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Show TMIRIUV along the bear river SJPPLEMINT 10 1HE NEWS EXAMINER. PRESICN iMsFN CACHE A 1475 CIll.'EN GRACE FFN RONALD REAGAN CLASSIFIEDS TV GUIDE PAUL HARVEY ANSI CHl-'I- It-- UAIHR GARIANH UMiJ. Something senior citizens making the seniors feel like this is a second home where they can meet and greet Ix'ing enticed into the seniors program she noted: "I'm glad if I had to be left a widow it was at a time when I had the senior center where answers to problems are as close as the telephone." friends." A survey two years ago showed loneliness and transportation were the two biggest problems facing seniors. A "mini-bu- s helped ease the transportation problem The center is also trying to start a program that would insure every senior is contacted in person or by phone everyday. "There are somethings that are just beautiful, Mrs. noted like watching three strangers from different communities become best friends. Besides friendship the center is the scene of a host of services ranging from education and medical clinics to chances to tour. Napoli . across the country, Senior Citizens centers are springing up, some of them becoming very successful in meeting the needs of the older people. Two successful ones have been the one in Tremonton and the one in Montpelier. The senior citizens of Montpelier meet each Wednesday night with a potluck meal and games later in the evening and have a hot meal served each Friday noon. They take many planned trips to areas of interest All around the country and many are now planning on a trip to Hawaii, which will leave Salt Lake on Friday, Feb. 12, returning to Montpelier on February 19. This trip is being directed by Phil Hulme and Fred Bartlome of Montpelier. They report they have found an enjoyable fellowship in the Senior Citizen Center and feel it is a worthwhile project. The Bear River Valley Senior Center in Tremonton is a story of people people who cared. They know if they want to go some place there's some place for them to go . . . you can only stay inside four walls for so long." That's how senior center director La Rene Napoli of Tremonton describes the function of the senior citizens program housed in an old vacant elementary school. WITH OVER 1,100 seniors in the Bear River Valley to draw on, the center has the potential to be a very busy place. Back in 1909 when the Tremonton Civic League was developing a museum in the old Wilson Lumber building to help celebrate the Golden Spike Centennial, they noticed a curious phenomenon. We found our seniors were congregating there to talk about old things . . . and loving it, Mrs. Napoli recalled. A government study taken in 1906 indicated more than 34 per cent of the population in the valley was over age 65. Snow-vill- c Two communities and Riverside had 50 per cent of their poulations over 65. WE DECIDED there was a need here and something needed to be done about it, she declared. The local planning board took up the effort contacting the Office of Economic Opportunity to look for funds, "but they were only interested in people," Mrs. Napoli remembered. We wanted a program that would be total because seniors have more problems Loneli-cr- s than just income. sn something to do in leisure time are problems 'hay ill face. The group submitted a proposal to the State Division on Aging. I sat up one night until 4 a.m. and wrote that thing, Mrs. Napoli recalled noting she was dumb in the art of seeking government funds. I'll be darned if they didn't accept it just as it was. low-inco- WHEN THE director of the project suddenly decided to run for the state legislature, Mrs. Napoli took it over a post she's been laboring at ever since. A BIG FUTURE OF THE CENTER turned over their lease to the Lumber building for use as a center and the local service clubs Boise-Cascad- e turned over their hearts. "THEY WERE tremendous, Mrs. Napoli recalled. There are no people greater than there are in our area tor rallying around something they believe in." The Civic League furnished a lounge, the American Legion and volunteer firemen finished walls, the Junior Chamber of Commerce set up a kitchen while the Kiwanis put $1,000 into the building and worked on rest rooms. The local Methodist church fixed up an office area and the Lions created an room. The Bear River LDS Stake furnished sewing room and the South Bear River LDS Stake filled it with sewing equipment. SENIORS congregated in the center for three years before fate required the center to find a new home. In May 25. 1973 the McKin IN MONTPELIER IS THE WEEKLY ley school was vacated by the school district. By May 29 "we had moved in," Mrs. Napoli said. We called on the Lions and the Kiwanis to help us and in two hours move had moved the totally they ... senior center from main street to the school blocks south. Once again the civic league sunk money into an elaborately furnished lounge area, the Lions fixed up a club room for themselves and furnished a new stove and the renovation work started all over again. WE KELT IT necessary to make the institution type building into a home-typ- e building," the director noted. Five rooms have been completed and work is underway on an arts and crafts and shop area. The center seeks members and older noting: We feel people need to be planning at least ahead of their retirement rs date." "We're concerned with DINNERS IS SHE EVER discouragNo. was Mrs. Napoli's firm reply. The program is ed? big and the potential is even bigger. What concerns me is that we're just not able to receive enough money to cover the program as adequately as we would like to." "For a long time our seniors were the forgotten people and now we're just beginning to realize their "WE FIND people who have worked so long in our rural area are interested in touring when they finally have the time, she said. The center tries to provide an extended 0 day tour each year and a variety of smaller tours to such places as Ballet West and university productions. Jackpot, Nevada, an unlikely environment for most seniors, has become a favorite tour spot. "It's a favorite not because it s a gambling joint . . its just like a party, mej treat us royal. We had a hard time filling our bus the first time, she recalled. Since then we haven't had any trouble." A trip planned for late in March was filled up in January and another bus is half full already." potential." The rewards are many. She recalls two examples. One man and woman hibernated" for eight to ten years in their home until the husband passed away. The widow continued the life of a shut-i- n until she was persuaded to join the seniors. "NOW SHE'S an extrovert we keep hoping she'll ... level out," Mrs. Napoli laughed. Another woman sat in her After home for BOOSTING THE CENTERS ARE BOARDS OF DIRECTORS SUCH AS THIS MONTPELIER GROUP |