Highland senior center keeps visitors busy By GINA HAMILTON • Staff writer
MONTEREY - The Highland Senior Center has offered a place of welcome, hot lunches and activities to the elderly for more than 30 years.
Established in 1974, the first gathering spot was at the Maple Restaurant. Now the facility is housed in the basement level of The Highland Center on Spruce Street.
 | | Top (l-r) Josephine Wimer receives instructions on knitting from Marilyn Fore. The Highland Senior Center has a wide range of activities for seniors, from card games to puzzles chicken foot (a form of dominoes), from exercise in the recreation commission weight room to educational health programs. And don't forget the trips for shopping or sight-seeing. One is planned each month. |
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Kelly Botkin became the new director last July after the retirement of Dot Shepherd, who guided the center for more than 30 years.
Botkin wasn't a stranger to the seniors, however; she was their former van driver. The Highland County native and Monterey resident said, "I was the center's van driver to start with, probably about 11 years, and when Dot retired, I felt like stepping in," she said. "I love working with them. Since I'd been with them for 11 years, I felt I knew them. I wanted to make the transition with someone they knew."
While she had to learn the office management part and computer use, Botkin said, "I'm still with them, but it's just a different aspect."
The senior center is open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hot lunches are served at 11:30 a.m., provided by Blue Roof Caterers in Monterey. The facility serves residents age 60 and older throughout Highland County. According to Botkin, on average 25 seniors a day participate in activities.
"They like games, puzzles, and definitely Chicken Foot, a Domino game," said Botkin. Arts and crafts projects are offered, and "we just had our knitting class start Monday," she said. "We have a lady who teaches the class, Marilyn Fore, a retired teacher from Highland Elementary."
A regular exercise program is held at the senior center each Tuesday and Thursday.
Varied programs
A popular monthly event is open house bingo on the second Tuesday, held from 9:30-11 a.m., when anyone can participate. "We're trying to get some new programs going, maybe Bible study in March," Botkin said," and we have educational health programs once a month with someone coming in from the medical field, and a nutritionist."
As to what kind of programs she organizes, Botkin said, "I sound them out to see what they like, what they want to do, and plan activities and things they like."
At least one trip is planned each month for shopping or sight-seeing excursions and going out to eat. The center's van can transport up to 13 passengers. Others driving seniors on trips can get reimbursed for mileage.
Botkin said members of the high school's National Honor Society also come to the center and present programs. "They will put on a Valentine's Day party on Feb. 15," she said.
The center also participates in the annual Maple Festival coming up in March, this year by raffling off a quilt being made by the Highland County Quilt Club. The raffle will support the center's programs. Botkin said Jeanne Apgar, director of the Bath County Senior Center, is helping with that project.
Center funding
As with the Bath County Senior Center, the Highland Center is also funded by the Valley Program for Aging Services, Inc. in Waynesboro through the Virginia Department for Aging and the federal Older Americans Act.
According to Valley Program fiscal officer Teresa Wilkinson, the annual Highland Center allocation is $35,750 and $17,900 for meals. Botkin said, "We need donations; the funding does not cover our costs."
Meals on Wheels
The senior center also provides Meals on Wheels for about 25 residents who are homebound. The center's van driver, Chantell Hupman, delivers the meals in town and 25 volunteer drivers take turns delivering these meals on the Blue Grass route about 13 miles from Monterey. The meals are also provided by Blue Roof Caterers.
Seniors can get assistance with information they need at the center with the seniornavigator.org Web site as well, including information about medical issues, Botkin said.
More information about programs at the Highland Senior Center is available by calling Kelly Botkin at 540-468-1975.
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