PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Ethel Connors will hit a milestone on Wednesday: 100 years.
Her bridge club friends at the Ralph Froio Senior Center threw her a surprise birthday party a day ahead of her turning centenarian.
Connors walked into her weekly game to a standing ovation on Tuesday.
"This is unreal. I couldn't believe it," Connors said. "It really is a surprise."
She weaved her way through the crowd, giving hugs along the way, and there was food, a birthday cake, and the group cheers a toast to Connors.
Connors said the secret to longevity is "exercise, exercise." Every day, Connors does something, whether that be at the hospital or as a participant of the Berkshire Family YMCA's Silver Sneakers program. When she takes a vacation to Cape Cod, she can be seen out on a kayak.
Connors is a Pittsfield native and worked for 25 years as a teacher's aide after she spent a few years as an X-ray technician. She started in the classrooms of the former Tucker School.
"When the two community schools opened up, I went to Westside and then I went to Morningside," Connors said.
She retired from Morningside and still lives in the same house she grew up in.
Meanwhile, she raised five children -- three of whom are retiring themselves. Her elder child does consulting work now, but only a few days a week, and her daughter is a radiologist. Connors has two grandchildren and a great-grandson, and her friend Ellie Persip jokingly adds herself to that list as "an adopted daughter."
Connors has been playing bridge for 22 years at the senior center, where the group shares plenty of laughs. While Persip says Connors is "really good" at bridge, she enjoys socializing over a number of different games.
She is also an avid reader and always continues to learn, such as recently taking classes to learn to speak Italian.
The bridge club organized the surprise party to recognize the important milestone but with Connors' popularity, those at the senior center won't be the only ones honoring the occasion.
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Pittsfield Kayak Kiosk Proposal Withdrawn After Pushback
Whenever Watersports has withdrawn its proposal for a kayak rental program at Onota Lake. Safety concerns arose around the company's self-serve model though it was stipulated that users sign liabilities away with a waiver as part of the process.
"It's unfortunate. I had hoped the outcome would be different and I think (Recreation and Special Events Coordinator Maddy Brown) and you as well thought this was an opportunity to provide an additional level of services, recreation opportunity to folks at the park through a modern-app-based system," Park, Open Space, and Natural Resource Program Manager James McGrath said to the Parks Commission on Tuesday.
"It would have cost the city nothing to have this sited. We wouldn't be responsible for any maintenance but there would be maintenance to the units and to the boats, etc. Everyone was going to get life preservers and there are instructions through the app so we thought it was it was safe and secure and a good fit for the park."
In December, the commission granted a request for the pilot program and City Solicitor Stephen Pagnotta had been reviewing and revising a proposed contract that had not yet been approved. Last week during City Council, residents Daniel Miraglia and Gene Nadeau submitted a petition requesting a legal opinion on the proposal from the solicitor.
Miraglia expressed concerns about the lack of a bidding process, safety hazards, and the impact on a local business that rents kayaks on the lake. Onota Boat Livery owner Caryn Wendling was upset to hear that an out-of-town company would be allowed to operate the kiosk on the same lake as her business and also cited safety concerns.
Councilors asked that Pagnotta look into items such as the commission's authority with entering into contracts and if a bidding process would be needed for this.
Later that week, a request to the Conservation Commission for determination for the kiosk at Burbank Park located within the buffer zone associated with the inland bank was withdrawn. According to the application, it was proposed to be located before the beach area coming from the main parking lot.
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