Lake Whitney Senior Center celebrates its second year

Editor: Shannon Cottongame

September 22, 2021

Lake Whitney Senior Center recently celebrated its second anniversary and continues to expand its services to the community.

The center’s goal is to reduce the number of senior adults in the Lake Whitney area who eat every meal alone, according to Director Lynda Bomar, who has served as director since before the center opened in September 2019.

The original goal of the senior center’s organizers has grown, she said.

The purpose of the senior center is “to demonstrate the love of Christ by providing social, spiritual and physical interactions and activities to the senior citizens of the Lake Whitney area community.”

The center also provide opportunities to younger people of the community to interact with and to serve these seniors.

“While we do not advocate any particular religion, we are unashamedly and overtly Christian,” Bomar said. “We pray and offer a short devotion before every meal. Leadership of prayers and devotions is open to any area pastor.”

Prior to the pandemic, the facility was averaging between 35 and 65 participants every Tuesday. The senior center resumed operations in September of 2020 with safety protocols in place.

Those protocols have been relaxed, but the center welcomes anyone who still feels the need to wear a mask and will respect that decision. The number of participants now ranges from 25 to 35 weekly.

Some of the services offered and that have been offered by the senior center include: weekly congregate meals, wellness seminars, active shooter response training, pet care seminars, Master Gardener presentations, craft demonstrations and lessons, monthly holiday celebrations, gift bags for Meals on Wheels recipients, weekly exercise classes, meal preparation tips and live music.

“We operate solely on donations of both money and goods,” Bomar said. “Every dollar we receive goes directly into the facility to impact the lives of our seniors. The staff at the senior center consists completely of volunteers.”

She added, “We still have many ideas to expand and improve the Lake Whitney Senior Center for the benefit of all the citizens in the Lake Whitney community.”