National Senior Center Month is celebrated each September, and the Stratford Raymond E. Baldwin Center is inarguably a crown jewel in what the town offers to our Senior residents.
To join the Baldwin Center you must be 55 years and older, and a resident of Stratford. The cost to become a member of the Baldwin Center is minimal, and as a bonus there is always something fun and interesting going on. There are Clubs, activities and movies that are offered either at no charge, free-will contribution, or a modest fee of $3-$5 per class.
There are special events reflecting the season. For example, in November there is a trip to the Stratford Veterans Museum to honor our veterans; a trip to Silverman’s Farm, and Stew Leonards. Their Friendship Tours in November will be to Thomaston Opera House.
In October the Baldwin Center Players presented a Halloween Shoe, there was a special Witchy Boots Guided Painting, and, of course, October would not be spooky without a program on witches.
In September, the Baldwin Center recreated the Big E for members, called the Big B. There were vendors (all of whom were armed with food and treats for the members) to the sold out event.
Is fitness your interest? You can take a class in Tai Chi, Strength and Balance, Yoga, Strength and Cardio, chair Yoga.
Not so much interested in fitness? How about a game of cards? There is a Coed Pinochle League. Billiards? Jig Saw Puzzles?
Do you like to interact with others by joining clubs? At the Baldwin Center you can Knit and Crochet with others. There is Wii Bowling, Mah Jong, Baldwin Center Writing Club, Book Club, Cornhole, and the ever popular Dance Machine Dance Party.
The Baldwin Center has a Café, and daily serves low cost lunches in the main hall. On Thursday, November 27th, they will be hosting a Thanksgiving Dinner for members.
In addition to multiple services (more than just what was profiled above) to keep seniors engaged in social activities, the center also provides social services. Shirley Dominguez is Stratford’s Municipal Agent and can be reached by calling 203-385-4055 or emailing sdominguez@townofstratford.com. A Municipal Agent for the Elderly is responsible for providing information and assistance with services and benefits for older adults in their community.
Dominguez oversees Energy Assistance, Medicare, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Renters Rebate, free income tax services.
A new service that kicks-off in November is Adult Mental Health First Aid. The program’s focus is to train people how to identify, understand and respond to signs and symptoms of a mental health or substance use challenge in adults. The training is free and is an outcome of former Stratford Rotary Club President Harold Watson and Pat Patusky.
A Suicide Prevention Training is also being offered.
New to the list of offerings by the Baldwin Center was Early Voting. Stratford had the highest turnout of early voters in the State of Connecticut, with 4,743 early voters. Early voting was first instituted in Connecticut in 2024.
The Baldwin Center was the perfect site for early voting—a large space that could hold all of the equipment and tables needed for early voting, a large parking lot for voters to park their car, and enough space outdoors where those candidates running for office could offer last minute information for the voters. This also was a win for the Town of Stratford to be centrally located.
And now for the history lesson (we are a town of history, from the Mayflower to the present): the Baldwin Center is named after Connecticut politician Raymond E. Baldwin, who spent his formative years and early career in Stratford before becoming governor, U.S. Senator, Chair of the State Library Board and chief justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court. He was a prominent figure in Connecticut politics from 1957 to 1982.
The Baldwin Center was opened in 1979. In 2001, during Covid, Town officials took advantage of the closure by moving forward with renovation work that included a new elevator, flooring, light fixtures, paint, furniture, video monitors, and an energy-efficient boiler, just to name some of the improvements.
The Community & Senior Services Director is Tammy Trojanowski, MHSA, whose mission is “to be inspired to double down on our efforts to ensure that Stratford remains a place where we age with love and dignity,” Trojanowski said. “We lean in to listen and learn from your wisdom, and we are truly honored and humbled to be a part of your lives.”
–> Facilities & activites like this are what makes Town of Stratford one of America’s most holistic locations of Centrist Sensibilities — all @ the most down-to-earth of ways!
~Let’s Make Stratford ‘Quietly Serene’ Again~
…within this beautiful Land of Steady Habits…