Winnie by Ruthie
June 19, 2024
R: Winnie, where do you live?
W: I live on River Road. Up the hill and then to the right, right across from the storage units, That’s River Road.
R: And how long have you lived in Rosendale?
W: 29 years.
R: What do you love about this community?
W: The interaction with other people.
R: So Winnie is the liaison for the seniors club and also for the women’s club of Rosendale?
W: Well, the women’s club under the president.
R: You’re the president of the women’s club. And what do you want to preserve about Rosendale?
W: The history in general.
R: What would you miss if it was gone?
W: I don’t think history should ever be gone. It’s here to stay. And whether it’s right, wrong, indifferent, it’s here to stay. And that’s the way it should be.
R: How do you think we could better preserve the history of Rosendale?
W: It is not to make it over, except it as it is.
R: Have you been seeing that happening?
W: No, Rosendale is pretty good.
R: Pretty good, right? Yeah. I’m sure you know, the town historian.
W: Bill Brooks? Yes, I do.
R: And what changes would you like to see in Rosendale? Or how could it be more amenable to you personally?
W: I’d like to see the Ma and Pa stores return. I’d like to see the family-owned drugstore because they take a personal interest. That’s all gone, You know, whether it’s through the age of technology or whatever, it’s not here any longer. That personal touch is missing. So I would like to see that return.
R: And besides drugstores, are there any other kinds of, we said, Ma and Pa shops? Is there any kind in particular that you’re looking for?
W: I think a little general store or whatever. I used to go to the IGA? And that’s missing. You know, so when a person leaves or they sell out or whatever the case may be and it’s not restored, I do miss it.
R: And if you have out of town visitors coming, what do you, if you wanted to show them like the spirit of Rosendale, what kind of day would you plan for them?
W: I would show them downtown. I would show them the trestle. Especially if they like to walk. If they take walks, the trestle is really gorgeous. You can see everything below. And it’s a nice walk even for the elderly. You know, it’s nice because it’s not too lengthy. And I would, I’m a supporter of local business.I think I would introduce the people from out of town. I would introduce them to some of the shops downtown.
R: What shops are your favorite ones downtown right now?
W: There’s a lady, well, she’s younger than I am. (Everybody’s younger than I am.) There’s a lady downtown and she sells, I’m not going to say artifacts, but she sells a little different types of odd things, unique, such as earrings. You know, when I have earrings shaped like two teeth.
And I wore them to the dentist. He said, where did you get those? And I said, Rosendale. And she’s maybe three years younger than I am. And we sit there and talk when I go in, which is maybe every couple of months, you know.
R: That’s soiled doves?
W: And it’s, yes. And she’s a nice lady. I used to buy Betty Boop things from her. Like I had a Betty Boop watch. And not only was I supporting local business, but she was actually cheaper because she didn’t have the overhead, you know, that the big stores have.
And plus, you know, when you go to the small town businesses, when you participate in keeping them alive, they’re going to ask you, how’s your family? How’s this? You know, you don’t get that in a big store. You just don’t get that kind of personal attention.
R: And they’re closer too. And her store, especially in all little stores like that in little towns,
they’re curated. You get an idea for who the person is that owns this store, right?
W: That’s right.
R: That’s nice that your style vibes with the kind of things that she likes. You have a very unique style and so does she.
R: And what are your hopes and dreams for our community moving forward?
W: I don’t know how I can accept change at my age. I think that’s hard for us, you know, to accept change like somebody your age would adapt quicker. It takes me time, but I do adapt.
Yeah. You know, like I’m technically savvy. I use a smartphone.
R: Yeah, you do.
W: And I help other seniors. I think younger seniors should help older seniors, if I see somebody struggling, I’ll help them.
R: And part of our project, the hope is that it will increase civic engagement. And I know that you were mentioning a concern with seniors being helped by people that they need to be vetted and everything. Do you think that it’s possible to create some kind of organization here in Rosendale that’s a safe way to help people that need it?
W: Yes, I think so. There’s an organization and it’s done through the office for the aging.
Well, it’s private and it’s called “Stay in Place”. So it’s to keep seniors remaining in the home, which is nice. But again, like being vetted, you have to be very careful who you bring into your home.
R: Because people are more vulnerable, and maybe have less people to rely on.
W: And there should be background checks. That I would like to see. Background checks on the people. And keeping seniors together. And younger seniors helping older seniors, etc.
R: That makes a lot of sense. And you plan on staying in Rosendale?
W: Oh, yeah.
R: And do you have things like that in place for yourself for the future? You seem pretty self-sufficient right now.
W: I’m self-sufficient. I always have been. I lost my only child during the pandemic.
R: So sorry to hear that.
W: Thank you. My life has changed forever. You know, things that I would set aside for him.
And I’m so glad I gave most of it to him when he was alive. But things that I would set aside for him, I no longer have to do that. But I do redirect a lot of things to take me time, taking me a little more time because my concentration level isn’t the same. And it naturally wouldn’t be after being traumatized like that. So I’ve had to adjust and take one day at a time, which is all I can do.
R: Well, if Rosendale was able to come up with a group of caring people that were just there
to say help with shopping and say like shoveling snow and things like that, things that are
not really so much in the home where people are more vulnerable, would you support
that? And do you think that would be a good idea?
W: I would support that if they had like a fund that we could contribute to. That type thing because we’re also on a fixed income. And now with the rising cost of everything, it’s very difficult for us right now. And I have a pretty decent income, but I don’t do what I used to.
You know, new pair of shoes every month. I don’t do that.
R: I know you like shoes. Well, may I use you as a resource if I have questions later on about something like that because you seem that you really have a handle on…
W: Well, I’m on the advisory board. Through the county. And that’s really, really nice because what it is is a blend, a blend of people from different walks of life. Like we have a representative from RCAL, for accessibility, that type thing. And we have a reverend, the one from the church, Christ, whatever it is, the black reverend. She’s an angel.
And you know, we have a blend of ethnic groups, which is really ethnic people. You know, it’s just one group, but it’s nice because you’re getting different input. And we have the New York State Senior Action Council. We have Martha, who’s a member, and another, Clair, who’s also a member, and they’re also very nice to have on the board. And the contributions that people make, and the way we brainstorm and bring different ideas- yeah, it’s a great organization.
R: Awesome. And is there anything else that you’d like to say before we come to a close?
W: Oh, Beth’s son, won the {Rosendale Women’s Club] scholarship.
R: Oh, he did?
W: Yeah, and I was so happy it was him because we have all known him since he was little, you know, Beth used to bring him to the meetings.
R: She’s a hard worker, huh?
W:She’s a nice lady. And it puts something back in my heart because like I was just telling you, I lost my only child. And this brought back some nice memories for me. You know, it was a nice day for me to administer Sumner the certificate and the scholarship check for his books. You know, I was so happy to do it. And I felt so happy for him.
R: That’s great. Well, thank you so much for all you do for our community, Winnie. We’ll be talking again soon, I’m sure.
