As an early member of Harpswell Aging at Home, Beverly Prosser Gelwick helped bring the Neighbors Connecting program to life. She became a caller for the program, which seeks to keep Harpswell’s older residents socially connected.
“As I got older, I became a recipient of some of HAH’s services,” said Prosser Gelwick. This included being the recipient of a friendly phone call. “I’ve made such wonderful friends,” she said.
Prosser Gelwick was paired with Les Klein, who enjoys their friendship. “Talking and spending time with Beverly is beyond delightful,” said Klein. “She’s got volumes of stories to tell about her family and its roots that reach back to the 1800s in Cundy’s Harbor. If I can be half as articulate and worldly as she is when I reach her age, it will be an accomplishment.”
Prosser Gelwick has also continued a year-and-a-half-long friendship with Alvin Stearns, which began when she participated in a HAH project that aims to capture and preserve participants’ memories and reflections. “We talk about anything, including law, history — everything,” she said about Stearns.
“Beverly has a rich and varied history,” said Stearns. “She also brings a perspective of history which provides a valuable contribution to what’s happening in the world today.”
The program, which grew exponentially during the COVID-19 pandemic, hopes to stem the tide of loneliness.