EAAA honors 2 seniors with learning awards

As human beings, we never stop learning if we are open to new experiences and yearn for knowledge. Meet the two winners of the Eastern Area Agency on Aging George Hale Silver Frame Award in the category of Life-Long Learner- Entrepreneurial.

The winner of the age 60 to 75 category is Nan Miller, who was called a “nontraditional learner” by her nominators, Patty Herklotz and Sara Hayman.

“Her learning has come from life experiences and maintaining a sense of curiosity and kindness toward herself and others,” they wrote.

Nan maintains contact with trained hospice volunteers, supporting, coaching and inspiring them to assist individuals at the end of life, and says that while she is seen as an instructor, it is her volunteers and patients who are the teachers.

“Through this volunteer work she has had the opportunity to learn at her own end-of-life issues,” wrote her nominators. “Nan says, ‘The directness and communication at the end of life is something we often don’t see in everyday life.’ She thinks this may be the reason why she loves it so much.”

Animals also benefit from Nan’s kind heart and compassionate nature. She trains seeing eye dogs for the Guiding Eyes for the Blind Program, adopting a puppy for eight months to train in the basics. The dogs are taken and given more extensive training, then matched with visually impaired owners.

From this experience, Nan “learns the art of giving, loving, sacrificing and patience and how to say goodbye.”

“Nan also has learned the importance of taking time to care for herself,” wrote her nominators. “Twenty-five years ago she discovered she had a severe environmental illness. This prompted her to design a home that is clean of all chemicals and honors her love of nature.”

She learned about alternative therapies and now knows the importance of knowing the body. She continues to learn from her herbalist, yoga instructor and acupuncturist, finding ways to heal and support her health. She also has found various 12-step programs to be a helpful tool in personal self-care and is a role model for others, living as she does, fully and actively in her 70s, wrote Herklotz and Hayman.

Winner in the 76-and-older category is Frances “Penny” Peasley.

“In the spring of 2007, Penny was asked to run for the Clifton board of selectmen as a write-in candidate to finish the term of a deceased member, opposing a well-known citizen whose name was on the ballot,” wrote Mary Parker, her nominator. “She won easily, and this has been a time-consuming learning experience for her.”

Some of the things she learned as a selectman included familiarizing herself with the board’s reference book, reviewing and accepting or rejecting bids of contractors to improve road conditions while staying within the budget approved by the town, managing office personnel and payroll, signing warrants, handling property problems and citizen complaints, learning to apply for grants and myriad other new responsibilities, Parker wrote.

Penny must be doing a good job because she was on the ballot for a full term, and ran unopposed.

She also works hard for the Clifton Historical Society, is active in local church and community fundraising, is a prolific baker, and always has time for friends and family, wrote Parker.

Parker wrote that Penny believes that regardless of how old people get, anything they can do that keeps them mentally and physically alert is good for their health and that interest gives one a lift and added energy.

“It’s a joy to be in the presence of this admirable woman,” she added.

Congratulations to all the winners. You are all talented and inspiring people and we are honored to recognize you.

Carol Higgins Taylor is director of communications at Eastern Area Agency on Aging. E-mail Higgins Taylor at chtaylor@eaaa.org. For information on EAAA, call 941-2865, toll-free 800-432-7812, e-mail info@eaaa.org or log on EAAA.org. TTY 992-0150.