After being closed due to COVID-19 since March of 2020, the Fayetteville Lincoln County Senior Center is officially reopened on July 6th. The mission of the senior center is “to provide mental, physical, nutritional, recreational, and health-related activities that benefit the well-being of senior citizens in Lincoln County, as well as to provide public transportation services to all qualified individuals who reside in Lincoln County.” During the months the center was closed from COVID-19, it was devastating for the seniors who make up 20% of Lincoln County’s population. At that time, nothing was open and no events were being planned due to the fear of COVID-19. With the senior center being closed for over a year, the seniors of Lincoln County had nowhere to go and nothing to do. Essentially, without the senior center, the seniors were socially isolated during COVID-19. According to the senior center’s new director, Merrill Meadows, one of the biggest challenges of having to close the senior center due to COVID-19 was trying to plan a calendar around what the seniors wanted and what would be safe regarding the CDC’s guidelines for COVID-19. While the senior center was open the entire day of Tuesday, July 6th, an ice cream social was held at 1 PM for the seniors and the community of Lincoln County. The ice cream social was a way to welcome back the seniors to the senior center and let everyone know that the senior center was back and officially reopened. Also, according to the senior center’s new director, Merrill Meadows, the seniors of Lincoln County are “Happy and relieved that we are reopened. We have gotten all positive feedback from the seniors who can’t wait for our events in the future. We had at least 30 people show up within the first two hours of being reopened.” The senior center currently offers lunch, exercise classes, pool, dances, bingo, blood pressure checks, and computer classes. Still in a transitional phase from being closed from COVID-19, the senior center plans to offer several new activities for the seniors in the future, but they are reliant upon fundraisers and volunteers. Located at 908 Washington Street West right next to the Health Department, the Fayetteville Lincoln County Senior Center’s current operating hours are from 8 - 2 on Monday through Thursday and from 8 - 1 on Friday. Do you have an idea for an activity or event for the senior center to host? Do you need your blood pressure checked? Or do you just want some fun activities and conversation? Come on down to the senior center today!
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