Doubleday Babcock Senior Center's (DBSC) reach cuts through the community. It serves the senior population who are the parents and grandparents of the residents. John Palmer, Esq. showed that when he said he took an ad in the DBSC Journal for Barbara Hadel's retirement party. He said his mother Agnes Palmer loved being at DBSC. "She made great friends here and enjoyed the bus ride. She always took the long way home on the DBSC bus. She is 87. She came to DBSC for 20 to 25 years. DBSC gave her the ability to socialize. They were good to her," he said.

It is that closeness that makes what happened there on Jan. 21, a community event. Barbara Hadel's retirement party, began in the Parish Hall of Christ Church as parishioners hosted a welcoming cocktail party. When she and her husband William Hadel arrived, they were greeted by staff members from today, and yesterday.

In the gala journal, the board of directors of DBSC paid tribute to Barbara Hadel for her 29 years of excellent service and untiring efforts as executive director. He said, "Under her leadership and direction DBSC grew from 100 seniors sharing a meal once a week in the Parish Hall of Christ Church to an independent organization with a 12,500-square foot building of its own, offering a myriad of activities five days a week to 1,800 members. Her devotion and commitment to her 'fourth child' was evident in everything she did. Whether it was negotiating the challenges of the construction of our new home, steadfastly and creatively searching for public funds, or even rolling up her sleeves and grinding clams for the Center's booth at the annual Oyster Festival. To paraphrase the motto of the center, we wish her unlimited places to go in the years ahead, challenging and rewarding things to do and a wealth of family and friends to love. We love you, Barbara."

Ms. Hadel was presented with a citation by Ralph Caruso, Nassau County Deputy Commissioner of Senior Citizen Affairs, and from County Executive Thomas Suozzi. Chuck Lavine presented his own citation and a kiss. He said that her compassion and love was reflected back to her with adoration. He said, "The four philosophers, John, Paul, George and Ringo said, 'After all is said and done the love, that you get is equal to the love that you give'."

Assemblyman Robert Walker, Town Councilwomen Rose Marie Walker and Elizabeth Faughnan came to honor her as did NYS Senator Carl Marcellino. Ms. Hadel's picture was taken with them and she said of the photo ops, "They are important. They are the people who help us."

William Hadel, Jr. said his mother knew something was up [the gala] because everytime she walked into an office everyone stopped talking. He said Barbara said, "I don't know why they are doing this. I didn't do anything special."

He was there representing the family for her and his siblings, Beth and Tommy. He said, "When the center began I was 11. Now I am 40, I was as old as my oldest son. Steve and Marge Burberry did a hard sell to get my mother to take the job, one day a week. My father asked 'who's going to cook my dinner?'"

Gail Speranza said later, "She left the center between 4:30 and 5 every day to cook dinner for Bill, Sr."

Bill Jr. said his mother told her children that "If we had a problem to call and 'I'll be there.' The staff knew and they would go and get her out of whatever meeting she was in whenever we called. If I forgot my lunch or gym clothes, she would get it. Coach Rose and Principal Joe Ferraro knew where to call. When I wrecked my car - in front of the senior center - she was there. It was perfect. Thanks for being my mom."

Barbara Hadel recalled that when Steve Burberry knocked on the door and came in to talk about the Christ Church Memorial Foundation and that they wanted to start a senior center one day a week and were programming for 35 people in the renovated kitchen. When I talked to my husband he said all right, as long as the family came first. I've never broken that promise. You all at the center became what I was about. Tonight is about 'us'. The 'us' in the senior center began with the first group at Christ Church who were wise enough to know what was needed in the village," she said.

Ms. Hadel said that over her 29 years at DBSC there have been 59 people on staff. She said, "The average stay is over seven years, a tremendous compliment to the center. They took a year to find my successor. It was a wonderful process and they chose Gail. I'm leaving my footprint but not my shoes. You will fill your own. I don't know what community can open a senior center and a Boys & Girls Club the same year and all paid for, but Oyster Bay did."

She quoted Vera Ranaldo saying to the town board when they went for their approval, "I believe I am my brother's keeper and the Village of Oyster Bay shows that they believe that."

Ms. Hadel said, "DBSC is the premier senior center." She then repeated what she said at Angela Koenig's memorial service. "She took the senior center under her wing and taught it to fly. She took me under her wing and let me do things I didn't know I could do and best of all we can do it together and I thank you for allowing me to do it." She thanked Eileen O'Leary of Fiddleheads for the dinner she served and said it was important to have the dinner there at DBSC just as it was to have the reception at Christ Church.

In a telephone interview, Barbara said she is enjoying her retirement. "Everyone is leaving me alone. I don't have to get up unless I want to. I've neglected the house for the last year and now I have time. In June I had a piece of my lung taken out and I worked through it."

Barbara did the same thing when she had breast cancer and worked at DBSC all during her chemotherapy. When cancer was found, it was taken out. "I had massive chemo. I wore a wig at the gala," she said.

Her openess was a great inspiration to other women when she had breast cancer. She said the same happened with her lung cancer. "Another woman had it and said if I could get through it she would too," said Ms. Hadel.

While she was at DBSC she went back to college. She said, "I thought if I ever left DBSC I didn't have the right initials after my name. I went to C.W. Post and needed to write a thesis. I was doing it on 'The need for senior centers to upgrade what they do because the seniors themselves change.' I was in the middle of doing it when we were doing it - upgrading - and building our new site. That's when I decided, 'I don't need a master's. I'm not going anywhere. I'm not going to do it. I don't need to do it,' but it took two years before I threw it out. I'm used to finishing things. Between the first cancer and building the center I decided, of the master's thesis, I can't do this.

"It's been a great run. I can liken it to a roller coaster ride. I had cancer and kept on working. I had another cancer and went through a lung resection and kept on working and I feel good."

She has been a role model for people. She said even Rosie Koenig Karabatos said, "We want our kids to see that."

Talking of the Koenigs brought Barbara full circle back to Angela Koenig and how they worked together and how she feels the work she did at the center included Angela and the seniors themselves. She said, "No matter how much people tell me, it really was an 'us' thing. I actually believe it. I had lunch with Ada and Franklin Flower and she said, 'You don't really realize what you did, do you?'"

Barbara just said, "It's been a great run!"

At the gala, DBSC longtime board member Rich Cieciuch said Barbara and Angela Koenig [the original DBSC board president] has a special bond/relationship. He said, "At first blush it seemed a one-way street from Angela to Barbara but in reality it was a two-way street. Barbara was a good listener, learner and friend. Barbara, you were a gift to Angela. Angela was energized by you in being honest and brief in the execution of your duties."

Mr. Cieciuch presented her with a portrait of herself which will hang in the center near the portrait of Angela.

Board president Richard Longworth and Fritz Coudert presented Barbara with a customized, wireless lap top computer with a printer and scanner. "Barbara is really skilled at the computer so she has to have the best," said Fritz Coudert.

"Does that mean I'm un-retired? That was a joke Fritz!" said Barbara. She added, "I'm obviously overwhelmend. I've had a number of wow days: the first was opening day of Doubleday Babcock in February 29 years ago. The second wow day was in April 1998 when we opened up this building, and tonight is the third wow."