10
QUEENS WEEKLY, JUNE 9, 2019
Chapin House in Jamaica celebrates anniversary
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
A long-term care and
rehabilitation facility
in Jamaica concluded
its month-long 150th
anniversary celebration
on May 31 honoring
and inducting seven
centenarians into its
very own ‘Century Club’
with a festive afternoon
filled with live music
and refreshments.
Chapin Home for the
Aging, located at 165-01
Chapin Pkwy., issued
certificates to its patients
celebrating their 99th
and 100th birthday and
received a proclamation
and citations from
Congresswoman Grace
Meng’s office and state
Senator Leroy Comrie.
“This party hosted in
this place of compassionate
care, this true home away
from home is possible today
because of the actions on
the first of May, 1869, 150
years ago,” said Jennifer
McManaman, Chapin
Home administrator. “The
articles of incorporation
were signed and the noble
mission to care for the
frail and elderly were
established by Mrs. Hannah
Chapin and several of her
society friends.”
The Chapin Home for
the Aging was founded
in Manhattan in 1869 by
Hannah Chapin, wife of
the celebrated orator and
pastor, Edwin Chapin, of
the church of the Divine
Paternity of New York City
and 20 other dedicated
women. They resolved to
provide a home for healthy,
elderly men and women
— individuals in reduced
circumstances, not under
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65 years old, and not having
reached their 80th year.
Following the growth
of the city with its noise,
confusion, traffic and
subsequent congestion,
Chapin relocated to
Jamaica in 1910 where
its residents could enjoy
healthful open-air
exercises and activities,
without incurring the
dangers attending them
on the crowded streets
of Manhattan.
Since relocating to
Jamaica, the center has
continued to provide aging
men and women a true
home, with a commitment
of care and passion
spanning three centuries.
It offers a wide variety of
services including skilled
nursing, rehabilitation
and adult day care.
Frances Cottone, 99,
a member of the Chapin
Home community since
August 2014, served in
the U.S. Marines for three
years, and often speaks
of her experience proudly
wearing her red veteran
cap on national holidays.
“I showed training films
to the pilots in Cherry
Point, North Carolina,
where I was serving and I
met my husband there and
got married, and then I was
discharged honorably,”
Cottone said.
Cottone remains very
active in her life at Chapin
Home serving as the vice
president of the Resident
Council. When she’s not
involved in groups and
social events, she enjoys
reading books she receives
from the Queens Maila
Book program in the
local library.
“I very much enjoy here
going to play bingo and all
of the different shows and
things they have here. I’ve
enjoyed every minute,”
said Cottone.
Meanwhile, Grace
Florio, 99, loves to tell the
story of how she learned
to dance later in life and
would go to the Roseland
Ballroom in Manhattan
every weekend. Florio
has been a member of the
Chapin Home community
since June 2018.
“They have chair yoga
here and I like that for
exercise and also bingo,”
said Florio. “People come
here with guitars and
they play entertaining
the audience.”
The Chapin Home for the Aging in Jamaica celebrates its 150th anniversary and the birthdays of
its 2019 inductees into the “Chapin Home Century Club.” Photo by Carlotta Mohamed/QNS