102-year-old Resident Receives Mulberry Gardens Senior Pageant Crown

Residents of Mulberry Gardens of Southington were feeling regal June 11 when many of the women, dressed in their finest and wearing tiaras, participated in the fifth annual senior pageant. The Ms. Mulberry Gardens 2014 Senior Pageant featured a grand entrance with escorts, conversations with the contestants and special music.

“This pageant is for senior women who are models of graceful aging, poise and confidence,” said Lori Pisani, Mulberry Gardens activities director. “All our contestants exemplified these fine qualities and it was a pleasure to see them all recognized.”

The 2014 contestants were residents of Mulberry Gardens or members of the Adult Day Center. They included Rose Costa, Jeanette Domuracki, Cecile Dovidaitis, Claire Follacchio, Minnie Giannattasio, Jane Hagen, Pat Johnson, Juanita Krise, Frances Macfarlane, Rosemary Smith, Marie Weiss and Regina Wolodowicz.

All the women have lived interesting and vibrant lives, which they have continued at Mulberry Gardens. Many of their family members and friends attended the pageant, which was themed “Everything’s Coming up Roses.”

This year’s judges included Kathy Faber, of Kathy Faber Designs; Stuart Miller, of the Alzheimer’s Association of CT; Melissa Cole, meteorologist/reporter, WFSB; and Kimberly Beaudoin, Mrs. Connecticut America 2014.

After much discussion, the judges presented the pageant tiara to Minnie Giannattasio who just celebrated her 102nd birthday on May 30. She was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., worked for Metropolitan Life and moved to Torrington when she was 30 years old where she raised her family. She volunteered at the Torrington Senior Center for 35 years until she was 100 years old. The mother of four children and grandmother to four, she is active at Mulberry Gardens where she leads card and bingo groups.

“Keeping active all these years has brought me here today at 102 years old,” Giannattasio said.

Organizers said the pageant would not be possible without the support of local sponsors including Gold Sponsor: Health New England; Silver Sponsors: Kevin’s Building & Remodeling and Sovereign Home Health; Bronze Sponsors: Top’s Market, Aflac/Chris Pisani, Spartan Pizza and Restaurant, Janazzo Services, Palumbo’s 66 Service Center, J.E. Shea Electric, Valley Floor Covering and the Law Office of Kenneth J. Carifa; and others. Patrons included Perfect Temp Heating & Air Conditioning, Parsons Buick, My Bottom Line, Manor Inn and Savers of Meriden.

Mulberry Gardens of Southington is a not for profit assisted living, adult day and memory care community and a member of Central Connecticut Senior Health Services, a Hartford HealthCare Partner.