PHOTOS BY JACOB KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
LUNCH … Over 300 seniors met for lunch at the Fulton County Senior Center for the open house event held on June 20th.
By: Jacob Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jacob@thevillagereporter.com
The Fulton County Senior Center held an open house event this past week. The event was put on to showcase the new facility to members of the public, and to host a big event for seniors.
The project started almost eight years ago when the commissioners began exploring various properties.
Although it was understood that a new building was necessary, the Commissioners wanted to ensure that their decision was financially responsible and aligned with the needs of the community. At that time, no option seemed to be the perfect fit.
In 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the government sent money to local communities as part of relief efforts. Fulton County received three distributions, each of different amounts.
The first distribution was $3 million, intended for making county spaces safer for employees, implementing distancing measures, and installing shields on desks and counters.
As a result of this distribution, a grant program was established to support local businesses negatively impacted by COVID-19.
Between November and December, over $900,000 was allocated to local businesses. Subsequently, the county received a third disbursement of $8 million.
With the money being restricted to certain uses, efforts were made to determine if a new Senior Center would fit within the eligible categories. Fortunately, it did.
The new building, being larger and more spacious, would provide more room for the seniors who gather there. When the commissioners learned that the money could be used for a new senior center, they immediately began working with an architect.
The construction of this new building was made possible without having to put a levy on the ballot or using funds from the Senior Center.
Although the building did end up costing just over $8 million, taxpayers were not asked for a tax increase to cover the cost. The majority of the expenses were covered by the COVID relief funds.
The need for an upgrade to the previous senior center building has been evident for some time. The building was constructed a long time ago and was not designed with seniors in mind from the beginning.
The new building, however, was designed with the ability to envision its finished state. This capability has empowered the commissioners to meticulously plan every detail of the building.
As a result, staff members are now centrally located and no longer scattered throughout the building. Furthermore, seniors have a spacious area for socializing and enjoying meals.
The kitchen is much larger and more modern, which helps to future-proof the building. Currently, the Fulton County Senior Center serves 400-450 meals per day through meal routes and an additional 100-150 meals per day in person at the center, totaling around 500-600 meals per day.
Meals are also sent from this location to satellite locations in Fayette, Swanton, and Delta. These locations receive meals two to three times per week, and each location also offers programs and activities.
With the new kitchen, it’s expected that possibly up to 1,000 meals per day could be served if needed. While those numbers may not actually be seen, an increase in the current meal numbers is expected as the population continues to age.
The center officially opened on May 6th with faces both new and old showing up every day. To celebrate its opening, a ribbon cutting was held on May 14th which brought in a good amount of people from the community. Everyone present was thrilled to see the project, which was so many years in the making, finally complete.
This led to the open house, which was celebrated last week on Thursday, June 20th. From Noon to 1:00 p.m. seniors were treated to lunch. At 1:00 p.m. Elvis came in to greet the seniors before putting on a show until 2:00 p.m.
Once Elvis had left the building, members of the public were free to come in and tour the new senior center until 7:00 p.m. Visitors were treated to music, caricatures, and a magician.
Senior Center Director Sheri Rychener explained that the day filled everyone at the center with excitement.
“It has just been exciting for everyone to be able to have the open house. The big thing is, this shows our ability to host big, combined events, which have normally had to be held offsite, so to hold them inside this facility is a nice way to start everything off.”
The center was able to host 325 seniors for their lunch and Elvis’s performance. A good number of the public also came out to tour the new Senior Center.