'Center' committee discusses location, calendar

Talk about it

WORTHINGTON — The Community Center Committee is continuing discussion on a possible location for their senior citizens’ and community center, dubbed “The Center” for now.

Following a Monday meeting between the city of Worthington and Nobles County Commissioners, councilman Mike Woll told the committee that a joint committee had been formed between Woll, councilman Scott Nelson and commissioners David Benson and Vern Leistico to discuss joint projects, including the proposed building of a combination library and senior center on the former Campbell’s Soup parking lot.

“The commissioners were very enthusiastic about the library and senior center combination; they expressed a mutual feeling that those could blend,” Woll said. “They were talking about a 2-year timeline with the library for the county; that was really encouraging to hear.”

Meanwhile, The Center is working on establishing itself. Committee members have begun working to obtain 501 (c) 3 status for the organization, but they plan to work on grant writing through RSVP of Nobles County in the meantime.

“We’re working on a business plan,” said committee chair Alice Hoffman. She said The Center has added more than 50 members since its open house earlier this month, “We’ve had quite a few new faces in to play cards,” she added.

Committee members Bob Petrich and Dale Carlson are working to develop a set of by-laws for The Center, using other senior centers’ by-laws as guides. Hoffman hopes to begin fine-tuning those by-laws at the committee’s next meeting in mid-September.

The committee also applied for funding from Wal-mart that would pay the printing cost for a fundraising calendar.

The calendars will be a tribute to senior citizens with a satirical look at the golden years featuring local seniors as models.

“’It’s not the age, it’s the attitude’ is kind of the theme,” explained committee member Bobbie Korthals. Calendars should be available for sale by the year’s end.

Joanne Bartosh, the coordinator for RSVP of Nobles County, announced a new monthly program, “First Thursdays at ‘The Center,’” an informational series for caregivers sponsored by the Nobles County Senior Concerns Committee.

Sessions will be from 2 to 3:30 p.m. the first Thursday of each month beginning in September. The session topics are as follows: Sept. 3, What is H1N1?; Oct. 1, Eldercare Services; Nov. 5, Medications and Prescription Medications; Dec. 3, De-stressing the Holidays.

Sessions are free and open to the public, and respite care is available by contacting Bartosh at 295-5262 two weeks prior to the session.

Tags: senior center, news, worthington