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Partly Cloudy A new face will help Sea Cliff’s seniors
In a move aimed at bolstering services and community engagement for senior citizens in Sea Cliff, the village board has appointed Tracy Arnold Warzer as the new Senior Citizen Program Development Specialist.
Warzer, a lifelong resident of the area with an extensive background in program development and community outreach, brings a wealth of experience to her new role. She has lived in Sea Cliff for 33 years and is a lifelong resident of the North Shore having grown up in Glen Head and Old Brookville. She is a graduate of the North Shore School District.
The decision to hire Warzer comes after an extensive search process, during which the village board sought a candidate who could effectively support and enhance services for Sea Cliff’s senior population.
“I’m really excited about collaborating with our existing committees,” Warzer said. “We have the youth activities board, and they’re already excited about creating opportunities for high school seniors to offer tech support to seniors.”
With over 35 years of experience in program development and management, Warzer said she has a proven track record of implementing innovative initiatives to support senior citizens. Most recently, she served as the Director of Community Programs at the Harborside Senior Living Community in Port Washington, where she oversaw all senior programming and coordinated internship programs for art therapy students.
“I’ve been working with seniors in that capacity for 10 years,” Warzer explained. “And prior to that, I was program coordinator at the Grace Avenue Senior Center, where I had extensive experience working with seniors in a social model day program for frail elderly seniors.”
Warzer’s appointment signals a renewed focus on expanding services and programs for the Sea Cliff senior community. Mayor Elena Villafane expressed confidence in Warzer’s ability to make a positive impact in her new role.
“Tracy comes to the village with a long history of employment in this area,” Villafane said. “She’s really an amazing resource for our senior citizen community, and she’s really hoping to implement intergenerational activities and programs for health and wellness.”
Villafane described the position as a “support system to the seniors in the community.” An important part of the role will also be to work with local organizations such as Mutual Concerns to help organize programs for the seniors, such as the weekly lunch at St. Luke’s Parish, as well as providing directions to outside resources.
According to Villafane however, what made Warzer the perfect person for the position was not just her competence, but her creativeness and willingness to create new opportunities for seniors in the community.
Warzer’s plans for the position include collaborating with existing committees to offer a wide range of programs and activities for seniors. She aims to create an age-friendly community where seniors can actively participate in events and feel connected to their neighbors.
“I think we have an extraordinary community,” Warzer remarked. “Sea Cliff is well known for its cultural arts and amazing social engagement. But we can make a huge impact on our community as a model age-friendly community where seniors can be a vibrant part of it.”
In addition to her role in program development, Warzer will serve as a support system for seniors in the community, providing information and assistance with accessing resources such as the heat program for seniors with limited incomes. She said she is particularly interested in creating intergenerational relationships between seniors and teenagers and children in the community, which will benefit both groups.
Warzer’s appointment represents a continuation of the village’s commitment to supporting its senior population and ensuring that they have access to the services and resources they need to thrive. With her wealth of experience and dedication to community engagement, Warzer said she hopes to be able to make a significant difference in the lives of Sea Cliff’s seniors.
“The level of engagement that is more active and more socially connected really helps people live longer and with a much greater quality of life,” Warzer said. “If I can make a difference in that way, that would be my dream job.”
