Sarah Amaral is New Deputy Dir. at Sr. Center

In the midst of dealing with the aftermath of  frozen pipes and water damage, the Franklin Senior Center also had to contend with the departure of deputy director Christina LaRose

But Director Danielle Hopkins was able to quickly bring a new face into  the mix, Sarah Amaral, who attended Thursday's legislator "office hours" at the once-again busy Senior Center.

Amaral,  who started on March 6th, said most of her prior work experience was with non-profit organizations including the American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, and the Boston Debate League. "Most recently I was a General Manager for a large Salon and Spa, [but] I really missed the non-profit work because I love serving others and enjoyed the senior community," she said.

Asked whether she had any specific plans, Amaral said, "I'm fairly new to throw out any lofty goals - but what I can say is, how impressed I am by the senior staff and what they have created here. "

"It's breaking all barriers of what a senior center is often thought to be; there's nothing "old" about this place," she said. "I've already joked with my family that I'm not sure how much they'll see me when I retire because my calendar will be full with Franklin Senior Center programs and events,"  she added!

Amaral said she is excited to work with the staff to bring the center to the next level - meeting and surpassing the needs and wants of our senior community.