By Liz Leamy
Last Tuesday, many in town, including several political figureheads and other prominent and involved members of the community, celebrated the grand opening of the Wallace Café at The Wallace Center, formerly known as the Greenwich Senior Center, in grand style.
This memorable event, which was attended by Greenwich First Selectman Fred Camillo, Selectman Lauren Rabin, Steven B. Katz, Chairman of the Commission on Aging, Lori Contadino, Executive Director of the Wallace Center & Commission on Aging along with of other individuals was all about goodness and hope as everyone there came together to celebrate the opening of this beautiful new state-of-the-art dining venue.
“This is a special place for of us and thank you to everyone who helped make it possible,” said First Selectman Camillo. “It’s in a great location and it’s going to be here forever.”
Steven B. Katz and Lori Contadino also addressed the significance and meaning of the Wallace Café opening, which featured live music by the band, ‘Fashionably Late,’ comprised of students from the Greenwich Country Day School.
“The planning for this new café started four years ago and today is the day,” said Contadino. “Through the generosity of the Town of Greenwich and the Friends of the Greenwich Senior Center, this renovation is now complete.”
Contadino also talked about the meaning and role of the Wallace Café and The Wallace Center in the community.
“This is such a point of pride for us. There’s a vitality to this space and our residents bring the energy,” said Contadino, who said The Wallace Center typically attracts anywhere from 75 to 100 (unduplicated) people on a daily basis. “This is a beautiful space for people in the town to congregate and there are so many programs for people to enjoy here. It’s a feel-good space.”
Katz concurred.
“This is a very good demonstration of what you can do when you all work together,” said Katz. “It’s all about providing an optimal concept and way of doing things for the purpose of vibrant living and purposeful aging.”
Katz expressed his deep gratitude to all of the individuals and organizations who helped make this all-important undertaking come to fruition, including Mary Louise Wallace, a longtime Riverside resident who was a dedicated member of the community and who had sadly passed in 2021 and for who The Wallace Center and Wallace Café is named after.
“I want to thank all of those involved. It’s also important to acknowledge Mary Louise Wallace. She was a retired school teacher and wanted to do something to acknowledge the lives of the people in the Town of Greenwich,” said Katz. “It’s important for people to get nutritious meals throughout the day and you’ll also see socialization, which is a big thing for seniors.”
Certainly, this venue seemed to be all about socialization as many of the regular visitors of The Wallace Center who were on hand at this event seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely.
Notably, many of these individuals also happen to be frequent participants of The Wallace Center’s many programs and classes such as cardio, stretching, art and other interesting offerings, including Bingo games.
“It’s so great here because you meet people and you’re able to socialize and see a lot of friends. It’s also a wonderful way to stay healthy,” said Gerry Thompson. “The Wallace Center says so much about the town and reflects so much of its heart and soul. We’re so fortunate to be living here in Greenwich. It’s such a special place.”
Wallace Café Hours:830am-2pmThe Wallace Center299 Greenwich AvenueGreenwich CT 06830203-862-6700greenwichwallacecenter.orgMembership is free for individuals age 55 and older.
