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07/27/2016 08:30 AMAnna Hamilton’s family moved to East Haven when she was entering high school in 1952, and she has lived in town ever since. During the past six decades, she has volunteered in a variety of ways in town and at her church, St. Clare Parish.
“I like the people in East Haven—they’re nice and friendly—and I just like the town in itself and the surroundings,” says Anna. “I do a lot of volunteering with the church. Wherever I’m needed, I’m there.”
Before the current church was built, Anna married her husband in the old St. Clare’s in 1960. She and Tom raised their two sons and two daughters in town, and they grew up going to St. Clare’s.
“When I had my children, I wasn’t able to do as much, but we went to Mass, and I was a teacher with the CCD program,” says Anna, who now has nine grandchildren. “I think the world of all of my grandchildren and my children.”
When her children got a little older, Anna began working as a substitute teacher in the East Haven school system before getting a secretarial job with the Board of Education. She spent more than 30 years with the school system working and volunteering for the PTA and at various events.
“I originally started by volunteering as a lunch mother,” says Anna. “Working with the school was great because I was out with the children for the summer.”
As the years passed, Anna began to do more volunteer work in the church. She is a member of the Ladies Guild and some of her favorite events to help with are the Christmas fair and the carnival. Another thing Anna has always enjoyed is exercising.
Unfortunately when her parents got older, Anna had to put some of her volunteering and her exercise routine on hold as she cared for them. After they passed, Anna was then taking care of her husband, who suffered a breathing problem. He passed away six years ago.
“After they passed away, it was like, ‘Now what do I do?’ and I saw my exercise instructor who said I looked like a lost soul and should come back to exercise,” says Anna, who goes to Shape Up. “The women there and the instructor helped me through. Between church and exercise, that was godsend for me. I wasn’t going to sit around and mope, and now I’m back there doing exercise every day.”
Anna has gotten even more involved with St. Clare’s since her husband’s passing. With the carnival, which she has volunteered with since its inception 12 years ago, Anna volunteers at the pizza booth. She also helps prepare the frozen bananas.
Once a month, the Ladies Guild meets to discuss various fundraisers. They also do a lot of baking for the different events at the church.
“I enjoy working with the group of ladies I’m with. They’re all great,” says Anna. “We work well together and what I enjoy is that we help one another. Whenever they need help, I tell them to give me a buzz. We’ll do any kind of fundraiser we can to help keep our church open.”
Anna also volunteers on the altar committee, as a greeter, attends Bible studies, and became a Eucharistic minister about a year ago. As a Eucharistic minister, Anna gives out communion at Mass and also distributes communion to those who are homebound or in convalescent homes.
“That’s part of our ministry,” says Anna. “I enjoy visiting, especially the people who are at home and in the convalescent homes because we brighten their day.”
While Anna is very active with her church, spending time with her family is Anna’s biggest priority. Her two sons live in town and she has a daughter in North Haven and a daughter in North Branford. She is thankful that they are nearby and for their support .
“I thank God because I don’t know what I’d do without them—they’re so good to me and they help me so much,” says Anna. “My family feels better that I’m so involved because they know I’m not just moping around.”
Even though Anna is in her 70s, she has no plans of slowing down any time soon. She continues to exercise every day, host family gatherings, and volunteer wherever she is needed at St. Clare’s.
“I don’t stay still for one minute, I’m always going, and always doing, but I enjoy doing for people,” says Anna. “I don’t look for recognition. I just do it with all my heart. I love helping people. It’s the kind of person I am. I’m always there for my children and my church because I love the town and the people and everything else.”