96 year-old woman sees Broadway play for the first time

aadmin — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 14:48:38 +0000

For as long as she can remember, Ann Isacoff wanted to be on stage, performing. But, as often happens, life pointed her in another direction, raising a family and working in the legal field. However, she never lost her love of the theater and music and, though she always wanted to see a Broadway show, she never had the opportunity.

At last, at the age of 96, Isacoff’s wish to see a Broadway show was granted when she and daughter Marilyn Weinberg attended a matinee performance of “Jersey Boys” on stage in Boston, thanks to national nonprofit Twilight Wish Foundation.

Isacoff and her daughter traveled via a chauffeured limousine to Boston on March 3rd, where they were treated to special seats, courtesy of Parentgiving.com, who generously donated the tickets.

Although unfamiliar with “Jersey Boys,” Isacoff researched it ahead of time and spent the performance clapping along with the songs that she recognized from the 50’s and 60’s.

“What can I say,” said Isacoff, “Except that it was a dream come true. Thank you, Twilight Wish, for a wonderful day.”

Isacoff, a resident of Langdon Place in Dover, New Hampshire, shares her love of the theater with others in her care center. Last year, she began organizing a variety show, “Senior Moments,” at her facility. Many of the other residents also perform, with Isacoff organizing rehearsals for the troupe. According to Isacoff, this year’s production will feature routines from many famous old time comedians such as George Burns, Jack Benny and Abbott and Costello.

A woman of many talents, Isacoff is described by Activities Director at Langdon Place, Linda Jarvis, as a prolific writer. In fact, she has written four books about her memories and life. According to Isacoff, she mostly writes so that her grandchildren will know what life was like before their time, before electricity and other modern conveniences.

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Retired 92 year-old soldier gets gift from fellow servicemen

aadmin — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 13:39:59 +0000

Against the backdrop of a beautiful, blue fall sky, World War II veteran Gus Siciliano took hold of the rope handed to him and carefully raised the American flag and the black Prisoner of War (POW) flags outside his Vineland, New Jersey home. It was clear to those present that he was overcome with emotion as his poignant wish came true.

Siciliano says he is very proud of his years in the military as a tail-gunner in a B-17 airplane, including one year spent as a prisoner in a Nazi prison camp. Although he is 92 years old and in hospice care for Cancer, he still lives in his home with his wife of 60 years, Helen, and until recently, flew both the U.S. and POW from a flagpole in his front yard. That is, until a recent severe storm destroyed both the flagpole and the flags. Because he and his wife live on a fixed income, they were not able to replace the flagpole on their own.

Knowing how important the flags were to Siciliano, his hospice social worker submitted a wish application on his behalf to Twilight Wish Foundation, requesting assistance with this special wish. Twilight Wish is a national nonprofit that works hard to make the dreams and wishes of low-income senior citizens come true. Twilight Wish put the word out about Siciliano’s wish and a local service organization, Bucks County Service Industry Charities, responded. They raised the money and installed the base for the new flagpole, donating the material, new flags, and their time.

Around the same time, a Twilight Wish employee having work done in her home and mentioned the wish to her contractor, who in his spare time is an active member of the troops support group Warriors’ Watch. The contractor was touched by Siciliano’s story and offered to have members from Warriors’ Watch join in the wish granting. So, one winter day, over 50 riders from Warriors’ Watch arrived at Sicliano’s house to recognize and thank him for his military service. Several of them lifted the flagpole into the concrete base while the others saluted Siciliano.

“Gus, you’re going to raise your own flags, sir,” one of the soldiers said.

Siciliano took hold of the rope and began to raise the flags, saying “this is one of the greatest honors I’ve ever had.” As the bikers rode off, Siciliano saluted his new flags one more time.

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96 year-old woman sees Broadway play for the first time

Retired 92 year-old soldier gets gift from fellow servicemen