SeniorCare is pleased to honor three community heroes– Sheila Taylor of Ipswich and Lenny & Dottie Linquata of Gloucester– at our 54th Anniversary Celebration on October 15, 2026.
Sheila Taylor, Ipswich
Rosemary F. Kerry Community Service Award
Sheila Taylor is a lifelong champion for the older adult community in Ipswich.
For 24 years, Sheila served the Ipswich Council on Aging, culminating in her role as Director until her retirement in May 2023. Her leadership was marked by compassion, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to community. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she ensured that the COA remained open and responsive to seniors’ needs. Though quick to credit her team, Sheila’s influence and dedication were widely acknowledged as the driving force behind their success.
Since retiring, Sheila has remained deeply involved in service. She serves on the Board of the Ipswich Friends of the Elderly and volunteers regularly as a Meals on Wheels driver for SeniorCare. When the program faced a shortage in late 2023, Sheila helped recruit six new drivers—each citing her as their inspiration.
Sheila’s efforts extend beyond SeniorCare. She volunteers weekly at the Ipswich COA’s mobile food pantry in partnership with The Open Door, and at the Amesbury food pantry. She also provides transportation for seniors through the COA’s medical transportation program, and she remains active in the COA’s quilting group, helping foster a sense of community and belonging.
Additionally, Sheila plays a key role on the town board working to implement a senior tax abatement initiative—an effort she helped lead to passage, aiming to help older residents stay in their homes with dignity. She also supports broader community efforts, such as SeniorCare’s Project Warm Friends and the Haverhill-based “Towers of Gifts for Newborns in Need,” connecting resources with those who need them most.
A proud Ipswich resident of over 30 years, Sheila has raised her family here and continues to give back in countless ways. Whether behind the wheel, behind the scenes, or at the front of a volunteer effort, she brings humility, warmth, and unwavering dedication to everything she does.
Sheila Taylor exemplifies the spirit of the Rosemary F. Kerry Community Service Award through a lifetime of service and continued engagement. Her leadership and compassion have touched hundreds of lives, and her legacy continues to inspire those around her.
The Rosemary F. Kerry Community Service Award is presented to an individual of outstanding character, who gives of their time, expertise or resources, showing the highest level of community service to improve the quality of life of elders.
Lenny & Dottie Linquata, Gloucester
Myra L. Herrick Outstanding Older American Award
Lenny & Dottie Linquata continue the five-decade long tradition begun by Lenny’s father, Mike, by opening the doors of the Gloucester House to host an annual breakfast fundraiser benefiting SeniorCare’s Meals on Wheels program. What began as a generous act of hospitality has become a beloved community tradition and the major fundraising event for SeniorCare’s nutrition program.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when the Grace Center needed space for its day program serving people experiencing homelessness and others in need, Dottie and Lenny opened the doors of the Gloucester House and hosted the program through the winter. Their service has also included organizing the annual Salvation Army collection on Cape Ann, supporting local veterans, and contributing to many other community efforts.
Dottie and Lenny Linquata exemplify community leadership through their generosity, consistency, and commitment to serving others. Their support has made a meaningful difference for older adults served by SeniorCare and for many others throughout the Cape Ann community.
The Myra L. Herrick Outstanding Older American Award is given to individuals who have made a significant contribution to the welfare of elders in an innovative, creative, or dedicated way, or who are role models for continuing to live an active, healthy, and purposeful lifestyle.