Get Happy With It!
By the People . . . For the People Serving Central Connecticut www.peoplespressnews.com Wallingford Flower
& Gift Shoppe
190 Center Street. 203.265.1514 February 2010 • Volume 10, Issue 124
BLANCA SANTANA, FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SCOW Blanca Santana, former director of the Spanish Community of Wallingford, (SCOW) for 14 years, remembers her first office in 1995 as one room in the Wallingford Rail Road Station. She helped her clients adjust to an English speaking work force. She enjoyed her involvement in their lives. It became her personal mission to relieve the pain and suffering that immigrants encounter. Blanca's mother and father, Higia and Hernando, brought their family to Hartford, CT from Peiria, Columbia when Blanca was four years old. Blanca is the oldest of four children. Her parents struggled to make a living and to adjust to a new language, new climate and new friends. Hernando became a gun smith at Colt Manufacturing in Hartford; Higia also worked there besides raising her family, Strong and honest people, they trained their children well. Blanca always kept a strong faith and to this day helps others to believe in a just God. Now Blanca has returned to helping her mother and father while looking for a new job. I've known Blanca for over 15 years when my nephew, Alan, met her as a hostess at a dance. She cut a good figure on the dance floor--and still does, has excellent posture and large brown eyes that captivate her audience. What was striking about Blanca was her humility. She carefully listened to others. Born in a Spanish-speaking home, she learned English at a young age and has assisted her Spanish friends and clients to know both languages. She graduated from Bulkeley High in Hartford and Eastern Connecticut State University with a Bachelor degree in Communications.
Cover Photo by Angie Simon
During a shared lunch, she told me, "I had several part time jobs after college, at one time working for WVIT, Channel 30. I was laid off after four months. I also worked with a friend in photography in the Walmart stores. When I applied at the Spanish Community of Wallingford, I never thought I'd be hired, let alone, stay for 14 years. Blanca was hired as director of SCOW in 1995. In the year, 2001, the town moved SCOW's office to the older Senior Center building where Blanca and two employees assisted over 500 Latino families. The facility gave the people more room to grow in computer skills, in counseling and in recreation. Blanca established collaboration with other agencies in Wallingford (e.g. Literacy Volunteers, Adult Learning Center, the Dare program, United Way member agencies, the youth officer of the Wallingford Police Department, the Wallingford school system and more.) Spanish families received help in immigration issues, learning English as a second language, computer training, legal services, health, employment, education, tutoring, clerical services, community participation, transportation, and entertainment. The quiet Blanca, I first knew, became an advocate for anyone in need. Other agencies admired her. In a span of seven years, Blanca received five awards! In 1999 Blanca was awarded 'WOMAN OF THE YEAR' by the Professional Business Woman Organization. In the year, 2000, Eastern State University gave her THE ALUMNI DISTINGUISHED AWARD. She was chosen above sixty other applicants for her contributions and received THE COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD for the state on Jan. 16, 2006 at the 20th ANNUAL Libery Bell Celebration at the state capitol. On April 18, 2006, again at the state capitol, she was honored as OUTSTANDING IMMIGRANT along with 21 other recipients from Connecticut by the CONNECTICUT IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE COALITION. On Sept. 15, 2007 the HISPANIC PROFESSIONAL NETWORK awarded Blanca the COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD. I attended three out of the five ceremonies and admired Blanca Santana for her talents and her gifts. I called her recently to ask her permission to write this article. She said, "I am very grateful for the partnerships and friendships that I cultivated in all the years I worked for the Spanish Community of Wallingford. It was an honor and a privilege to have the opportunity to assist and guide anyone who needed help." Photo shown is Attorney General Richard Blumenthal with Blanca