Montville — Even when she was a child, Kathy Doherty-Peck knew she wanted to help people.

After 27 years at the helm of Montville’s senior and social services, Doherty-Peck said in an interview Wednesday that she is “very fortunate” to work a job that she loves.

“In a selfish way, I get a lot satisfaction out of that, when I’m able to make a difference and help somebody,” she said.

After previous career stops working with women who had experienced domestic violence and at a children’s day care center, Doherty-Peck came to Montville to work in the social services department. She had always envisioned herself working with children, but once she began working part-time with the seniors ― on top of her social service duties ― she had a change of heart.

“I fell in love with the population and knew this was where I wanted to be,” she said.

Since Oct. 10, 1995, Doherty-Peck has been the director of both senior and social services. She said in the beginning, it was a one-person department and she was forced to split her days between the two services.

Now, with a staff of eight people, including assistants for both the senior and social services functions, she said she is proud of the “wonderful” team she surrounded herself with as well as the work she continues to do for the community.

Doherty-Peck said it’s her goal to provide services at no cost to the more than 1,000 members of the senior center, and it’s something she is proud to do.

In order to offer Tai chi, Zumba and art classes and access to health services such as a podiatrists, massage therapists and mental health programs, she spends a lot of time writing grant requests and fundraising.

In a given year, Doherty-Peck estimates she and her staff bring in more than $200,000 in funding.

“I wanted to offer it free to the seniors, for those who couldn’t afford to come or it would be a struggle,” she said, noting Medicare may not cover the health services that the town can provide at no cost.

The center also hosts social events for seniors. Whether it be their lunch program, a monthly dinner with a movie, or a holiday celebration — such as a Halloween costume party scheduled for Monday — Doherty-Peck said just the socialization is important.

“Even if they’re not taking any other class and they’re just coming for lunch, avoiding isolation and just getting the benefits of socialization is huge,” she said.

Doherty-Peck said she has built some wonderful friendships over the years. She said more than 100 senior center members threw her a baby shower for her first-born child 19 years ago. Some even came to her wedding.

“It’s more than just a population I serve,” she said. “I have some true friends that really mean a lot to me.”

Town Councilor Billy Caron, the council’s liaison to senior and social services, has seen Doherty-Peck’s work first hand.

Caron said his job is to make sure Doherty-Peck has the tools she needs to be successful in her work. He said her 27 years of work “speaks for itself,” and that Doherty-Peck is a huge reason why the senior center is where it is today.

Caron recalled in 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Doherty-Peck continued to make sure seniors had access to a grant-funded medical transportation program and helped schedule vaccinations as they became available.

“It shows the distance she will go to help the senior population and citizens in need,” said Caron, who has spent most of his 17 years on the council working with the senior and social services programs.

While her connection to the seniors is strong, Doherty-Peck also works closely with families in the social service programs.

The holiday season is her busiest time of year. She and her staff prepare 400 baskets of food for families on Thanksgiving. For Christmas, they hand out another 400 food baskets and provide 500 children with Christmas gifts.

The holiday programs are covered by fundraising efforts, and often move to tears struggling parents who may not have been able to celebrate.

“I really, truly get so much out of being able to help our families in need,” she said.

k.arnold@theday.com