By Mary McCarthy
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 6/19/03)

St. Martin de Porres Senior Center in Alexandria, Catholic Charities’ senior center, received the Excellence in Aging Award from Alexandria’s Office on Aging at its award luncheon June 12 at the Lee Center in Alexandria.

Vice Mayor-elect of Alexandria Del Pepper presented the Excellence in Aging award to Carol Augustine, director of St. Martin de Porres. Pepper described the St. Martin de Porres Center as "just as cheerful and as friendly as can be."

"When I heard that St Martin de Porres Senior Center and Elderly Services would be receiving the Alexandria Commission on Aging Excellence in Aging Award, I was delighted for both the center and the Agency," said Augustine.

After receiving the award, she invited all the seniors involved with St. Martin de Porres Center to stand and be recognized. More than 50 seniors stood and applauded their center.

The recipients of the Excellence in Aging award are selected each year after the Alexandria Commission on Aging receives nominations from community organizations and citizens.

"I understand that St Martin’s received a number of nominations from volunteers, client’s family members and community groups," said Augustine.

Established in 1977, the St. Martin de Porres Senior Center helps seniors by promoting wellness and independence. The center serves an incredibly diverse population in Alexandria. Clients represent over 27 nations, and the monthly calendar is published in four languages. According to Augustine, it is the only senior center in Northern Virginia accredited by the Council on Accreditation for Children and Family Services.

Guest speakers at the luncheon included Josephina Carbonnell, assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Barbara Kennelly, president and CEO of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare.

While both speakers were anxious to return to Capitol Hill where a Medicare bill was being discussed at the House of Representatives, before they left they shared their views on how the government can help older Americans to remain independent and live in their own homes.

Kinelli said half the country’s population over 65 would live in poverty without Social Security. She expressed her desire to work to save Social Security and to help improve Medicare so that seniors can "live longer and stay healthy."

Carbonnell explained how the government is listening to older people and their families. She discussed the steps being taken to attempt to modernize Medicare, to include more choices for seniors and better benefits. She expressed the need to provide affordable choices so that more people can remain independent and the need to provide more support for family caregivers. Carbonnell also outlined programs being implemented by Health and Human Services to encourage seniors, and all Americans, to exercise more regularly and eat healthier foods.