“Please, share your secrets with us!”

Those were the words of County Executive Steve Neuhaus as he spent lunchtime at Munger Cottage in Cornwall on September 13 – he was there to attend the third annual “SuperAgers” event hosted by the Orange County Office of the Aging. He wanted to know what all the honorees do and have done to keep them active, fit and happy well over age 80.

There weren’t too many secrets shared, although Newburgh’s Donald Green said that “having your family behind you” was a key in his success through the years. All in attendance agreed.

The annual event is the brainchild of 88-year-old Cliff Davis, who was on hand. He’s a former columnist for The Senior Gazette and said last week that the honorees lead “socially active lives” and “have the cognitive skills comparable to someone 20 or 30 years younger.”

“There are a lot of these folks in Orange County,” he said. Davis, working with Office of the Aging Director Anne Marie Maglione, spends time throughout the year looking for people deserving of the award and reports back to Maglione. She and her staff then coordinate the luncheon and awards. Davis said he’d like to see the program expanded to other area counties.

“I’m so happy you are all here today,” he said to the honorees and the two guests each of them brought to the lunch. “You have so much you can still give to others. Stay active!”

Among the honorees was Cornwall’s Brigid Flynn, age 84 and Mountainville’s Maria Lafin, 84. Also to be honored was Monroe’s Ken Cashman, the long-time editor of The Cornwall Local who passed away in August.

“He was a sweetheart of a guy,” Neuhaus said during his remarks at the lunch. “He was very well loved and will be missed. We know he would have loved to be here today – probably writing a story about it – and we also know he went straight to heaven.”

Neuhaus spoke to the seniors for about half an hour before the awards were given out. He told them “the county is doing well” and said he was just finishing up work on the 2025 budget. He also spoke briefly about the county’s recent acquisition of Sugar Loaf Mountain and how the Heritage Trail will soon be expanded to Salisbury Mills, saying “open space and parks are so important since COVID.”

The county executive also encouraged all in attendance to take part in county-sponsored CPR and first aid classes, and then took a few minutes to answer questions. Those ranged from how to get rid of hazardous waste (the county has collection dates several times a year); if police are having trouble with e-bikes and scooters (“they are a problem”); and distracted drivers and walkers using cell phones (“Your ambulance, police and fire people are working harder than ever right now because people are so distracted,” he said).

Cornwall Supervisor Josh Wojehowski also spoke for a minute, thanking all of the honorees for their combined service to all of Orange County through the years, and welcoming them to Cornwall. From Cornwall’s Recreation Office, Phylis Murphy urged all of the out-of-town seniors to come back to programs at Munger Cottage – “we’re here for all seniors, not just Cornwall’s,” she said.

In addition to the local Flynn and Lafin, the honorees (ages based on when they were nominated for the honor) were: Lydia Anderson (age 90, Town of Wallkill), Kathryn Bernard (age 101, Town of Newburgh), former NYS Assemblywoman Nancy Calhoun (80, Washingtonville), Alice Giro (80, Wallkill), Barbara Decker (85, Blooming Grove), Donald Greene (83, Town of Newburgh), Bernice Handzel (87, Town of Newburgh), Barbara Kelly (92, Highland Mills), Ludmila Kruczynski (81, Washingtonville), Jack Lambkin (93, Monroe), George Lane (86, Highland Mills), David McDermott (age 86, Town of Newburgh) and Joan Mester (88, Town of Newburgh).

Not able to be at the ceremony were Eileen Hayes (81, Town of Newburgh), Julia Maughen (88, Town of Newburgh), Daisy Perry (80, Town of Newburgh), and John Bliss (80, Town of Newburgh).