On Friday, November 21, Newtown Senior Center members packed the meeting room for the annual Friendsgiving lunch.

While waiting for the lunch to be served, Economic and Community Development Director John Voket played guitar and harmonica for the crowd. Many laughs and snippets of conversation were heard through the music and down the hall.

Shortly after noon, First Selectman Jeff Capeci joined the crowd and chatted amongst the people gathered for the meal. Many conversations centered around Capeci’s monthly visits to Newtown Senior Center for the “Java with Jeff” program. During these programs, Capeci would take questions from residents and either answer them there or would go back to his office and send Natalie Griffith, director of Human Services, an email with responses to the questions asked.

Every Human Services employee was all hands on deck during the meal. They only took a brief pause right before the food was served. Voket paused his playing, too, and passed the mic to Griffith, who then thanked everyone for coming.

Griffith invited Capeci to stand at the front of the room with her and took a moment to recognize his work and dedication to the senior center.

“As all of you know, Jeff has been so present at our senior center in his term as first selectman, not just as Java with Jeff … he was here throughout the month and was always available to me when I needed things for our seniors and was just a tremendous support and advocate for our senior community,” Griffith said.

She added that she “know[s]” that his advocacy will continue during his term on Board of Selectmen.

“To honor him, we have put together a lifetime membership to the Newtown Senior Center in thanks for his service as First Selectman to the town of Newtown,” Griffith said while handing Capeci a framed photo of him with some of the seniors. Around the photo were signatures from the seniors.

As she handed Capeci this framed photo, many attendees laughed and clapped. Capeci himself smiled big as he looked into the glass.

Griffith then thanked the Human Services employees for helping to put together the meal and making it a wonderful experience for the members. She offered her thanks to Blue Colony Diner as well, as it supplied the food for the group, and to Voket for playing music.

After Griffith’s thanks were offered to the crowd, member Peggy Posteraro took the mic to bless the meal. Her words included thanks for the senior center and its community of friends and food.

After Posteraro’s blessing, the meal was served, and the seniors began to eat. Raffle prizes were given out after the meal.

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Reporter Sam Cross can be reached at sam@thebee.com.