A new site manager at the Gilmer Senior Center hopes to increase daily attendance, as well as the number of participating volunteers at the downtown Ellijay gathering place for local residents age 60 and up.
“Our attendance averages around 20 a day. I’m hoping to get the numbers up and get some fun stuff going (like) doing some field trips and outings,” said Vicky Stonecipher, who began working in the managerial position last month.
“We’re excited to have Vicky and we look forward to her being there for a long time,” said Brian Young, senior life services program director for North Georgia Community Action, the regional nonprofit that governs the senior center’s operation.
Stonecipher’s new role is a continuation of previous work with senior citizens, which includes private home care and area nursing homes.
“I grew up singing in nursing homes. My daddy and my three sisters had a gospel group called the Singing Joy Bells. We went to nursing homes in Blue Ridge and Copperhill to sing. I’ve always been in contact with seniors and loved it,” she said.
The Senior Center, located at 111 North Gilmer Street, offers free activities for local senior citizens from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday-Friday. Lunch is served at 11 a.m.
“We have a bowling TV game, a corn hole toss and a ladder ball game, as well as exercise equipment like a cycle and a treadmill. We play card games and bingo and (do) crafts. We have a pool table and I’m going to try to get a pool tournament organized,” Stonecipher said.
One of the main things Stonecipher would like to see occur is more volunteers coming in to teach classes or lead new programs.
Subjects that have been requested include crocheting and knitting, as well as basic education.
“We want happy, upbeat people to come here and have fun,” she said.
“We need some crafty people to volunteer to come and do more activities. I went around and asked what (our seniors) would like to do that we don’t have now. Some of them have asked about classes they could take and it would also be good if we could get a tutor to come in.” Stonecipher credits the local M.A.T.S. (Mountain Area Transportation System) bus team with helping bring seniors to the center who would otherwise be unable to attend. Some do still drive, but many rely on the M.A.T.S. buses for transportation, she added.
“We have about half who drive and about half who (come by) bus,” Stonecipher said.
“If the school system is closed, the M.A.T.S. buses don’t run. If the government offices don’t open, the center is closed and if they are on, say a 2-hour delay, then we are also on a 2-hour delay. (In that case), our seniors who drive can come on in after we open.”
Meals on Wheels volunteers a constant need
Young also touched on the need for more volunteers at the senior center.
Funded by state and federal means, it is the hub for the local Meals on Wheels program.
“We always need volunteers to help with the delivery of meals. That’s an ongoing need. We also need more volunteers inside the center — anyone who wants to donate their time and skills to come in and teach or present. The seniors really enjoy it when musical groups can come in and perform,” he said.
“We can also have people come in and speak to health and wellness activities. They have to be for free or not for profit. We can’t have someone soliciting services.”
The Meals on Wheels program, which is for homebound seniors 60 and up, serves anywhere from 50-60 local residents weekly, which equates to delivery of approximately 300 meals, Young said.
Volunteers can sign up for as little as one day a week to help deliver meals, he added.
“It’s generally first thing in the morning anywhere from 8-10:30 a.m. We do like to have someone who can dedicate one or two days a week because it’s hard to manage the program without knowing who’s coming in that day. It could be the first Monday of the month, for example. We just need to know somebody dedicated is coming in,” Young said.