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MOUNT KISCO, N.Y. — Senator Greg Ball visited the Fox Center in Mount Kisco, home of the Mount Kisco Senior Group, to spend the lunch hour with seniors at the center, getting to know some of the long-standing members of one of his towns in the district. The center has been around for over 35 years, giving programs to local seniors 55 years of age and up.
“We live in a great country, and a great region because of the sacrifices made by our seniors. And during this tough economy…we need to improve upon the funding and comprehension of all our senior programs,” Ball said. “More than ever there are seniors who are shut in, and they need real support to keep them afloat as many of them live paycheck to paycheck.”
The time spent at the center was valuable for Ball, who was able to speak directly with those who he is representing, in an area of the region that is sometimes lost to those who are on the outskirts.
“A lot of people think that everyone in Westchester County is all affluent and well-to-do, and that’s not the case,” Ball said. “We have pockets, especially in the senior community, of needy people that need to be provided for and protected.”
Someone very appreciative of his visit was director of the center, Jean Arra. Arra has been the director for each of its 37 years of existence, dating back to the 1970s. She knows how important it is for her seniors to get to know their representatives, especially since they might not even know who they are because of their potentially secluded lifestyle.
“It’s important that these people meet the representative to see who he is, giving them a chance to ask questions,” Arra said. “They tend to be isolated otherwise. I think it makes a difference to these people. It’s nice to see the person.”
Towards the end of the visit, Arra realized the value of the visit in plain sight, and in a way so obvious that it brought laughter and a lesson.
“[Senator Ball] came in carrying cake, and someone said, ‘I thought he was a delivery boy delivering pizza.’ I said, ‘No, he’s our senator!’” said Arra.
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