Tallman Senior Center in need of repairs, yard sale fundraiser planned for May 27.

May 11, 2017
From left: Ann Hoffman, Ardah Holcomb, Margaret Wilder.

From left: Ann Hoffman, Ardah Holcomb, Margaret Wilder.

Tallman Senior Center in need of repairs, yard sale fundraiser planned for May 27.

#MasonCountyPeople.

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief.

BRANCH TOWNSHIP — Since 1979 the Tallman Lake Senior Center has served the needs of residents in the far eastern side of Mason County. The center is located at 6765 E. Marshall Road, just west of Tallman Lake. It’s a daily gathering place for many in the area.

The center, which receives limited funds from the county, is in need of some major repairs and upgrades. Recently an auxiliary was formed to help assist with fundraising. The top priority is to replace the front door with a handicap accessible automatic door, which costs about $4,000. The auxiliary is planning a yard sale on Saturday, May 27 beginning at 9 a.m.

“We have a lot of people here who use walkers and it’s difficult for them to open the door by themselves,” said Ann Hoffman, one of the auxiliary members.

The center does have a handicap accessible ramp, but the ramp is in need of new indoor/outdoor carpeting, to keep it from being slippery. The center is also in need of an additional bathroom, which is estimated to cost $6,000. The kitchen is in need of new flooring, the current flooring was installed when the center started in the late ‘70s, Ann said.

“This is a gathering place for our community and we need to make it more accessible for people of all ages and abilities. This has been a great place for the people who live around here and we have lots of things to do.”

The center, which is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, serves a hot lunch every day, provided by Mason County Central Schools and offers a variety of activities including pool and shuffleboard.

“One of the nice things about our center is that we have a considerable amount of land which lets us do outdoor activities,” Ann said.

“We are interested in making this more of a place for the entire community, not just the seniors,” said auxiliary member Margaret Wilder. She said one of the goals of the center is to build a basketball court for neighborhood kids.

The center is accepting items for the yard sale. The items can be dropped off during the week at the center or, auxiliary members are willing to pick up items as well, call 231-757-3306 to make arrangements.

Hoffman said other fundraisers are also planned and the center can take donations as well.

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