Donations needed for planned Arley Senior Citizens Center


Committee members of the Arley-Smith Lake Senior Outreach Center shows the gutted interior of the former BankFirst building that is being remodeled into a senior center. From left, Cheryl Rickett, committee vice president; Cathy Cooper, president; Bob Cooper, treasurer and State Representative Tim Wadsworth.

ARLEY       -  Now that the interior of the future Arley-Smith Lake Senior Outreach Center has been gutted by numerous volunteers, the hard part begins, with donations desperately needed to finance the renovation.
“We are on the cusp of providing the Town of Arley a first-class  facility for its elderly citizens,” noted Bob and Cathy Cooper, who have been key in the new center’s development.
Cathy, who is president of the project committee and her husband, Bob - treasurer of the committee -  saw a need for the town to have a senior center while serving in the Arley Fire Department and seeing the needs among older residents, they said.
“Some times, the elderly couples were just staying at home with no social life,” Bob noted.
The closest senior centers are in Double Springs and Jasper, so this opened a major need to have a center in Arley.  A vacant building formerly belonging to BankFirst caught the Coopers’ attention as an ideal location for such a center.
In 2019, the Arley Fire Department opened the meeting room in its station to seniors 60 and older, with potluck meals served on the first and third Mondays at 5 p.m. and the first and third Thursdays at 10 a.m.
Arley Fire Chief James Rickett stated it has been a labor of love to use the fire department’s meeting room to host the senior citizens.
“The community has needed it for years,” Rickett stated.
Rickett, whose wife, Cheryl, is vice president of the senior center, has also volunteered his time doing renovations at the new location.
“Right now, it’s just a lack of money,” Rickett stressed. “We are going to need all the funding we can get.”
In March, 2020, the senior center, housed at the fire station, partnered with a local church to deliver meals to over two dozen senior citizens once a week, all without a permanent center location, the Coopers recalled.
“Having  a local, dedicated senior outreach center for the community will allow the state-supported Elderly Nutrition Program to come to the Arley community and feed the elderly at least four times a week,” Bob stated.
The Town of Arley voted to purchase the former BankFirst building approximately a year ago after working out an agreement with the bank, officials said.  The town   applied $50,000 to the center project, with the committee adding $15,000 (including donations from individuals) to reach the total $65,000 purchase price.
After that process was completed, the committee and numerous volunteers pitched in and have now completely gutted the building, removing interior walls, old wood and duct work.
“Bob and Cathy have been the most instrumental couple,” boasted State Representative Tim Wadsworth, who is working with state agencies toward funding the center.
“We are going to work with them in every way to try to get additional funding in the first phase of the project,” Wadsworth added.
“A lot of people need this outlet,” he added. “A lot of people who are older are alone.  As a result of the weekly meetings, it has extended seniors’ lives and also fulfills their lives.”
The interior walls were in good shape, Cathy stated.
“It was very well insulated.  All the walls we took down, we saved the wood and put aside for the rebuilding,” she pointed out.  “We’re trying to be as careful as we can with the resources that we have.”
The old appliances were removed, while donations amounting to $3,700 in furniture, cabinets, shelving, a computer and office furniture have been received and are being stored at various locations.  A double oven and dishwasher have also been donated, according to the Coopers.
That leaves the bulk of the interior renovations, with $29,000 of the $110,000 goal raised through donations and fundraisers, they pointed out.
“The goal is to remodel the existing building,” Bob said. A future project will be adding a kitchen, a separate $75,000 cost, he added.
Grants are being sought from the Northwest Alabama Resource and Development Council, Northwest Alabama Council of Local Governments, USDA and Walker Area Community Foundation, Bob explained.
When renovations are complete, the senior center will feature a banquet seating area, new handicap accessible restrooms, new ceilings, walls, an office, storage area, new plumbing and rewiring.
The Coopers are confident they will again have volunteers to help with the interior  renovations.
“We had about a dozen volunteers that did the demo,” said Bob.  
“We have a whole list of people who are plumbers, electricians, general contractors,” Cathy added.
In order to fill in the gap between the $29,000 already raised and the $110,000 needed, fundraisers such as a dinner planned for Good Friday April 7, from 3-6 p.m. at the Arley Community Center will be conducted.
“We’re hoping that raises $3,000-$4,000,” Cathy noted.
Yard sales are also being planned, and any donations will be greatly appreciated, according to the Coopers.
Accounts have been set up under Arley Senior Center at both BankFirst and Traditions Bank and donations can be mailed to the Arley-Smith Senior Outreach Center at P.O. Box 116, Arley, Ala. 35541.
All donations are tax-deductible, since the organization for the senior center is a 501(c)(3).

 

 


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