At their fundraiser last week, the Independence Township Senior Center took its first steps toward moving into a new home.
The current facility housing the senior center is an old farmhouse in Clintonwood Park. With many stairs and narrow hallways, the facility isn’t working for the seniors, said Senior Center Coordinator Margaret Bartos.
The new facility could possibly be the currently vacant South Sashabaw Elementary School. Plans for using the school have not been finalized through the Clarkston Board of Education. However, Tom Stone, facilitator between senior center and board and organizer of the fundraiser, said the issue will appear on a board agenda very soon.
Both sides have been working hard to facilitate the other’s requests, Stone said.
Many local officials and community members came out last Tuesday to support the fundraising efforts.
“There were a lot of township officials that attended,” said Stone. “Congressman Rogers was there along with our two local judges. Four township board members were there and at least two city council members attended. There were a lot of fine folks.”
The event was held at Mesquite Grill, and raised almost $6,000, not including expenses, for the renovation of a new, interim facility, said Stone.
In addition to the money raised by the selling of tickets, $525 was raised from donations, said Dawn Horner, president and CEO of Clarkston State Bank and member of the committee helping the senior center.
“I recognize the need to do something with our current facilities at the senior center and I think this would be a great thing,” said Horner. “We’ve had a lot of people already say when we need something they’ll be more than happy to help out.”
This fundraiser was just the first phase of fundraising and planning for the committee. If the school board approves the site, more fundraising and planning will be done, said Stone.
In November, voters turned down ballot proposals that would have supported a new facility.
“We want to help the community come up with a safer and more secure interim site for the senior center,” he said.
“Plans that have gone to the voters have not been acceptable and yet something needs to be done to provide these folks with a safe place. Our interim solution would be for five 10 years, until the community is ready and wishes to fund a permanent facility.”
Included in the renovation of the school would be building a bigger kitchen, and updating the fire protection, said Stone.
“We’ve got an architect that’s going to go through the building and give us numbers,” he said. “Then we’re going to look at what can be donated.”