Marjorie Moore, executive director of Scenic Hills, told the board that despite a public shutdown at the start of the pandemic, the senior center remains open to its employees as a vital resource for Hocking County seniors. .

“I want to make it clear that although the senior center was closed to the public in early 2020, we never closed our doors,” Moore said. “Our staff came to work and we did something other than have people in the building.”

According to 2019 data from the US Census Bureau, of the 28,264 residents of Hocking County, 19.5% are people over the age of 65. There will be more seniors than children in the United States by 2035, the 2018 census bureau predicted.

The Seniors Center offers activities, resources, community and more for Hocking County residents over 50. The membership of the senior center has grown exponentially over the past three years, said Janet Blair, who is responsible for marketing and education for Scenic Hills. It has two locations in Logan: 187 S. Sprint St. and its Education and Wellness Center at 580 Radio Lane.

Although the pandemic has slowed registrations, Moore estimates that the number of members in 2021 will be well over 1,000. Dues are only $ 5 per year, Moore added. Moore told the Logan Daily News that she estimates that around 30% of members are between 50 and 59 years old.

The seniors center has worked to protect and serve its members during the pandemic. It has provided 2,286 COVID-19 vaccines to seniors in Hocking County through a partnership with Shrivers Pharmacy, Moore said. From weekly clinics from April to October, the senior center hosted 100 to 200 people each Friday, Moore said.

“(Me), along with volunteers, worked in clinics, sometimes starting at 7 a.m. and ending at 5 p.m. at night,” Moore said. “After each clinic, we had to clean the area and wipe everything down, including the chairs and the walls. My staff worked continuously on updating and cleaning our facilities.

The Hocking County Sheriff’s Office and the Hocking Hills Tourism Association also helped the senior center deliver 951 meals Monday through Friday to seniors during the pandemic.

Moore applauded the Hocking Hills community for coming together to help provide for the elderly in the area. For an additional 31 weekends, the senior center also handed out boxes of food for the weekend, Moore said.

“The community support we had at the onset of COVID was incredible,” Moore said.

Danielle Arnett, wellness instructor at Scenic Hills, also spoke about how the center has successfully adapted its health activities, from in-person classes to online classes during the pandemic. The center for the elderly is also looking to expand its programming.

“We are working with some professionals in the area to continue to develop (our) own brand of this class of balance called ‘Balancing Your Health’,” Arnett said. “We strive to provide a fitness center for people (aged 50 and over) who wish to use our facilities. And we’re going to use this fitness center to create a phase 4 cardiac rehabilitation program as well. ”

The senior center currently offers outdoor bingo, drive-thru movies, tai chi, chair yoga, cardio percussion, a Parkinson’s preparation class and more, Arnett said. He also hosts chants in person and on his Facebook page.

The Commissioners commended Scenic Hills for its outstanding service to Hocking County as a flagship of the county’s dedication to its people. Commissioner Sandra Ogle thanked Moore and the staff at Scenic Hills for their hard work.

“In my first term, someone said that you can judge a community by how well it takes care of its elders,” said board chair Jeff Dickerson. “Hocking County is doing a great job.

The Commissioners also heard from Nate Simons, Community Development Coordinator of Hocking Athens Perry Community Action (HAPCAP). Simons held a second public hearing regarding the County’s 2021 Community Development Grant application, or CDBG.

The CDBG Small Cities program is a federally funded program distributed by the State Development Services Agency. Hocking County is eligible for $ 150,000 in funding in 2021, provided the county meets the requirements.

Simons and County Request $ 70,000 to Improve Scenic Hills Senior Center Parking Lot; $ 50,000 to improve critical sewer infrastructure in Hocking County; and $ 30,000 for administration and fair housing. The county is also eligible to apply for up to $ 500,000 in funding from the CBDG Critical Infrastructure Grant Program.

The next meeting of the commissioners will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 17 in the Commissioners Chamber of the Hocking County Courthouse, 1 E. Main St. The meetings are open to the public and streamed live on Facebook at the address www.facebook.com/hockingcommissioners/.