Valda Nelson of Renton celebrated her 102nd birthday on Jan. 6.

Friends and family gathered to honor her at the  The Lodge, a Gencare Lifestyle Community in Renton, where she lives.

There, she is an active member of the community learning new skills, exercising every morning, exploring the community and socializing with friends.

Nelson was born Jan. 7, 1910, and is said to be mentally sharp, physically fit and full of life and wisdom, according to a release from her living community.

She was one of the more than 70,000 centenarians in the United States, living at or past the age of 100 years in 2010, noted Gencare Lifestyle.

Nelson is said to motivate and inspire the 80 and 90 year olds living in her community and impress the staff who range in age from 18 to 76 years old.

The secret to Nelson’s longevity is to “stay busy,” she said when asked.

Her living community advises diets with whole grains, low-stress lifestyles and high levels of physical activity to increase ones quality of life and achieve the vitality Nelson has enjoyed.