Politics & Government
Who's Who in Albany: Isabelle Leduc
Every weekday we'll feature a brief chat with someone who lives or works – or plays – in Albany.
Name: Isabelle Leduc
Age: Over 18 and under 100
Occupation: Recreation supervisor at the Albany Senior Center
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What does the Senior Center offer? We offer day trips, classes of all sorts, HICAP [Health Insurance Counseling Advocacy Program] services, and transportation.
How long have you worked here? It's been over 3½ years.
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What do you like about your job? I like working with people, and I like that I can make a difference in seniors' lives by promoting programs and quality services that they can enjoy. It's a nice community to work in.
I used to work in San Leandro, in the same capacity. I've been in the field for 10 years.
What ages does the Senior Center serve? HICAP serves people 60 and over; the center serves people 50 and over. I think adult school classes are for people 60 and over.
Describe some of the day trips. We do three day-trips a month. We take them to fairs, to Monterey Bay, Santa Cruz, Sonoma, and we take cruises on the Delta.
How are the programs funded? We received a grant from ACTIA, Alameda County Transportation Improvement Authority (now changed to ACTC, Alameda County Transportation Commission). We got a grant that allowed us to purchase the bus we use for trips. If there's a fee, the seniors have to pay that. We do provide some free trips as well.
At Santa Cruz we drop them at the boardwalk or downtown and say, "You're on your own. Meet you back at the bus at 3." Some trips are for lifelong learning – to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Jewish Museum, a county fair.
We also have the Friends of Albany Seniors, who do fundraising for the Senior Center.
How do you spend your free time? I have two little girls; I do a lot of activity with the girls. Alone, I read, and I go hiking.
Is there anything you'd like to add? We have the dinner program every day, Monday through Friday, at 4 p.m. We do Meals on Wheels; volunteers come in for that. We have three routes a day; we deliver meals to homebound seniors. We always need more volunteers!
How do housebound seniors take advantage of this? Often it's a neighbor or the family who will get in touch with us about a senior.
