Ortonville- After 29 years as the senior center coordinator, Wilma Merritt is retiring.
Merritt, 72, started her coordinator assignment at the Brandon Senior Center (now known as the Edna Burton Senior Center) in 1977.
‘She’s been the first and only senior center coordinator,? says Jeannie McCreery, township clerk. ‘She’s been there from the very inception. She was a part of all that, along with Edna.?
As coordinator, Merritt has overseen the senior van program, taken care of the lunch program, ran Bingo games, planned trips, and did all the ordering and paperwork for the center. Years ago, she would personally visit homebound seniors, using her own vehicle. McCreery says other than programming, which Martha Tooley does, Merritt did whatever needed to be done.
‘She’s irreplaceable in a lot of different ways,? McCreery says. ‘She did things for seniors that other coordinators wouldn’t consider doing. Wilma has always taken care of them. She knows the families, the medications, the seniors. All of them.?
Merritt says she loved the job, but believes it’s time for ‘the younger ones? to take over.
‘If they don’t treat ’em right I’ll come back and kick butt and take names,? she said.
McCreery doesn’t expect there to be any problems. She is looking forward to hiring current full-time van driver Annette Beach as coordinator with approval of the township board at the Feb. 6 meeting.
‘I have the utmost confidence Annette will do an outstanding job,? McCreery says, noting that Beach knows all the same information that Merritt does about the seniors, their needs, medications, and contact numbers.?
As a van driver, Beach has worked with Merritt for 17 years.
‘I’m going to really miss her,? she says. ‘She’s like Mom to me. I don’t think anyone can ever fill her shoes. It’s sad to see her go. She’s excellent with the seniors. They all love her dearly.?
In her retirement, Merritt plans to ‘loaf,? as well as spend time in the Upper Peninsula in a cabin.
‘The only thing I’ll miss is my people,? says Merritt, who doesn’t want a party or any other recognition. ‘I’ll try not to cry over it. I’m just gonna say goodbye and hope they’re treated right. This is their place, they’ll be fine.?
With Merritt’s retirement effective Feb. 16, McCreery has received board approval for some changes to improve management of the senior center and save the township money. Those changes include a more comprehensive and clear definition of the duties and responsibilities of the coordinator; replacement of Beach’s full-time van driver position with a part-time position of up to 25 hours per week; and the hiring of a senior citizen as an assistant to both the program developer and the new coordinator through the Title V program, which is completely government-funded.
The hired senior will be trained and work 18 and a half hours per week, helping run programs, doing outreach, answering phones, helping with Meals on Wheels, and anything that needs to be done at the center. Interested seniors should call the clerk’s office at (248) 627-2851.