By Jondi Gumz
The leaders of the Mid-County Senior Center, shuttered since mid-March due to COVID-19, are raising money in hopes of reopening.
The senior center, a home away from home for 495 members, funded operations from facility rentals and Friday night dances, but it’s had no income for seven months.
“It’s a wonderful place,” said Mary Reed, the treasurer, who’s been on the board since 2004. ”It’s wonderful to have a place to go, a chance to meet friends.”
Some of the groups that rented the place, such as the Early Risers Alcoholics Anonymous, which has 90 members, would like to return.
“We haven’t been able to figure out all details,” Reed said.
A fundraising letter went out in late August, asking for donations.
“To date we have raised $20,000, which is 45% of our goal of $45,000,” she said.
The goal represents three months of operating expenses, such as liability insurance, $8,000, garbage pickup, $500 a month, a part-time coordinator working 25 hours a week, custodial time, PG&E bills, water bills, repairs of the aging refrigerator.
A Go FundMe campaign was launched at www.gofundme.com/f/helping-midcounty-senior-center-mcsc-survive.
Mary Reed, treasurer of the Mid-County Senior Center, with garden manager Curt Jewell.
Older residents have been isolating at home to avoid the contagious coronavirus, an issue that came up during the City Council candidate forum in October, but there were no easy solutions.
Reed, who retired from teaching social science and Spanish at Aptos Junior High, doesn’t want to turn to the city for help — “they’ve got enough on their plate,” she said.
The senior center provided a place for bridge players, bingo aficiondos, Choraliers, a quilting group, a dog training group, memorials, Project Scout to help people prepare their tax returns, and Narcotics Anonymous, but all that indoor activity has stopped.
The idea of offering outdoor exercise has been discussed “but it doesn’t generate much income,” Reed said.
Gardeners can come and tend their plots at the outdoor garden, managed by Curt Jewell, and the Lavender Ladies have hosted fundraising sales outside in the parking lot.
Volunteers with the nonprofit Grey Bears, organized by Tony Alonzo, visit every Friday morning, providing brown bags of food for those in need.
At least 50 people come, “probably more since the virus hit,” Reed said.
For many seniors, this place was their social connection, meeting friends at bingo or bridge.
The state has placed Santa Cruz County in the Red Tier, which means card rooms can only operate outdoors.
Could bridge players play outside?
Reed doesn’t think they would.
The group has 40-some people and playing bridge, you’re sitting so close, she pointed out –“they just won’t come – you might as well move Mount Rushmore.”
When might the senior center reopen?
“Probably not until March,” Reed said. “Our dilemma is seniors won’t come until there is a vaccine. They’re all frightened.”
Even so, she is hopeful the community will support the seniors and make a donation to help the senior center.
“I’m an eternal optimist,” she said.