By Daniel Winningham
The first day of June the Senior Center in Altenburg re-opened. This is being done on a trial basis. The center had been closed since the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020.
The work that needed to be completed in the kitchen prior to re-opening consisted of painting and cleaning, as well as getting the dishwasher fixed, said Perry County Senior Center administrator Jennifer Freeman.
Karen Martin of Frohna was one of several individuals that has been a regular since the center re-opened.
“I missed it, you better believe it,” Martin said. “I love the talking and seeing others.”
Those attending Tuesday, June 7, enjoyed spaghetti and meatballs, seasoned cauliflower as well as breadsticks.
Three employees with the Perry County Senior Center are helping staff the Altenburg location at this time.
Meals are available Mondays through Fridays at 266 Church Street. For additional information, call 573-824-5827. Seniors are $4 while others are $8.
Aging Matters, a federal agency, sets a series of parameters for the opening of a Senior Center, according to director Jennifer Freeman.
If parameters are met, it’s likely the Altenburg location will remain open past the trial period.
“We will have to present the data we’ve collected over the next three months to Aging Matters,” Freeman said. “They’re the ones that give us the funds to operate.”
It remains to be seen if there will be enough interest in keeping the Altenburg location open. For now, the start of the three-month trial period is underway.
“I’m not sure what kind of impact it will have,” Freeman said. “We’ll just have to wait and see.”
