Showcase Helps Granby, East Granby Senior Citizens Make Life Easier

The Granby Senior Center hosted the Senior Showcase Friday, offering local senior citizens the opportunity to learn more about area businesses geared towards making their lives easier.

More than 20 businesses, from Valley Errands, a new Granby company that runs errands for people unable to do the activities themselves, to Arden Courts, a group of senior living facilities that helps people living with Alzheimer’s and related dementias, had tables set up for perusal. Also at the event were Geissler’s, which promoted its home delivery service that is available through telephone order, Carmen’s funeral home and many more.

Debbie Reid, who runs Valley Errands, was excited to promote her new local business, which began operations in February.

“I run errands for anyone who needs them,” Reid said. “It’s going well so far.”

“That’s a wonderful idea,” said showcase attendee Emily Messenger of Reid’s new offering.

Sandee Fleet of the Farmington Valley Visiting Nurses Association (VNA) organized the new event as an opportunity for seniors connect with supportive area businesses and services that can help them help themselves. Family and friends of seniors were also able to learn about ventures that help senior citizens stay independent or transition into the next stage of their lives.

Pete Rocco, of the Valley Collector Car Club, was at the showcase with other club members to raise awareness of the club’s participation in Teddy Bears for Tears, which places teddy bears into area ambulances to give children some relief in stressful emergency situations. The program accepts donations of $5 or more to place the bears in ambulances across the Farmington Valley.

Rocco and other members of the car club presented Fleet with a donation of $360, which is part of the club’s donation of approximately $9,000 to 17 different area charities.

“That was a huge surprise,” Fleet said of the donation.

Fleet was happy with the turnout of vendors and attendees and said Granby will host another Senior Showcase in the future. Seniors at the event thought it was time well spent.

“[There’s some] very useful, positive info,” said Sandy Flagg, who noted that she learned of resources for seniors that she hadn’t previously been aware of. “It’s always nice to see the friendly faces in Granby.”

Diane Hornsdorf said the showcase contained “some great vendors” and that she received useful information about beneficial services.