By Clyde Noel

Town Crier Correspondent

Members of senior centers have a lifetime of talents to give to their community. After 23 years of volunteer service, Mary Jane Sawka has given more than her share to the Los Altos Senior Center and is now thinking about retiring.

“It’s like a home away from home. Every Monday afternoon I water all the flowers in the senior center except the plant on the top of the coat closet,” Sawka said. “That one’s too high. I don’t get on a stepladder at my age. I’m 89, and someone else can crawl up there.”

Sawka, who was born in Canada in 1914, came to the United States when she was 12 and eventually moved to Los Angeles. She found her man and married him, but he died in 1977, leaving her with three sons.

Her sons lived in the Los Altos area, so Sawka moved to the Springwood Apartments 23 years ago.

“I didn’t want to be a burden to my family, so I got my own apartment,” Sawka said. “Other than occasional trips, I spent most of my time volunteering at the Los Altos Senior Center.”

Sawka has many memories of the senior center. During her 23-year service, she was a receptionist and gave people information over the phone. She made potato salad for the luncheons and cleaned up afterward. She even wallpapered the walls.

“A lot of people came through the senior center, and I remember most of the nice ones. I can’t remember the oddballs; they must have gone to another center after we ignored them,” she recalled.

Sawka remembers most of the directors, such as Blondina Fistor and May Wong. They were here when she came. She served two terms on the board of directors. She was instrumental in organizing pancake breakfasts and rummage sales to raise money to buy a van for senior transportation.

“I enjoyed working with Judy and presently with Alice Putman,” Sawka said. “Alice is a down-to-earth type of person you can take to.”

About a year ago Sawka was driving her car on the freeway and made a mistake that terrified her. She swore she would never drive a car again but kept her driving license active.

Without a car, she gave up her Springwood apartment and moved to the Villa Siena retirement home in Mountain View.

“It’s small. Only one room and bath, and a walk-in closet,” Sawka said. “I gave most of my stuff away. My children didn’t need it.”

Sawka now gets around with the help of longtime friend Audrey Helgeson of Mountain View. Helgeson has worked at the senior center, for 22 years.

“I don’t know what I would do without her,” Helgeson said.

“We have so much to talk about. I have three sons and she has three sons.”

Every Monday at 2:30 p.m. they have a tea party for three. Sawka, Helgeson and Putman sip tea and talk about life and the good memories. Occasionally another senior joins the trio.

“I don’t know how long this tea party has been in existence, but it’s a tradition,” Putman said. “It’s survived about five different senior center directors.”

Putman said members can’t believe Sawka has volunteered 23 years at the Los Altos Senior Center. “It’s her second home, and it provided personal growth, friendship and independence. It does that for a lot of our single members.”