Looking after Newport Beach seniors was her calling for 33 years. That’s until grandma-hood came
Becoming a grandma for the first time made 61-year-old Celeste Jardine-Haug’s decision to retire a little easier.
After managing the OASIS Senior Center in Newport Beach for nearly 33 years, Jardine-Haug’s last day as senior services manager will be Dec. 18.
“I’m thinking positively about leaving during this time,” Jardine-Haug said. “It’s time to have fresh eyes and new leadership, and when my daughter [Erin Tuhtan], who lives in Austin, Texas, [called] and told me she was expecting her first baby, that’s when I decided it was time to retire.”
Jardine-Haug, who grew up in Newport Beach, could become a grandmother soon. She said her daughter is expecting a girl on Jan. 12.
Jardine-Haug, who graduated from USC with a gerontologist degree, took the job at OASIS in 1988 upon moving from Redondo Beach to Laguna Niguel. She started six months after her son, Kern Haug Jr., was born.
“What kept me here so long was the support from the city and the bosses that I had who allowed me to grow the program,” Jardine-Haug said.
One of her bosses, Laura Detweiler, praised Jardine-Haug.
“The OASIS Senior Center under Celeste’s leadership has evolved to become a top-rated facility among the industry and has set the example for many to follow,” said Detweiler, the recreation and senior services director.
Jardine-Haug was honored Tuesday night with a proclamation from the Newport Beach City Council.
Fresh off of their wins in this year’s Nov. 3 election, Brad Avery, Will O’Neill and newcomer Noah Blom were sworn into office during Tuesday’s Newport Beach City Council meeting.
Outgoing Mayor Will O’Neill said that Jardine-Haug’s departure would leave a big hole, adding that what he’s learned from this year is that “folks who leave holes are the one we’ve loved before.”
“We’re going to miss you so much,” O’Neill said to Jardine-Haug.
Jardine-Haug said she was grateful to have worked for Newport Beach, and that the city is a wonderful place and she cherished her time.
“I want to thank you, [Jardine-Haug]. You’ve just been an amazing leader to create an opportunity for seniors to have joy in their lives at this time in their life and thank you for all that you’ve done,” Councilwoman Diane Dixon said. “We wish you well and now you’re going from one age to another age group. Good luck to you.”
New Mayor Brad Avery said that he was familiar with the OASIS Senior Center, both as a councilman and, before that, as a resident, adding that people didn’t talk about the physical building as much as they talked about what went on inside of it.
“It is just really something else,” Avery said. “It’s something you created and led and I just think of the hundreds and hundreds of seniors where their lives are so deeply impacted — ones that are lonely, ones that needed community and we all need community — that place held up so beautifully, but it was really you and your staff and volunteers making it all happen there.”
“All of it derives really from your leadership, your example and your kindness toward seniors,” Avery added.
Jardine-Haug said the state-of the art OASIS facility has been the highlight of her life.
“Newport Beach has been a supportive community when it comes to supporting senior services,” Jardine-Haug said. “Unlike other communities that give seniors a clubhouse and lets them play bingo, Newport Beach is not like that.”
Her vision was to provide a center that not only served all walks of life, but allowed older adults to thrive. There is something for everyone at OASIS, Jardine-Haug said, intellectual stimulation, arts and sing-a-longs that attract older people and individuals with dementia.
The rebuilt center, which had once occupied a former school building, offered transportation, social services and classes. Under Jardine-Haug, she wanted OASIS to improve the quality of life and become a foundation for the community.
“The idea was to have a senior center that would keep people coming there for socialization, mental and physical stimulation and to volunteer,” Jardine-Haug said. “With 26% of the Newport Beach population over 60 years old, the program has grown exponentially.”
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Jardine-Haug, who likes to keep busy, was excited to be involved in the OASIS building project.
“It was 10 years in the making, starting in 2000, and professionally kept me going,” Jardine-Haug said. “The new building is modern looking and attracted younger people, many who didn’t realize it was there. Never in my career have I heard someone say, ‘So how old do you have to be to come to the senior center?’”
Berenice Barajas, a staff assistant with Friends of OASIS, the nonprofit support organization that works with the center, has worked alongside Jardine-Haug for 31 years.
“She’s compassionate with seniors, she really cares about their well-being, she’s a great listener and advice-giver,” said Barajas, who used to be the meals coordinator at OASIS. “And she’s not afraid to get her hands dirty. Whenever there’s a problem, she’s always there to serve food, mop the floor, deliver meals.”
Mike Zimmerman, president of Friends of OASIS, admires the fact that Jardine-Haug is just a very nice person.
“Having spent nearly 33 years as director of the center made her who she is today,” Zimmerman said. “She put her arms around not only members and staff, but the entire OASIS Center. She will be sorely missed and leaving big shoes to fill.”
Jardine-Haug said that she has learned a lot about aging while working at OASIS.
“I learned that staying active, engaged, having a positive attitude, not making age an excuse to try new things ... are traits of healthy older adults that I’ve observed in OASIS members,” she said. “The secret to what makes successful aging and people doing well at 90 is a positive attitude, socially engaged with people, staying active compared to those who sit and watch TV.”
She also noted that those who overcome disease didn’t concentrate on age, instead they continued to live the same life compared to those who focus on the negative or choose to give up. Leading an active life, both socially and productively, including continuing to do things that they did before, Jardine-Haug said, are important factors in physical and mental health.
“It’s been incredible, but I’m sad to leave at a time during the pandemic when I can’t say goodbye to everyone,” Jardine-Haug said. “I feel that things are stable, we’ve set a lot of systems in place, with limited capacity and virtual programs so that seniors stay connected and do not feel isolated.”
OASIS first closed in March due to the pandemic and reopened its fitness center in September. With the latest COVID-19 shutdowns, the fitness center closed last month.
During the closures, Jardine-Haug said staff has been available to members over the phone to help.
The Oasis Senior Center may be closed during the coronavirus pandemic, but that doesn’t mean senior citizens are forgotten. Among the ways the center in Corona del Mar has been helping was a drive-by mask giveaway Thursday.
Besides being a grandma, Jardine-Haug plans on traveling, mostly to visit her grandchild, volunteering and doing things to keep her mind busy.
When OASIS opens again, members might be seeing her again.
“I am a member of the Friends of OASIS and will most likely take a few classes and definitely will be coming to the summer concerts,” Jardine-Haug said. “Anyone can join OASIS, residency is not required, except for our social services [transportation, meals, case management], which are just for Newport Beach residents.”
Newport Beach resident Scott Paulsen, who has been an active member at OASIS for more than 25 years, has high regards for Jardine-Haug, declaring her the best manager OASIS ever had.
“She knows everything about everything at OASIS,” he said, “and she works daily to better the lives of our seniors.”
Detweiler agreed.
“If you have relied on the resources at OASIS or spent time there, you know what an important role she has played in developing all that it has to offer today,” Detweiler said. “Celeste will be dearly missed, but her legacy will remain through the very special place we know to be the OASIS.”
Staff writer Lilly Nguyen contributed to this report.
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