The Old Guard, which meets weekly in West Hartford, had a special celebration this month.

Submitted 

Old Guard President Russ Jones introduced the Feb. 1 meeting with a greeting to celebrate the 58 anniversary of the group.

Quoting from a Hartford Times newspaper article, Jones read that “A rapidly growing organization in West Hartford is showing once again that people who have been busy for a lifetime don’t like winding down all the way.” Founders Winfield I. MacNeill and Harry Wiley had approached the director of the West Hartford YMCA to supply meeting space for meetings of the club and a relationship was begun that continues to this day. From a beginning of 26 members, the Old Guard has grown and today membership stands at 192 active plus two emeritus members.

While the Old Guard meets weekly on Tuesday mornings throughout the year for informative presentations by civic, business, educational, and sports figures, its members also contribute time and funds to civic organizations. In 2022, the “Swing for the Kids” annual golf tournament raised over $6,000 for YMCA summer camp scholarships, raised over $8,000 for the Salvation Army virtual kettle as well as “ringing the bell” at the LaSalle Road post office in December. Other activities included home building for Habitat for Humanity, sorting food for Foodshare, contributing to community food banks, distributing Meals on Wheels, and managing the Senior Job Bank. The Old Guard also organizes attendance at sport events, museums, and special events throughout the year. And many of these activities are coordinated and scheduled at the Old Guard’s own website, ctoldguard.org.

President Jones reminds members “that any and all participation is entirely voluntary, and nothing is required of members. The organization leadership provides the coordination and a member can gather information and participate as they wish.”

West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor, a recent speaker at a meeting of the Old Guard, noted that “Niche magazine, for the fifth straight year ranked West Hartford as one of the best places to live in Connecticut … that doesn’t happen by chance, but by amazing people like you who invest in the community and do deeds of service.” Old Guard members, “according to President Jones, in their 58th year, are more vital and involved than ever.”

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