Working for and Retiring from the Area Agency on Aging - Ellen Cleveland
by Ellen Cleveland
  • August 16, 2024
  • 8 mins story
1. What is your favorite memory of growing up and/or living in Chenango County? This can be from your childhood, the past month, or anything in between.

[0:00]

At a very young age; very, very young. And because I was a mom with three young children; Michael was - my youngest - was only like four - no five, he had just started kindergarten. And because I'd have to work holidays, I’d have to work weekends, I didn't work nights. So it was great, you know. My kids went to school, they stayed at the afterschool program. And then I would just pick them up and we would go home. So, that was - the county was the perfect job. Then after I had like 15 years in, I was like, “I might as well wait until I have 20 and then I get my civil service retirement.” And then I hit 20, I said [unintelligible] cause I really like my job. I like what I do. I like working for seniors, and… Unfortunately I just do budgets, pay the bills, do state aid claims, stuff like that. Financial. But still, I get to come out for things every now and then. Get out of my little office. 

[0:52]

In my younger days before I had the boys… no no, it was after I had Chris, I think Brian too. I was in Community Players for - that’s what it was called then, Community Players - and it was - it might be Chenango Players or something like that now. So I was in a couple of musicals, I was in one drama - 1984 . And had a ball, had a ball. Sometimes I’d bring the boys to rehearsals but - and a great group of people that - fantastic singers them. I can’t remember any names, it was too long ago. [laughs] No, no. Unfortunately now I don’t have time, just because I have seniors in my life that I take care of. And I’m an avid golfer. I’m not good, but I’m an avid golfer so… I‘m in two leagues during the week plus I go up every chance I get to play, so…

[1:52]

After I retire? I’m not gonna do anything for the first couple of months, just to get used to not coming to the county building every day. And then I’m gonna do a bunch of volunteer work. I’m gonna volunteer at the historical society. Also, my church does a lot of work; the Broad Street United Methodist Church. And they do a lot of outreach and different kinds of things. And so I can volunteer there more. ‘Cause I’ll have free time. 

[2:21]

Yeah, we moved to Oxford when I was 17. And I lived there just - I went just my senior year in Oxford. And then I got a job up here. Back in the olden when - where Tractor Supply used to be, was Big N department store. And I was hired to run the office and front checkouts. And did that until I got pregnant with Christian. So I enjoyed that, but I had gotten an apartment here in town and didn’t have a driver’s license, nor a car. So I lived on Rexford Street and I would walk all the way to the lower plaza. Rain, shine, sleet, snow, it didn’t matter. I would walk down to work and then walk back so… 

[3:01]

You know, I like the people. I like the community. I’m not that crazy about Norwich schools because - I wouldn’t go into detail. But, I like the community, I love the setting, you know. The landscapes are gorgeous; the old buildings are just beautiful and most owners do keep them up. So I like that. I’m centrally located for town, it’s just perfect. I can easily walk to Service Pharmacy where I get all my prescriptions. I can easily walk to the post office, to the Grand Union grocery store, you know. It’s just -  I’m right there, it’s wonderful. [laughs] So most of the time I don’t even need a car, although I have one now. And a license. 

[3:42]

Oh yeah. I plan on doing some  traveling. My youngest son lives in Kentucky; Lexington. So I want to go visit with him for a couple of weeks. I have a brother who’s in South Carolina, so I’m gonna go stay with him for a couple of weeks, just not during hurricane season. And my brother and his fiancé are taking me to see the Grand Canyon; I’ve always wanted to see the Grand Canyon. So we’re going to do a road trip. So when - every time we’re on the highway, if I see a sign and [say], “I wanna see that, turn here!”, he will. So that’ll be a blast. 

Submitted to:
In-Person Recorded