breakfast.
“Since all of the furnishings are now in place at our new location, we knew the time had come to phase out this fundraiser,” said Gorman, adding that now Sudentas will be instrumental in helping plan gatherings including a special dinner as a fundraiser.
“My hope is to do an event on a Sunday during the winter with comfort food,” said Gorman.
Sudentas echoed those sentiments.
“Our plans will ensure the event is something unique,” he said.
For the last pancake breakfast, Sudentas said the batter will include “real wild Maine blueberries,” adding that patrons may also choose plain pancakes. “We always have regular maple syrup as well as sugar free syrup too.” Coffee is also served as part of the meal.
“I’ve met great people here over the years and have gotten to know city councilors in particular on a different level because of the informal environment here,” said Sudentas. “I will miss the pancake breakfasts but watch for our next events in the coming months.”
Gorman said that a visit scheduled with Dr. Alice Bonner, secretary of the Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA) for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, will coincide with the final pancake breakfast.
Dr Alice Bonner
“We are thrilled that Dr. Bonner will be here at the same time as our breakfast event to recognize those who helped to make Westfield the first dementia-friendly community on the East Coast,” said Gorman.
Bonner’s department oversees 349 Councils on Aging, 26 Aging Services Access Points (including Highland Valley Elder Services), 22 Area Agencies on Aging, and 11 Aging and Disability Resource Consortia.
When Bonner was reached in her Boston office, she noted the EOEA is committed to providing dementia-friendly communities and reducing the stigma that can be associated with dementia for individuals living in the state.
“Along with our community partners and municipal leaders, EOEA is accelerating the Dementia Friendly Massachusetts Initiative to activate dementia-friendly communities at the local level,” said Bonner. “Westfield is an outstanding example of a community that made a commitment to supporting individuals with dementia very early on.”
Bonner added that Westfield has been a “leader,” catalyzing the movement to more effectively support people who are living with dementia, their family, friends and care partners.
“EOEA has taken the lessons learned from communities such as Westfield and shared them with other communities that are just beginning this work,” said Bonner.
The public is welcome to meet Bonner and her staff as well as support the last pancake breakfast, according to Gorman.
For more information on the event, call (413) 562-6435.
