‘Mini senior center’ renaming celebration on Sept. 16

    CARIBOU, Maine — Aroostook Area on Aging officials are hosting a re-launch the community-owned dining area at Lyndon Heights on Tuesday, Sept. 16 and re-naming the facility in honor of the longtime supporters who donated the space, Phil and Viv Willey.
Wellness and Nutrition Director with Aroostook Area on Aging Dottie Sines is hoping that the celebration will lead to an increase in area seniors enjoying a warm and healthy lunch through to the Meals-on-Wheels program while also creating new educational, entertainment or exercise programs for folks to enjoy as well.
“We would love to invite the community in on Sept. 16 to say what they would like to have for a mini senior center in Caribou,” Sines said.
With community support, the 40-person dining area could host nutrition education opportunities for seniors through fun ways like a cooking class, or bring folks together for music jams, additional bingo games, yoga or balance classes or other things.
“We want this to be a place where area seniors feels safe, can get a nutritious meal and learn about new and maybe helpful things — like maybe how to apply for food stamps or how to get fuel assistance,” Sines said. “This could be a community center where people could learn how to remain at home safely.”
Before Sines worked with the Aroostook Area on Aging, she was a caseworker who helped seniors stay independently in their homes while they got older. That’s where she met the Willeys.
“Viv was one of the housing managers I worked with,” Sines said of her friend. “She wanted to make sure that her tenants were safe and happy, and she used to have Christmas parties and all kinds of events at her own expense.”
Viv passed away a few years ago and Phil retired to Florida, but Sines is happy about renaming the dining area the Willeys donated.
“In honor of Phil and Viv and their dedication to the community, we wanted to rename this dining center that they allow us to use for free — which is a big deal,” Sines emphasized.
The center has been open for years, but numbers of participants are stagnant at one, maybe two, individuals stopping by for lunch a day.
Mary Hyslop has been the dining center manager since 2011, and she’s hoping to have at least 10 people regularly come down for lunch.
“We’d love to have you, please come!” she encouraged.
The Meals-On-Wheels lunch is available at a suggested donation of $3. Sines explained that the meals are created fresh by Bangor company Jeanie Marshal and planned by a registered dietician.
“These meals are low fat, low salt and they meet most dietary requirements — and they’re delicious,” she said.
Those who would like to attend lunch may do so by calling Sines at 764-6185 and signing up. Lunch is available for Native Americans 55 and older, and for seniors age 60 and older.
Though Sines and Hyslop can see lots of different ways to utilize the dining center for nutritious meals and socialization, Sines emphasized that community support is crucial to make anything happen.
“It needs a community effort and if the community isn’t behind me, I’m lost,” she said. “Especially if they don’t come out on the 16th and tell me what they want.”
The celebration starts at 10:30 a.m. on the 16th with coffee and conversation, and Phil Bosse of Senator Collins’ office will be there, too.
The Lyndon Heights facility is open to all area seniors — not just from Caribou and not just residing in Lyndon Heights.
“The elders in the community are thinking that because this site is locked and they have to be let in that they shouldn’t be coming in. That’s not true,” she emphasized, explaining that the exterior doors are locked to protect those residing in the building — but the area seniors have every right to stop by for lunch on weekdays. “They’re more than welcome to come here.”