Sandi Tarbell named Senior of the Year

From left are this year’s award winners: 2018 Senior of the Year Sandi Tarbell; Elizabeth Moulton, runner-up; and Judy Bastille, Cindy Wooton, Mike Wooton, and Denis Menard, who were all named to the Honor Roll.

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Sandi Tarbell named Senior of the Year By KATY SAVAGE ksavage@eagletimes.com 23 min ago 0 Sandi Tarbell named Senior of the Year From left are this year’s award winners: 2018 Senior of the Year Sandi Tarbell; Elizabeth Moulton, runner-up; and Judy Bastille, Cindy Wooton, Mike Wooton, and Denis Menard, who were all named to the Honor Roll. COURTESY SPRINGFIELD, Vt. — Sandi Tarbell wanted to keep busy after she retired from being a para educator in the Springfield School District and she thought of one place to go. “I heard of all the fun things that they did at the Senior Center and when I retired it was like, I didn’t want to stay right at home. I wanted to be involved and that’s where I went,” she said. Tarbell, 70, was just voted Senior of the Year by her peers. “I was shocked and honored,” Tarbell said. Tarbell has been part of the Springfield Senior Center for the past five years. Now she’s one of its most active members. Seniors are awarded every year based on votes by members of the Senior Center. There were 89 votes cast this year and six seniors awarded for the work they do for the center. Tarbell teaches strength classes, plans activities, covers the front desk and does “anything basically that needs to be done,” she said. Tarbell also regularly goes on day trips with the seniors to playhouses, museums and cruises. “It’s just meeting new people and making new friends and feeling like you’re helping others,” Tarbell said. Tarbell is following in the footsteps of her mother, who was also an active Senior Center member. Tarbell was presented with gifts from businesses in the community and a badge of honor for her recognition. Her name will be engraved in a plaque on the wall in the Senior Center. This was the 47th Annual Senior Citizen of the Year ceremony. The center was founded 55 years ago by Eleanor Hilliard, who wanted to honor the elderly while they are still living. There are currently about 200 members of the Senior Center. The center offers a number of activities, including yoga, cribbage and shuffleboard tournaments as well as day trips to see plays and performances. Last year’s Senior of the Year was Don Gray. Elizabeth Moulton, who leads the strength training classes at the center, was this year’s runner up for Senior of the Year. As part of the recognition, fellow seniors wrote testimonies for the person they voted for. Several people commented on Tarbell’s selfless devotion. “She’s often one of the members who is helping out around the center without many people knowing,” one person wrote. “Know all those decorations we have up through the year for different holidays? Sandi is always one of our members who is putting in the extra time to put them up. She has been part of the Activities Committee in the past and still helps out with our special events whenever asked.” Tarbell is also known for her cookies, which she bakes for just about every event. “I voted for her because she’s always willing to do things. She never complains,” said Judy Bastille, another Senior Center member, who went to elementary school with Tarbell. Bastille, 70, been part of the Senior Center the past three years. She joined to be involved in strength training classes, but she was soon asked to be on the Activities Committee. “That got me really involved,” she said. “It’s a family atmosphere. When I first went there I only knew a couple people. Now, I’ve gotten to know so many people. It’s just a welcoming place.” Bastille is also trying activities she’s never tried before since she got involved in the Senior Center. She’s acting in the Senior Center’s annual production, “Independence Day at Happy Meadows,” a comedy that takes place at a nursing home with a performance scheduled for June 20. “I’ve never been in a play before except in second grade — I was a flower,” Bastille said. Like Tarbell, Bastille joined the Senior Center shortly after retirement. Bastille was named to the Honor Roll this year for her humor and willingness to help. “I was very surprised and honored,” Bastille said of her recognition. Other seniors named to the Honor Roll were Denis Menard, Cindy Wooton and Mike Wooton.