Year in Review: Blaine Senior Center

A group of Blaine seniors socialize after a bridge game at Blaine Senior Center on June 7. The senior center is beginning to buzz with activity following two years of events paused during the pandemic.

Photo by Grace McCarthy

Posted Wednesday, January 4, 2023 6:05 pm

By Cheryl English, interim director

After two years of being closed, 2021 proved to be a year of rebuilding for Blaine Senior Center: New staff, new programs and new protocols for protecting each other. So, 2022 was a year of building on that base.

Our long-standing bridge, line dancing, stretch, Tai Chi, craft and strength programs expanded as did new programs, like flexibility, balance and core, and technology concierge. Membership increased over 200 percent, and we saw a substantial number of new members who had recently moved into the area, especially after promoting that membership is open to anyone 50 years of age and over.

The much-needed Meals on Wheels program, which continued as a drive-thru during the pandemic, was reintroduced as the ever-popular hot meals in-house three days per week on June 2 and then expanded to five days per week October 17. In addition to our long-time community favorites – pancake breakfast, Big Bucks Bingo – the center offered several community services events: Art of Aging Exhibit; Planning Ahead: Making Choices for Your Legacy and Health Care info fair; Housing Options as We Age info fair; Exploring your Medicare & Healthcare Options info fair; Whatcom Transportation Authority Route 75 community meeting; and Department of Social and Health Services Mobile Community Services event.

And in the spirit of our website banner, “Seniors in Action for a Better Community,” we hosted several donations drives for our nonprofit neighbors: Hygiene products for the Boys and Girls Club Community Closet, nonperishable food for the food bank, coats for the Community Assistance Program (CAP) coat drive and toys for the CAP Community Toy Store.

Throughout the pandemic and continuing, Blaine Senior Center has strived to maintain a safe environment to make a difference in the health, education, physical, nutritional, financial and social need of the seniors in the Blaine communities. I invite you to join and/or volunteer and help us continue to serve the seniors and “soon-to-be” seniors in our community.