Senior center making progress

Anita Herman paints cupboard doors at the soon-to-be new MASCC senior center.

submitted by Pat Vailliencourt for the Manchester Area Senior Citizens Council

Last summer, the Manchester Area Senior Citizens Council (MASCC) was on the brink of discontinuing its services. COVID had taken its toll, drastically reducing our membership and income. Yet, as we all know, some fixed expenses continue. Thankfully, we received some amazing responses to our call for help. Thanks to Washtenaw County, all four townships and the Village, serving our Tuesday/Thursday meals and providing transportation is now funded until September 30. We are continuing to work closely with the County on food provision programs available to sustain and expand our meal services to seniors.

With our core services no longer struggling to survive, we knew we had to tackle the task of expanding our membership — offering activities, classes, and social opportunities. This was how we were going to survive in the future. The only way to achieve this was to have someplace we could truly call “home.” We found that place in the old “circle” kindergarten room at the Ackerson building, where many of our seniors, their kids, and even grandkids have wonderful memories. Joe Walsh and the Caife Aspire Board were great to work with and excited about the opportunity to have inter-generational activities in their building.

For us to implement a pilot program, 5 Healthy Towns approved a grant of $4,000 to cover our rent from April 1 to September 30. Worth Repeating generously gave us $2,000; Manchester Township and the Village each donated $500 for start-up expenses. Carlisle-Wortman
Associates (planning consultants for the village and Manchester Township) donated $250 to help cover our security deposit.

Through the month of March, volunteers are cleaning, painting, gutting and renovating the bathroom. A few unexpected challenges, (not included in our original budget) have come up. The kitchen area has no plugs; the toilet must be an ADA tankless; and we need to have a handicap ramp for access off Beaufort Street. Donations of games, books, magazines, puzzles, TP, paper towels, sanitizer, and of course funds are greatly appreciated.

Our Tuesday/Thursday noon lunches will remain at Emanuel for now. Having a great, extremely reasonably priced lunch is another way to provide support to our seniors.

We are so excited to have a space for activities like cards, bingo, quilting, scrapbooking, Bible study, puzzle working, support groups, potlucks and much, much more. To be truly successful, however, this must be a community supported facility. Those 55 and older that become a MASCC member (only $15 annually) can sign up to host events at the center. Events for non-profit activities will be by donation. For-profit events are subject to a small fee.

To keep updated and get involved, watch for information in the MASCC Trumpeter, in The Mirror, and on Facebook. In addition, 5 Healthy Towns CONNECTED magazine will have an article in their next edition. Or join us for lunch, get information on becoming a MASCC member, hosting an event, and how you can provide support.

If you see us in there working, stop in and check it out! There will be another work day at the center Saturday, March 11, from 11 to 3. We need to move tables and chairs out of the room and paint. Stop by and help if you’re able.

Looks like Elaine Osterbur is having fun getting “down and dirty” with a paintbrush at the senior center!

Andrea Dowhal adds a fresh coat of paint to a cupboard door at last Saturday’s work bee.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.