JOYFUL LIVING: TECHNOLOGY OPENS DOOR FOR ZEWADSKI-BRICKER

By EMILY STEELE

Edith Zewadski-Bricker is a fifth-generation Floridian. As a young adult she and her first husband, now deceased, lived on a boat traveling the Bahamas. 

As Zewadski-Bricker tells it, “When it came time to settle down, we chose the Keys because they closely resembled the Bahamas and still had the advantages of the United States – like grocery stores.”

For 20 years she was the Monroe County Social Services supervisor in the Upper Keys, and the Senior Center in the Plantation Key Government Center was one of her responsibilities. It was there that she met Denise Downing, Terry Tainow and Betsy Baste. 

“Downing and Tainow volunteered time and resources to hold holiday parties and Baste conducted weekly technology classes,” Zewadski-Bricker said.

At the time she had no idea the impact the three women would have in her life. First, their experience at the Senior Center served as inspiration for Just Older Youth Inc. and the JOY Center. She became a board member, and worked alongside Baste, Downing, Tainow and many others to implement the Pearl Street Church pilot program — eventually she became a student in Baste’s technology class, which later provided a major lifeline for Zewadski-Bricker and her family.

Outside Zewadski-Bricker’s home sits “Annabelle’s Awesome Airstream.” The renovated Airstream was crafted by the Bricker family as a safe place for the youngest, Annabelle. Annabelle was diagnosed with a severe mental illness five years ago and her family surrounds her with acceptance and love. At the time of Annabelle’s diagnosis, Zewadski-Bricker retired and her husband, Tim Bricker – founder of Habitat for Humanity in the Keys – began to work from home, providing Annabelle with support to live with her illness.

Zewadski-Bricker uses the technology skills she acquired in JOY’s technology classes to continue her connections with United Women of Faith (UWF), Burton Memorial Church, JOY Inc., and acquiring mental health services to meet her daughter’s needs.

Zewadski-Bricker serves as social action liaison to the UWF Florida Conference Leadership Team, giving her a venue to speak about the need for improved mental health services. The UWF venue dovetails with her service on Advocates for Mental Health South Florida. With support from her sisters in UWF, JOY Inc., and Susie Anderson she, and another advocate, held the first virtual National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Friends and Family Class in the Upper Keys with 27 participants completing the class.

A vibrant sense of appreciation permeates the room when Zewadski-Bricker talks about her experiences of the past five years. There is also a sense of awe that technology has opened the door to a larger audience for Annabelle’s story. And there is hope that Monroe County officials will help sustain the JOY Center in a permanent, full-time location and provide funding to continue JOY Center’s profound, positive impact on the lives of the county’s seniors and the larger community.  

Touring the Bricker home and visiting Annabelle’s childhood bedroom saw a young girl’s life and 20 plus Easter baskets. If you see Zewadski-Bricker, ask her about the Easter trip from Key Largo to the frozen north; it’s a good one. The JOY Center offers vibrant programs and lifelong learning experiences for people over 50 every Wednesday, both virtual and on-site. This bi-weekly column will feature the many dedicated people who are working to achieve this goal. For more information contact justolderyouthinc@gmail.com.