Age is just a number: Paula Luna remains busy in her golden years

by Mark Jahne

Editor

Becoming a senior citizen can be regarded as a time when life slows down, commitments are reduced, and one becomes less active in general. Don’t tell that to Paula Luna.

The Cromwell resident has always been involved in her community and that hasn’t changed at the age of 78. She remains active in the town she loves.

“I was born, raised and educated here,” she said.

Luna graduated from Cromwell High School in 1961. She moved to East Hampton for seven years but the lure of Cromwell drew her back.

“I am the youngest of four” children. “I have a granddaughter who is 32 and she has a son who is 3,” she said.

One of her brothers still lives in town. She has two sons who are in their 50s. One of them lives in Middletown and the other resides in Knoxville, Tenn. There is no shortage of nieces and nephews. Many still live in town.

“My younger son is a corporate pilot. The other one is a chef,” she said. “Most of my working life was devoted to working in law firms.”

Paula Luna may be a senior citizen but she still remains busy and active in the community. Courtesy photo

She found the work fascinating and retired at the age of 70 from her last paralegal job. Luna is involved in local politics and is serving her second term on the Town Council. She decided to become politically active after retirement and enjoys serving on the council.

“It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as a council member,” she said.

“I volunteer with the Recreation Department” and help to staff a tent each week at the Town of Cromwell Farmers Market. “I got involved with the health district and was a volunteer at their vaccine clinics,” she added.

She also keeps busy at the senior center and regularly attends its yoga classes.

“I volunteer at the historical society. I am the council liaison to the [Belden Cromwell Public] Library,” she said.

Another volunteer commitment is with the town’s Youth Advisory Board.

“They do a good job. Any activity or event that interests me, I go to.”

Amy Saada, director of the Cromwell Senior Center and the town’s Human Services Department, is familiar with Luna and her community service.

“She’s a busy lady. She used to sit on our advisory board,” Saada said.

She added that Luna serves as a voice in government for her fellow senior citizens and always seems to be involved in one activity or another. She’s willing to help with anything.”

Luna worships at St. John Church and grew up singing in its choir. She has also done something few other senior citizens can claim.

“I have tandem sky dived seven times. One of my sons was a very active skydiver,” she said.

I love our first responders” and that prompted her to request a ride-along with the police department.

“That was almost as good as skydiving. I actually got to see an arrest,” she recalled.

“I love to travel. I am going back to Italy in September. I do love Europe,” she added. “I am also going to Malta when I go to Sicily. All of my grandparents came from Sicily. My grandparents used to own a dairy in town on Pine Ridge Road.”

Luna has Sicilian heritage (her maiden name is Gugliemino) and has visited Italy, Spain, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Greece, Portugal and Austria. She has also undertaken Alpine tours. She jokes that she does not have the stereotypical Italian/Sicilian female traits.

“I hate to cook. I don’t garden,” she said with a laugh.

One of the few things she doesn’t like all that much is technology. Luna has an iPhone and sees no need for anything else.

“I do not own a computer. I do not want to own a computer,” she said. CL