A celebration of five lives, more than 500 years of living

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This article was published 16/05/2024 (518 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Lily Guberman has celebrated more than 100 birthdays, but perhaps none was more special than the one she marked this year alongside four other Winnipeg centenarians.

The seniors were able to share their achievements together at a party Thursday at the Saul and Claribel Simkin Centre.

“My loved ones are surrounded here with me and it makes me very happy and very proud to be in the company of such beautiful, wonderful people,” Guberman said as dozens of her friends and fellow residents gathered to mark the occasion inside the personal-care home.

Born in Winnipeg and raised by a single mother, Guberman turned 102 in January.

Dressed in a teal jacket adorned with a white corsage, she shared stories and advice gleaned throughout her life —including the key to making it to her age.

“The secret is to get past 101,” she quipped.

Kidding aside, Guberman said she “learned to be generous, kind, happy and be very grateful.”

She danced with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet in its founding year, enjoyed more than 60 years of marriage and spent time travelling in Hong Kong.

The celebration was the first gathering held inside the Simkin Centre since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Staff felt it was important to honour Guberman and others who were unable to celebrate their 100th birthdays amid pandemic-induced health restrictions, said Sara Reid, assistant director of care at the Simkin Centre.

“There are not many people in the world that get to live to 100, or get to know a 100-year-old… so celebrating more than 500 years of life with just five people is pretty remarkable,” Reid said.

“They have fantastic advice, they have excellent senses of humour and it’s really nice to see that there is still a lot of life in (them).”

Joining Guberman in the centenarian club were Edith Allen (born April 28, 1921), Violet Nychuk (born Nov. 24, 1921) and Adele Heidinger (born May 14, 1924). Another man, who asked not to be named, was also recognized for exceeding 100-years-old.

Each senior was presented with a framed certificate of honour, celebrating their long lives.

The event included performances from a pair of musicians who led party-goers in an acoustic rendition of Happy Birthday before staff served cake to the crowd.

Liberal MP Ben Carr and NDP MLA Mike Moroz were on hand to offer congratulations.

tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca