By Linda Whitmore
Plans are rolling along on Silverton’s new senior center and although money is coming in to fund the project, more is necessary to bring it to fruition.
For several months Silverton Area Seniors’ board has met with Rowell Brokaw Architects of Salem to design the layout of the facility that will house programs and activities for people aged 55 and over. More finalizing took place Nov. 25 and the projected plan is to be unveiled to the public on Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. at the current Senior Center, 402 E. Main St.
“The plan isn’t set in concrete,” said Ray Hunter, president of the organization, but he anticipates few changes before groundbreaking in the spring.
“The meeting with the architectural design folks last week demonstrated how critical fundraising is going to be for this project to be successful,” said City Manager Bryan Cosgrove. “At this point, we need to step up our (fundraising) efforts in the business community.” He said requests are also going out to service organizations.
The project got a big boost from a recent gift of $25,000 from the Larry and Jeanette Epping Family Foundation.
In addition to this donation, the Senior Center has received a contribution of $5,000 a year for five years from Silverton Hospital; about $2,000 from the Mayor’s Ball fund this year; a $3,000 anonymous gift and donations of $10 to $25 from the general public. The largest is a $100,000 grant from the Ford Family Foundation,” and there is a second $100,000 – if we can match it,” Hunter said.
Toward this match, the Senior Center has raised about $11,000 through its fundraising projects, which include a quilt drawing during Homer Davenport Days, sales of Brigittine Monks’ fudge and a mailed-out solicitation. These efforts, plus the recent gifts, go into the matching fund, but grants cannot be used toward the match.
“So we’re at 60 percent of the match and we have 10 more months to go,” Hunter said.
The fudge sale is the primary fundraising effort now. The candy will be available at the Silverton Methodist Church’s Christmas craft sale and if a merchant offers space, Hunter hopes to have it for sale at First Friday. Also, he said, it can be purchased at the Senior Center.
“We’re certainly going to be selling fudge,” this season, he said, adding that he hopes to find someone else to staff the sales table. “I have trouble not eating up all the samples!”
Hunter is excited about the new center to be built on Westfield Street near the Cascade Highway. Construction is scheduled to begin early next spring and is to be finished February 2010.
The centerpiece of the 6,000-square-foot facility will be a kitchen for the senior meals project and a large dining room with a “gorgeous view,” Hunter said. These could be rented out for receptions, community breakfasts and other special events.
Meals on Wheels will have an office, which excites the project’s director, Hunter said. “Her office right now is in a closet.”
There also will be an office for the hospital where they can provide flu shots, foot clinics, blood pressure screening and other medical services. Two rooms will be available for crafts and computer classes, as well as discussions on taxes and insurance and such.
In the lobby, decorated with local art, seniors will be able to read, play cards and visit.
Hunter anticipates the attractive new center will draw more seniors to participate in activities. He said, “It will be a nice, pleasant place to go.”
The Senior Center has served its lunch program at the Masonic Hall for six or eight years, Hunter said. “We appreciate the Masons subletting the place. They have been very good to us.”
He noted that there was some public comment that the center should have been located downtown so seniors could walk to it, but he doubts that would be the case.
“Our seniors drive or ride the Silver Trolley. I think we have two who walk,” he said of the current center downtown. Besides, there was no suitable property available and if there had been, it would be too expensive, he said.
The new center has potential for growth, too. The building could be expanded some time in the future, and there is space for outdoor activities.
“We’d like to see a path around with low-impact exercise stations. We like to have the seniors moving.”
But those ideas are somewhere in the future. For now the board is glad to have the project moving toward its spring groundbreaking.
