Rowan County, Kentucky
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A History of the Senior Center in Rowan County by Cindy Leach

Authored by Cindy Leach

Senior Centers are a focal point for community engagement among senior citizens. They go above and beyond acting as gathering places for older folks; they hold important programs that make a tangible improvement in their quality of life. Older adults who participate in senior center programs experience better psychological well-being across several measures compared to non-participants.

The Morehead Senior Citizens program began meeting on October 4, 1973, every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 11:30 am at the Morehead Methodist Church. The purpose of the group was fellowship centered around a nutritious hot meal at a minimum cost. Thursdays were Program Day with a variety of programs ranging from information to entertainment. The only requirement to join the group is to be 60 years or older. The program had nothing to do with income. Meals were 25 cents per person, but no one was turned away for lack of money. Many attendees paid more to help with those who could not pay.

Volunteers were asked to serve twelve times a year for around an hour and a half.  In the first year of operation, more than sixty people volunteered. Volunteers also delivered hot meals to those who couldn't attend the meetings on those days.

Spearheaded by the Rowan County Cooperative Extension Service, Home Health Service and Comprehensive Care Center, this program began as an effort to service “meals-on-wheels” to homebound older citizens in the community. The United Way helped those citizens who were unable to pay for their meals.

Services offered by Gateway to the citizens of Rowan County at this time included a medical bus that took them to Lexington and Ashland for doctor appointments, a bus for the elderly running five days a week to take them to town for personal business, operation of a senior citizen’s center, a meals program for senior citizens, including home delivery, helping individuals fill out governmental forms, and referring persons that can’t be helped by Gateway to other agencies.

The Senior Citizens moved to a new facility in October 1976 behind Perry Hardware on South Wilson.

Senior Center on South Wilson - Morehead News, circa 1989.

Senior Center on South Wilson - Morehead News, circa 1988.

 

In March of 1982, the Seniors moved to a building at City Park. Mayor John Will Holbrook signed a contract with the Seniors allowing them to use a building at City Park free from rent and utilities as long as he was in office.

In March 1982, the Senior Citizen programs in the five county area that Gateway serves (Rowan, Bath, Montgomery, Menifee and Morgan) were consolidated to save money. Two contracts were awarded –EKISO was awarded the nutrition contract and the Rowan County Senior Citizens, Inc. were awarded the social services contract. On March 22, 1983, the Gateway Area Development District voted in a secret ballot to award the social services contract to Eastern Kentucky Independent Service Organization.

The vote was contested by the RCSC. The Commissioner of the Department for Social Services ruled that the conflict of interested was valid and secret ballot was unacceptable under the open meetings law.

After much deliberation, in June of 1983, EKISO was awarded the contract

Mayor Holbrook felt that RCSC should be allowed to use the building rent free, but not EKISO. The Seniors had used over $3000 of their own money to renovate in the inside and Holbrook did not think the EKISO should take it over for free. The Seniors liked the park with lots of parking and had full use of the park.

EKISO decided to move the Seniors to the old Midland Trail Hotel on Main Street in late June, 1983 after discovering they could not use the park for free.

 

Midland Trail Hotel on Main Street was rented in June 1983 by EKISO. The building was opened on July 1, 1983, with Vivian Wall as site manager.

Elizabeth Mayo, President of the Rowan County Senior Citizens said they group chose to stay at the City Park. The group had no intention of leaving when they have games, exercise facilities, quilting and other crafts. Mary Cornette was the site manager at the park. Gateway stated that meals would be delivered to both sites. However, conflict continued and the City Park location did not get their meals. The Senior Center staff provided the meals themselves until EKISO relented and agreed to serve both facilities.

In July of 1983, County Judge Jim Nickell and Fiscal Court agreed to allocate $3,000 to the group of Seniors who wanted to stay at the City Park. The money was used for phone service, social activities and supplies.

Phillip Lewis, owner of the Midland Trail Hotel building on Main Street, sold the building to Chuck Coldiron of Winchester in February 1988. Coldiron planned to put an Arby’s Restaurant there. Lewis was responsible for razing the hotel and other businesses on the block. He also sold the Monarch Hardware building to George Morrison of Clearfield, who planned to lease it to Domino’s Pizza.

Due to the demolition of the Midland Trail Hotel, the Senior Center moved back to the location at 117 South Wilson Avenue. Site Director was Jody Garner. In 1989, the Rowan County Detention Center inmates painted outside windows and signs, interior and made small repairs to the building.

Midland Trail Hotel as occupied by the Rowan County Senior Center.

 

Heritage Place - A portion of which is currently leased to the Rowan County Senior Center.

In August of 1991, the Morehead City Council voted to lease space in a building at Heritage Place for the Seniors. Mayor Larry Breeze was trying to bring the two Senior groups together instead of allowing the city to support two groups.

Morehead Housing Authority would lease the building to the City for 1 year at $200 per month, including utilities. The City would also enter into an agreement with EKISO to provide all the basic programming, including a hot lunch five days a week.

This continues today and after 34 years, the Judge-Executive and Fiscal Court agreed it was past due for a dedicated Senior Center building at 740 Clearfield Street in Morehead.

Officials said the center will provide seniors a place to gather, deliver social outreach services, offer information for independent living, and more. Regina Thompson, Director of the Rowan County Senior Center since July 2022, and the Gateway Area Development District coordinates programs and outreach activities for area seniors. The roughly 6,000 square-foot center will be able to hold up to 100 people and will meet all Americans with Disabilities Act and Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards.

 
Rowan ReviewDylan LambertComment