By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
The competition is fierce at the Wood County Senior Center, where older adults are gathering again for card games.
A subdued game was being played in the coffee lounge, while a more raucous group was tallying up points of a dominoes game in the dining room.
Across the county, senior citizens are hungry for congregate dining, conversations and card games.
“It seems like almost every day we have new people coming in,” said Jim Stainbrook, of the Wood County Senior Center.
And bit by bit, the eight senior center sites are opening up after COVID-19.
“We’ve got to make sure we have all the bugs worked out at all the sites,” Wood County Committee on Aging Executive Director Denise Niese said Wednesday during a meeting of the board.
The Wood County Committee on Aging is continuing its phased reopening of its eight senior centers – the first being the new Wood County Senior Center in Bowling Green, which started serving congregate lunches on June 21.
The Perrysburg Area Senior Center followed on July 6. The rest will be phased in with centers in Rossford and Walbridge opening July 19, Pemberville and Wayne on Aug. 9, Grand Rapids on Aug. 23, and North Baltimore on Sept. 7.
Masks are not required for those who are at least 14 days past getting vaccinated. Those participants who are unvaccinated are required to wear masks when not eating or drinking.
Once all the centers are open, the site in Bowling Green will start serving evening meals and expanding programs, Niese said.
The monthly newsletter for August lists all types of physical and mental fitness programs, movies, billiards and classes.
“We’re ready for those seniors to come back,” Niese said.
The big questions from seniors at the Bowling Green site are consistent.
“When are we going back to two entrees, and when are we going to have liver and onions,” Niese said.
Also at Wednesday’s meeting, board member Tim McCarthy reported that the Wood County Commissioners approved the Committee on Aging’s request to put millage on the Nov. 2 ballot.
The single ballot issue will have two parts – the renewal of the current 0.7 mills, and a new 0.3 mills.
Senior service levies in Wood County have a history of strong voter support. In 2011, the renewal passed with 70% of the vote, and in 2016 it garnered close to 76% support.
“The levy has never lost a precinct,” McCarthy said. “We’ll try to keep that string alive.”
In other business, the board:
- Learned that Wood County Health Commissioner Ben Robison reported that the senior center kitchen is one of two entities in the county that have been violation-free during food inspections in the last 10 years.
- Approved policies on service animals, tobacco and open flames in the new senior center.
- Discussed diversity on the board, and set up an ad hoc committee to talk about the issue further.
