Senior Centers of Excellence

AUGUST 2020 Behind the Scenes BRUNSWICK SENIOR BUZZ Meet the BSRI Board

PATTI SACCHETTI Board Secretary

Patti Sacchetti has been on the BSRI board of directors for three years, initially as an elected member, then appointed to represent Brunswick County District 5 two years ago.

She is a retired regional long-term care ombudsman. She also sits on the board of directors for FOR (formerly Friends of Residents in Long-Term Care), a statewide advocacy organization that promotes quality of life and quality of care for those receiving long-term care services. Patti has a love of learning and earned her bachelor of social work degree at the age of 53, and a master’s in gerontology at the age of 58.

Fun Facts

Where did you grow up? I was born and raised in the northeast, but my mother’s family is from Salisbury, North Carolina. The family migrated north during the depression looking for work. What motivates you? What motivates me and keeps me up at night is need: the need for voices to be heard, to make a change for good, to see an end to social injustice, to make a difference. With two grandsons adopted from Ethiopia, the ongoing racial violence is forefront in my heart and mind today. As a mother and a grandparent I feel these conversations should not need to be held with children, but I know they must be.

—Joan Leotta JOYCE CASTEEN Board Treasurer

Joyce “Joy” Casteen joined BSRI’s board of directors in 2016 to make a positive impact on the lives of seniors in Brunswick County. She’s a North Carolina native who spent her childhood in Ocean Isle Beach appreciating the sights and sounds of life on the water.

Casteen is retired from a records and document management position at Brunswick Nuclear Plant. She studied at Brunswick Community College and Miller-Motte College and has associate degrees in science and accounting.

Fun Facts

What was your first car?

A Plymouth Fury. Where did you grow up? On the Intracoastal Waterway facing Ocean Isle Beach with a view of the scrub oaks, sand dunes, water traffic, swing bridge, and a herd of goats that managed the vegetation. What was your first job? I worked at the Ocean Isle Beach Fishing Pier Grill at age 11. What motivates you? making a difference. My family, solving challenges, and

What is something people don’t know about you? I enjoy water skiing, home remodeling, repurposing furniture, and out-of-the-ordinary sewing projects like dance costumes, swimsuits, and prom dresses.

Cat or dog? Dog. Plain or pepperoni? Plain.

Night or day person? Night.