On February 6, 2026, Norris Square Senior Center welcomed members and guests to a joyous Valentine’s Day Party. The vibe was energetic, with smiles and laughter adorning the room. Salsa oldies played while the members swayed and got on the dance floor. Valentine’s Day / Día de los Enamorados our way. The Latino way. The festive feeling of Valentine’s Day at the Norris Square Senior Center begins the moment the front door opens. Red paper hearts delightfully line the hallway, guiding members toward the main activities room like a gentle invitation.

Shiny red balloons and a heart-filled backdrop are gathered in a corner to create a memorable background for photos with friends. Long clean tables are dressed with handmade Valentine’s centerpieces, red lace hearts for each placemat, and paper hearts sway softly overhead. Small but powerful details affirm the love for every person who enters.

The room feels warm and alive, filled with conversation, laughter, and the comfort of familiar faces. Everything about the space sends a clear message: you are welcome here – you are home.

From the kitchen comes the unmistakable aroma of Puerto Rican food being prepared with intention and pride.

These are not reheated meals or microwaved trays. Every day, dishes are cooked on site by the center’s kitchen staff, including cook Anna Bodon, Eduardo Ayala, and their colleagues. The care they bring to their work is evident in every plate served. As lunch is shared, so are stories. I sat with a group of members—many of whom also volunteer at the center—and the conversation turned naturally to love, romance, and friendship later in life.

Angel Canel, a member, offers a simple truth: “love”, he says, “is the best thing in the world”. His words are met with nods and smiles of recognition. When lunch ends, the celebration continues. Chairs are pushed aside, music fills the room, and the dancing begins.

Smiles widen as members take to the floor, some dancing in pairs, others swaying with friends. Wanda Mercado, Manager of the Center, watches proudly. “Dancing”, she says, “is always welcome here—it lifts spirits, strengthens bodies, and brings joy”. Moving through the room with a camera is Angel Rosado, who is capturing moments of laughter and movement. “Everyone needs love and friendship,” he says, pausing to take another photo. The Center and its members embrace love in all its forms – romantic, fraternal, affectionate, and the love that nurtures a sense of belonging. It is about the quiet, steady love that grows when people are welcomed, remembered, and cared for with respect for their culture and traditions—day after day, year after year. 

Nearby, Damaris Martinez, a member and volunteer; Jenny Colon, a member and volunteer; Fredis Winda Rodriguez, activities coordinator; and Julia Ponce, a member and volunteer, reflect on love beyond romance—love found in shared meals, daily check-ins, and companionship. “Love isn’t only between couples,” Ponce explains, “It belongs to everyone”. We find it in being together.” The conversation drifts to first loves, lifelong partnerships, losses endured, and lessons learned. The wisdom in the room is hard-earned, generous, and deeply human.

Love has guided the Norris Square Senior Center for more than five decades. Its roots reach back to the early 1970s, when a loving and beloved community leader, Carmen Aponte, began providing meals and activities for Puerto Rican / Latino elders in the basement of a local Baptist Church. The need quickly outgrew that space, and with the help of the archdiocese, a permanent center was created. In 1973, the Norris Square Senior Center was formally established through a partnership between Catholic Social Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging.

The original spirit of love and respect remains intact. It lives in the red hearts lining the hallway, in the meals prepared with care, in the music that fills the room after lunch, and in the simple joy of dancing together.

On Valentine’s Day—and every day—the Norris Square Senior Center reminds us that love does not fade with age. Here, it is practiced, shared, and felt deeply.  I truly enjoyed my time at the center, and I share the sentiments of Damaris Martinez when she said, “I love it here!”