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07/13/2022 08:30 AM“My first friend I made in town was actually a senior citizen,” Christina Acampora says with a laugh.
That’s a fitting anecdote for Christina who started earlier this month as Clinton’s new senior program coordinator.
Last year the town created the part-time position of a senior program coordinator to be a point person for managing initiatives aimed at senior in Clinton. Christina’s duties will include developing programming, marketing, performing outreach to the senior community to learn their needs, recruiting volunteers, and being the go-to person for all relevant town departments.
Christina says that she had been looking regularly at the posted town jobs when the senior coordinator position caught her eye. As someone with a background in marketing and planning both large and small scale activities, the job was right up Christina’s alley.
“During the interview it became very clear that this is something I’d be good at. I’m good at connecting this group to that group, which is a lot of what this job really is,” says Christina.
Also playing a role in Christina’s interest in the position is the fact that helping senior citizens is something that is of great importance to her.
“I’ve always been endeared to that sect of the population,” Christina explains. “I don’t like to see them overlooked.”
“They have such knowledge and interesting stories,” she adds.
Christina only started in the position in early June, so she says that right now she’s still developing ideas for programs she can bring to town. One task on which she is currently working is building a database of Clinton seniors’ emails and mailing addresses.
“That’s so I have a go to place to do an email blast or eventually a newsletter for upcoming events,” says Christina.
Christina can be reached at cacampora@clintonct.org. A webpage for seniors’ activities on the town website is still being constructed.
Christina says she is also working to schedule a meet and greet event at the Henry Carter Hull Library so she can introduce herself to seniors and they can share their ideas with her.
As for potential upcoming programs, Christina notes that senior’s interest and abilities “run the gamut” from people who are house bound to people who still go to the gym every day. As such, Christina says she’s looking into everything from walking and exercise groups to mosaic building and live performances, mahjong, and creative writing.
“What’s been a pleasant surprise is people in the community and even some seniors themselves have reached out letting me know what they can offer,” says Christina. “I’m naturally good at connecting with others and I want to collaborate with others groups that are providing programs for seniors.”
Besides her role with the town, Christina also does public relations and marketing for a law firm in New Haven, a job she has held for more than a decade. In her role, Christina is responsible for curating databases, executing events, and anticipating issues that could crop up and having contingency plans for them.
“Surprisingly, almost all those skills transfer to the senior coordinator role,” says Christina. “I get to work and interact with a lot of people as a liaison, which I like. It doesn’t feel like a job sometimes.”
Besides her new role with the town, Christina’s name may sound familiar to some citizens because of her involvement with the Henry Carter Hull Library, where she has been a member of the board of trustees for more than 10 years.
“The first thing I did as a new mom was check out the library looking for groups,” Christina recalls. “Organically that’s where I first made friends. Then eventually Lynn Hidek, who was the children’s librarian, called me and asked if I was interested about the board,” Christina says.
“I always liked libraries and I think we have a really great town library,” Christina sums up.
Christina grew up in Hamden and then lived in North Guilford before moving to Clinton just under 12 years ago.
“We loved the shoreline and loved being on this side of the Q Bridge. It was a welcome change being by the water,” says Christina.
“Between the country area that’s so cute and the coastline, I really believe we get the best of both worlds here,” says Christina.
In her spare time Christina can be found reading, spending time at the beach, or on her boat.
“What I like about Clinton is the small town-ness of it. I still get a delight that after I drop my daughter off at school that the majority of cars I pass back to my house I’m waving at everyone,” says Christina.