The 2010 Yankee Homecoming Senior King & Queen have been announced! For all their efforts, Lucien Lacroix and Priscilla Kime have been named this year’s Senior King and Senior Queen. We look forward to your joining us as we gather to celebrate this recognition of their volunteer endeavors.

2010 Senior Queen, Priscilla Kime

Our Senior Queen, Priscilla Kime, was born in Newburyport into a family of twelve. Upon marrying, she moved to 83 Lafayette Road in nearby Salisbury, Massachusetts, where she still lives today. Recently widowed after eighteen years of marriage to her second husband, William, she is the head of a family that includes a son, a daughter, a step-daughter, three grandchildren, three step-grandchildren, and ten step-great-grandchildren, in addition to her large extended family, many of whom still reside in the Newburyport area. Upon retiring from Newburyport’s Gould Electronics after thirty-five years, Priscilla joined the Salisbury Senior Center, where she continues to volunteer in many ways, including helping organize the Center’s weekly bingo games and monthly birthday parties for Salisbury’s senior citizens. She has further helped seniors in her community, serving as Chair of Salisbury’s Council on Aging. In addition to the Senior Center and Council on Aging, volunteering at the Second Generation Thrift Shop in Seabrook, for Newburyport’s Turning Point, Inc., in Amesbury’s Relay for Life, and even as a bell ringer during the holiday season for Newburyport’s Salvation Army. As a lifelong member of Newburyport’s Central Congregational Church, Priscilla has filled a number of volunteer roles, from Sunday School teacher to Women’s Club and Women’s Wisdom Circle member to Altar Guild. Once a month she participates in the Saturday Night Meal Program, delivering meals from the church to the Pettingill House in Salisbury. On a more personal note, Priscilla has been a rock of strength in her own family. Providing care to family members through terminal illnesses, she has been an outspoken advocate for their personal wishes. Her support allowed her sister to remain at home, surrounded by loved ones, until her passing last year. More recently, she cared for her husband at home until his death. A niece describes Priscilla as the family matriarch, who holds them together while providing them with an example of quiet strength and dignity.

In addition to her full-time schedule of volunteering in her community, church, and family, Priscilla still finds the time for hobbies. She enjoys making her own intricate greeting cards, decorated with punch craft, for family and friends. Another important part of her life, Priscilla enjoys time with friends, including her enduring friendship with her best friend since fourth grade. She continues to nurture these friendships with lunch visits and phone calls, and feels that such relationships are an important part of anyone’s life.

2010 Senior King, Lucien Lacroix

Our Senior King, Lucien Lacroix, is a resident of 14R Hill Street in Newburyport, Massachusetts. A U.S. Army veteran, Lucien moved from Lawrence, Massachusetts, in 1975 to Newburyport with his wife, Judy, whom he will celebrate forty years of marriage with this coming year. Lucien immediately became active in the community, beginning with the Kiwanis Club, whom he has served as President, Vice President, and Treasurer over the years. This service led to other organizations, building up a history of volunteerism with groups including the Lions’ Club, the Custom House, Special Olympics, Little League, Senior League and Pioneer League. He has also served on the boards of many local groups, often serving terms as president; the Newburyport Bank, Opportunity Works, and Yankee Homecoming to name just a few. Many in the community know him from his service as General Chair for the 1997 Yankee Homecoming; he again chaired the event in 2007, with his wife, Judy, and son, Jason, making it a true family effort. He is also well-known for his involvement in Opportunity Works’ Lend-A-Hand annual auction. A hands-on volunteer and board member, he truly enjoys interacting with all those he meets, and his passion can been seen by just looking in his eyes. Lucien himself notes that he "obtains self-satisfaction from my volunteering, something money cannot buy". His volunteerism with Yankee Homecoming and Opportunity Works has led to a number of community events during Homecoming’s annual week of festivities. In 1992, Lucien saw that the residents of our local nursing homes, many of whom had attended Yankee Homecoming events over the years, were now unable to take part. He decided that if they could not go to Homecoming, Homecoming could come to them, and invited Dick Kaplan’s Excellent Jazz Band to play a series of concerts at the nursing homes. With such a jam-packed day of music, Lucien also realized that fitting in lunch for the band might prove problematic. He asked if Opportunity Works could provide the meal, a request that was welcomed, which in turn an additional concert during the day to thank the individuals of the workshop for their hospitality. This concert series is now an annual event, and will hopefully continue on, as Lucien often says that one day, when he is in a nursing home, he’d like to think someone out there will bring in a band to play.

In addition to the official groups he is a part of, Lucien has touched many others’ lives in one way or another. He used to go daily during his lunch hour to spend time with his neighbor, Marion, who a quadriplegic, lifting her from bed to wheelchair; she otherwise would have had to spend the whole day and night in bed. From saving a choking coworker with the Heimlich method, to the neighborhood block parties he and Judy organized, to being part of the team that cleaned weeds and trash from Newburyport’s waterfront - whether lending a helping hand to a neighbor or the community as a whole, Lucien’s dedicated spirit and passion serves as an example to all who know him.

Yankee Homecoming, in conjunction with the Newburyport Council on Aging and Atria Place, is searching for their Senior King and Queen for 2010, someone who has given of themselves for the betterment of others. Do you know someone who is deserving of this honor? We are now accepting applications for Senior King and Queen nominees from the Greater Newburyport area. The deadline for applications July 1, 2010.

On July 7, all former Kings & Queens are invited to a luncheon at 11:30am at Turning Point, Inc. where all the nominations that have been received by the July 1st deadline will be collected. Only the former Kings & Queens may vote. Our 2009 Senior King & Queen are Paul Norton of Newburyport & Ruth Gus of Newburyport. They will be welcoming the 2010 Yankee Homecoming King & Queen at the Coronation.

The Yankee Homecoming Senior King & Queen are always invited guests of the Yankee Homecoming Parade

Wednesday
July 28
4-6pm
Atria Merrimack Place
85 Astoria Ave., Newburyport

Tickets are available at Newburyport Council on Aging, Atria Place and Turning Point, Inc.