Everyone is invited to Senior Center ribbon-cutting ceremony!

by Sara Swanson

It has been an exciting year for the Manchester Area Senior Citizens Council. Last year at this time, no one was sure whether a permanent senior center was a pipe dream or an achievable goal. And now they are preparing for a ribbon-cutting ceremony! Wednesday, June 4, everyone in the community is invited to a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new senior center at 4:30pm. Refreshments will be available beforehand at 3:30pm.

The new senior center is a 1,200-square-foot part of Manchester City Hall, located at 912 City Rd. It was formerly used as cold storage and can be accessed from the lower parking lot behind the building.

The Center, which is rent free, will serve as a safe place for seniors to have meals and engage in educational and social activities. It will also be available for intergenerational activities and other community uses.

The biggest hurdle to this project coming to fruition was a $50,000, 60-day crowdfunding campaign last July and August. If the seniors could raise $50,000, they would receive a matching grant through Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)’s Public Spaces Community Places initiative. They raised $51,370 and received the matching grant! There were a few organizations who made large contributions including 5 Healthy Towns Foundation who donated $10,000 and Worth Repeating who donated $5,000. The Masons, Lions Club, local churches, and many individuals made up the majority of the remaining.

After the matching grant was secured, the center was able to move full-steam ahead. Renovations to the facility included HVAC, new windows (with a view of the river and the woods), new ceiling tiles, flooring, furniture, a kitchen, a handicap bathroom, storage area, and a handicap access door direct from the parking lot.

There were additional costs and needs and the Chicken Broil committee donated $17,240 last fall, followed by the Masons donating another $3,000 this spring. Manchester United Methodist Church organized a kitchen shower and the community stocked the new kitchen with more than $2,000 worth of equipment and supplies.

Now we are weeks away from the Manchester seniors having a permanent home. Join them on June 4 to celebrate!

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by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.