Inspiring Lives: Connecticut’s “60 over 60”
Inspiring Lives: Ira Yellen is a recipient of the "60 over 60" award
BLOOMFIELD – Every year, Connecticut Magazine celebrates 40 state residents who are all under the age of 40 and deemed to be “up and comers” in a variety of fields. The magazine’s list – dubbed appropriately, “40 under 40” – is not the only one to celebrate the accomplishments of younger generations. The Hartford Business Journal does the same, and the magazines Forbes and Inc. each run similar lists for the “30 under 30” crowd; not to be outdone by New York’s Jewish Week, which calls its list, predictably, “36 under 36.” And that’s just a sampling of the well-deserved recognition continually heaped upon today’s young movers and shakers. But, hey, what about those for whom middle age falls under the heading of “remember when?” Why are the ongoing accomplishments of the over-60 crowd going unnoticed?
“We’ve all heard of 40 Under 40 awards that highlight the successes of this group of people. We thought it was high time to recognize the ongoing inspiration and achievement of those 60 or better,” says Carol Ann McCormick, Duncaster’s vice president of sales and marketing at Duncaster, a senior adult community located in Bloomfield and offering both independent and assisted living options, plus other services for seniors.
And so, this year Duncaster introduced the “60 over 60” awards, given in recognition of Greater Hartford residents age 60 and up who continue to impact their community as well as the world beyond. The 60 honorees – including 12 members of the Greater Hartford Jewish community – received their awards at a reception held recently at Duncaster and attended by more than 250 guests.
According to Duncaster CEO Michael O’Brien, “They included those who dedicated their lives to public service, authors, artists, poets, volunteers, caregivers, healthcare professionals and executives with some of the state’s most influential institutions. They are pioneers and change-makers. They broke rules. They made new ones. They did things first and they kick-started change. They made history and they honored it.”
Ira Yellen, of the Aging in Place Essential Toolkit, was named "Serial Entrepreneur" by the Jewish community who are recipients of the “60 over 60” .
