Seniors Serious About Saving Selves

When members of the stepped up to the podium at Tuesday's council they stepped up big. Facing possibly significant cuts in funding for programs at the center, they have embarked on a large fundraising effort to preserve them.

The members will be raising membership and other fees and reported rapid progress, raising $10,000 in donations in about a week with the aim making the center self-sufficient by next year.

The state of the poor economy has moved the city into an era of large budget cuts that would suspend or eliminate many existing services. With property and sales tax revenues down, cuts in programs and staff layoffs have become a way of life.

Robert Bauer, secretary to the board of seniors, told council members that the triad that runs the city-owned center —membership, club and foundation — launched the  pledge drive last week, collecting more than $10,000 in pledges. They plan to make it an annual drive and to donate $75,000 to close a budget gap of about $115,00 to $150,000 in the annual budget. The seniors will seek grants and corporate sponsorships," Bauer said.

"What we're requesting now from then council is to give us time to put together the plan we envision to make the center completely self-sufficient. Hopefully by next year we will be completely self-sufficient."

The seniors plan to raise fees on activities from weekday low-cost lunches to classes, membership fees and salon services. We don't want to raise fees so high where we have to start excluding people because our main purpose is to serve our community."

The center has a popular reputation and it attracts more than 1,200 members from neighboring communities. Since its 1991 opening it has grown to opening it has relied largely on hundreds of volunteers for its operation. That initiative is reaching a new level of intensity. The center hosts numerous classes and a wide variety of activities with minimal staffing.

"We got together and we are stepping forward on this," said Lorraine Reiger of the Pinole Area Senior Foundation. "We, the seniors of that center, are the best nickel-and-dime champs you ever saw."

She emphasized that the center helps keep members healthy in mind and body.

"I don't know if you all know it, but this is the best damn center in the county," she said. "You don't find a bunch of bodies sitting in a chair and nodding off. They're busy, they're playing games, they're playing cards. The only way to keep active is to have a place to meet."

Mayor Roy Swearingen assured the audience that the senior won't be closing.

"We have no intention at all of letting that senior center close and it won't close,"  Swearingen said. "Somehow or another we'll keep it open. We went through a lot to get it and we're damn well going to keep it."

Councilman Pete Murray said the seniors got the message that self-reliance is required.

"I appreciate this and that it's where we were asking the group to go do and they've risen to the challenge. This is great to hear and I'm hoping that it works throughout the city and in in all the other elements that would be affected by our situation today ," Murray said. "What we've been saying is that we want these programs to be self-sustainable."