3 Friends Celebrate 240 Year Birthday Brunch

Pictured left to right, Lenny Cheshire, Tom Van Alen, and Ken Williams celebrate their birthday brunch.

Don’t tell Lenny Cheshire, Tom Van Alen, and Ken Williams that the life of an older adult can’t be fun and active. On Sunday, July 30, the three friends celebrated a combined 240 years of living! All three turned 80 in July and August. They have been friends for years, originally having met at Annie’s Paramount Steakhouse near Dupont Circle in DC.

Among the many things that connect them is their commitment throughout life to stay active and engaged, as well as their passion for travel. Tom, a former board member for Seabury Resources for Aging, has been a supporter of the organization for over 30 years.

Celebrating 80 years has reminded each of them about those who could not join them in celebration. Their advice for aging well is to stay as healthy as possible and to plan for the unexpected. Ken keeps healthy through yoga, loves to paint, and is an avid traveler having been to six of the seven continents. Tom, who swims regularly to stay healthy, also volunteers at the National Cathedral and tutors second graders. Lenny wants people to know that the unexpected can happen to anyone and he has faced some of the challenges aging presents. He says that if you want to continue to live well you need to take actions earlier in life, such as having adequate health insurance so that you are prepared to address problems as they arise.

More than 30 family members and friends joined in the celebration and a champagne toast. For their younger friends, Lenny, Ken, and Tom are role models full of spirit and a zest for living.