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Show Questions answered on need for senior center The Community Council for the Senior Citizens Building Fund has been receiving questions from a number of residents rela-vent rela-vent to the need and use of a new facility for seniors, and in order to help educate the public, the council began to develop a series of questions ques-tions and answers. The following are some basic questions and answers. an-swers. Anyone with a question they wish answered an-swered is encouraged to contact Jack West or Gen Pope. Q. Why is the Literary Club heading the drive for a Senior Citizens Center? Why not the Senior Citizens themselves? A. The Literary Club has long involved itself in civic projects, and a senior center was targeted several sever-al years ago as the next major undertaking of the club. Its history of effort and success is unparallel ed in Moab, and because of this the local Council on Aging has given the club its blessing to initiate and complete such an ambitious ambi-tious project. Q. Are there any plans In- huild housing to complement the center? A. Upon completion of the center, it is possible in the long range planning to construct housing for senior sen-ior citizens adjacent to the center. Exactly how many units and of what design, capacity, etc., would be determined as a later date. Q. Why must the center be built with government funds? Can't the amount of money needed be funded locally? A. The amount of money, $200,000 plus, is not comfortably within the reach of the community through fund raising efforts ef-forts such as rummage and bake sales, contributions, contribu-tions, fund drives, etc. The Community Council for the Senior Citizens Building Fund, decided that since there are various forms of grants available on a federal and multi-state level, the best chance of receiving the entire sum, or a major portion of it, was through grant application? Q. If a senior center is built, who, or what organization organi-zation will own it. A. Grand County will own it. . There is no intention of having a club own it. Rather it will be a facility for the enjoyment of all Grand County senior citizens. There will have to be, of course, some orderly means of operating operat-ing and maintaining the center. Q. Isn't the proposed expenditure of $200,000 plus, an exhorbitant a-mount a-mount of money for just 800 peoples? A. Moral, ethical and financial considerations are many and complex. However, here is some basic food for thought: most of us will be senior citizens some day, so the 800 figures mentioned is a perpetual and escalating one; how do you put a price tag on a social service to a segment of our people who, not long ago, were the moving We behind giving us the community we have today; to-day; the quality of life for these citizens could be considerably bettered through various activities offered through the center. cent-er. It is an established fact that in the long run the cost of the center will be offset by lower costs in nursing homes, long-term care, etc., brought about by better nutrition and more interests and activities activi-ties on the part of the seniors. Q. Will the center be shared with any other groups? A. At this time it is planned to be a center for senior, citizens, with no other permanent users. There is the possibility that the building, or portions of it, might from time to time be rented, to cover, for example, the cost of routine janitorial service. Q. Why do the senior citizens need a center? Can't they get together at homes, the park, or the present center? A. The center will be more than just a place to get out of the rain. No home is large enough to accomodate as many senior sen-ior citizens as is thought will use the center. In addition to having sufficient suffic-ient space for large groups, there will be craft rooms, game rooms, special use rooms, cooking cook-ing facilities and rooms to adjust to the needs of the users. The senior citizens need a center because many of them are alone, having lost their partner. They need a place with other people to fill the gap. Most importantly they need people of their age to talk to, to enjoy doing things with. |