(Chelsea Update would like to thank Trinh Pifer for the information in this story.)
Seeking to better meet the needs of Grass Lake’s older adults and their families, a core group of area residents and leaders have partnered with the Chelsea Senior Center (CSC) to launch a new senior center in Grass Lake in March.
The center, which will be located in the Grass Lake Charter Township Hall, will deliver quality programs and services for seniors in the Grass Lake area in conjunction with the Chelsea Senior Center.
The Steering Committee formed to launch the new center is comprised of civic leaders in Grass Lake, board members from the Copper Nail, members of the Grass Lake Community Wellness Initiative (GLCWI), and representatives from the Chelsea Senior Center Board and staff. The group has been meeting regularly to work out logistics of funding, programming, and marketing.
To date, the Copper Nail, a community non-profit resale shop dedicated to providing financial support to non-profit organizations in the Grass Lake area, has committed $10,000 in startup funding. Additionally, GLCWI has committed $5,000 as part of its 5Healthy Towns initiative. The Grass Lake DDA has also contributed $2,500 for startup funding and Grass Lake Charter Township will provide rent-free space at the township hall to house the Grass Lake Senior Center programs.
Initially, programs at the Grass Lake Senior Center will be offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with offerings such as exercise, bingo, cards and games, Wii sports, computer/tech support, and monthly lunch and learn speakers. Doors will open Tuesday, March 24 at 10 a.m. with a grand opening and ribbon cutting slated for Thursday, April 23 at 9:30 a.m.
Joyce Sager, a Grass Lake resident and Steering Committee member has been a leading champion of this project. “I’m very proud to be a part of the group getting the Grass Lake Senior Center started in Grass Lake,” she said in a press release.
“I know that when my mother became a widow there was not a social center for her to go to that would help fill the void of being alone. The creation of our center will allow individuals and couples to reunite with friends and keep active while meeting and making new friends. Our whole goal is to keep the 50+ young at heart and excited to get out of the house,” she said.
The Chelsea Senior Center Board of Directors approved this partnership at its November 2014 meeting. According to Jim Alford, current Chelsea Senior Center board president, “Helping Grass Lake develop a senior center is an expansion of our mission. We have a terrific senior center here in Chelsea and we want to share our expertise and talent with members of the Grass Lake community,” he said.
Currently, the Chelsea Senior Center supports nearly 800 active members and provides programming Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The annual membership rate will stay at $25 per year for both senior centers. With this partnership, seniors in both communities can enjoy dual membership and participate in programs offered at either site.
The Chelsea Senior Center staff will oversee all administrative and program management for both sites, and act as fiduciary. “The partnership between Chelsea and Grass Lake is a wonderful model of resource sharing and partnership that makes Grass Lake senior programming a reality,” says Matt Pegouskie, community resource manager for the Chelsea-Area Wellness Foundation.
The Grass Lake senior center is looking for volunteers to help make the center a success. Please contact Jennifer Smith, CSC Program Manager, at [email protected] if you want to share your talents and time.
For more information and/or to share your thoughts and feedback, please call 734-475-9242 and ask for Jennifer Smith or Trinh Pifer.
I’m thrilled to hear about this new development to help keep seniors in Grass Lake active and involved. The staff and members of Chelsea Senior Center are amazing people. Thank you for helping our neighbors to the west.