Benjamin Church Senior Center Gets a Facelift

Most of us know the Benjamin Church Senior Center as the cheery yellow house on Hope Street that we drive past on our way in and out of downtown Bristol. Thanks to newly appointed Senior Center Director, Maria Ursini, the interior is now as delightful as the exterior.

Ursini, who came on board in October after the former Director retired, is an active member of the community, emphasis on "active." She sits on the Substance Abuse Prevention Task Force and the Fourth of July Committee, is the PTA Co-President as well as the second Treasurer and CCD teacher at . And, those are just the things she could rattle off the top of her head.

Bursting with enthusiasm and armed with an ironclad work ethic, Ursini wasted no time sprucing up the senior center. She rearranged furniture, had rugs cleaned and bathroom tiles re-grouted, bought elegant tablecloths for the lunch tables, pulled up old carpet in order to expose beautiful hardwood floors, cleaned out nooks and crannies and even reupholstered a whole set of chairs on her own.

Ursini has also stepped up the programming at the center with additional field trips, special events such as the upcoming St. Patricks Day lunch, and the installment of a puzzle table by one of center’s many large sunny windows. More changes to come include getting a website, introducing more signage to the property (which is often confused with neighbors Benjamin Church Manor), creating a game room and music room, and increasing use of the Center’s gorgeous library room. Ursini also hopes one of the little used rooms on the third floor can become a museum room showing off period pieces from the original ‘Benjamin Church Home for Aged Men,’ which operated from 1908 to 1968 paving the way for the non-profit Senior Center to open in 1972.

The revamp has received the attention and approval of the seniors. Lillian Santos has been coming to the center for 15 years. She began the knitting group that meets three times a week to make and donate baby hats, blankets, shawls and more to people in need. 

“I love it,” Santos said of the new changes. “It was never open on weekends before. Now it’s open on weekends. There are more decorations, and Maria’s got the music playing for us all day. It’s just more homey now.”

Board President Joe Ferri agrees. “She’s done a hell of a job in a short period of time.”

Ursini hopes more folks will take advantage of the center, which is open to all area residents ages 55 and up. Bristol residents can become members for free, while those outside of Bristol pay a nominal yearly fee.

“I want people to come in and see the changes that we’ve done and the different programs that we’re running,” she said.  “I’m a people person. It’s such an enjoyment to me that I can give back to people and make a difference in their life with what I do.”