KENNEBUNK — “I think the Spaulding Center’s mission to provide support and companionship for the community’s seniors is important to the wellbeing of our community as a whole. Volunteering here also inspires me to find ways to build connections with the people around me.”
The words of Julie Richardson, personal banker for Norway Savings Bank’s Kennebunk branch, are shared by the many community contributors who have made the Spaulding Center for Active Living an impactful reality.
Located on 175 Port Road in Kennebunk, the center is a non-profit organization that serves over 500 adults, ages 50 and over, by offering a wide variety of community outreach programs that provide support, sensitivity and smiles to residents in Kennebunk and beyond.
It’s an organization and mission that continues to inspire local businesses to offer assistance, including Norway Savings Bank which recently donated $2,500 to the center and has contributed countless volunteer hours and over $25,000 to the organization since 2020.
“The Center remains the focal point for seniors in the Arundel, Kennebunk, and Kennebunkport communities. Members come together on a daily basis for interaction, health and fitness, education, and the opportunity to meet new people,” said Jason Fitzgerald, market & indirect relationship manager RVP for Norway Savings Bank who served on the center’s Board of Trustees for nearly a decade. “It’s an organization with a sole mission of togetherness.”
The idea sprang from Annie and Hank Spaulding’s shared and painful experience of watching their parents age and become isolated from the community. Three decades later, that idea has become a revered institution in the area.
“Norway Savings Bank has been a generous sponsor for years,” said Bridget Dempsey, executive director of The Center. “The NSB team members who have volunteered are highly skilled and community minded. They have strengthened our operations with their active support. We truly appreciate the Bank’s community involvement and their commitment to caring for the area’s seniors.”
The list of activities and offerings stretches page after page, including games, a walking group, crochet classes, wellness workshops, luncheons, crafting, book clubs, movies, art sessions, yoga and dancing. The center also offers the chance for seniors to add skills and knowledge through specialized gatherings like a French Club, finance workshops, a mindfulness course, a ukulele group, technology seminars and the opportunity to schedule free and private meetings with a lawyer to ask legal questions. A caregiver support group provides solace for those caring for seniors as they navigate their journey.
The Spaulding Center continues to stand as a source of support and community for people of all ages.
“To be able to play a small role in sustaining a place where friends meet, hobbies and activities are shared, and memories are made is a thrill for us,” said Dan Walsh, president and CEO of NSB. “The Spaulding Center is a beacon of hope that also makes a tangible difference.”
To learn more about the Spaulding Center for Active Living, its mission, or to discover ways in which you can help, visit www.seniorcenterkennebunk.org, call 207-967-8514 or email [email protected].
