SAUGUS — Laurie Davis has been hard at work at the Senior Center for 24 years, making it a welcoming place for all who walk through the door.
Due to her hard work and dedication, Laurie Davis has been named Essex Media Group’s “Person of the Year” for Saugus.
Davis started at the center as a part-time worker. She was a bookkeeper twice, worked in outreach, and as an administrative assistant before becoming the director.
Since then, she’s worked on getting seniors active, focusing on ensuring everyone feels welcome with the motto of being kind. She turned the center into a home away from home for Saugus residents and beyond.
“I love my job. I really love it now that I’m the director because I’ve always loved seniors. I was very close with my grandmother,” Davis said.
Davis finds that a lot can be learned from the seniors and she has a soft spot for them. She said a great example is Doris Napier.
“She really is one of my biggest supporters, and she just has so much to offer. If I can help just by giving them activities to do throughout their day, to keep them busy…and to keep them moving, then that’s what I’m happy doing,” Davis said.
One way she keeps seniors active is by hosting dances and she tries to host one per month, her favorite being Halloween.
“The amount of seniors that dress up is so fun to watch. Some of them are in their late 80s, and they’re coming dressed as a flapper, or one woman came dressed as Mary Poppins, and she made the costume herself and was so proud of it,” she said.
Davis feels that her most important role is overseeing the center and the activities. “My biggest thing is, this is their senior center. I’m just here to oversee and plan the events for them so that they can stay active and involved,” she said.
She said that the center has seen significant growth over the years.
“It’s so busy during the holidays. We can barely breathe because there is so much going on,” Davis said. “Our doors are open to everybody and every community.”
The only things private to Saugus residents are the gym and transportation vehicles. Everything else there is open to all, creating a strong sense of community that reaches beyond Saugus.
“We get people from Everett, Peabody, Revere, and Lynnfield, but our surge of Saugus residents has grown a lot. When I first took over, I said I want to get the word out for what we have for services,” Davis said.
She said that someone suggested having an open house, leading the attendance to almost double. “It makes me happy because that means we’re reaching more seniors to stay active.”
“I’m very proud of this center, and I love it. One of the biggest things we’re trying to promote is to be kind,” Davis said. “We are a welcoming center…A smile goes a long way, and if you feel kind and you just smile, it’s a good day.”
Davis said that she is humbled to win this award and is extremely thankful for Napier who nominated her. She also wanted to thank her staff and volunteers at the center.
“They really are the backbone of this place. This is just my job. I’m getting paid to do the job that I love to do,” she said.
