St. John’s ‘Storyteller’ Featured for Preserving Local History
At 89 years old, St. John’s Meadows resident Doris Adamek remains one of the leading voices tasked with honoring and accurately retelling Rochester’s rich history.
Adamek is one of four older adults featured in an article appearing in 585 Magazine highlighting “dedicated stewards of local history.” The article appears in the magazine’s March/April 2026 issue.
Well-known across St. John’s for organizing extremely popular bus tours throughout the Rochester area and her “Dory’s Stories” programs for independent and assisted living residents, Adamek has been leading captivating tours for decades. “Now that I live at St. John’s, I’m still sharing stories, leading tours, and helping people rediscover Rochester,” she told 585 Magazine. “It all comes from my love of the city and my love of people.”
When asked how volunteering has shaped her retirement, Adamek explained that the thousands of hours of programs and tours she has dedicated her time and efforts towards have actually skewed her own view of retirement. “I don’t even consider myself retired,” she said. “I went right into this. I’ve never, ever been bored—I don’t even know what that word means.”