It might not be ‘Extreme Makeover, Home Edition,? but the Addison Township Senior Center is undergoing a makeover of its own.
Since the Senior Center holds activities five days a week, Sharon Geare thought about making some upgrades and improvements to the facility, which is located at 1440 Rochester Road in Leonard.
She was able to secure some grant money out of Addison’s CDBG fund, and she moved to buy a new plasma television and a Nintendo Wii, among other improvements, to make the center more appealing. She wants to get the word out that improvements have been made to the facility, so she is planning to host an open house in January.
‘We want to get the word out that we made improvements to the bathroom and the center. There’s a lot of seniors in Addison that don’t use the center, and we want to get the word out that for $3, you are getting a really good meal here,? said Geare.
One of the biggest improvements to the center is new big screen tv, which according to Geare will make watching tv much easier on the seniors.
‘A lot of our seniors have vision problems. As you age, you get all kinds of eye diseases, so the big screen tv is there to make to help make their viewing pleasure better.?
Another thing that Geare is introducing is the Wii. She plans to form a Wii bowling league in the near future, which is becoming more and more popular in area senior centers.
‘It is very good for the seniors. They can use their own range of motion, so if they are limited they can still sit in a chair and do the bowling. We just want flexibility and mobility for the seniors.?
Another improvement was adding a high-rise toilet in the bathroom, which provides easier access for the seniors.
Geare also bought a new computer and printer and will begin computer classes in the future. She also purchased round tables to make socializing at events easier.
Every day at noon, seniors can come to the center and pay $3 for a nutritious hot meal through the Older Person Commission (OPC). Thanks to volunteers, she is able to keep the cost for the meal low.
Since the OPC delivers meals every day, Geare recommends that seniors call a day ahead of time to reserve a meal because she has to provide a meal count. According to Geare, once the trucks arrive, volunteers deliver meals to seven residents who receive meals-on-wheels in Addison Township.
The senior center has numerous daily and monthly activities that the seniors enjoy. One of the biggest draws is Bingo, which the seniors play every Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. Geare said that she is always accepting donations for bingo prizes, such as food snacks and personal care products. ‘I am always willing to accept donations if someone wants to bring in donations for the seniors,? she said.
Another popular activity is the woodcarving group every Thursday morning at 10 a.m. ‘They always come in and crave for a couple hours and then have lunch,? she said.
Other programs and activities include a weekly exercise class, monthly WIC and Focus Hope programs and blood pressure checked.
On Dec. 9, the center will hold its Christmas Party, where a special Christmas dinner will be served by the OPC. Geare encourages people to call by Monday, Dec. 7 to reserve their spot.
The building will be closed Nov. 26 and 27 for Thanksgiving, Dec. 24 and 25 for Christmas and Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 for New Year’s.
For more information about the center, contact Sharon at (248) 628-3388.