While everyone celebrated Valentines Day this past weekend, the North East Bronx Senior Center added a different twist to the holiday, celebrating the anniversaries of couples married over 50 years.
Over 200 members gathered on Friday, February 13, at the center to honor the 19 couples celebrating their years of devotion.
The North East Bronx Senior Center Glee Club began the festivities with a number of songs reflecting the Valentines theme. “We always have a good crowd on Glee Club days. We try to reflect a specific theme each month and keep the members entertained,” said Joan Kosko, activities coordinator.
Rose and Nicholas Volpicella, who celebrated the longest marriage, soon to be 67 years on Sunday, June 7, attributed their successful partnership to respecting one another’s needs.
“Its just all about respecting each other and listening,” said Nicholas Volpicella, who explained the couple met at a church dance and from that point on he would travel an hour each day to visit Rose in the Bronx, resulting in a marriage with four children and three grandchildren 66 years later.
After 60 years together, Catherine and Larry Cosentino explained patience and perseverance are the key to a good marriage. “Meeting each other half way and helping one another out, that’s how you develop a strong bond,” said Catherina Cosentino.
Councilman Jimmy Vacca made a special appearance to congratulate the group at the center where he had been president of the board for 30 years.
Each couple was presented flowers and danced to the classic anniversary waltz before sitting down to enjoy their meal.
Other couples celebrating included Anna and Ben Berardi, Pel and Tom Ruggiero, Lidia and Antonio Morle, Gloria and Edward Snow, Maria and Vito Cavallo, Mae and Sam Cummando, Juliana and William Wolf, Adelene and Charles LaRosa, Julia and Joseph Czerkawski, Irene and Peter Klein, Estelle and Anthony Marra, Viola and Eugene Namesnyik, Marsha and Cliff Feuerstein, Gertrude and Josef Winkler, Virginia and Nicholas Castiglione, Josephine and Nino Valenti, and Connie and Mike Laccetti.
“It’s nice to entertain people that you know appreciate you,” said Rose Settembrino, who has been performing with the Glee Club since 1996. “This is a wonderful event, it brings a lot of people together and makes the couples so happy to know their years of marriage are being acknowledged.”
