Palatine senior center director receives national award

Carol Reagan, the recently retired executive director of the Palatine Township Senior Citizens Council, which operates the Palatine Township Senior Center and the Caring Hearts Adult Day Services Program, was recognized by the National Council on Aging as one of the 2019 Trailblazers in Aging at the National Council on Aging's Age+Action Conference in Washington, D.C.

Reagan received the National Institute of Senior Centers Founders Award, which recognizes exemplary and long-standing service to the senior center field. The Founders Award is in honor of the nine founders of the National Council on Aging's National Institute of Senior Centers.

2019 marked Reagan's 40th year working with senior centers and older adults. She has provided training and technical assistance to other senior centers, and has made state, regional, national and international presentations on a variety of topics, including social media and fundraising.

Reagan is a past chairwoman of the National Institute of Senior Centers, and has been a National Council on Aging/National Institute of Senior Centers leader since 2002, when she became the Illinois representative to the National Institute of Senior Centers Delegate Council.

She served as Illinois delegate until 2008, when she became National Institute of Senior Centers treasurer. She became National Institute of Senior Centers chair-elect in 2010, and the National Institute of Senior Centers' chairwoman in 2012.

In 2014, Reagan represented National Institute of Senior Centers as a keynote speaker at the International Conference on Elder Education and Intergenerational Learning in Taipei, Taiwan, speaking on senior centers in the United States to an international audience. She is an Accreditation Peer Reviewer and currently serves on the accreditation board.

Prior to becoming Palatine Township Senior Citizens Council's executive director in 1999, Reagan worked for two area agencies on aging, in Somerset County, New Jersey, and in Illinois.

Under her direction, Palatine Township Senior Citizens Council has been accredited three times by National Institute of Senior Centers, and is one of three accredited centers in Illinois. During her tenure as executive director, Palatine Township Senior Citizens Council's budget has more than doubled and its charitable contributions increased by more than 300 percent.

Palatine Township Senior Citizens Council added a satellite office and outposts in apartment complexes near concentrations of low-income, limited English speaking older adults to better meet their service needs and expanded programming designed to attract Baby Boomers, including a Hiking Club and local and extended trips.

Palatine Township Senior Citizens Council was named the Association of Illinois Senior Centers Newsletter of the Year and the Community Organization of the Year by the Palatine Chamber of Commerce.

In addition to her work with National Institute of Senior Centers, Reagan served on the Association of Illinois Senior Centers Governing Council from 2008-2010, as editor of the Association of Illinois Senior Centers newsletter from 2008-2009, and as treasurer from 2009-2010. She is a current member of the Association of Illinois Senior Centers.

In addition to her work with senior centers, Reagan is a member of the Community Consolidated School District 15 District Advisory Committee on Excellence in Education, a member of the Palatine Chamber of Commerce, and an elder and deacon of the Presbyterian Church of Palatine. She is the former chairwoman of the Northwest Human Care Council.

Reagan retired at the end of June.

"This award is a wonderful way to end my career in the aging network," Reagan said. "I am honored to be included in this outstanding group of professionals."

Replacing Reagan as executive director is Gregory Weider, who brings more than 18 years of nonprofit executive director experience, combined with a master's degree in nonprofit management, to his new role at the Palatine Township Senior Citizens Council.

He has been a passionate advocate for aging services as both a staff member and volunteer board leader, and is excited to be joining the Palatine Township Senior Citizens Council team.

The Palatine Township Senior Citizens Council operates the Palatine Township Senior Center, a private, not-for-profit organization, providing innovative, quality, cost-effective services to adults 50 and older in Palatine Township and Chicago's Northwest suburbs for more than 40 years.

Palatine Township Senior Citizens Council is one of only three senior centers in Illinois that are accredited by the National Institute of Senior Centers. Its mission is to provide programs and services that support older adults and their families by encouraging independence, well-being, and connection to the community.

The Recreation, Education, Health and Wellness, Noon Dining, Home Delivered Meals, Adult Day Services, and Social Services programs are available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Services are available in English, Spanish and Russian at four satellite locations. The Social Services staff also makes home visits as needed.

Senior centers provide a place for older adults to pursue personal interests; to enhance physical, emotional and intellectual well-being; to validate self-worth and human dignity; to celebrate life experiences; receive needed social services; maintain their independence and connection to the community, and to be of value to others.

The Palatine Township Senior Citizens Council invites participation, involvement and volunteerism.

For information, visit www.ptscc.org, like us Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/palatinetwpsrctr or call (847) 991-1112.

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