When the receptionist at the Senior Center at Cascades Marketplace quit, Roseanne Vecchio rose to the challenge. For about three years, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, Vecchio has been answering the phone, registering new members, giving tours and taking on the responsibilities herself — free of charge.
"I love the people and the staff here," she said. "If you have the time, it keeps you young."
Born in Brooklyn, and a resident of Queens, N.Y. for 38 years, Vecchio and her husband Tom moved to Loudoun County in 1988 when Tom, an employee of IBM, received a transfer. The move meant a quieter pace, but Vecchio, a former nurse, stays busy.
"We've been with the center since its inception," she said. "We helped to raise funds through The Friends of the Senior Center at Cascades when the Board of Supervisors wouldn't give us any money. We got a referendum put on the ballot which the voters approved overwhelmingly." Tom Vecchio, a civil engineer, worked with the architect during the planning stages. The center was built in 1999. Vecchio began volunteering immediately, taking blood pressures, working the front desk part time. They both serve on the center's Advisory Board.
A resident of CountrySide and a member of the CountrySide Women's Club, Vecchio has two daughters, one residing in Clifton, Va., the other in Seattle.
Vecchio's volunteer work is monitored through RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program). Her hours are recorded and sent in to the county's Department of Parks and Recreation. The county is then compensated monetarily for her work.
There are about 1,400 seniors registered at the Cascades facility. According to Vecchio, the computer classes are very popular, as are the regular out-of-town trips. Vecchio has traveled with groups as far way as Florida and Branson, Mo.
She has been honored at luncheons for her work with "Olympic-style" medals and plaques. Over the last three years, her hours have increased from 1,113 per year to 1,640 per year. Vecchio doesn't seem to be slowing down.
She credits a good memory for being able to call seniors by their first names. This always surprises them, said Vecchio. "I will work as long as I can. I love to see the smiles on their faces."
<1b>— Bonnie Eaton