Rising out of the Ashes

The spot once occupied by the Upper Bucks Senior Center stands idle. The chain link and orange safety fencing, an indication of what happened recently that stunned us all. The former haven for our seniors burnt to the ground in what felt like an instant. Could this spot see the rising of the new Upper Bucks Senior Center? That question goes unanswered, but what is known about the services and events put out by the Upper Bucks Senior Center I am proud to publish. The seniors in our area may be down, but they’re certainly not out and all of the services and activities save for a few, are back on line. Here’s a quick listing of what you can expect to find as the Upper Bucks Senior Center takes up temporary residence at the Trinity Lutheran Church Hall at Hellertown and Erie Avenues in Quakertown Borough. Lunch remains available each day from 11:30 provided you submit your menu the week prior. Bingo is held each Thursday, made even better now by a larger machine provided to the center. Members only card games are continuing and everyone is invited to pinochle games each Friday afternoon. Exercise sessions are held twice each week on Mondays and Thursdays. Starting August 17th dances will resume and spelling bee contests have started again and are held every other Monday. The center’s band has resumed practices each Wednesday starting at 10am. Spa Day comes in to the makeshift center each third Tuesday of the month offering residents some pampering with foot care, chair massage and haircuts. Free legal advice is available on the third Wednesday of each month. Finally, blood pressure screenings conducted by St. Luke’s Hospital are given the fourth Thursday of each month.

Busy schedule, real busy considering the smoke has just cleared from the former center. The seniors it would seem are a pretty resilient group. The only activities left to figure out how to work into their routine are ping-pong, shuffleboard, billiards and darts. This is a crafty and clever group and my instincts tell me it won’t be long before these activities and games return bringing back the full complement of services and activities formerly held at the fourth street location. Trips scheduled through the center will also continue as arranged through the remainder of the year and into 2008.

Center Manager MW Ernst is managing through it all with an upbeat and hopeful morale. “We’re sort of like the Phoenix, rising out of the ashes” Ernst quips. It would certainly appear so. On a recent Friday afternoon where I met up with Ernst there was a full fellowship hall filled with seniors enjoying each other’s company, many games, food and activities. What lies ahead is certain, certain enough anyway. If you’re a senior living in the Quakertown area you have a center offering you plenty of services, activities and informational seminars to keep active, have fun and live well. The Trinity Lutheran Church has been kind enough to give their fellowship hall to the center and is easily located just a few short blocks from the former center. If you have any questions call the center directly at 215-536-3066 or online email ubscmgr1@verizon.net. Mail deliveries should be sent to The Upper Bucks Senior Center General Delivery, Quakertown PA 18951. Rumors have gone around as to the center being rebuilt on its former location. As I mentioned earlier this is still unclear. The project to rebuild is in its infancy so it’s premature to speculate about where and when the new center will debut. One thing is clear there will be a new center and it will serve our seniors. The process to rebuild has garnered the support of many civic, church, other organizations and individuals offering benevolence and contributing to the cause in an effort to expedite the plan to build a new facility. The best news of all I believe lies in today, the fact that there is no lag or interruption in services, activities and events for our seniors. If you’ve been wondering where the seniors went, they haven’t gone far, just a few blocks away.

Ernst tells me the members and leaders of the center are holding up well. Many members and non members who use the center services were relieved to find the center back in business. I mentioned before in writing about our seniors and our senior center that I encountered an amazing group of people who lived life, dealt with adversity and rose above trial and error to raise their families and many who defended our nation. No small surprise these same folks can manage so well during this upheaval time in between centers. The next time you’re near to Hellertown and Erie, stop out to our temporary senior center, maybe guide a senior who hasn’t found out services and activities have resumed and bring them down for a visit. As news of any kind comes available about a new center I’ll be sure to get you all the details. Enjoy the remainder of summer, see ‘ya around town.