Orange resident Helen Len Koziel recently celebrated her 101st birthday with family and friends. Helen attributes her longevity to many things, all of which, she explains, add up to FAITH, FAMILY and FRIENDS. Helen possesses each of the above in great abundance!
She is very active in soul, mind and body. She faithfully volunteers at the Beth El Soup Kitchen in Milford, believing it is everyone’s birth privilege to care for others in need whenever possible. Helen also enjoys taking water exercise classes at the Milford Woodruff YMCA, swimming at the Orange Town Pool at High Plains Community Center, and playing games on her computer. Helen is a voracious reader and can often be found at the Orange Library borrowing its most recent offerings of reading material as well as favorite novels from times past — each book a “treasure” to Helen.
Helen’s unconditional love, positive attitude, and kind and quiet spirit has earned her the respect and admiration of her family and friends. Helen, adored matriarch of her family, was the guest of honor at a birthday dinner party hosted by her children, Joe and Joan Koziel and Vin and Barbara Schmidt. Other celebrations in her honor were hosted and attended by the Milford YMCA members, her buddies at the Orange Pool and Fitness Center, her long-time friends “The Lollies” and the Beth El staff and the ‘Soup Chic’ Volunteers.
Helen also celebrated this birthday by visiting Europe with family members, comprising three generations of Helen’s family. Visits to the churches in Poland where Helen’s mother and father were baptized were the main highlights of her vacation. Helen and her family travelers also enjoyed exploring modern Krakow, Budapest and Vienna. Additions to this vacation were visits to historic attractions in each city and other smaller towns and beautiful vistas via a road trip between each planned city.