by Bea Peterson
Penny Jones is still settling into her new job as Director of the Rensselaer County Everett Wager Senior Center in Grafton. She has been on the job for two weeks. Jones was Assistant Director of the Troy Center for 13 years. She said she comes to the new job with mixed emotions. “I miss my Seniors,” she said, “I got quite attached to many of them.” However, she is quite excited about the challenges of her new job. She was at the site in
January as part of a program to help set goals for the five County Centers. “I know how all five run, and there’s a huge difference between the city and the country centers.” In Troy she would see as many as 150 seniors in a day. “In Grafton, we get one quarter of that,” she said.
One of her goals is outreach. She wants to encourage more Seniors to come in. “There are so many services offered to Seniors,” she said, “and 99 percent of those services are free.” For example, the County offers free legal services to income eligible Seniors. “Besides the legal services there is home delivery meals, caregiver support, HEAP, the heating program, and WRAP, the program that offers home insulation and minor repairs. Some Seniors are eligible for free air conditioners.
The Grafton Center is open Monday through Friday from 9 am to 3 pm. Lunch is served daily at a suggested cost of $2.50. Jones said there is a van that will travel from Stephentown up Route 22 to bring people to the Center.
Jones said Fidelis Medicare Advantage is sponsoring entertainment for some of the Center’s upcoming events. On June 19 at 1 pm there will be a Strawberry Festival with entertainment. On July 21 there will be a “bring a friend to lunch” competition with entertainment. The person bringing the most friends to lunch will win a prize.
Regular programs at the Rensselaer County Everett Wagar Senior Center include Yoga classes, Mystery Bingo on Wednesday and regular Bingo on Friday, and the van regularly takes Seniors to the pool in nearby Bennington for Water Aerobics.
Penny Jones can talk grandchildren with the best of them. A Troy resident, she has two married children and three grandchildren.