Morning Pointe of Richmond resident Gilbert Penn brings decades of jokes and laughter to Lexington stage
RICHMOND, Ky. (September 11, 2026) — At 79 years old, Gilbert “Gil” Penn may not consider himself a performer, but that didn’t stop him from stepping into the spotlight and bringing a room full of people to laughter.
Penn, a resident of Morning Pointe of Richmond, was recently selected as a finalist in the Morning Pointe Foundation’s 7th annual Seniors Got Talent Lexington, held Sept. 1 at the Lexington Opera House. While he did not take home the top prize, Penn delivered a memorable comedic performance, filling the room with laughter and entertaining the audience with joke after joke.
For Penn, making people laugh is nothing new.
Originally from Oldham County, Penn moved to Richmond with his wife, Linda, to be closer to their daughter, Lisa, and her family. The couple moved to Morning Pointe of Richmond in January 2026, where Penn quickly became known for bringing humor and conversation to those around him.
His talent for connecting with people through humor has followed Penn throughout his life. During his time serving in the U.S. Navy, he often told jokes to his fellow servicemen to help make the time away from home go by a little faster. After his military service, Penn worked for Ford as a government regulation control officer, where he ensured vehicle serial numbers were in place before cars left the plant. Even in the workplace, he found opportunities to use his humor to brighten someone’s day.
When Penn moved to Morning Pointe of Richmond, his knack for storytelling and comedy continued to make an impression.
Cristy Winkler, executive director of Morning Pointe of Richmond, and Life Enrichment Director Carson Jarzombek encouraged Penn to audition for Seniors Got Talent after seeing how naturally he brought laughter to those around him.
“He brings such joy to us all. His contagious laughter and his smile brighten our days,” said Winkler.
For Jarzombek, encouraging Penn to audition became an opportunity to see a familiar resident step into a new role.
“Asking Gilbert to try out for the Seniors Got Talent auditions was a really special opportunity for me,” said Jarzombek. “Gilbert loves to tell jokes and I love to laugh, so it was bound to happen that we would make fast friends.”
Jarzombek, who has been with Morning Pointe for six months, worked with Penn behind the scenes to prepare his jokes and traveled with him to Lexington for the competition.
“I’m so proud of Gil for putting himself out there and for representing Morning Pointe,” Jarzombek said. “He only tried out because Cristy and I encouraged him to do so.”
Although Penn was nervous about performing on stage for the first time, the experience quickly became one he will remember.
“I enjoyed meeting everyone, and I received a lot of good comments from my friends on Facebook,” said Penn. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It was an enjoyable experience to be invited to the show. I agreed to try out because Carson, our activities director, asked me to. I was a little nervous because it was the first time I was on stage performing in front of people, but the crowd was very loud and made me feel like I did a really good job.”
Once he took the stage, Penn did what he has always done: told jokes and entertained the people around him.
His performance gave him the chance to share a talent he has enjoyed for decades with an audience outside of Morning Pointe, while also creating a memorable experience for the people who encouraged him to take the stage.
“Even if he didn’t take home a prize, he’s still a winner in our eyes,” Jarzombek said.
For Penn, the experience was another chance to do what he has always enjoyed: make people laugh, start conversations and brighten someone’s day.
About Morning Pointe Senior Living
Morning Pointe Senior Living, headquartered in Ooltewah, Tennessee, was founded in 1997 by healthcare entrepreneurs Greg A. Vital and J. Franklin Farrow, Morning Pointe Senior Living operates assisted living and Alzheimer’s memory care communities in four southeastern states, including GA, IN, KY & TN. For more information, visit morningpointe.com.
The philanthropic arm of Morning Pointe Senior Living is the Morning Pointe Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to provide clinical scholarships and caregiver support.
