When it became obvious that the Tri-County Senior Center kitchen was running out of steam Terry Noonan Ruyle, Senior Center director turned to the community for help.
The first thing to go was the commercial convection oven that has helped the senior center prepare more than 200,000 weekday noon meals for area senior citizens over the past 14 years.
The kitchen also prepared meals for disaster victims, flood cleanup volunteers and first responders. It has been used for local civic events like the Lions Club pancake breakfast and provided meals around the clock for flood victims and volunteers as a Red Cross disaster center following the 2016 flood.
“It has certainly done its job,” Ruyle said. “But it is no longer functioning. It was obvious we needed a new oven.”
Recalling that it was the community that built the center – making it the only paid for senior center in Franklin County – Ruyle said she thought the community might help to replace something as necessary as the oven.
She was right.
She contacted area businesses, churches, civic groups, and senior center supporters and they responded generously. Cost of a new oven is $7,000. Ruyle said she has received $8,580, a bit over the $7,000 needed for the oven.
This bonus turned out to be a godsend, because the senior center phone system has been off and on for weeks and needs to be replaced.
“An active phone, is as necessary to the senior center lunch program as a working oven,” Ruyle said. “Patrons telephone the center each day to reserve a spot for lunch. That’s how we know how many meals to prepare.”
On the days when the phone was out, some regular diners thought the center was closed and stayed home.
Even though the building is completely paid for, the Senior Center receives only limited revenue. Seniors pay $5 for their weekday lunch, which covers the cost of the food. About 200 Pacific residents add one dollar to their water/sewer bill every month to fund the center. And the center receives annual grants from the City of Pacific, and the Franklin County United Way. It is enough to keep the doors open but not enough to cover major repairs or replacement.
The senior center is also known as the Helen Preiss Senior Center for the lady whose name is above door. Preiss spearheaded the prolonged fundraising campaign the build the center.
After five years of bake sales and quilt raffles, the City of Pacific sponsored a pair of grants to construct the building. The Pacific Care Center donated the land adjacent to its South Sixth Street campus to locate the senior center.
When it was completed in March 2007 it was the only senior center in the region that was completely paid for. However there wasn’t enough grant money to furnish the kitchen and dining room. Two local couples stepped in save the day.
The late Bob Schmidt and his wife Mary Beth Schmidt, and their business partners Louis “Bud” and Barbara Brundick owned a short-lived restaurant on the west end of the city. They Donated the entire kitchen and dining furniture to the senior center.
“And now its time we’re going to have to replace some of it,” Mary Beth Schmidt said.
The Senior Center has undergone a renaissance since Ruyle took charge five months ago. After being closed for months due to COVID, the center is now open and serving hot meals five days a week.
A group of local cooks have launched a dessert contest, baking up an assortment of homemade cakes, cobblers, cookies, pies and puddings to complement the senior lunches.
A group of musicians hold an open mic sing along on Tuesday mornings from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The monthly evening of line dancing has returned and evening line dancing classes are once again being offered.
Dave Fox launched a movie night that screens a movie on a big screen on the last Friday of each month. This month’s movie, set for Friday Oct. 29, is “Just Go With It,” starring Jennifer Anniston. Admission is $5. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and show time is 6:00 p.m. The Lions Club popcorn machine, on loan to the senior center, creates the movie theater lobby aroma for the event.
“We’re back in full swing,” Ruyle said. “And we’re looking for more activities to enhance the lives of local seniors. And we’d also like to see more weekday lunch diners.”
In the mean time a group of master gardeners have stripped away the weeds and scrub in the landscaped island between the Senior Center parking lot and West Union. They plan to add top soil and replant the area as a beautification project.
Adrian Rodgers would call this story: Love ❤️ worth finding. So do I🌈
Good article!
When there is a need in “Our Town”
People always come to the rescue and we are PACIFIC PROUD!!!
Much more then seniors use The Senior Center, it is a Pacific treasure. BE PROUD You don’t need to be a senior to use it, just tell them you needs, you will be surprised at how they can help.