T-L Photo/GAGE VOTA Martins Ferry Senior Center attendee Nancy Schultz tries to smash Lansing Senior Center coordinator David Ward’s head with a foam mallet while playing the human wack-a-mole game at Martins Ferry Senior Center’s grand re-opening.

MARTINS FERRY – After months of renovations, the Martins Ferry Senior Center hosted its grand reopening Monday morning.

Center Coordinator Melissa Finney said the center moved out of the building for five weeks in February while renovations were completed.

“We got all new flooring, lighting, wiring, and paint, it really was badly needed,” Finney said. “Three of the other senior centers hosted us while we were moved out of the building for renovation, and that would be the Bellaire, Colerain and Lansing senior centers, so we invited them here first as a thank you.”

She added members from the three centers spent the day playing games such as human whack-a-mole, winning door prizes, having lunch and ending the event with a banana split bar.

In addition to the activities, representatives from WVU Medicine, Stone Rise Hospice and Park Health Center attended to inform seniors about their services.

“This is just our way of saying thank you, but also of showing off our new center,” Finney said. “We’re going to have all of the other centers in, but going to split it up and have three centers at a time. We’ve got three centers today, we’ll have three in June and three in July. That way everybody gets a chance to have the party, and we get a chance to show off our new center and show our seniors a good time.”

She added she believes bringing the 10 area senior centers together gives members an opportunity to branch out and make friends in other communities.

In addition to the reopening celebration, May also is Older Americans Month.

Senior Services of Belmont County Director Lisa Kazmirski said although the reopening happened during May, the agency focuses on seniors year-round.

“We consider all of the months their month, so we try to do a lot throughout the year, but May just has a big concentration of things happening because it’s a global recognition,” Kazmirski said. “Our county is fortunate that we have 10 senior centers. A lot of people think that’s too many, but we can currently support 10.”

She added attendance at the Martins Ferry Senior Center has increased during the past few years, making the renovations timely.

“It’s good to see this face lift with more people coming in. I think it will help when they walk in here to this bright and airy open area, they’ll feel more comfortable,” Kazmirski said. “It was a very nice coincidence that all of this happened at one time.”

Finney added the renovations were completed by the building owner, Ohio River Properties, at no cost to taxpayers.

Finney said rising inflation costs have contributed to increased attendance at the senior center.

“I think it does have to do with the economy and with people struggling. We’re getting more and more people coming in for produce. We have fresh produce twice a month, every second and fourth Monday of every month,” Finney said. “We also have a commodity food box program. I’m getting more and more applications for that, because it’s getting harder and harder for people to stretch that dollar. They can also come here and have a hot nutritious meal five days a week. We are growing, our numbers are improving all over the county, and I think part of that is because of the hot meals helping stretch their budget a little bit.”

She added the center asks for a small donation, but there is no set amount.

Finney said another meal assistance service offered by Senior Services is its Meals on Wheels program, which she believes helps seniors through difficult times.

“Sometimes they can’t get up and make a meal for themselves, so that’s valuable. Our grocery shopping services for those who no longer drive, we take them to the grocery store once a week. We get them home and take their bags up to their door,” Finney said. “Our medical transport services are invaluable, they save lives. If you can’t drive anymore, how do you get to the doctor? How do you get your lab work done? So we make sure that our seniors get taken care of. Our goal is to keep people as healthy and as happy as possible in their own homes, as long as it’s safe.”